Random Thoughts

I think having the tuesday blog is the hardest one because we talk so much monday night at Mamavation TV I never know what to say on Tuesday… Crazy right? But any who…

My week was decent I had a loss but I had this huge number I wanted to reach this campaign and a 1lb loss wasn’t gonna get me where I wanna be, But Leah put it into prespective for me… I’ve lost 58lbs in a few short months… HELLLO 58lbs is HUGE!!!!!!!! Stop worrying with the small number and focus on the big picture. So that is my mindset for now because I am a BookieBoo Badass and I am Gruntstyle Strong! This week I did alot of thinking and worrying really,  My brother went in for his weight loss surgery on tuesday (he had the duodenal_switch which is the hard core one) and then got a an infection and I will honestly say I am scared for him and hope and pray this works for him. But I see so many chose Surgery over the “natural” way. Im not saying the surgery doesn’t work and for some they need it but I just don’t know I think there should be more that goes into the before surgery I mean I know there is but I think if we as a world would stop trying to fast forward everything it would be better. We are always so rushed,

The holidays are quickly approaching and I know for alot of us its a scary time because Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years are huge eating events. I mean these are the holidays where the deserts are the meals for alot of time especially at the parties. But if you go into the season with a plan you can conquer the holiday season and not gain back everything you worked your butt off the whole year to lose. We decided as a family we were going to do more family things over the holidays. Decorate together, watch all the holiday movies, have family game nights etc all things that can be done and actually help lose weight. Instead of chips we eat popcorn or fruit. I am really looking forward to spending time with the family and unplugging a bit during that time they are growing up so quickly and in a few years its gonna be the opposite Im gonna be begging for time with them and they arent gonna wanna hang out with Mommy and Daddy..

Alright so now about David, I really dread this part every week almost as much as the video she makes me do. But I had a good week, as long as Megan makes the meal plan and keeps tabs on me during the day Im less likely to cheat. It will be interesting this holiday season trying to keep on track and not over do. Luckily we don’t do many family gatherings or parties. Im still learning lots and still can’t do a jumpsquat but other than that Im on track and down 2 more lbs!

Next Up our Vlog

HUGE Thank You to our Sponsors EASPORTSActive and Omron Fitness they are helping us with their awesome products to reach our fitness and weight loss goals

Also a Huge Thank you to our Coaches: Leah @BookieBoo, Alysa @InspiredRD, Pete @PeteCohn_, Drill Sergeant Alairk @gruntstyle, Shelly @Momma_Oz and all the Sistahood these results wouldn’t be happening without the support we recieve from you guys it is amazing what you do for us. Thank you from the bottom of my heart

It is Not the End

Nope, it’s not the end. Well, yes, technically it is the end of Campaign 9, but I am leaving this campaign rejuvenated, ready to take on whatever life may throw at me. This has been a great campaign with two great ladies, Shannon and Meagan.

Let’s get down to the knitty gritty with some befores and afters, there is nothing like seeing results after 7 weeks of hard work!

Before

After

Before Measurements:

Bust

47”

Waist

43

Hips

64″

L Arm

16”

R Arm

16”

L Thigh

31”

R Thigh

31”

After Measurements:

Bust

45.75”

Waist

40”

Hips

59.5″

L Arm

14.25”

R Arm

14”

L Thigh

29.75”

R Thigh

30”

Total loss: 14.75 inches

256.8 -15.2 lbs

Please take the time to watch my video, it is a long one around eight minutes long, but I want you to hear it.

One final thank you to our awesome sponsor EA Sports Active and to our awesome coaching team Alysa Bajenaru, RD @Inspired_RD, Drill Sargent Daniel Alarik @GruntStyle, Pete Cohen @weightlossguru_!

