I am back on track. I took time last week to feel sorry for myself that I gained the weight back - but of course I was going to if I wasn’t exercising every day and also not eating that great. And I did give up trying to follow the diet plan I started.

Well today is a new week and I have a new plan. I am back on South Beach starting today. Even if I can’t get to the Y every day, I am going to exercise at home. I found a few exercises to do and I realize that if I don’t train to run, I won’t be able to do the graduation run. I meant to keep that a surprise for Chris but ended up telling him las week. He said if I run, cool, if not no biggie. I really wanted to run to surprise him so I know I should have not said anything.

Really my long term goal is not to become a runner. It is to lose weight. I know I eat healthy already so I am back to using my spark people page to keep track of calories - not to keep myself limited, but to ensure I am getting enough! I need to exercise to be able to lose weight and build muscle. It snowed yesterday and is supposed to until Wednesday so I don’t see us going for a walk - but maybe we will, the cold will give us incentive to move!

We don’t have a scale at home and I haven’t been to the Y since last week - I talked to my cousin who works at the Y and was told lots of kids are still being sent home sick, I really want to avoid that for my kids. I know I have not gained any more weight, but I haven’t lost anything either. I’m going to try to get to the Y so I can at least weigh myself and find out the number so that update will come later.

I have felt discouraged since last week. I have no idea why since I have lost a few pounds and I was doing great working out every day. But I ended up skipping the Y three of five days last week - effectively only working out twice. Well three times if you count walking a mile here at Dad’s place. I made great time on that one because I was upset so I walked as fast as I could without running and burned that energy rather then acting out.

I weighed in today to find I have gained three pounds. I was very disappointed - for a few minutes. My pants are still loose (if not looser then last Monday) and maybe it’s muscle I’m gaining and fat I’m losing. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

I had to force myself to go to the Y today. I just did not want to go at all and did not have any interest in working out, getting sweaty, none of it. Once there I did twenty minutes on the treadmill - a good, slow warm up, and then running for six minutes (yay one more then last time I ran!) and a good cool down. Today was also a strength training day and I had a good workout on the machines. Even though I stretched afterward, I feel a little bit sore this evening. That may be because I did two reps rather then just one after a long time since last doing any or because I didn’t play basketball like I was. After I was done I just wanted to get out of there so I skipped the sauna/steam room though I wanted to sit in one of them today.

Starting tomorrow I am cutting out bread from my diet. I had a hard time following South Beach simply because I was restricted and for some reason when I am told no you can’t have that - all of a sudden that’s what I want! I know I will lose weight following the plan but making up meals or a menu plan was too much for me to handle while thinking about working out and running and taking care of kids.

At least I am going back to workout out every day. I’m going to reevaluate next Monday because I know I am not eating poorly.

After a week of doing what I thought would work with running on the treadmill, I finally realized maybe this isn’t the way to do it. Sometimes it’s trial and error right?

Well I did what anyone with a track coach for a college roommate would do - emailed her, then bugged her on IM until she said she’d call me. After catching up on the latest gossip in each others lives she gave me a workout routine to follow.

I was supposed to start yesterday, but I skipped the Y, so I started today instead. I figure I’ll make up for skipping over the weekend. I’m running on the treadmill and I figure I’ll work my way up to running on the indoor track they have, but the family run I am shooting for is outside.

So my routine is to warm up for a few minutes, three to four, and then run at whatever pace I can do for five minutes. I am just starting out so today I ran for five minutes at a 4 mph - which I think is a 15 minute mile. I did great the first 3 - 3:30 minutes - then I started thinking I am not giving up, I am doing five minutes because I will run that family run.

After the five minutes was up I did a four minute cool down then moved on to strength training. I’m not sure when I am going to up my minutes running or the mph but I’m set to email her tonight so I’ll keep you posted.

I do need a new pair of shoes - I’ve been running/working out with the shoes I wear every day and I know that’s not smart. I’m going looking this week for cross trainers - I’d like to be able to run/walk and play basketball and I don’t want a specific shoe for any of those activities.

