Day 28

So, today officially marked the start of Phase 2! At the end of Phase 1, I have lost 6 pounds and 11.5 inches total! That means I earned $35 toward pampering myself! I can save it until the end, or spend it now! I'll see if I can find a good groupon for a massage or facial or pedicure! :-)

So, this mornings workout was INTENSE! I swear Jillian wanted me to die...no, I'm serious, she even said it at one point. "Are you in pain? Well, I don't care! I want you to feel like you're dying right now!!" Well, she wouldn't be disappointed. There was one set I thought my arms were going to fall off!! She is crazy! It was nice to do a different workout though, but I was DRIPPING sweat at the end! I'm hoping this change-up will equal more weight loss and inches lost!

I was proud of myself-I made myself a mango, chicken salad with spinach for lunch today but ended up letting temptation get the best of me and had a donut at work! Oops! It was DELICIOUS! I did well the rest of the day though!

I'm interested to see what tomorrow's workout brings. It's been a while since it hurt when I sat down and moved in general-I'm feeling that now. Tomorrow will be rough!!

Day 27

Last day of Cardio from Phase 1 this morning! I barely break a sweat doing this workout now-so, I went for a long walk again, enjoying the nice weather before it got too hot out.

Started the day with some wonderful oatmeal again :-) We had Jimmy Johns for lunch (turkey tom with easy mayo and not eating all the bread). We went to a see "21 Jump Street" this afternoon (I just had water to drink!) and it was hilarious! It was worth the $5. For dinner, we met a friend at a Mexican restaurant. I had some tacos with some black beans and just water to drink (even though I REALLY wanted a margarita). Eric and I did have an ice cream bar too.

Well, tomorrow is rest day, but I'll probably still go for a walk in the morning. In a few weeks (who, knows, maybe days!), it will be too hot out in the mornings to enjoy a walk, so I'm taking advantage. I think I'm going to sneak a peak at the Phase 2 workouts so I know what to expect. Maybe I shouldn't do it before I go to bed-I might get nightmares!

I'm still feeling good with my progress. A friend let me borrow some of her pants/capris, so I actually have pants that fit! Grocery shopping day tomorrow-got my meals planned for the week! That is a HUGE key in eating better-I decided to make my lunch every day too instead of eating at work. It will save money AND help my waistline! :-) I'm probably going to make some kale chips again tomorrow-yum!

Day 25 and 26

So, I didn't get to write yesterday as we were at the Arizona Cardinal's draft party. They were also having a rib festival...yum. I did have a couple ribs, beans, and coleslaw and a margarita. I knew that was coming all day though, so I was careful with my calories earlier. I was over my 1400, but I got a lot of walking in too.

Today my eating was okay too. Boring... :-)

I am officially done with workout 3 and 4 of Phase 1. Tomorrow is my last day of the Cardio workout from Phase 1 and, on Monday, I officially move on  to Phase 2! That means I've been doing this for a month now! Yes, I feel like results should be more, but I am still happy. If I can go down another pant size in Phase2 and then another one in Phase 3, I'll be happy! It's about a lifestyle change, not just 90 days. Well, I'm watching the Coyotes in OT and it's CRAZY!! Night!

Day 24

So, my alarm went off this morning and I shut it off and decided to just "rest my eyes" for a few more minutes. Those few minutes turned into 40 minutes. Oops! Needless to say, I had to wait to do my cardio after work. Luckily it was just cardio-that's easier and I didn't mind doing it quick after work before making dinner. Tomorrow is my LAST day of Workout 3!!! Almost done with Phase 1!!

My eating was back on track again today, keeping calories around 1300. Oatmeal with strawberries and pecans for breakfast. Some friends and I ate greek food for lunch-yum! I had pitas and a small greek salad. For dinner, I made baked salmon and roasted zucchini. I did have a Starbuck's coffee drink at work today but used skim milk and sugar-free syrup, so that helped keep the calories down!

I probably won't post tomorrow-Eric and I are heading to University of Phoenix Stadium for the Cardinal's draft party and rib fest. I'll try and really watch what I'm eating-hoping they have SOME veggies at the rib fest. I know I'll get a lot of walking in while there, which will help. It's okay to indulge every once in a while, but not all the time (remember, I can be the QUEEN of rationalizing, especially when it comes to food!)

