The A Team wraps up: what we lost and what we gained.

December 8, 2012 By Angela Bishop 3 Comments

It’s been an interesting seven weeks for the both of us for sure. The goal of this campaign is to lose weight and get healthier, but we’ve also gained a lot too. A week or so into the campaign, Andrea and I realized that we weren’t going to come up with showstopping weight losses each week. And we were okay with that.

I will talk about my own personal gains first, and then I’ll get to the losses. One thing I got out of this campaign was a boost of confidence. In the beginning I was having kind of a hard time, and honestly I just wanted to drop out. Instead, I just kind of accepted that I wasn’t going to have the results I had anticipated. I had admitted defeat. A few weeks in I got tired of feeling helpless and I made some changes. I realized that my body now is different from my body in the last campaign I did and what worked for me then obviously wasn’t doing it this time. And it worked, as I watched the pounds fall off so much easier.

So what did I lose?

Still got a ways to go but I'm okay with that

Starting Weight: 212.4
Difference from Last Week: -3.4
Total Weight Lost: 7.2
Percentage of Body Weight Lost to Date: 3.39%

________________________________________________

A wrap-up, another chapter…it all went by so quickly, right? . I never imagined this campaign would take the turns it did. Andrea here, yeah, the pregnant half of this duo. Since my first Mamavation campaign I had gained back and had become less active. This was to be a way to focus more on losing weight. The truth is I needed to focus more on my health and fixate less on the scale. Well, it all worked out when I found out my fatigue and lack of motivation was actually a baby.

Completely planned, or actually something I had wanted for a while finally happened. Baby #3 will be my last and has definitely left a lasting impression on me already. As Angela mentioned, we both gained a lot during the Grad Campaign. I gained a new, growing family member, a new motivation… and some healthy pregnancy weight.

Yes, I am starting to show, but I can be proud of the modest weight gain that I have made over the past 13 weeks.

The best thing is my energy is coming back and this past week my husband started talking about me getting out and walking again. He knows it has been a tough 13 weeks for me. I am so lucky to have his support and patience.

Starting Weight: 208.6 lbs.
Difference from Last Week: -.2 lbs.
Total Weight Lost: 9.6 lbs.
Percentage of Body Weight Lost to Date: 4.6% (I am counting lost, not added )

Thank you to the sponsors for making this all possible! Big thank you to New Balance, Billy Blanks, Omron Fitness and Inspired RD for support and equipment to help us achieve our fitness goals. Also a thank you to the whole Mamavation community and our fellow graduates.

Filed Under: Featured, Longterm, Mamavation Moms Tagged With: alysa bajenaru RD, andrew kruse, angela bishop, Billy Blanks, exercise, family, fitness, healthy living, lifestyle, longterm, mamavation mom, Mamavation Moms, New Balance, Omron Fitness, vlogs

It’s Over….. Or Is it?

December 7, 2012 By NcCarterFamily 1 Comment

That is the question…. Well the graduate campaign is over yes but is our journey over? Not even close this wasn’t a 7 week journey… These past 7 weeks have just been one path that we have marched down. Let me go ahead and let you in on a little secret if this is your first time reading our posts its been 7 very bumpy stressful weeks of hell for us both. Leah couldn’t have picked a better couple to partner up. One thing we both agree on is now its time for WINE!!!!! Its hard to write a “The End” post because its not really the end its just a new beginning. We have learned new ways to loose even when our lives are so crazy and hectic. We are learning that it takes a healthy strong bad ass Mommy to be able to raise and handle the lives we lead. Between special needs parenting and the military you never know what the next day is going to bring to your world and you have to have your boxing gloves on or your running shoes laced up and be ready for it. Well I’m pretty sure you wanna know how we did this campaign right?? Well the preliminary results are in… Can we get a drum roll????

Wow! This has been a campaign to remember. One thing that really put my weight loss journey into perspective was putting on my old jeans. I’m still in shock over how far my body has come. At this point my size is smaller than my junior year of high school, even though I weigh more now. That took some time to wrap my head around. Yes, muscle weighs more than fat but it is hard to visualize. One thing is for sure, I will not be filling out those jeans ever again. Of course, like Meagan said this is not the end just another beginning. My weight loss journey will be posted on Aries Mommy every Monday!

