Let's do this!

Wow time flies.  Been a long time!

Our family has welcomed two new members in the time since my last post.  In addition to our beautiful, go get-em 3 year old daughter Zoey and our laid back, ready for action 5 year old chocolate lab Koa, we now have a new daughter named Skylar (10 weeks) who is following in her sisters foot steps of being an extremely chill awesome baby and a crazy 1 year old white/yellow lab Kea (who doesn't follow in Koa's footsteps of being chill!).

The time has come for me to start documenting my journey to be a super fit, healthy and happy Mommy, Wife & person. I am a happy person, but I will be MUCH happier when I achieve my fitness goals. 

The last time I finally was ready to be fit I didn't document any of  it and it is something that I have regretted. So here we go!!

 I actually started my journey 4 weeks ago.  Skylar was 5 weeks old and I decided it was time to start reclaiming my athletic body and healthy lifestyle.  Dan has been very supportive and even a little competitive. :) I need to be accountable to myself but it is easy to slip up if that is the only person you are accountable to.  So Dan and I have started a little challenge to help me get back on track and to help keep him on track. (why is it so easy to let it slip?)  We have said that it is a 12 week challenge, but I'm pretty sure he and I both agree, this is the way of life!  

On Monday July 8th 2013
I took before pictures, I am so not brave enough to post them yet...maybe once I have some pictures that I feel more comfortable with and you can really see progress...maybe...I will post them.
I had Kim measure me, girth & body fat %.
I wrote down my scale weight.
I started logging my food and exercise.
Dan and I talked a lot about what we wanted "the challenge" to be like.  These are the guidelines we are following.

FOOD
Eat 4 or more servings of protein in a day
Eat 4 or more servings of veggies in a day
Eat 3 or less servings of fruit in a day
Eat 3 or less servings of starchy carbs in a day
Eat 3 or less servings of dairy in a day
Eat 3 or less servings of fat in a day
Drink a min of 64 oz of water per day
No soda or alcohol beverages
*we have a list of approved foods that we eat from (this was made for a challenge that we did at the gym about a year ago)

EXERCISE
We didn't set a hard guideline on this but the basic thought is get out and do as much as we possibly can, solo, together and as a family.

OTHER
Get 8+hours of sleep a night (good luck to me! I will probably be hated for saying this....but I either get it or get really close...remember I said Skylar is a good baby.)
Take a multi vitamin daily.
Take fish or flaxseed oil supplement daily.

All of that being said...these are our guidelines...not hard set rules...but if followed, results WILL be seen.  As this is the way we want to live, we don't punish ourselves for eating out, for going to hang out with friends and BBQ's and eating things that aren't on our list.  We just are aware of whats going on and try to make wise choices with the choices we have.

There have been a couple of things that have happened with Zoey that have shown that our efforts of a healthy lifestyle are working...the first was when she was eating a churro, that we got while at a soccer game, she decided she wanted an apple instead.  The second was when she didn't want a rice crispy treat...she wanted a hard boiled egg. Dan and I laugh and smile and think...damn we are doing good.  You see, we don't try to deprive her of these unhealthy treats, I actually told her to give the rice crispy treat a second try, but we are so happy that when she has a choice she will choose what we eat on a normal basis. Don't be fooled, that girl can polish of a glazed doughnut like she was born to do it.  But, she really doesn't like most unhealthy snacks.  

My plan for success:
Follow the guidelines above.
Make working out a social/family affair.
-I try to make several "dates" a week with friends to get out and go on a run, go for a bike ride, go on a hike...that way when I'm not feeling it...I go anyways. :)
If I have a craving for something, go ahead and have a little, I have found that if I don't... I will end up binging on it later.
Log my food and exercise.
Surround myself with supportive people.  I am lucky that this isn't a problem for me.  I have a super supportive husband. I have an amazing boss & friend that trains me two times a week for very little in return, and who doesn't mind random texts asking questions. I have supportive family on both sides and I have supportive friends. :)
 I sign myself up for running biking events.  This year I plan on doing the Red Rock Relay, Ride to Lave and the Halloween half.  If I have something to train for, that gives me the extra push to get out the door.
This may be a strange one but, I am so excited to clear out my closet and get rid of things that are too big and bring out clothes that I haven't been able to wear!

How is it going so far?
So far, so good. :)
Yesterday was the start of week 5. Dan took pictures of me this morning. I will have Kim measure me next Monday.
I can see change in the pictures.
I have already shrunk out a pair of shorts. :)
I have lost 8 pounds-I can't wait for BF% and girth measurements.
I want to see the pounds shed faster, but I know that in the long run, it is better for it to be slower and consistent. My lose-it app says I should reach my goal in February....that is really not that far off! (on a side note...that is just my initial goal. At that point I will see what my BF % and re-access..ultimately I would like it to be 15-17%.
It is hard for me to know when I am really hungry sometimes, because I am breastfeeding there seems to always be a feeling of hunger. Hopefully that will work itself out and the pounds will continue to shed.