Bust – 47”

Waist – 43

Hips – 64″

L Arm – 16”

R Arm – 16”

L Thigh – 31”

R Thigh – 31”

The Final Countdown…

This is the time of the campaign when I start to reflect on my experiences. With 2 weeks to go I need to make sure that I am grasping this new lifestyle to keep it up after the campaign and not toss it to the side. The time of the campaign where I look over the past 5 weeks to see if there is anything I need to improve on. To push to make sure I crush Campaign 7′s loss. And that is what this week’s video is about…

Excuse the huffing and puffing as I was walking outside on my break…

(To correct my video, I am actually 4 lbs from that goal, not 2)

And this week’s weigh in:

259.8 -12.4 lbs

Pure awesomeness! I will admit, I was a little bummed with that yesterday morning, but then I mentally smacked myself, and remembered that the changes I am feeling and seeing in my body are much more important than that number on the scale. Oh, and by the way, I am wearing a tank top as I write this. Feeling awesomely confident!

Big thanks to our awesome sponsor EA Sports Active and to our awesome coaching team Alysa Bajenaru, RD @Inspired_RD, Daniel Alarik @GruntStyle, Pete Cohen @weightlossguru_!

Feelin’ Alive in Week 5

I feel strong this week! Last week I was sick with a cold, had no energy and was just down and out. But I think my body needed that rest, because this week, I am rearing to go! I feel refreshed, strong and motivated. I hope that lasts throughout the week, because this Saturday I will be running my very first 5K! Check out my vlog this week for more updates, NSVs (non-scale victories), and more!

I have lost 11 lbs to date in Campaign 9! I am very excited about the changes I am seeing and feeling in my body. I am looking forward to shopping for new winter clothes as the fall/winter season approaches, because my summer clothes are already feeling loose!

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Big thanks to our awesome sponsor EA Sports Active and to our awesome coaching team Alysa Bajenaru, RD @Inspired_RD, Daniel Alarik @GruntStyle, Pete Cohen @weightlossguru_!

The Halfway Point

Shew! Week three completed! Now on to week 4. I am glad to see week 4, along with it comes, for me, a renewed strength, and a revived drive. I was glad to see week 3 go. It was a bit of a stressful week for me, but I pushed through and survived! And as you can see by my scale picture, week 3 was very productive!

Total lost so far this campaign – 8.6 lbs

I am feeling more energetic, and I have a renewed confidence about my health and well-being. When I was sick I didn’t have much confidence to do the things I needed or wanted to do. I spent a lot of time in bed, moping. This second chance at being a Mamavation Mom is showing me how important it is to take advantage of what you have in life, no matter what you’re doing. This week will mark the halfway point in this campaign, do I see the finish line? No. I am not going make a repeat of Campaign 7 and let all my knowledge and motivation slip down the drain at the end of this campaign. I am not finished until I get to a healthy weight!

This week I am focusing on our awesome sponsor for Campaign 9, EA Sports Active 2. In fact, my video this week is me doing my favorite EA Sports Active 2 workout, Aerobicise Me! Wanna play along? Here is the workout:

EA Sports Active 2  – Aerobicise Me
Step Aerobics, 10 Minute A
Boxing Sparring 1 & 2
Step Aerobics Kick boxing 1 & 2
Step Aerobics Mixed 1 & 2

So without further ado, Kimberly aka Christlikemommy (with a couple of guest appearances from my 5 year old!) and Aerobicise Me!

Big thanks to our awesome sponsor EA Sports Active and to our awesome coaching team Alysa Bajenaru, RD @Inspired_RD, Daniel Alarik @GruntStyle, Pete Cohen @weightlossguru_!

Week 3 Struck again

Yep, That’s right week 3 has stuck again. But you know what? I pulled up my big girl panties and laced up my ass kicking boots put on my war paint (makeup) and decided week 3 wasn’t gonna break me. I would prevail!