Well, I KNOW I'm going to be pissed at Jillian tomorrow, so better get some good sleep. Night!

Day 23

Today's workout was much better, I like Workout 4 MUCH better than workout 3. Easy cardio tomorrow! I was good about eating today and staying in my calorie range. Oatmeal for breakfast and a small salad for lunch. I had a salad from paradise bakery for dinner (with a cookie....), but stayed within my calorie range (was too busy today for my snack!). I felt much better today after yesterday's weigh-in/measurement day. My pants were literally falling off of me all day (thought I was good without a belt....big mistake). Slowly but surely (well, not really slowly-it's only been 3 weeks! I need to remind myself of that!) I think I'm just antsy to start Phase 2 next week! :-)

Day 22

So, just as I feared yesterday, weigh-in/measurement day wasn't that spectacular. I actually gained 0.6 pounds but I still lost 2 inches for a total of 10+ inches in 3 weeks. I have to focus on that second number. My eating was MUCH better today-I had more veggies and made myself eat a snack in between lunch and dinner as Jillian emphasizes the importance of eating 4 times evenly spread out.

Started with my oatmeal for breakfast. I had a delicious house salad for lunch and some yogurt with almonds for a snack. I made red snapper and peas for dinner. I've been exhausted lately too-trouble falling asleep (no idea why-Jillian wears me out!), so I think that's leading to some frustration too.

I have to say, I HATE workout 3 from phase 1!! I literally was swearing at Jillian as I was working out this morning-I still did the moves and added weight to make it more difficult today, but it sucked!! (I know, it's well worth it in the end....)

Bring on workout 4-that one is definitely better!

Day 21

This morning, even though I was tired, I got up early to take a nice long walk before it got too hot. Started off the day with the usual oatmeal. Met some friends at Paradise Bakery for lunch and had soup and salad. Had steak for dinner with corn. I made some kale chips for a snack.

I'm a little worried about the weigh-in and measurement day tomorrow. I feel like my eating has gotten off track this week-I've been keeping my calories between 1200-1400, but they aren't the best calories. I really need to buckle down this week and do better at eating more veggies. Fitting into some capris I haven't fit into in a few years helped me realize I've kind of lost my motivation and need to find it again. I'm feeling great and need to not hit a plateau or stop-gotta keep going! I have goals! I think it's frustrating to not see the scale move as much even though I can see my body is changing physically and the weight is redistributing itself in more opportune places. :-)

Tomorrow is a new day!!! Back to my new fave workout, workout 3 of phase 1-ugh!! I'll try and up the weights so I get a better workout!

Day 20

Started the day with the Cardio workout but felt like it was a little too easy. So, I added a long walk afterward. I had the usual oatmeal for breakfast (if it ain't broke, don't fix it...). Eric and I went to a place called Aloha Kitchen for lunch-hawaiian food. I had a teriyaki chicken sandwich (there were MANY other not-so-healthy options). For dinner, we went to Pita Jungle so I could have their delicious greek salad with grilled chicken. Yum! I went to a part last night at a friends and did have a glass of wine-first time I've had alcohol since starting the program. So, it was a decent day of eating for a Saturday.

We did go to Kohls yesterday so I could get some new tennis shows-they are BRIGHT but SOOOO lightweight! Doesn't even feel like there's anything on my feet! I tried on some clothes and have officially gone down a pant size!! I'm hoping, throughout the program, I can at least go down two more pant sizes-that's my goal.

Day 18 & Day 19

So, I didn't get to blog last night-you'll find out why later!

Yesterday was my favorite workout (she says with sarcasm...), Workout 3. I was so sore! But, my friend invited me to a Meetup group at a place called Jab Fitness where we got a FREE boxing class for an hour. The class was at 8pm, which is a little late for me to workout, but I went and had a BLAST!!!! It was so much fun! I have never boxed before. As soon as I saw my hot pink boxing gloves, I was in! I have to thank Jillian for helping me prepare for this evening, because it was BRUTAL but well worth it. I don't even remember what I ate yesterday anymore, but knew I didn't overdo it on calories because I burned A LOT yesterday!

Because I worked out so late last night, I slept in this morning and didn't work out until after work. That was a BIG mistake. I still worked out, don't get me wrong, but I felt off the whole day not getting my workout in early. Anyways, tomorrow is good ole cardio day again. I'm so glad it's the weekend! I'm exhausted, so I'm going to keep this one short!

