Just a few newer pictures

Here are a few recent pictures. They are all wedding related in some way (Not my wedding, no, no, no....not mine! Just some other wedding things and wedding related things) I was really just trying to find some updated pictures to put up on here.....these are the best I could find. 

This is from a wedding in July.....
What can I say? I was having a
good time!

A bridal shower from last weekend.
Our team won the toilet paper
wedding dress game. 

My team making me look like
the best toilet paper
wedding dress model ever!

From the same bridal shower,
minus the awesome toilet
paper wedding dress!

What a weekend.

I had the opportunity to take a ton of pictures yesterday, but have not had the opportunity to go through them yet. I will find some to post; I promise. 


I survived my day of Bridal Showers, Bachelorette Parties, and High School Reunions. All of these events were done very well and I had a good time at all of them. 


At my reunion I had a lot of people asking why I wasn't drinking or eating. I gave the abridged version of events, workouts, and meal plans to way too many people. I did not give into any temptation, but there were a few times I could have used a drink. (We needed name tags! I was struggling to remember names. There were about 480 in my graduating class.) I did get a lot of "Holy crap, look at you" comments. (Yea for me, I'm awesome.)


It was a little different with the Bachelorette party. Many of the Bachelorette's friends are from college. I know her from WAAAAAYYYYY back in elementary school. Her and the Maid of Honor know my whole deal with eating and working out these days. They've seen the transformation. (The Maid of Honor didn't recognize me earlier in the day at the Bridal Shower.) So the other girls didn't have a clue what I was doing and why I wasn't drinking. They just wanted everyone to have a good time and the were kinda pressuring me. I got the whole, "Come on it's a special occasion! Don't you want to celebrate with your friend? Don't you want her to have a good time."


My response to that; dead sober I might add, "Yea, she's having a good time already. She knows why I don't drink. She knows I'm working my ass off. She respects it. She knows I'll make it up to her some day and believe me, I would love to be wasted with all of you nice ladies."


Then I got this comment, "But one night won't hurt."


Oh yes it will. I've learned that the hard way this summer too. There was no use in arguing or pleading my case. I just kept saying no. They had had a few drinks and wanted everyone to have a good time. I understand what they were trying to do, but I had to keep declining. 


Anyway, I got a late start today because I had a late night! I will get a chance to go through the pictures and find some cute ones to put up. 

A little of this and a little of that

This is really just an everything post. I don't really have anything specific that has been on my  mind. 


I've been on this new meal plan for a few weeks now and I know it's working because I have lost around 3 pounds and most that time I was not able to work out because of back problems or sinus problems. 


After not working out for nearly 2 weeks I feel like a little baby in the gym! I can't lift nearly what I was lifting. I have to work my way back up. That's probably why all the guys in the gym have been messing with me. I will just have to keep trying and get back to my regular routine soon enough.


This weekend is going to be incredibly busy. Well, Saturday is going to be really busy. I have a bunch of commitments. It's almost like every second of the day is scheduled. 


Oh, the biggest part of my day will be my high school reunion. Ten years....hard to believe, but I'm excited because I look awesome. I do look entirely different and everyone I see notices. I'm kinda looking forward to the comments.   :)


I'm hoping for a lot of photo ops over the weekend. I do need some new pictures. I haven't done one since May!

I swear the men at the gym are picking on me!

Ok, so I don't really think the men at the gym are picking on me, but they sure do bother me when I'm alone. I don't really know why they do it, but if I had to make an assumption, I think it's because I don't look totally like a typical gym person (even though I'm there 5-6 times a week). 


Here's a little background; summer is almost over so Janelle, Ashley, and I get busy getting ready for the school year to begin and cramming in any last minute things we wanted to accomplish during our time off. Our gym schedule gets all kinds of messed up and we have to go whenever we can fit it in. That means we are usually going at different times and going alone. 


Yesterday was one of the alone days for me. I was getting frustrated because no matter what I did some guy came over and got in my way. I know I'm short, but it's still hard to overlook me. I'll make my presence known! Yesterday I had to get snippy with a few guys too because they just wanted to be in my space and push me off of equipment that I was using. 


The one situation is hard to explain, but I'll give the shortest version I can. I was squatting and this other dude tried to squeeze his big 6'6" self into a space that was not going to be big enough to accommodate him and his crazy workout and me and my squatting. I was there first and I was trying to watch out for him, but he was not watching out for me. He ended up ramming his head into my bar that I was using for my squats. I said I was sorry, but I was there first! 


After that, another squat rack freed up and I moved to that one to do my lunges. I set everything up that I needed and then I ran off to grab a drink. It took like less than a minute. When I came back this older gentleman had put down his weight belt and protein shake on the squat rack, but he was yammering away to the guy who hit his head on my bar. I just started to do my lunges. 


This old dude walks over and tells me that he was getting ready to use that. I turned to him and said, "Actually, that's my stuff there, and I had just put this weight on here and ran to get a drink. I was here first. I have 3 more sets. After that it's all yours." 


He looked shocked. Oh well. I don't care. Then he said this, "Well, I guess you can use it. I guess I should put on my weight belt, or maybe I should put it on you." Then he reached over and tried to put the weight belt around my waist. I recoiled from him. No joke, I recoiled and gave a really nervous laugh. After that, he watched me do the rest of my lunges and it made me really uncomfortable!


I'm feeling a little creeped out now even retelling the story!


On a lighter note, I'm feeling better and I'm so happy to be back in the gym on my regular workout schedule. (Even if the creepsters are out in full force.)

It's recently occurred to me.

There are people everyday that ask how much weight I've lost. At this point I round up and I say, "almost 100 pounds in about the last year and half."