Yep Thats 12.6 lbs down and under 300 which is AMAZING… that was the hardest thing not to tell anyone but Leah before Mamavation TV. This week has been amazing until yesterday when it seemed like I hit a brick wall at 150 mph. But I didn’t turn to food I turned to sweat which is a HUGE deal for me. I also didn’t close down I chatted with the community and decided it wasn’t going to beat me. I have told Drill Sergeant Alarik (@gruntstyle) that I will not quit and I will not be beat Im going down with a fight and proved that this week doing 10 burpees an hour from 5am-8pm. Im loving my meal plans they are great. I am also able to keep on budget which is a huge thing for our family and I am still only cooking 1 meal typically which is great. The EAS Active workouts are great and tons of fun so we aren’t getting bored. Well don’t forget to take a peek at my VlogWell until next week…  Don’t forget you can reach me here or on twitter at NcCarterFamily :)

 

Week 3 here we come!

So here it is, week three! (Insert dramatic sounding music here!) So far, I am feeling pretty confident about it! I still have that fire that has me pushing to do my best and I don’t feel

267.4

overwhelmed! This week also marks a huge change for me at work. I am used to working the closing shift, 3:30pm – 10:30pm. But this week, I finally got moved to day shift working 10:30am – 5:30pm. This opens a lot more time for me to get in extra activity daily as my husband will be able to watch the kiddos for me!

This week I want to share more information about my meal plan with you. Alysa, (@InspiredRD) has been wonderful about planning our meals around what is easy for us. Most days I find myself full before I am finished with my meal, which is great for someone who never really payed attention to those signs. So take a peek at a day in the meal plan of a Mamavation Mom…

Breakfast: 1 cup rolled oats with 2 Tbsp. peanut butter, small sliced banana, 1 cup ff milk in oats
Snack: 1 small apple
Lunch: 1 whole wheat, 2 T. light mayo, 1/2 cup raw spinach, 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers, 1/2 c cherry tomatoes, 2 oz tuna, 1 serving baked chips, 1/2 cup raspberries, 8 oz greek yogurt w/ 1 tbsp honey
Snack: 1 c red peppers w/ 1 tbsp light ranch
Dinner: 3 oz chicken with 1 cup roasted veggies in olive oil, 1/3 cup brown rice, 3/4 cup fruit salad, almond milk to drink
Snack: 1 pear

Simple and tasty = awesome for me!

This past week we integrated the EA Sports Active 2 with our @GruntStyle workouts. Wow! I love the workouts that Daniel created for us. My favorite is “Aerobicise Me” which includes boxing and step aerobics. I have always been a huge fan of EA Sports Active step aerobics, it’s a fun game that burns tons of calories at the same time!

I got some AWESOME news from my doctor… Wanna know what it is? Check out my vlog!

Big thanks to our awesome sponsor EA Sports Active and to our awesome coaching team Alysa Bajenaru, RD @Inspired_RD, Daniel Alarik @GruntStyle, Pete Cohen @weightlossguru_!

Getting Stronger with GruntStyle

What a week! I am feeling stronger than ever thanks to @Gruntstyle, Daniel Alarik’s workouts. I had to admit to Daniel, the first time I looked at the workouts, I kinda scoffed. How dare I?! These workouts are the perfect thing for a mom like me who is busy as a bee. Most of them only take me about 7-9 minutes to complete, but I feel the effects from it all day long the next day! My favorite? 18 year old body! I love feeling the burn, and knowing that I am toning my legs and rear!

‘18 Year Old Body’
10 Lunges, left Leg
10 Air Squats
10 Lunges, right leg
10 Air Squats
10 Jump lunges
10 Jump Squats
10 Lunges, left leg
10 Air Squats

10 Lunges, right leg

25 Crunches
15 Crunches, left side
15 Crunches, right side

This week my nutrition was next to perfect! I am still struggling with bulking up on water, but I am slowly making it. Alysa @InspiredRD sent me some awesome crockpot recipes which I am super excited about! I also talked with Alysa about that darned old scale. She encouraged me to not pay so much attention to it, but to my measurements and how my clothes fit, so

270.2

 that’s what I am doing. Speaking of that scale… I am down 1.8 since last week! I am very excited about that, I think it is an awesome start to an awesome campaign!

