Shampoo alert!

As I was washing my hair in the shower this morning, I read the label on the shampoo bottle and I'm still in shock! The shampoo I use while showering, that runs down my entire body says "for extra volume and body"! Seriously, why haven't I noticed this before? Now I understand why I have gained so much weight...!

Tomorrow I am going to start using "Dawn" dishwashing soap. It says on the label "dissolves fat that is otherwise difficult to remove."

I'll tell you one thing, "It pays to read the warning labels, my friend!"

DAY 50!!

Wow I can't believe I have 40 days left of the challenge and then I will take a picture and give you all my results. I have to admit, it's been a challenge to find the time to work out. I have done something at Least 5x a day, even if it was just for 30 minutes. My eating has been great up to about 2 weeks ago, and I just started to not be aware of what was going into my mouth. I'm back on track though, I went in last week and weighed myself, and sadly I have only lost 12 pounds, but that is still 12 pounds, and I am trying to stay positive, so I can continue to keep the motivation.
I have 40 days, and I am going to set another goal of 15 pounds in these next 40 days. Realistic goal setting is very important on the road to getting back in shape. I was able to lose 12 pounds in 50 days, but I also know that I could've worked harder, so that is why I'm going to challenge myself to 3 more pounds in 10 less days....I'm pumped, and I will do it just because I am competitive, and I have someone to prove to that I can.:) So if my blogging is far and between in these next 40 days, it is because I am running, lifting weights, or cooking a healthy meal:).
Tonight I went to a weight class at the gym, and then when I got home, my boys wanted to run the tower with me, so we went. I am reminded every time I am outside, and climbing any hill, why we started Desert Cliffs. There is just something so rejuvinating about hiking. I was able to clear my head, and enjoy the beauty of the world I live in now and I was NOT able to do that in the gym class.
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing," Helen Keller wrote. In the midst of our fast paced, drive-thru lifestyles, people still crave experiences that are more intense—more direct and authentic—than those available at the multiplex or shopping mall. This is why we are who we are, and I am so passionate about our program that will reboot, rejuvinate, and reenergize our guests.

last 30 days

wow, here we are to the last 30 days of my 90 day challenge. It has been more difficult for me, because there was not a competition, and I am soooooo competitive with other people, but not myself. The last 30 days I did not focus on my workouts as much because of the pain I've had with my body, so my focus was on my food intake, and NO SUGAR!

Here's the lowdown. I think everyone has to throw in challenges for themselves without beating themselves up if they don't complete that challenge. I did not make it 30 days, but I made some drastic and very habit forming changes. Because sugar was not going to be in my diet, it was easier to say no to the little dumb things I would put in my mouth, like a jelly bean, or swedish fish, or something that just was out of habit. I KNOW it is harder to say no after one bite of something, so by not taking that bite, I became stronger. I did only make it 25 days, but we were having a BIG family gathering, and my brother's girlfriend brought some delicious cookies that she made, and she was passing them out. I took one, and my sister told me not to do it, but I was proud of the 25 days I had, and I was ok, because it was a lot easier for me now to say no to "not worth it" sugar. This cookie on the other hand was "worth it" sugar:), and after half a cookie, I gave it to my daughter because I really didn't need the rest....now that deserves a 'gold star' for me to be able to do that!!:)
I'm not perfect, but I promise if you challenge yourself, you will see results, and I have lost another 8 pounds this month, so a total of 16 pounds in 60 days.
So now on to the next 30 days........EXERCISE again EVERY day!!!! I am feeling great, and have returned to the gym for a class called Group Power (with weights).
I am excited to get back into hard core working out, but the challenge for myself is to not over EAT, which is a challenge for the mind because I tend to think because I worked out I can allow more food.....not if I want to see results. So here I go...it's kind of my Last chance month.....and I will have my results in 30 days with a few updates here and there:)

If, when we were young, we tramped through forests of

Nebraska cottonwoods or raised pigeons on a rooftop

in Queens, or fished for Ozark bluegills, or felt the

swell of a wave that traveled a thousand miles before

lifting our boat, then we were bound to the natural

world and remain so today.

from: Last Child in the Woods

by: Richard Louv

The summer hiking in Southern Utah has officially begun!!! We are back in Zions' Kolob Canyon, and we'll be visiting Pine Valley and Knarraville too!!!  Love, love this time of year!!!  Cool breezes, late blooming wild flowers, running streams!!! Its perfect!!!  Lucky guests who choose this this time of year to visit us and hike with us!!!