Day 17

This morning started with good old cardio. This cardio workout is pretty easy by now, so I try to up the intensity a little bit. It was a nice break from the other workouts! Back to difficult workout 3 tomorrow (already dreading it!)

Started the morning right with some oatmeal and strawberries and pecans. Had a chicken salad sandwich for lunch with some sunflower seeds for a snack. Made some pork and roasted veggies for dinner.

I had the pleasure of volunteering tonight with my friend Ginger at her church for a couple hours, filling bags of food for Haiti and Africa. It was so rewarding, but standing for two hours made my muscles even more sore!!

I'm tired and will blog more tomorrow. Good news-I drank more water today!! :-)

Day 16

So, I got to try workout 4 of phase 1. It wasn't as bad as yesterday's workout, but it was still difficult! Jillian claims we don't work the same muscles two days in a row, but then why was I hurting so much today during the workout??? :-)

I had some yogurt and almonds for breakfast this morning (needed something quick before an early dentist appointment). For lunch I had some soup that was delicious at work. Some sort of Mexican soup full of veggies and flavor! I also had part of a Starbucks coffee drink. The Bistro in our facility opened up and the baristas need to practice, so I tried a little. I could only drink about 1/4 of it-it was really sweet! For dinner I made chicken/veggie stir-fry with brown rice.

I've been trying really hard to drink more water, but I haven't been doing that great. It's starting to get hotter here, so I really need to get better. That's my goal for the week.

Tomorrow is good ole cardio again-I think I could do that workout in my sleep! I am still seeing results, but I'm to the point I wish the changes were a bit more noticeable. I know I need to still be patient and this is the "testing point" where a lot of people probably give up. I'm enjoying the routine (although my body has been more tired and it's more difficult to get up in the morning) and I can tell when I'm full and feel I don't eat as much anymore. I know I'm making progress, but I am a typical American and want the "fast fix." I need to remember I just started week 3 of trying to change my life and I've kept up with it. Okay, there's my pep talk for the day! haha

Day 15

Jillian kicked my butt this morning in workout 3 of phase 1!! It was rough! I can't even imagine what Phase 3 is going to be like (guess I'll worry about that when I'm there!).

So, today was weigh-in and measurement morning. I was bummed I didn't lose any weight-weighed exactly the same as last Monday. I guess it's good I didn't gain any! I realize that I'm gaining muscle, which will make the scale not move at times. I do feel great and I did lose 2.5 inches! That's 4.6 pounds and 8.25 inches in two weeks-not too shabby! I just have to keep going and the weight will come off!

I had my usual oatmeal for breakfast and my delicious cobb salad for lunch. Eric helped out tonight (even though he was nervous!) and made a pizza recipe from my Cooking Ligt cookbook. It was a whole wheat pizza crust with browned lean ground beef, turkey pepperoni, and tomatoes, with marinara sauce and mozzarella. 330 calories per 2 slices. We had some peas with the pizza. It was delicious!! He did a great job!!

I'm interested to see what Workout 4 is like-yikes! I'll let ya know tomorrow!

Day 14

Officially two weeks down out of 13!! I'm feeling great! Yesterday morning, I actually felt thinner. I've been having to use a belt for my pants the past few days!! I think I'm down at least a size-yay!

Well, now the boring stuff-what I ate... :-)
Oatmeal for breakfast :-)
I was at a friend's house and she was gracious enough to make me lunch! She made BLT's and it was delicious!! For dinner I made minestrone (another recipe from my Cooking Light cookbook-176 calories per 1.5 cups!) I bought some extra kale and attempted to make kale chips since they are the latest craze! They turned out pretty good and were DELICIOUS-you get that crispy and salty flavor-can easily take the place of chips. Here's the easy recipe I used:

Tear off small pieces of kale after cleaning and make sure they are dry completely. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Toss together and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. YUMMY!!! AND, I hear kale is a superfood!!

Tomorrow is a new workout (finally!) and weigh-in and measurement day! We will see. I don't expect the scale to budge much, but I'm hoping to lose at least a few more inches total.

