A Year Went By In a Blink...What Happened?

I can't believe that it's been this long.

I haven't taken time off of my weight loss journey.  I just haven't been writing, and I've missed it.

I plan on taking this up again and keeping myself in your account.  Am I really doing what I say I'm doing?  I'll have to prove it.  Here's my plan.

-Suck It Up Sat. pics
-Monthly Measurement posts
-Bi-Weekly Weigh ins
-Working out 5 days a week

It's out there now.  No turning back now.

Twin Loveliness!  So bright we gotta wear shades!

My sis is going to be partner on this.  Here is her plan:

-No soda or carbs at dinner
-Working out 5 days a week
-Bi-Weekly Weigh ins
-Vivo fit daily goals (it's like a fitbit)

She might post pics sometimes.  Maybe.  She's not a picture person.
 
We'll also post the tips and things that are working for us as well as good for you recipes that taste GOOD and fun workouts.

We are still planning going to the St. Augustine Diva Race again, and Shaye is doing a 5k training plan she found on-line, and she'll update you on that.

We will continue to amaze...

Hide and watch.

I'm Not Braggin'...

But I did it! I finally made 15 minute miles.  And I while I feel happy about that, my body thinks that I suck.  You can't please everybody.  

I'm sharing with you, not to brag, but to encourage.  If I can do it, you can do it.  I'm not small, petite or sculpted.  What I am is big...and hot.  I can't help that.  Good genes.  I digress.  I'm not bragging because I'm doing what I should've been doing for a long time now.  I'll always be a bigger person, but I'm this big because I got okay with being fat and lazy.  That's not okay, and becoming a better care taker of your body is hard.  The bottom  line is if I had been doing what I should've been doing, this would be a lot easier.  

I'm not gonna quit because it's hard.  Nope.  I'm gonna do that half marathon next year.  I'm just gonna work harder and get better at being better to myself.  That's saying no to things that taste better than they are for my body.  That's saying I will work out even though I don't want to.  That's being real with myself that I am not getting younger, and I don't want to need a scooter to go shopping.  

I did it.  Next goal is 4 fifteen minute miles.  I will do it.  Hide and watch.

They are Small, the Victories That Matter

I just want to encourage any and all of you ladies working hard to be good stewards of your bodies.  I want you to know that at least one person (that'd be me) understands what you're doing is hard...really hard.  And you, YES YOU! can do this.  You can make your health goals happen.  You probably are already on your way.  If you feel like you aren't getting anywhere and you've been trying, and by trying I mean actually trying, really hard, I want you to think about some little things.

Little things are victories.  Mini-You-Freaking-Rock parties thrown in your honor.

Did you lose one pound?  half a pound?  a quarter of a pound?  maybe you simply just didn't gain any weight.  Victory!

Are your clothes just an itsy bit looser?  Victory!

Did you go lift 5 more pounds than you thought you could?  Victory!

Did you walk an extra 20 steps?  Victory!

Did you buy a water instead of soda?  Victory!

Did you turn down seconds even though they were really good but you weren't really hungry?  Victory!

My victories today were going an extra minute on the elliptical machine and not getting that Snickers Dark candy bar.  Don't be discouraged by only focusing on your big picture.  It will get there.  Every painting starts with a single stroke.  Little things that make a masterpiece.  You're still in progress.  Look at your little victories and be proud.  Because you did it.!  You are becoming a better you with every little victory.  You can do this.  I know you can....because YOU ROCK!

And consequently, so do I.

It's Been Awhile..

And just what is going on?  Well, I'll tell you.  This year, we'll be hitting the Atlantic waters, but closer to home in St. Augustine.  I'll have more details in days to come and this is really all I have for now.  Stay tuned fateful viewer...stay tuned!

This just in!  It's been such a long time, I just realized the I posted the same thing twice!  I tell you what...at least I would if I remembered it.

Gearing up for the Diva x 2!