Thank you everyone for all of your support! A special thanks to Leah, Shelley, and Mark for always being supportive. A great big thanks to our sponsors New Balance, Billy Blanks, and Omron Fitness without you this campaign wouldn’t have happened.

Filed Under: Featured, Longterm, Mamavation Moms Tagged With: alysa bajenaru RD, Aries Mommy, Billy Blanks, diet, exercise, family, featured, fitness, fitness program for moms, health, healthy living, lifestyle, Long Term, longterm, mamavation, mamavation mom, Mamavation Moms, motivation, New Balance, Omron Fitness, shannonmsand, Tae Bo, The Exposed Mom, video, video confessional, weight loss, weight loss for women

All Good Things Must Come To An End

December 6, 2012 By Rachhabs 9 Comments

This moment and post is bittersweet, this will be my last post as a Mamavation after two back to back campaigns. The past 20 or so weeks have flown by and I can’t believe the person I am today, compared to who I was almost 6 months ago. I like what Shelley {@momma_oz} said about shedding these pounds rather then loosing them, because I am not looking for them! I have worked so hard and do not want them to come back EVER.

I have learned so much about myself these past months, and I have really realized how hard I can push myself! Don’t get my wrong there are days that walking is hard but it’s a reminder that the day(s) before I pushed hard! I keep reminding myself “no pain, no gain”.

Isn't this pretty? Kidding. I got it during one of my runs this week & I didn't let a little fall stop me. I got right back up and kept on running. No pain, No gain!

I am a fighter and I have fought for every pound and every inch that I have lost. I don’t want to go back to that girl who couldn’t play with her kids or out run them. I don’t want to feel self-conscious about my weight and let that hold me back. I want to keep the momentum going, and keep pushing myself.

Since this journey began, I have tried new things because well not trying them let me keep packing pounds on. I did Zumba regularly and plan to again once the seizures are totally gone. I have gone to multiple spin classes, something I always wanted to do before and never did. I let my weight hold me back from both of those things & yet those two things have helped me get to where I am today. In high school I was very active, being in cross country you run distance and until recently I lost my “mojo”. Thanks to Mamavation, and this entire experience I have my mojo back!!

I am looking forward to going shopping for some new clothes that actually fit me! I am definetly going to need a belt because I have run out of room to put new holes in. In fact as I type this post I am wearing a size SMALL shirt!

A picture says a thousand words, so I will let them speak for themselves.

Taken before leaving to go to a spin class! Never would have gone to the gym dressed this like let alone taken a picture of it!

Before & After

Those before pictures are not easy to post, but it also reminds me how far I have come.

Numbers

Chest: Before 43″ & After 38″ {Loss of 5″}

Waist: Before 41″ & After 32″ {Loss of 9″}

Hips: Before 49″ & After 42″ {Loss of 7″}

Thigh: Before 22.5″ & After 19.5″ {Loss of 3″

Arms: Before 13.5″ & After 11″ {Loss of 2.5″}

Total Inches Lost: 31″

Weight This Week: 142.4 pounds

{Before Final Weigh In} Total Weight Lost: 69.2 pounds

By the way … All of those pictures were taken in the same pants. Crazy to see how much better they fit & I look in them now!

Thank you to our sponsors: New Balance, Billy Blanks, Omron Fitness & Alysa Bajenaru of Inspired RD!

Filed Under: Featured, Longterm, Mamavation Moms Tagged With: alysa bajenaru RD, Billy Blanks, confessional, mamavation mom, New Balance, Omron Fitness, vlog, weight loss

And That’s A Wrap

December 4, 2012 By Kimberly Robinette Leave a Comment

Here we are, the end of the graduate campaign! It seems unreal and I wouldn’t believe it was true if the scale hasn’t changed so much in the past couple months.

A few things I am taking from this campaign:

- Even though us graduates are competing against each other, we have all been the most supportive competitors. I mean there was the occasional remark to “go eat a cinnamon bun”, but it was all in good clean fun.