I am still so happy over losing four pounds!

I also have been

doing cardio every day
strength training three times a week
drinking plenty of water
only having one portion at meals (no seconds)
only weighing myself once a week
more active with my kids
telling others what I am doing and having them motivate me

And I gave my college roommate a call to ask about how to train to make that mile and a half in fifteen minutes. She’s a track coach now and ran track since at least high school (if not before) through college. She had some great tips for me and I’m emailing her every day to let her know my progress, how I feel, etc. I will run that mile and a half!

Okay I have quit following South Beach. I do think it’s a good plan - it’s basically eat less carbs? Alright what do I know, I don’t care about carbs or fats or startches or anything like that. I eat well, I only eat one portion, I drink lots of water every day, and I am going to have real butter! I’m just not going to eat the entire stick of real butter.

Friday I felt like hhmm, an orange would taste good - so I had one. Diets all seem to say different things - with LA Weight Loss I read that eating citrus was encouraged by one center because citrus helped you burn fat faster. But with South Beach they say no fruit for the first two weeks so you can stop having cravings.

I’m going to stick with eating good. I did stumble Sunday night and had Doritos and french onion dip (sure it sounds odd but it tastes good - I blame my brother for that just like I blame my friend Julie for introducing me to ranch dressing and pizza). Considering how much I am working out I know I will still lose weight.

I did lose four pounds (yay!) and of course I can’t tell if that is from working out or from South Beach. I don’t have any cravings, but I don’t like being restricted. I know what to eat or not to eat so I think I can do okay on my own. Plus I am working out five days a week and that is doing something.

Of course I will have to stop making banana bread every other week! It is just so good it is hard to stay away from. Yesterday we were gone all afternoon but rather then eating out (which was very tempting) we came home and had soup. My treat was a small slice of the banana bread, but I don’t want to do that every day.

Time for week two check in for Spring Operation Weight off for Moms. I had already decided to only weigh in on Mondays and today was the day!

I have lost four pounds!

I am so happy! I knew I lost weight because my pants fit different - but this time it’s not just they fit different in the waist. This time my pants fit different all over. I also had my daughter take pictures today - from the side and the front - and I’m going to do so every Monday. I didn’t last week but that’s okay with me. But I decided not to share for a month, then I’m going to show a months worth to show the difference.

I did quit following South Beach (more on that later) but after finding I lost weight I think I will go back to a modified version.

Do you have a SparkPeople page? Check out my page here and add me as a friend! I’m not really updating the actual page - there is a spot for a blog and such, but since I’m here I didn’t want to also do that there.

I had a weekend filled with kids. Saturday we didn’t get to the Y because they don’t have childcare and my brother had to help my Dad with something, thus no sitter. No biggie, we managed to get a few crafts done that were a long time coming!

But yesterday I grabbed a few of my nephews (okay, I had them dropped off) and had them hanging out here. My husband suggested we buy the kids a new video game because he is missing them so much and figures thats a good contribution he can make. So we buy Mario & Sonic at the Olympics.

I have always thought the Wii was a good workout tool - you do have to get up and move around and
that makes kids (and adults) tired. My kids rarely want to read how to play a game, they just want to jump in and get started. But this game takes a bit of reading - which each new game you play has the specific instruction when you start, if you select to read them.

So the kids are playing and getting frustrated here and there so I grabbed the controls and did one of the track events - wow hello biceps! Or triceps? Upper arms anyway. And I only did two races. It did feel good and I am going to jump on and play again soon.

After the Wii we all went outside and play basketball - oh what I learned there!

• Blocking an 8 year old will be fun for you and annoying for him
• If a basketball goal is set at about 6 feet, I can make it from way back there
• Seriously, I hit some awesome shots! It felt great.
• Teaching little kids (4 and 6 years old - my two) to play basketball can be fun
• If you hear someone say “your Mom is base” and you start running, everyone will join in the chase even if they declined to play before.

We had a great day. A little video game fun, a little outdoor fun, a little cooking fun. It’s just like I imagined living here would be - and I am going to make sure it happens again. Kids prove that working out and/or getting exercise is fun!