A little restucture to my 90 day challenge

Well I have been at this for 28 days now, and unfortunately my body is not as ready to jump back as I am. I have had some major back pain, and my rib is still really sore....I have been so excited to start this 90 day challenge that it makes me mad that I have had these setbacks, but I will forever teach differently because of what I have gone through (I struggle doing some of the easiest yoga poses I teach). So I am going to focus on eating healthier for the next 30 days and hopefully help you get some better ideas for eating.....anyone reading this fill free to jump in and give me some fun easy good ideas!! I am not going to focus so much on the exercise because my body is still healing, and to be honest if anyone knows me, I LOVE TO WORKOUT, so I don't find that difficult, however EATING is a struggle....I am one of those who will workout harder and longer to be able to eat my SWEETS or extra BREAD!:)

Last January I went 30 days without sugar, and it was really beneficial. Because my weekness is sweets, it helped me to form a habit to eat a LOT less. So I plan on going the NEXT 30 days without sugar, and for the record.......I am on my 2ND day.....Every day counts for me because it is going to be a challenge, but I believe if there is something you want to achieve, 'FAKE IT', so for the next 30 days I am going to FAKE like I have NO problem going without sweets!!! :) I know this works, and I wouldn't do it if I didn't. I remember hearing that it takes 18 days to form a habit, so the habit that I intend to gain from this is the habit of NOT reaching for EVERY sweet in my view.

I am not completely dropping exercise from life, I will go on bike rides with my kids, swim some laps, go on walks, and do A LOT of yoga!! I am excited for this because I know that the last 30 days of my challenge I will feel a lot better, and then I will be able kick the exercise up a few NOTCHES!:)
Today my meals included; Oatmeal with wheat germ, bananas, craisins, and raw sunflower seeds YUMMY!:) Lunch, a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread, dinner was a 6 inch chicken sandwich at Subway...and I have to say I didn't TOUCH the cookies I got for my screaming, begging children:). My snacks, orange, apple and saltine crackers, and lots of H2O:)

day 22 and day 23

I have to be very creative with my workouts since I have little ones at home, and I am still doctoring my bruised rib. I went out with my two kids in the stroller and tried to run, but it just was too painful, so I walked....I love hills, and when I'm walking I feel like I have to climb a hill to get my heartrate up, so I remembered a hill up the street from my house on Foremaster, so I headed there. It was awesome.....here is the picture of the first part of the hill.

It was a beautiful view at the top, and a great workout!

But that's not it....the hill goes back down on the other side, and boy did I want to challenge myself, so I went down.
And came back up! It was a great workout, and I didn't have to run!! I love hills, they push you without you having to push yourself like you would walking on a flat surface.....so go out and find a hill near you and conquer it!
Today I was so frustrated, because it was so windy and cold outside, so I had to do my workout inside, and I jumped on the internet to see if something inspired me, but it all comes down to just turning on music, and lifting some weights. I just used my 5 lbers today, and did some shoulder presses (very slow and controlled because of my rib), some bicep curls, some tricep extensions, some lunges, and some squats. The trick is to remember to do 3 exercises. like bicep, tricep, and lung and do 15-20 reps 3 TIMES. You must get your heart rate up, and you should take your muscles to fatigue.
It's very frustrating, because moves that did not take any effort before are really challenging for me..a simple pushup is very challenging, but I have to forget how many pushups or tricep dips I used to be able to do and focus on getting stronger. This is a great place for me to do my workout (in my BATHROOM:)) I turn on some music, and go for it......again remember, you will get out of it what you put into it....you don't have to do all the new fancy moves, just stick to the basics, focus on the muscles that you want to develop, and take them to exhaustion, and when the weight comes off, the muscles will be beautiful because of your effort(I know this to be true, but even though I know the truth, it is still hard to follow!)

Week 4 - Day 21

Thought I'd share the little angel that I gained all my weight for, and boy was she worth it!:) Ok, I can blame her all I want, but the truth is I let myself eat what EVER I wanted, and because I always said, "I'm eating for two", my portion sizes got out of control, I did not need to gain the 50 pounds that I did with her, but I did, and here I am trying to lose 35 lbs! Last week was out of control crazy....and my bruised rib really set me back, I was in a lot of pain-just bending over to pick up something hurt, so I did not work out Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday,and Sunday, and I started to slip back in my old habits of eating "Too much".
BUT......... I do have to say, I had some "aha" moments (I never thought I'd use that word:)). I went to my dad's retirement party, and I didn't have ONE slice of cake, and the full size candy bars that had, "Congratulations" on them for people to take home......I did NOT take one!:) My other moment was when I was talking to my sister-in-law and I noticed that she had lost weight, and asked her what she was doing to lose the weight. She told me that she just became "AWARE". She was getting to a weight that she was when she was nine months pregnant with her first child, and decided to make a change. She just started working out 5 days a week for 30 minutes minimum. She became aware of what she was putting in her mouth. She looks great, and she inspired me.
So, I came home and today being Monday, I knew I needed to get a good workout in even though my ribs were still hurting me. So I got the kids in the stroller and did my route that I do all the time and a week ago "RAN" and felt AmAZing. Today was different, I felt pain, and I felt heavy, I only walked the route this time, and tried to keep up the pace. I am sad to say that I still have only lost the 5 lbs that I dropped the first week, but I am going to stay positive, and try to allow myself to slowly become stronger so I can avoid injuring myself. I know that the key is "BECOMING AWARE", because although this is a slow process, I notice myself making small changes that make me "proud".