-Graduates like to talk. Having nine moms versus two to catch up with has almost always equaled a one and one half hour show on Mamavation TV versus the standard hour. But that’s okay, because I guarantee everyone left with a smile (and some left with wet undies!)

-Gangnam Style. (No explanation needed)

I want to leave this campaign with the same energy I entered it with. After all Christmas is fast approaching and there is lots of treats floating around that could potentially sabotage this awesome loss I have achieved. So Tina and I are counting on you sistas to help us stay focused after the campaign ends!

We want to give our sincerest thanks to Leah, Shelley, Shannon, and everyone else who has made this campaign possible. This has been, personally, my favorite campaign.

Kimberly Before

Kimberly After

Tina Before

Tina After

I, Tina, have to apologize for my photos. I totally forgot we needed to have these done so I made the Hubs take them really quick. I’m thankful that these are even in focus people!

HERE WE COME NEW SHOES!!!

This isn’t farewell folks..

Thank you to our awesome sponsors for making this Graduate Campaign possible! New Balance, Billy Blanks, Omron Fitness and Registered Dietitian, Alysa Bajenaru of Inspired RD!

Filed Under: confessional, Featured, Longterm, Mamavation Moms, Videos Tagged With: alysa bajenaru RD, Billy Blanks, fitness program for moms, Long Term, mamavation, Mamavation Moms, New Balance, Omron Fitness, video confessional, vlog, weight loss

Embracing the name ‘Mom’

December 1, 2012 By andreakruse 4 Comments

As Mamavation Moms we might all hail from different areas of the country, but we all have one big thing in common, we are all Moms. Some parts of that job description require more or less from us, but we have all been through the fatigue of pregnancy and bleary-eyed nursing stages. I hope in the past 6 weeks you have enjoyed the ride along with us as we openly and honestly shared our frustration, our triumphs and motivation to not give up. Being a Mom is a tough job, but we can’t forget to pencil our own health into the job description.

I, Andrea, had my first ultrasound this past week. It might have been my 3rd, but I am always nervous about them. I am glad to say it was pretty short and uneventful.

Baby #3 - a Tae Bo Natural

My due date was pushed up another week or so and I am rather grateful. Baby #3 will be gracing our family around June 9th, 2013. I did enjoy the little mini Tae Bo workout he/she showed off as the poor technician tried to get all the measurements. There were jabs, hooks and even this little kick. I thought it seemed very appropriate considering I have been using the modified Billy Blanks DVDs during most of this pregnancy.

As for me? Well, being told I am closer to 12 weeks, 4 days was a bright spot for me. It means this ugly morning sickness should pass soon and I might even get back a little energy. Yes, Santa… I have been good this year. Please throw a little extra energy into my stocking! As for food? Again, not the best. I just can’t get hungry and jump immediately to low-blood sugar shakes. I am still trying to carry a small bag of nuts around with me for a little boost. I am trying to make the best decisions I can, but can’t wait to really enjoy my food again.

As this campaign starts to wrap up, I still have a long journey to go… about 6 months left in this pregnancy, in fact. Of course my role of ‘Mom’ will go on long after even that. My journey breastfeeding, another toddler and then the daily balance of 3 kids will last for years. Do you see where this is going? Yes. I will constantly have to keep adjusting and preparing for the chaos parenthood throws at us. But, I will always proudly be a Mamavation Mom and I have the skills, ability and support here to handle whatever comes up.

As for my scale pic?

I was pretty excited to only see a .2 lb gain this week. The scale in the Dr.’s office, of course, is a little different but only showed a 1.1 lb gain from the 13th to the 29th. I was pretty happy with that. My Dr. was very impressed with my gradual/healthy progress.

Starting Weight: 208.6 lbs.
Difference from Last Week: +.2 lbs.
Total Weight Lost: 9.6 lbs.
Percentage of Body Weight Lost to Date: 4.6% (I am counting lost, not added )

5.3 lbs gain in 12 weeks of pregnancy!

