34 pounds gone!

I am so happy I finally passed the -31 mark I was stuck at all of February.
Yesterday when I woke up my tummy was growling so loud. I was so hungry from eating dinner early, then going to the gym and working it off and not eating anything when I got home.

I was so happy to get on and see a 3 pound lost from last week! Now that's -34. Yay!
Thursday's workout was amazing. I got there early for spin, but late for the lift class, so I did weights on my own before spin. It was a new spin teacher again. This one was good as well. Today, as I write, he is on a 100 mile ride along the coast. That seems so amazing!! He is older than 50. How encouraging.

In the Antelope Valley we are at 3,000 feet elevation. There is an awesome hiking trail Davey and I go to often called Devil's Punchbowl. Well, the over 50 year old spin teacher thought it would be fun to pretend like we were riding our bikes there. It's 4,700 feet high. That's 1,700 feet of climbing.

We started at a 7, went to an 8, 8 1/2, a 9, a 9 1/2 then a 10 for the rest of the way "up". It took us about 8 minuets of climbing. I pushed way past my comfort zone.... which is about a 3....and I climbed the whole way "up"! I was pouring sweat, it was getting in my eyes. The instructor and one other man that always takes that class, we will call him "Super Crazy Cycle Man", have both really climbed that hill before. We always drive up to Devil's Punchbowl, and I always think to myself I would never even want to walk that!

"Super Crazy Cycle Man" is insane. He is always at least 45 minuets early to spin and rides that whole time. He wears real cycle clothes. You know, tight biker shorts with the padded butt, a tight spandex shirt, and real expensive cycle shoes. During the class he is so focused and driven. He goes so fast and hard. I like watching him because it pushes me to go faster and harder.

After spin I did more weights, then the elliptical for 10 minuets. I couldn't believe it, but after spin, everything seemed to easy. It was like I couldn't do enough to work up a sweat. I increased my elliptical speed and intensity, but it felt so easy still. After that, I went into the sauna. I haven't been in it in a few weeks. Last time I was in it I could only do about 15 minuets. Someone told me you have to work your way up to be able to do more time. A serious detox it 3o minuets. I brought my book in with me. It was almost 200 degrees in there, the hottest it's ever been when I was there. People were leaving so quick, 5 minuets at the most. I always think of my brother in law in Iraq, where it's 140 degrees plus 80 pounds of gear. I didn't feel too hot. I was sweating a lot, but it felt good. I felt nice and warm and cozy. Maybe it's because I am always cold? I don't know how, but I last 25 minuets. I felt so accomplished, like I am improving in so many areas. Even if it is just sitting in a hot room, I lasted longer than anyone else. And in spin, besides "Super Crazy Cycle Man", I think I am working next to the hardest. Even though I am still very over weight, I can do more than I could when I was losing weight before I got married. In summer of 2006 I worked out a lot. I would run a mile a day, but I would do 1/2 mile run, 1/2 mile walk, 1/2 mile run. I could not run it all together.

Davey is working in El Centro for a week because he has spring vacation from school. I miss him so much already. Because he is gone, the boys and I are driving to Morgan Hill on Monday. I am taking the Pacific Coast Highway part of the way home. I am super excited because I have always wanted to do that but Davey never wants to. We are going to stop at the beach and play a little, then stop at Big Sur and do a little hiking (as much as I can do with two boys). I am going to try and work out as much as possible while I am in Morgan Hill too.
High calorie day got a little crazy yesterday. My sister in laws came over with their friends and made dinner and dessert. Fried Flautas (ummm... YUM!!!) and a Brownie chocolate Coolwhip dish for dessert.

I did do some walking yesterday though. The boys and I went with Davey to get his oil changed and he decided to get my brakes replaced as well. His truck was done fast, and mine was going to take a while. So I thought I would kill two birds with one stone and go to Winco to get a few things for the girls that were coming over. Davey dropped us off at Winco and headed on his way to El Centro. My phone had just died, so I was hoping everything would go smoothly. We walked back to the tire store to find out they put the wrong brakes on my car and had to wait for someone to bring the right ones.

I was very emotional already because Davey had left. I called Davey from the store and he was already to far to come back, and I started crying. The girls were suppose to be at my house in like an hour and I wasn't ready for them. We had left in a hurry... there was cheerios on the floor from Cody, folded laundry on the couch, and dishes in the sink. Mental note: always have the house ready for company! You just never know.

It all worked out, about an hour and a half later the car was done. I beat the girls to my house, locked the boys in their room, vacuumed, put the laundry on my bed, shut my door, did the dishes real quick, lit some candles, plugged in my dead phone just as the girls were calling to tell me they were almost there. Feeewww. Went to get the boys.... uh-oh. Shane tore his nailed coat rake off the wall, knocking everything from the shelf onto the floor. Great! Oh well. I kept that door shut too.

This morning Shane got his leather cowboy belt off the hook in his room while I was on the phone, was swinging it around in the air, and SLAP! accidentally slapped Cody right across the face with it. Poor baby.. he had a welt, but he was okay. Then someone knocked on the door. I swear the minuet I am on the phone the living room becomes a disaster area, a sea of toys and marshmallows on the floor. The dogs got out and my neighbor brought them back to me. Didn't I remember my mental note? Always have the house ready for company! Ugh!

Anyways, I promised someone some progress pictures.. so here they are! Let's see my weight journey so far.... I know I should start with my fat pictures, but I am starting with my thin pictures. I will be back there again soon! Brace yourself... I am revealing my weight! Ack!!

Me on my prom day...April 2003.. 140 pounds.

This is me on our honey moon around 160 pounds. Cute outfit, I know. August 2006

Me around 170. This dress is a size 12. A few months after we got married. Already packing on pounds.
December 2006
December 2007, right before Shane was born.


Summer of 2008
Me right after I had Cody