Day 13

I didn't get to post last night because we were witnessing the heart-wrenching Coyotes loss to the Blackhawks last night :-(

Yesterday was Cardio in the morning. It's getting a lot easier-can't believe I still have to do this cardio video for 2 more weeks! At least I get to try new workouts tomorrow and Tuesday! I had some oatmeal for breakfast and then Eric and I went to Paradise Bakery-I had a soup and salad combo. It was delicious and in a good calorie range!

We went out to eat for dinner before the game down by the arena. I found the best thing to do before eating out is choosing what I'm going to eat BEFORE I leave and when I'm not hungry. I looked at the menu to the restaurant we were planning on going to around lunch, so I was full while reading it. I also looked at the nutrition information (most restaurants have it online). I chose a turkey club. It was so yummy! It came with truffle fries (which were also yummy, and I probably had a few too many!) Because I was so full from dinner, I didn't have to get any of the greasy food from the arena!

I'll post more tonight I guess!

Day 12

Last day of Phase 1, Workout 2-thank goodness! I'm ready for workouts 3 and 4 next week from Phase 1! I busted out the oatmeal for breakfast again :-) For lunch, I tried an oriental chicken salad at work. It was alright, but I prefer my Cobb salad. I did have a couple pieces of chocolate today at work....oh well! For dinner I made some chicken and roasted cauliflower. Tonight, Eric and I went to get some frozen yogurt-yummy!!

I know I'm not supposed to weigh myself every day, but I weighed myself today and my weight is exactly the same as it was on Monday! I understand I'm still losing inches and I'm gaining more muscle, which is good, but it's still frustrating! I have been thinking about it and I feel I'm not eating enough calories during the day. I'm averaging around 1050-1150, but because of what I'm eating, I'm full most of the time! I do fit in a spoonful of PB at night to get in some more calories every once in a while, trying to keep my calories around 1200-1300 if possible. I don't want my body to think it's starving-that's not productive and not healthy. I know I'll find a balance of how many calories works for me-it just takes time.

Good news today-I walked 13,000+ steps!! :-) Eric and I went for a walk tonight, which helped the number increase a lot-we want to enjoy this cooler weather before the 100's are upon us! Cardio tomorrow (I'm getting tired of that workout too, but I got a month of that one!)

Day 11

Last day of the Phase 1, Workout 1 DVD. I'm relieved-I added weight and made it more difficult, but I'm ready to move on. (I know I'll be regretting that come Monday when I start Workout 3 from Phase 1....) Tomorrow is the last day of Workout 2 from Phase 1 and I am SOOOO happy about that. She really works that butt! I know, I know, it's going to get more difficult-Bring it on! :-)

For breakfast, I changed it up from my oatmeal and had some strawberry greek yogurt with almonds. For lunch I went back to my Cobb salad from work (yum! and so filling). I had some celery and PB for a snack (yes, I actually had a snack that wasn't a cookie today!). For dinner, I made oven-fried fish nuggets (not really fried-just cod coated in a little crushed cornflakes, bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese) and roasted potatoes and peppers.

I was proud of myself for finally getting back on track with my eating today. No sweets and I'm hoping that will only help me on the scale and with the tape measure!

I've been getting tired around 8:00 every night-I know my body is tired, but 8:00 is ridiculous! I've been taking my multi-vitamin every night (makes me nauseous if I take it in the morning). Does anyone have any suggestions of extra supplements I should be taking for energy? Thanks!

So happy tomorrow is Friday! I'm ready for the weekend!

Day 10

Phase 1-Cardio was great this morning. It's getting easier, which is always a good sign. I'm not as winded as I was at the beginning of last week. I had oatmeal again for breakfast. I went to Paradise Bakery for lunch and had a half-order Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. It is delicious and under 300 calories! Unfortunately, I had a cookie again. I know, I know, it's not the end of the world, but I am a master rationalizer. I think to myself...."Self, you will have burned enough calories today where this cookie won't really matter. You're not eating that many calories combined in your meals, so one cookie won't hurt." Yes, I know it won't hurt, but I need to take my thought process one step further and say, "Self, yes, the calories from the cookie probably won't make a huge difference on the scale, but imagine how fast you'll reach your goal if you DON'T eat the cookie today." Easier said than done-I love food (especially sweets). Ugh!

For dinner, I made sauteed zucchini seasoned with salt and pepper and a little bit of EVOO. The protein was chili-lime flank steak. Easy recipe:

Mix 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 Tbsp chili powder, and 2 tsp lime rind in small bowl. Drizzle fresh lime juice on steak and then rub with dry ingredients. Grill 7-8 minutes on each side or until desired level of doneness.

