Results!

OMG. I never thought I'd feel like I was getting anywhere, but hard work does pay off. Over the last 3ish weeks, I've been trying to really go hard in the gym and the kitchen. There were many days I didn't make it to the gym and many days I didn't eat how I should've, but I started new the next day. I never gave up, and now I have some arm results to share. I have no "measurements", per se, I don't remember the last time I took measurements, but my body is responding really well to lifting.
So, here it is!:

I feel good. I wish the rest of my body looked so good, but it is getting there! My calves are getting stronger as are my tris! This journey has been amazing so far, I know I can get far, I will do it.

I'm so lucky I have a great support system in this journey, as well as all of my other journeys.
I'm getting nervous just cause school is starting in a couple of weeks, I don't want to feel too overwhelmed with everything, so I'm hoping that even with school coming back, I will keep at it in the gym!

Follow me, comment, message, let me hear your thoughts, your stories, I truly want to!

xo
C

It's been forever...

It really has. I've been really busy just living life. I've had so much fun this summer with my son, my boyfriend, my family, and my friends. It has just really been amazing and eye-opening.
I've gotten to do fun things like watch toddler soccer games, go to the children's museum, celebrate my child's birthday, go swimming, travel, etc.
Now, I'm getting ready for myself and Cole to go to school. He starts pre-k NEXT week, you guys. I just don't know how I feel about that. As for me? Well, this semester is (hopefully!) the last of my undergrad. Um, yes. Crazy and unbelievable! I'm almost there, I've almost done it! Through tough times, rough relationships, single parenting, I'm ALMOST done. I never thought I could've gotten this far, honestly. But, here I am :)

Now on to why I started this blog. I really have wanted to get in to shape for a long time. I've always had a love hate relationship with working out, going to the gym, eating right, drinking water, etc. In high school, I was a big fan of running. About twice a week or so, my mom and I would go run a mile or two around a local high school track. It was fun, exhilarating, and enough exercise for me. After high school, I dabbled in "at-home" workouts, but I've realized that it doesn't really work for me. I like going to the gym now and I've recently started an affair with lifting. Now, I don't do as much cardio, but I am trying to incorporate it back in to my workout. I'm on week 3 of a bodybuilding.com program by fitness model Jamie Eason. It's super easy to follow and there are pictures and videos if you don't know how to do a workout. It's also really helped that my wonderful, awesome boyfriend comes to the gym with me every once in awhile. He really pushes me while lifting, even if I get annoyed cause I think I can't do it.
If you are wanting to start a fitness/weight loss journey, I recommend to research! Google, ask a personal trainer at your gym, ask a friend who frequents the gym, just ask, don't be afraid! It was hard for me to ask, but I'm finally getting more comfortable with it. I also really try to motivate myself any way I can. I follow instagram accounts like Flex It Pink, which is a female empowerment account that also makes fitness apparel. It's nice to see other people going through the same things as me, trying to be their best, their healthiest, it really motivates me. But ultimately, I have to seek within myself for the motivation and trust me, that's the most difficult. You can want something so bad, but never even do anything about it. That's where I've been stuck for too long. Now, I'm here. Making a weight loss calendar, sticking to a schedule, trying really hard to eat decently, etc. It's hard, but I'm done wishing, I want to be THERE. I'm super impatient, so it's been a rough 3 weeks not really feeling like I'm getting anywhere, but I know I just need to keep plugging along and I'll see results.
Follow me in my journey and share yours! Let's motivate each other! Follow me on insta and twitter and let's talk :)

Xo*
C

Victories- on and off the scale

So, this week, I decided I really needed to get back on track. Since I joined the gym and did boot camp, I haven't stayed working out or eating well for more than 2 weeks. I'd start and then something would happen: I went to Colorado for a weekend, ate like shit, and then came back and ate the same way! I keep falling off the bandwagon!

Then I keep seeing people who have lost massive amounts of weight, in the 100s you know, and I'm like, if they can do it so can I!

But it is hard. So anyway, I premade my dinners for this week (skinny taco chicken chili) and ate light at work (since I've been at work everyday during lunch, I ate grilled shrimp skewers or a cup of lobster bisque) and my snacks have mostly been light as well. But if you know me, you know snacking is my downfall, so it wasn't the best of the best (check out my diary on myfitnesspal, you'll see!) and although I could've done better overall, I lost 3 lbs this week. Not bad right? Although that's not much from what I have weighed, I haven't actually been 143 since early 2013. So here I am..a year later.. 

Besides my better eating habits, I went to the gym 2x. I need to make it more often! And if anyone that reads this goes to good life fitness and wants to be my gym/boot camp buddy, let me know!!!!

So anyway, one more thing. I also had a non scale victory yesterday. My son decided he didn't want the same dinner we'd been having for the last 3 days and asked for Mac and cheese. Fine, but I didn't want to make a big pot for just him, cause it'd go to waste. So after boot camp yesterday, I stopped by KFC which has small sides of Mac and cheese, perfect for my little man. I was so tempted to get the mashed potato bowl or a Pepsi, but decided that I had food and water at home! Um, yay!! ;)

Xo,

C

#transformationtuesday

So, I never partake in the hashtag madness. Ok, not never, but mostly never. I never do #wcw #mcm and definitely not #transformationtuesday. But, I decided, I would today. I am not by any means where I want to be. But I am really proud of where I came from. Like I've said before, my heaviest was in 2012 when I weighed 162 lbs at my heaviest. I'm only 5' so that's a lot of weight to be carrying around. After a lot of stress, some better eating, and becoming a lot more active, I lost 16 lbs and I've kept it off. Sure, 16 lbs isn't that much and it isn't even where I want to be, but I'm proud that I accomplished something I never thought I could do. So here's my #transformationtuesday picture, and here's to the next 16 lbs ;)

Me in the yellow dress is my 21st birthday in 2012, the picture on the right is of me in November of 2013.

Goals, goals, goals.

I've been talking about my goals and what not, so I decided I'd let you all know exactly what I'm aiming for!
Long Term Goal:
1. First & foremost, I'm always striving to be a better mother. I definitely do my best every day, but my best isn't always what I'm looking for. I strive to be more hands on and give my son more 1 on 1 time every day!
2. Get a routine & stick to it! Eat better, sleep better, be better.
3. Be a better & more passionate daughter, sister, & partner.
Short term goals:
1. This has been a goal for awhile, but I need to get there. I want to be in the 120s again and love my body! (aiming for mid April)
2. I want to be better in school, be more involved in my classes. (every week until May!)
3. Eat breakfast every morning (get this down for 21 days. Then it becomes habit)
4. Be able to do a pullup in boot camp class! (Be strong enough and brave enough to!)(aim for beginning of April)
5. Make it to the gym at least 4x a week. (bonus: go on a Saturday or Sunday!) (every week starting this week!)

Someone once told me to make goals that have some sort of obtainable time limit. Then you push for it so it gets done by that time. I have these goals and I really want to stick to them!