We are heading to the Y today and I will check in for the Spring OSW later.

I am feeling great! The past few days I have had awesome workouts.

On Tuesday I thought wow I can really do this. On Wednesday I pushed myself and ran a minute more then on Tuesday. On Thursday I did skip the Y because I cooked a family dinner for my brothers birthday party. And yesterday, Friday, I had my best workout so far.

I accidentally pulled the emergency stop on the treadmill and it stopped on me after ten minutes. That lost everything - the distance I walked/ran and the calories I burned. I started the machine back up and did another 20 or so minutes, but I just don’t remember. I pushed myself and did an extra thirty seconds (compared to Wednesday) of running. Afterward I did the weight machines and stretched.

My Dad was at the Y at the same time and the kids love playing basketball with him. So I grabbed the kids from the childcare and we all went to play basketball. Of course the kiddos are pretty short people so they couldn’t make a shot but they sure tried. We played for about twenty minutes and left.

I think adding playing basketball was a great idea because last night was the first time I was not exhausted and also sore. I felt great! I am excited that after just one week of working out every day I am really making progress.

Do you have a favorite message board? I am a member of just a few and I’ve found it’s hard to get involved with others. I am currently looking for a couple to join but haven’t looked too hard.

One of my favorites was the forum at Mom’s Talk Forum - I say was because the owner, Kelly McCausey, shut the forum down a few months ago. It was a nice place to chat with other moms about various topics. It was a nice place to be after a long day with kids or a long day working.

No April Fools - Mom’s Talk Forum is back! I’m very excited to be able to post there again and if you are looking for a Mama Home online, please stop by and say hi.

The Mom’s Talk Network website (http://www.momstalknetwork.com) has been quiet since Kelly McCausey assumed ownership back in October 2007, but no more.  Starting today the website will be brimming over with fresh Guest Blogger appearances and a resurrected Mom’s Talk Forum which I will be helping to breathe new life into as a Moderator.  Come on over and say hello today and be entered for a chance to win gifts, free advertising and even a cash prize.  Every blog comment and forum post made on April first will serve as an entry in today’s relaunch drawing

To see prizes: http://www.momstalknetwork.com/forum/april-fools-day-no-foolin-giveaways-vt1505.html

What great prizes! Do stop by and say hi.

It is the first week of the Operation Spring Weight Off - and here is my story.

I started this because I wanted to lose the weight I had gained since my kids were born. At the time my son was three years old and I figured I couldn’t blame all my weight on baby weight anymore! With my daughter, I think I gained 40 lbs and after having her, I did go up one pants size. I stayed that size, eating okay and not exercising all that much and then my son came along. If I remember right I gained around the same amount of weight, but honestly I don’t remember exactly.

After having him, I went back to my pre-pregnant size. I stayed there for a few years and then we had to move to the south because of Chris’ job. And for some reason, I gained a lot of weight there. Maybe we changed our eating plans, maybe I was depressed, maybe I started snacking more, I’m not sure.

At any rate, I joined LA Weight Loss and lost over 15 lbs in two and a half months. I think I lost 17 lbs? You would think I would remember losing weight! But honestly, I’m not obsessed with a number, I go by how my clothes fit and how I feel overall. I stopped following LA in May once we found out we were pregnant again - but I probably didn’t need to because it was just changing how I was eating, I wasn’t taking supplements or anything. And I had been doing LA since right around getting pregnant anyway!

But I quit - and then I gained 14 pounds over the next months. Looking back I shouldn’t have stopped. I needed to lose weight and like I said, I wasn’t doing anything to harm the baby. I had already gained another size!

And so now I am stable. I have lost ten pounds in the past few months but I wasn’t following a new diet or exercising more/differently. I joined the Y and have been regularly working out for the past couple of weeks. I am also going to start South Beach (if I can ever sit and figure a meal plan!) and continue to work out.

My goal is to lose 15 pounds. I’ll work on more later, but for now it’s losing fifteen. Chris is graduating at the end of May and that is my goal date.