Big thanks to our awesome sponsor EA Sports Active and to our awesome coaching team Alysa Bajenaru, RD @Inspired_RD, Daniel Alarik @GruntStyle, Pete Cohen @weightlossguru_!

Guess who’s back? Back again?

(Yes, I know, now that song is resonating in your head! Bahaha!)

It’s me! I am back for another campaign. Are you surprised? I was! When Leah asked me if I wanted to go through bootcamp again, I think my heart skipped a beat or two. I learned a lot from my Campaign (# 7) and took it all to heart, but having that knowledge, and keeping it up on a daily basis is a different thing. If you investigate enough, you could figure out that I have gained a little bit of weight back since the end of my campaign. It happens! To all of us! When things like gaining weight happens, you cannot let it discourage you or keep you from doing the right things to get back on track. I had a flare up with my Colitis shortly after my campaign ended and I got depressed about it. I felt like my body was giving up on me. Many people with bowel disease lose lots of weight, so much that it can become problematic. But depression hits me when I’m sick and I EAT! Gah! I know lots of you understand where I am coming from, cause I have seen your blog posts and tweets about emotional eating! Leah called me during the middle of Campaign 7 and reminded me that as a Christian I needed to pray when I got the urge to emo eat. Unfortunately, I forgot about that after the campaign and the weight stacked on. I am remembering her words of wisdom and reminding myself that when feelings of frustration come on to run and pray instead of run and binge! If you get the urge to eat when your upset, find something to replace it with! Head out for a walk to clear your mind, or pick up a book. Heck, DM me and we’ll chat it out! Just occupy your mind so that FOOD is not your release! I am learning a whole lot more about myself this campaign and I am eternally grateful to Leah for bringing me back for another round! I feel like this time around, I can fully appreciate all the resources I have available to me. I have already been planning for over a week now which has helped tremendously.I have hit the ground running, and I am READY to lose a ton of weight! Let’s go girls!

Before pictures:

Click to enlarge

Starting Weight:

272.0 pounds

Big thanks to our awesome sponsor EA Sports Active and to our awesome coaching team Alysa Bajenaru, RD @Inspired_RD, Daniel Alarik @GruntStyle, Pete Cohen @weightlossguru_!

Mamavation Final Post: @ninemoremonths

Fun with the family.

I can’t believe it. I did it. I survived two Mamavation campaigns. In a row! I was nervous, and unsure of how I would handle it. I maybe thought it would have gotten a little easier, but honestly it didn’t. I will probably struggle for the rest of my life with making time for myself. It won’t be second nature, but it is starting to become a habit, and this is good. I have the tools, I have the support group, and now I have the habits to keep me going strong.

Things that I have noticed about myself that have changed:
-My confidence has skyrocketed.
-I have more energy.
-I am generally in a better mood.
-I am more naturally inclined to make healthy choices.
-I enjoy (rather than dread) spending time outdoors with friends and family.
-I can keep up with my kids!

I am happier, which means my family is happier. Mamavation really has changed my life in a good way.

Before: 201lbs, embarrassed to even show my face.

Bust: 44″
Left Arm: 14 3/4″
Right Arm: 14 1/2″
Waist: 38″
Hips: 44″
Left Thigh: 24″
Right Thigh: 24 1/2″

After:

Bust: 41″
Left Arm: 13 1/2″
Right Arm: 13 1/2″
Waist: 36″
Hips: 41″
Left Thigh: 23 1/2″
Right Thigh: 23 1/2″

Inches Lost: 11.75

Ending weight:

Total weight loss:
26.4 pounds!

SUPER BIG HUGE thank you to our wonderful sponsors! Chefs Requested, Earth Footwear, EAS Active, and of course Orville Redenbacher. Thank you also to our wonderful coaches Pete Cohen, Alysa Bajenaru, RD and Tracey Mallett and last but not least the wonderfully supportive community of Mamavation! I love you all!