____________________________________________

Angela here. I’ve had a pretty good week, and I hope to have some great news for you on Monday night Mamavation TV. After Thanksgiving something just clicked in me and I knew I had to make a few more drastic changes to really see results. Portion control wasn’t working for me. I was always hungry, very hormonal, and lethargic too. So last week I went to the grocery store and I bought a bunch of ‘real’ food. Mostly meat and vegetables, actually. I made dinner every single night, (as well as breakfast and lunch too) even when I was having very specific restaurant cravings. I haven’t bothered controlling my portions, because my body does it for me. And I can happily say I feel more energetic and happy, which is a nice change for the better!

As for the scale, here’s last week’s results. (Find out my new total Monday night!)

Starting Weight: 212.4
Difference from Last Week: -.6
Total Weight Lost: 3.8
Percentage of Body Weight Lost to Date: 1.79%

Filed Under: Featured, Longterm, Mamavation Moms Tagged With: andrea kruse, angela bishop, Billy Blanks, family, featured, healthy living, InspiredRD, Long Term, Mamavation Moms, New Balance, Omron Fitness, vlog, vlogs

No Need to Hibernate

November 30, 2012 By aries_mommy 3 Comments

It’s week 6 and we can’t believe it is almost the end of the Mamavation Mom Graduate campaign! Last time Meagan and I were in a campaign together it was warm (extremely hot) outside. This allowed for plenty of outdoor activities for us and our families. Winter on the other hand means we are indoors more often. Yes, even we are tempted to curl up with a fuzzy blanket and nap the day away. However, that will not put us or our families closer to our goals. So what are two grads to do? Find ways to keep everyone active!

We would love to tell you that we met this week with warm hugs and huge leaps. That this has been our easy breezy week, alas, we have each faced our own struggles. The beauty of it is, we aren’t letting our struggles be hurdles. Instead, we are accepting them and doing what needs to be done. When Sexy Sergeant deployed earlier this week I could have easily thrown in the towel and become a crying mess. Instead I chose to keep going through the “normal” motions of day to day life. Sure I cried but it was after waking up and seeing a missed call from him. Letting the tears only take a few minutes then pushing through a workout, and spending most of my day focusing on what will best help the kids. Meagan’s struggles this week have been the stress that comes with having an autistic child. Her strength as a mom and how she is able to handle all of this stress while still staying on track is one of the many reasons I adore her. Not to mention she drank wine twice this week and still lost weight!

Special Thanks to our Sponsors New Balance, Billy Blanks, and Omron Fitness. Love, Hugs and thanks to our coaching team Leah, Alysa, Markand Shellie

Hello To A New Me!

November 29, 2012 By Rachhabs 2 Comments

I am welcoming week 6 and excited for all of the progress that I have made it thru another week and have had another loss this week, even with Thanksgiving before my weigh in! This Thanksgiving was very different then any previous others or any other holiday meals in the past. Before, I either went & someone else had cooked or I had made whatever sounded amazing. We are talking all of the “good” stuff and MULTIPLE pies or desserts! Now when I think of the “good stuff” I try to imagine how many GMO’s or additives are in it. Before I could of cared less about the calories let alone if it contained GMO’s. I also never looked for organic ingredients, it was usually whatever I needed just got thrown in the cart. No label reading, no calorie counting & definitely no accountability about what I was eating!

This is what I am fighting for! This is why I need to get healthy & stay around for a long time!

This was also the first Thanksgiving making food conscious of our son’s food allergies. He is allergic to corn, shrimp, fish and oat. As if that wasn’t daunting enough, we decided to try to go gluten free for him too. Needless to say, our entire family needs to do it or we can’t do it at all. Honestly, it is so hard not to mention frustrating to make two different meals and to not accidentally use the other utensil for the wrong dish. Especially when you have three kiddos running around asking you a million questions, sometimes arguing over something or simply distracting the little bit of attention you have focused on dinner. So for right now Aiden is corn free, but the rest of us are working on it.

With the holidays coming up it has been a real test for us to stick to our new “food plans” and by that I mean us sticking to what is best for us rather then what we want. Of course, I would love to be able to eat all of my favorite foods, but if I did my stomach would hurt so bad, I would be gaining weight like no other! Since we don’t want that happening, I will be really conscious of what I eat.