And we are read to do it again!  This time we will be hitting the beaches of St. Augustine, FL.  Super excited!  I know that me, ma and Little Jennie will be there.  It's Dec. 7th, come on and join us!

Diva Run Myrtle Beach 2013!

THE RACE IS ON!

At least it was.  I have pics that I will post as soon as I get home. (And I'm home, and this is the picture!)  I finally have a minute to tell you all about the DeFluffing Divas and just what went down on the last week-end of April.

First of all, the hotel was awesome, and I really loved seeing my family.  It was just enough time that we really liked each other and forgot for a few days why we annoy the bleep out of one another.  Timing is everything.  Here's what went down and with who.

Aunt Val, aka the Source of the MidWest Heat Wave, finished her first 5k even though she didn't really think she could.  Hello?  Our gene pool of awesome practically guarentees that we are too stubborn to fail.  Still, it is way awesome to go further than we ever thought we could.  Life Lesson:  Don't ever sell yourself short.

My Jennie (my fantastical niece) and Mamma Llama finished the 5k together.  They didn't even train that hard.  Jennie can't wait to do another 5k, and Mom is going to work hard to beat her time at the next 5k she does with Jennie.  Life Lesson:  Natural talent can take you far.  Especially, when you're surrounded by cuteness.

Shannon wasn't able to walk the race.  She was just happy to make the trip.  There was all kinds of business drama that threatened her fun.  She worked really hard and made it work.  She still walks 4 to 5 miles a day and is ready for next year. Life Lesson:  Sometimes the hard work is just getting to where you wanna go.

Becky, my super SIL, joined us.  YAY!  She made her best time ever AND was the first DeFluffer to cross the finish line!  She did awesome, and I am super proud of her!  She is an amazing person; I hope she knows that.  Life Lesson:  Marry people with awesome family members; it makes you look really smart.

Beckey, Prince Charming is Waiting for Me, ran/walked in the half marathon.  All the 5k spots were filled, so she gave it her all!  She had to get on the bus around mile 10, and at mile 12 she asked to do the last mile on her own.  She did cross the finish line.  Life Lesson:  Sometimes you need to hitch a ride to make it to the end...finish it.

And as for me, Cotton Candy Awesome Sauce, I feel like a total baller.  Why?  Despite having surgery two weeks prior to my race,  I made my best time ever.  I walked 16.50 min. miles like a boss!  Life Lesson:  Some times the races you win are against yourself.  You win when you just don't give up.

The coolest thing of the whole race was watching some ladies drag themselves in tears across the finish line because they were gonna finish dang it!  I can't tell you have many times I almost broke down in tears watching these ladies practically carry each other over the finish line when someone couldn't walk.  It was amazing and beautiful and I can't wait to be apart of it again next year.

I will keep this blog up and let you know how we be doing.  Thanks for supporting us this year!  Let's do it again next year!

And That Just Bites

I had to face it.  I just wasn't going to make it.  I wasn't going to make the half marathon.

We got the flu, and that took me out of training for 5 weeks.  Then we moved.  Then I got bronchitis And, in case you didn't know, you need to breathe in order to walk.  I rarely feel old, but that last trip on the sick train sure made me feel all of my 36 years.  I could barely walk the kids half a mile to school.  Not because I was sore, but because I couldn't catch my breath.  It took 2.5 months to be able to take deep breaths again.  Two weeks ago I was able to begin the training again.  It's been quite the set back

I was able to change to the 5k.  I cried when they confirmed it.  It felt so much like failure.  I was so sad.  I really had to grieve the loss for a bit.  I was really upset.  And then I got redundant, and kept saying I was sad over and over.

Now, I've taken my Big Girl pill while putting on my big girl panties and dealing with it.  I'm doing what I need to do to get where I want to be.  It's not easy working my way back up the miles ladder, but I'm doing it.  I will continue to work hard and make those 15 minute miles.  Because I am Cotton Candy Awesome Sauce.