It is so flavorful! AND it only has a few ingredients! EASY! This was another recipe from my Cooking Light cookbook.

Today at work, I got a few comments from people saying I'm looking slimmer. That feels so great when others notice! I know the numbers on the scale have gone down and I've lost inches and my clothes are fitting better, but I still see the same size when I look in the mirror. I know that's a perception thing-It will take a while to not see myself as "big" when I look in the mirror. I am feeling better, clothes are looser, and I've been sleeping SOOOO well because my body needs rest! If anyone is thinking of getting into a workout program, I would HIGHLY recommend this Body Revolution program (and they aren't even paying me!) It is life changing already, and I'm only 10 days in! Back to Phase 1, Workout 1 tomorrow morning (front of the body).

Day 9

So, today started off great! Phase 1, Workout 2 yet again-working booty, hamstrings, biceps, and back. Again, I added heavier weight to make the moves more difficult. DEFINITELY feel it tonight and know I will tomorrow!

For breakfast, I had my oatmeal with blueberries and pecans again. For lunch I had a cup of black bean soup our chef made (it was good!) and a small house salad. Unfortunately, temptation got to me today and I had a cookie at work...it was good though...peanut butter....I did do extra cardio when I got home from work to try and burn some extra calories. Anyways...for dinner I made baked salmon and grilled asparagus. I thought I should start sharing some of the easy, healthy recipes I'm making if anyone wants some new ideas. Many of the recipes I get from my SparkPeople App on my phone.

Grilled Asparagus:
Cut ends off asparagus and put in large plastic bag. Add some EVOO, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Marinate for 1-2 hours. Grill for 10 minutes, turning frequently. (This was delicious!)

Baked Salmon:
Place salmon filets skin-side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle lemon juice, salt, pepper, and some lemon pepper (or whatever flavoring works for you!). Bake for about 20 minutes and then let set for 5 minutes out of oven. I usually grill my salmon, but this way of preparing it was amazing! It flaked off perfectly and tasted so good with just a simple preparation.

Tomorrow is a new day to NOT have cookies :-) Cardio tomorrow.

Day 8

Well, our Internet was down last night, so I didn't get to post my results from Week 1 of my Body Revolution Beatdown!

(drum roll please.....)

Down 4.6 pounds and 5.75 inches!! That means I earned myself around $20 toward a treat later! :-)

I had oatmeal with blueberries and pecans for breakfast (with a hint of brown sugar for some flavor). Delicious-and felt good to have something other than yogurt and eggs! For lunch I had the usually yummy Cobb Salad at work. I was so busy in the afternoon (and, apparently, not hungry) I forgot to eat my snack. I made Shepard's Pie for dinner (a recipe out of a Cooking Light cookbook), which was pretty good!

Alright, I'll write more tonight. Off to work! (Oh, almost forgot, the workout was good this morning. I upped my weights and tried to do what's considered the "next level" for the same movements according to Jillian. I definitely felt it this morning!

Day 7

Happy Easter!!

Today was a break from Jillian, but I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep, so I went for about a 45 minute walk. I was excited to enjoy the cool morning weather before our day in the 90's but I actually got cold!! (I know, I'm an Arizona wimp!)

When I got back, I had the usual vanilla yogurt with almonds and then was off to do some grocery shopping. Temptation got the best of me and I bought myself and Eric each a Reese's egg to eat...I know...that's my weakness (along with pizza-which I haven't had!)

For lunch, we went to a friends house (she is super healthy, so I wasn't worried about food over there-thanks Mel!) She made delicious steaks, grilled veggies, and a fruit salad. Yum! For dinner I had my leftover spaghetti and some peas.

I learned my lesson this morning about why I shouldn't weigh myself DAILY. I gained a little weight from yesterday. I need to weigh myself WEEKLY and not DAILY! That's my goal for this next week. We will see what the final tally of pounds and inches lost in the first week is tomorrow. Tomorrow morning is weigh-in day and measurement day!

Bring on Week 2!