Numbers For The Week

Weight Loss This Week: 3.2 pounds Total Weight Loss: 63.2

Percentage of Body Weight Lost to Date: 29.8%

As a Mamavation Mom I received nutritional support and fitness product from Billy Blanks , Omron Fitness , New Balance , and Inspired RD. Thank you so much for your support!

Filed Under: Featured, Longterm, Mamavation Moms Tagged With: alysa bajenaru RD, Billy Blanks, confessional, featured, fitness, mamavation mom, New Balance, Omron Fitness, vlog

Fa-La-La-La-La Losing it

November 28, 2012 By Momma_Oz 4 Comments

Something about the first cold snap of the year leaves me craving “comfort foods” and cozy sweatpants while I curl up with a good movie or book. Am I the only one?

Something about winter makes it harder for me to stay on track with weight loss efforts. Maybe it’s the onslaught of holidays and the feast that goes along with it. Maybe it’s the colder temps that have me wearing big bulky clothes. Maybe it’s the weather that has me wanting to stay safely under my covers instead of being active.

Regardless, I think it takes more of an effort to stay focused on weight loss goals during the winter months… As such, today we bring you a few tips and tricks for staying active and yes, even losing weight over the holidays.

(1) EAT BREAKFAST – this is one we’ve talked about a million gajillion times. Eating breakfast – the most important meal of the day – is something many of us subscribe to… except perhaps on holidays? where we WANT (even if only subconsciously to gorge on the feast lain before us. Eating breakfast is even more important on these days so we don’t over indulge.

(2) WEAR LAYERS – Ok, not I’m not gonna claim it gets remotely cold here in Texas… Especially since my partner in the north would die laughing at my idea of cold…. BUT I do know the benefit of layers.

(3) MAKE IT A FAMILY AFFAIR – get the whole family involved with a walk after Dinner – and not just on the holidays! Between holiday Shopping and decorating the house, you are probably getting in a lot more steps than you realize – and the only way to know FOR SURE is to track those steps with a Pedometer. Preferably an OMRON Pedometer!! If your family is competitive it can become a game to see who gets in the most steps each week with a prize at the end. Plus, a Pedometer could be a good stocking-stuffer for the spouse who says they want to support your fitness goals….

(4) PLAY YOUR WAY THINNER – Ok, it doesn’t snow here in Texas but if you do live somewhere it does, bundle up and have a good old fashioned snowball fight… I do that when the boys and I visit snow and you’d be amazed just how much energy THAT takes. Playing indoors with the kids can burn calories too you know and at the end of the day, these are the memories that last a lifetime.

(5) FOCUS on Non-food related gifts for friends and neighbors if you give – How often have we made the cookie plate or bread or fudge or other candy to share with co-workers, neighbors, the kids teachers, or friends. And when we do, we snack and taste to our hearts content justifying that a little doesn’t hurt… and yet, a little bit over and over and over again adds up without us knowing it! Instead, Browse Pinterest for a plethora of cute and fun and practical ideas that won’t add inches to your waistline or that of your loved ones.

What OTHER tips do you have for staying healthy through the winter months and holiday season? PLEASE share! We need all the help we can get

Speaking of Tips, here’s Jenny with her weekly Tips For Healthy Living:

And the numbers…

Shelley's Weigh In

Jenny's Weigh in

————————————————————

Jenny writes over at Beyond Mom and Tweets as @jennydecki .

Starting Weight: 318.4lbs.

Weight This Week: 289.2lbs.

Difference from Last Week: -4.2lbs.

Total Weight Lost: 29.2lbs.

Percentage of Body Weight Lost to Date: 9.17%

Shelley writes over at Slightly Off Kilter , Tweets as @momma_oz and spends WAY too much time on Facebook.

Starting Weight: 262.5 lbs.