I get the craziest reactions from people. Mostly they are completely shocked and in awe. I usually say, "Well, I still have about 50 pounds to go." 


They are still in shock and they don't think that there is another 50 pounds to lose. Trust me, there is another 50 - 60 pounds to go. 


I've had to start looking at these 100 pounds in a different way. I just haven't felt like it's really that much weight. I'm not sure why I feel like that. I usually feel like I'm a little more than half way to my goal. 


I've had to step back and realize that 100 pounds is a lot of weight. I don't really even know how else to put it, but 100 pounds is a large amount of fat to lose. No wonder people are so shocked. 


This only occurred to me today while I was at work and one of my co workers asked me how much I've lost now. She was making such a huge deal out of it. I was just looking at her thinking that I still have a long way to go. I'm not where I want to be. 


She pointed out that most kids don't hit 100 pounds in weight until late elementary or middle school. 


Then I started thinking about it in terms of kids. I'd say I've lost about a 5th grader. I now realize that that is pretty impressive. 


By the time I'm to my goal I'll have lost the equivalent of a high school student. 

I just can't win right now!

My back...well it's mostly better. I've been able to workout, but I haven't done a full, heavy leg workout. I think I will try one tomorrow. I never thought I would miss squatting. (It's funny how things change over time.)


My new problem? Oh, my sinuses are out of control! My face is so congested that it's hard to even think! Why couldn't my sinuses do this the other week while I was laying on the floor healing my back? 


All this sinus pressure has really gotten me down too! I have not been able to put my full effort and energy into my workouts. (Yea, I've still been at the gym. Probably not the best idea, but I'm so tired of sitting around!)


I'm hoping if I lay on the couch for the rest of the day that I will feel better tomorrow! 


So, the meal plan is still going well. I'm getting used to planning my meals around a certain amount of protein. I'm eating less calories again, but there is so much protein that I'm always super full. Sometimes when I realize it's time to eat I kinda wanna cry because I'm not sure how any more food can go into my belly. I've been losing weight though, so I'm know I'm still doing something right!


Oh and....totally off topic. I had a goal to go to this indoor rock climbing place in my town. Well, the real goal was to do it this summer, but I think I'm going to do it on my birthday which is coming up in September. It's a Saturday this year too, so I think more people will have the opportunity to tag along. 

What a week!

So, I've been on my new meal plan for just over a week now. It's really working out well. My back is better, but still not 100%. 


I've been able to do some working out this week. I've not really been able to do anything with legs and lower back, but I've done some nice upper body stuff. I've gotta tell ya, after a week of not being able to workout or walk I'm super sore. I kinda like that though. It makes me feel like I've done something. 


I also watch my nephew all day today. He's only 2 1/2 years old. He's a bundle of energy so I spent my fair share of time running around and swimming at the pool today. I still have to do my regular workout too. I'm totally wiped out. I know it's Friday, but I can't wait to go to bed!

Just a quick question...

Why in the world would EMPLOYEES of the GYM stand around in the front lobby and eat BOWLS OF ICE CREAM FROM COLDSTONE? And....and....talk about how good it is? 


Honestly, I've never understood why they are allowed to eat anywhere other than their break room because they eat like shit! Fast food galore in that place. My gym is so janky....but you can't beat the price. 

I totally stole her thunder

Last weekend I went to a baby shower. Actually, it was like a baby shower/open house thing for a friend of mine. She wanted everyone female and male to come hang out. 


I was still out of it from my back being messed up and being all hopped up on pain killers so I just now realized what happened while at the shower. (I think I'm finally out of my fog from the meds.)


I walked in, and I felt like a zombie. I hardly even recognized the people I was looking for, one of them being my own sister. So, I finally see my sister, brother in law, and some friends that I haven't seen in MONTHS. 


I didn't even get to say hi because these friends were all commenting about ME! Here are some of the things I remember hearing:


"Oh my god, where did the rest of you go?" (to that my brother in law responded, "We buried it in the back yard."
"Has it been that long since we've seen you?"
"I didn't recognize you."
"I was wondering who was walking up the driveway."
"Holy shit."
"What the hell happened to the rest of you?"


I could not even formulate responses to anyone because I was really out of it. (Looking back, I probably shouldn't have driven....oops.)


So the pregnant friend was standing there too and she even said she didn't recognize me either, and she does my hair so I know she's seen me in the last 3 months. Then she made a (joking) comment about it being her party and she's the pregnant one. I was able to chuckle a little at that before sitting in the corner and trying to hide the fact that I was totally jacked up on pain meds. 


Now that I'm out of the fog I can see that situation more clearly, and I totally stole her pregnant thunder by having lost so much friggin' weight! 

Update!

I'm a little late in updating my pounds lost and inches lost for July. I'm back on track, but I'm still trying to make up for lost time. I also lost a week of working out because of my back issue; which, by the way, is much better. I was able to lift today....thank God. 


Ok, so I lost 3 pounds. This means I've lost 93 pounds since I started all of this in January of 2010. I'm kind of disgusted by that though. It should have been more. I was on track for the whole month, except for one day. I guess the damage from that day was a lot, because I'm not moving forward. This month will be better. 


Now for my inches lost...I'm a little happier by this. I lost 8.5 inches from my usual measurements. That means I've lost a total of 73 inches since January 2010. I guess I've never really said what measurements I use and I should probably tell everyone. I go for the upper arm, bust, waist, abdomen, hips, and thighs. 


Also, I've been on the new meal plan for almost a week. I'm doing good. It's been an adjustment to count the protein before my calories, but I'm getting the hang of it and I'm sure I'll be able to plan meals in my sleep after a few more days. 


...and as always, my meal plans are made for me, based off my body composition, and the change about every 3 months.