Day 6

Woke up, did the Cardio workout from Phase 1-great start to a Saturday! The rest of the day was going to be the test! I started off with my morning with vanilla yogurt with almonds. Usually, after I give lessons in the morning, I grab Jimmy John's for me and Eric. I got myself a Turkey Tom with EASY mayo and took off some of the bread to drop the calorie count. (Unfortunately, because the sandwich is so good, I kind of inhaled it-part of my problem-and I probably ate more than I should have). I was full until dinner though, which was good.

Saturdays we always go out to eat for dinner. Eric wanted to go to Rigatony's (an Italian place) and I realized, I can't hide at home forever and eat salad-I have to learn to make better choices when eating out. So, I scoped out the menu before we went. I usually get a cheesy, meaty, noodle-y dish but decided on just spaghetti with meat sauce. I opted for the whole wheat spaghetti too. It was a HUGE serving. I ate a little of the salad and a piece of bread before dinner and drank A LOT of water. So, I only ate a little of my dinner. I probably had two or three more bites past fullness (it was so good!), but knew I had to stop. I really am learning to listen to my body.

Tomorrow is a day of rest from Jillian, but I'm planning on heading out for a walk in the morning before it gets too hot. Unfortunately, I didn't get too much extra exercise in today and only got 6500 steps in. I feel I did well today calorie-wise, even with the eating out. We will find out tomorrow I guess!

Down 5.6 pounds as of this morning! Yay!

Day 5

Day 5 down and it wasn't too bad! Workout 2 of Phase 1 hurt today because my hamstrings are so tight and that was the main focus of this workout! My body is sore!

Started off eating 2 eggs, scrambled, a piece of canadien bacon, and some cherry tomatoes again. (Delicious and filling by the way, and doesn't take too long to make!) I was pretty busy at work, so I got in a decent number of steps. For lunch, I had a cobb salad again (delish!) even though our director catered in Olive Garden (I know, I resisted the fettucine alfredo!!) I did have one bite of a breadstick, but it didn't taste that great and wasn't worth the calories, so I threw it away. When I got home, I made a delicious chicken dish from Jillian's recipe book with an almond pesto-like paste on it. It was good.

After dinner, Eric went for a walk with me to enjoy the last of this beautiful weather before it gets too hot. The walk helped me get to 11,000+ steps for the day! I'm going to have some celery and peanut butter now to get my calorie count up a little. It's around 1100 again, and I feel I need a bit more!

Almost done with Week 1 and down 4.4 pounds! I've been reading a lot of posts on the Jillian Michael's Body Revolution Facebook page and am amazed with the results people are having, but now that I'm doing the program, I am not surprised! Bring on the cardio tomorrow (and give my glutes and hamstrings a bit of a break!)

Day 4

So, today's workout was the same as Day 1 although it was a tad more difficult today because I am SO SORE!!! It was well worth it though. Down 4.2 pounds!

I changed it up for breakfast and had 2 eggs (scrambled) with a piece of no nitrate canadian bacon and some cherry tomatoes. For lunch, I ate at our restaurant at work and had a cobb salad (ate the lettuce, turkey, tomatoes, a little bacon, and a small amount of blue cheese). It filled me up the rest of the day! I did lead a group today at work about Italy and travel and our wonderful chef made fresh bruschetta (bite size pieces) and I had a couple of those. For dinner, I made tilapia and asparagus. I have been keeping track of my calories religiously and only had eaten around 1000 calories today. It's crazy! I feel like I need to eat more-I don't want my body to go into starvation mode, but the meals I'm eating make me so full!

So, because I didn't have that many calories today, Eric and I went to Dairy Queen. Before we went, I did my research on nutritional facts so I would get something no more than 500 calories. I got a small blizzard and it made me REALLY full (and sleepy). It's amazing after not have sweets for a few days the blizzard seemed extra sweet (but still good). Because I knew we were going to get some ice cream, I did a little extra cardio after work. :-)

I'm ready for day 5 tomorrow! Great results so far!

Day 3

So, I thought this working everyday thing would just make me pass out at night, but I couldn't fall asleep last night (well, it could have been because I watched "Dance Moms" before bed and couldn't believe Abby walked away from her dancers!!!) So, I was debating when my alarm went off at 6 whether to sleep in an extra 45 minutes and work out after work or get up. I wisely chose to wake up. The workout was Phase 1-Cardio. I enjoyed the Cardio workout (I know it will get old fast because I have to do it 2x/week for the whole first 30 days).