Weight This Week: 239.0 lbs.
Difference from Last Week: -0.5 lbs.
Total Weight Lost: 23.5 lbs.
Percentage of Body Weight Lost to Date: 9%

**As Mamavation Moms, we receive nutritional support and fitness product from Billy Blanks , Omron Fitness , New Balance , and Inspired RD. We thank these companies for their continued support. **

Filed Under: Featured, Longterm, Mamavation Moms Tagged With: alysa bajenaru RD, Beyond Mom, Billy Blanks, diet, exercise, family, featured, fitness, fitness program for moms, health, healthy living, lifestyle, Long Term, longterm, mamavation, mamavation mom, Mamavation Moms, momma_oz, motivation, New Balance, nutrition, Omron Fitness, Slightly Off Kilter, Tae Bo, video, weight loss, weight loss for women

Getting Over The Hump

November 24, 2012 By Angela Bishop 10 Comments

Oh boy has it been an interesting five weeks. I feel like I’ve been climbing an imaginary hill – it’s a big hill – and I’m almost to the top. We’ve got two weeks left as Mamavation Moms but I don’t intend to stop there. With all of the challenges I’ve had to face I feel like I am just finally making some progress. This time of year is always when I gain a lot of weight, but I’ve got a plan in place, I’ve got the tools I need, and I’ve also got a great support system to help me through it.

I hope everyone else had a productive week and a wonderful Thanksgiving break!

Starting Weight: 212.4
Difference from Last Week: -1.6
Total Weight Lost: 3.2
Percentage of Body Weight Lost to Date: 1.51%

_____________________________________

Much like Angela talked about a hill, I feel like a fell into a big swamp of quicksand. The pregnancy fatigue for the first trimester cut down on my productivity for the day since I was up around 8 am and to bed by 8 pm. I felt like any action I took just pulled me down farther into a pit of fatigue. I know it is only temporary, but over the course of the past few weeks I have struggled with self doubt and frustration. It can hit the best of us for various reasons and the hardest part is to remember that forward motion sometimes means accepting the things we can’t change and making the most of what we can. None of us can tackle the world, but we can chip away at big obstacles with persistence and tenacity.

So as I huff and puff and fall asleep mid-day, I can surround myself with positive affirmations and visualize myself being a strong and active pregnant mom. I can also meal plan and prepare for healthy calories and nutrition to nourish my body. I don’t have to give up control of that.

The holidays were quieter than I had expected. The whole house was sick so we opted to stay home and not share germs with Great Grandparents. That ended up being a huge weight off my shoulder. My stress level was down and I could truly be thankful for my family. This was a great chance to really watch what I ate and enjoy the food I prepared, last minute, with my husband. We also played some Xbox Kinect dance games and just enjoyed ourselves.

Overall, the week was better than I expected. I will be happy when the coughing is gone and runny noses are a distant memory. This coming week includes a long overdue ultrasound and baby update – which I am looking forward to! As my energy slowly comes back I have big plans to expand my daily prenatal workout with longer workouts and more Billy Blanks fun.

As for my scale pic, it was a big jump… but after the losses I wasn’t too surprised. I hope to see the fluctuations even out a bit more soon.

Starting Weight: 208.6 lbs.
Difference from Last Week: +5 lbs.
Total Weight Lost: 9.6 lbs.
Percentage of Body Weight Lost to Date: 4.6% (I am counting lost, not added )

Why We Wine

November 23, 2012 By NcCarterFamily 5 Comments

Well its another week down… Week 5 next up 2 more weeks and then well we don’t stop we keep on moving but we can drink our wine which is why we are working out extra hard right now. We had an amazing Mamavation TV show this past monday if you weren’t there you missed one heck of a show. Our Slumber Parties are not to be missed. I would like to take this time that to announce that someone did get topless on Mamavation TV and it WASN’T ME!!!!! It was my partner in crime Mrs. Aries Mommy herself. See we were allowed to drink a little and relax because it was definitely needed that night. We were all refreshed and relaxed and it was the perfect way to begin the holiday week!

We have 2 more weeks left in our reign as Mamavation Mom and we plan to end the campaign the same way we started it. Working our butts off. This week is Thanksgiving so we have been extremely busy getting everything ready for the holiday.