I had my wonderful vanilla greek yogurt, cinnamon, and almonds for breakfast again and made a veggie soup with chicken for lunch. The soup was good, but my stomach (again) wasn't very happy with me after I was only able to eat half of my soup for lunch. I drank A LOT of water, hoping that would help. unfortunately, it didn't and I only had a hard-boiled egg for a snack, so....I cheated a little today and had sun chips. I know, it's horrible! But, I do keep track of my calories daily, and I only ate around 1300 calories today. I feel 1100-1200 isn't enough (even though it's just for a week) when I'm burning at least 300 during my workout. (Yes, I'm good at rationalizing, but people on Jillian's website also mentioned they added 100-200 calories a day to feel more satisfied).

Tomorrow's a new day and I will have no chips. I'm just glad I haven't had any chocolate. It's EVERYWHERE at work and I haven't caved! Thank goodness! Tomorrow is Phase 1, Workout 1 again, working the "front of the body." 3 days down....87 to go! :-)

Oh, forgot to mention dinner! I made pork chops and corn! (Corn probably isn't the best, BUT it's still a veggie and delicious!)

Day 2

Day 2:

So, Day 2 started off well. I did the Phase 1 Workout 2 focusing on the "back of the body." It felt good and helped me wake up. I, again, had my yogurt with almonds for breakfast but made a mistake of getting coffee from Dunkin Donuts (I only get black coffee, and that's okay on the meal plan). Unfortunately, it made my tummy hurt all day! I had my celery and PB for a snack before having a late lunch, but I didn't feel hungry! I forced myself to eat though because I know I hadn't had that many calories today. I also got in about 7500 steps today. By the end of the day, I really wasn't feeling well-I'm thinking my body is detoxing from the bad food I have been eating and I feel like I'm going through withdrawals. Crazy, right? But, I think it's true! My body has been so used to fried and fatty foods the past couple weeks with eating out and going to ball games, eating all these veggies is foreign!

I'm making steak and zucchini for dinner, which sounds delicious now that my tummy is feeling better. I'm also going to make a soup recipe that Jillian suggests to bring to lunch the next few days to change it up from the salad.

I know it's breaking the rules, but I weighed myself this morning (just cuz I was curious) and had lost 2 pounds! I know it's probably mainly water weight, but it's still exciting! I did forget to have Eric take my "before" picture, so I'll have him do that tonight. My goal is to lose 40ish pounds eventually (not sure if that will happen in 90 days-I am realistic), but I hope to lose inches more than pounds. I still haven't decided if I want to share my starting weight with the world (or my "before" picture), but have a feeling once I start losing weight, I won't be ashamed anymore because I'm doing something about it!

Well, off to make dinner! Ready for Day 3-Cardio tomorrow am!

Day 1

Day 1:

So, I was excited this morning at 6am to do Phase 1: Workout 1. This workout wasn't too bad (having done many Jillian workouts in the past), but I realized I am out of shape! The workout was 30 minutes and focused on the "front of the body" with tomorrow focusing on the "back of the body." Then, it was time for my yogurt and almonds for breakfast (sorry Jillian, had to get vanilla greek yogurt-CANNOT eat plain greek yogurt!). I was amazed how full I was all morning until about noon when it was time for my veggie-filled salad with chicken and a hard-boiled egg. I couldn't even finish the salad before I was full! I was still somewhat stuffed when it was time for dinner-salmon and green beans! It was interesting to actually LISTEN to my body-yes, I wanted to grab a cookie that was left over from orientation at work, but I wasn't hungry. Part of my problem is realizing the difference between a craving and actual hunger.

Part of my problem is emotional eating. Luckily, today was an okay day at work and I wasn't really stressed, so I wasn't tempted to eat anything to "make me feel better." I really have to watch that though, and that's where I think this blog will come in handy! People reading can help hold me accountable!

When I got home from work, I was tired, but managed to do 10 minutes of Jillian's Phase 1 Cardio DVD (an added bonus) and I got in 9000 steps today (trying for 10,000 a day).

The best thing about this is that Eric (my hubby) is fully supportive and is willing to eat the meat and veggies I'm making for dinner. It's nice to have that awesome support,

I know I'm going to sleep well tonight-already feeling the burn from this morning (definitely worked butt, shoulders, and triceps!) Bring on day 2!