A Happy Halloween 🎃

     OMG I am so ecstatic right now!!! I just got home home from my doctors appointment and my blood test showed that all my hard work is paying off!  Not only did I lose 10 pounds, my triglycerides went from 188 to 119, cholesterol 208 to 198!  I am not diabetic. Which I wasn't sure because I didn't do a blood glucose test after I gave birth since I had gestational diabetes.  My doctor says I'm doing a great job and to keep it up!
     Then when I came home from the doctor's office my fiance said he ordered something for me and he got the call that it came in so he had to go pick it up.  He got me a Fitbit Alta!  I REALLY wanted one but a) too expensive and b) I didn't know if I would benefit from it that much.  But I love it!  

He even got me the GOLD one! Awesome!

     It was surprisingly easy to setup and is not too bulky.  I might do a review if I have time.  You can go on youtube and there are a lot of videos about Fitbits and other activity trackers.  My mom was going to get this for me for Christmas but I guess she will have to figure out something else and I'm glad I don't have to wait 2 months. 
     I am one happy girl! :)  With the good news from my blood test and this present I am even more motivated to be healthy.  No Halloween candy can tempt me today!

C25K Week 6

Today I completed week 6! Maybe I drank too much coffee or something but today's workout actually felt easy.  Like I wasn't gasping for air or tanking water.  I kind of felt like I could run another mile (but I didn't.)  Jogging for 22 minutes straight sounds like a long time but I downloaded some new songs on to my phone so that made the time go by faster.  Am I ready for week 7? I hope so!!

Finally Lost 10 Pounds :)

It feels like it took forever but I finally lost that one stubborn pound, bringing my total weight loss up to 10 pounds!  I feel happy but I also know I still have a ways to go before reaching my goal.  My body is starting to change.  The maternity jeans that I usually wear are getting too lose but my regular pants are still on the tight side.  I don't want to spend money on new clothes hoping that I will be able to fit my pre-pregnancy clothes soon.

Oh ya, I'm also excited that I got a chance to shop at Costco.  There's only one Costco on the Big Island which is a two hour drive from where I live.  I usually go to Costco once a month.  Anyway, I found a big bottle of Suja Mighty Greens!  Green Delight is my favorite flavor but Costco only has Mighty Greens flavor.  I personally don't care for celery and Mighty Greens definitely has a celery taste but I can tolerate it.  At Target it comes out to $0.25 per ounce (using 25% off cartwheel, 5% off Redcard, + $0.06 HI deposit).  At Costco it comes out to $0.16 per ounce (including 4% tax, $0.06 HI deposit).  So I end up saving a little bit but I wish Costco sold 59 oz. bottles of Green Delight.

Wow! C25K Week 5

     I just finished C25K week 5 day 3!  Let me tell you week 5 has no mercy!  Jogging 20 minutes straight was a challenge for me.  I was hoping I would surprise myself and breeze through it.  The past weeks I always thought I couldn't do it but it ended up being easier than I thought...Not this week.   

Remember how I used school homework as a metaphor for C25K?  Well I've just changed my thinking to a video game.  Once you hit week 5 the workouts get increasingly harder by the day (not by weeks anymore).  So I think of each workout as a new level of the game.  Pushing yourself until you can't run anymore is like trying to press the "B" button as fast as you can until your finger feels like it's going to fall off.  Once you complete the level you feel on top of the world, same with workouts.  It's either you pass the level or you don't and have to start the level over.  Same with my homework analogy, if my RPM goes below 50 during the jogging period I have to redo the workout.  I guess when I complete C25K I will have completed the "game!"

Remember Super Mario? Brings back memories!

200 Situps App

Ok, so I've been liking the C25K app so much that I decided to download the 0 to 200 Situps app as well.  This program is similar to C25K because it's 3 days a week, for 8 weeks.  Although both apps are created by the same company, there are several differences.  First off, C25K is free, 0 to 200 Situps is $0.99 at the Apple app store.  Is it worth $0.99?  We shall see at the end of 8 weeks.  But really I feel the C25K is way more fancy.  0 to 200 Situps does not allow you to change skins or listen to music like C25K.  Just like C2K you start each workout with a 5 minute warm-up.  But it doesn't say what to do during this "warm-up" period.  Stretching? Running? Idk.  I guessed and did jumping jacks.  I also feel that it might be too easy for some people.
Here is day 1 workout:

I was like 18 sit-ups? That's all?  I can't wait for it to get a little bit more challenging.  I just figured this would be a great workout to do on the days in between C25K.
Here's my workout schedule:    

• Monday: C25K
• Tuesday: 0 to 200 Situps Challenge
• Wednesday: C25K
• Thursday:  0 to 200 Situps Challenge
• Friday: C25K
• Saturday: 0 to 200 Situps Challenge
• Sunday: Rest 

Too bad I didn't start these to programs at the same time.  Then I would finish the 8 weeks at the same time.  

Blah Blah Blah

     Oh gosh the weeks are flying by!  I cant believe it's almost Halloween!  Am I ready?  No way!
     So if I planned out my C25K program I would've started earlier.  I really wasn't thinking ahead, I just came across the app and was excited to start immediately.   I started on Sep. 13 so if I stay on track I will finish my 8 weeks on Nov. 12. (I was sick for one week.) I think it's better to start in the beginning of September. The weather is cooler and you will finish the program before the busy holidays.  But you know what, it doesn't matter when you start. You just need to start!
      More speed bumps. *Sigh*. My family's schedule will soon be changing so it's going to be a little bit harder to stick to working out.  I'm still breastfeeding. How does that affect my workout? First, I can't take supplements, boo.  Before I would take L-carnitine along with CLA and I could see/feel results much faster.  Secondly, I have to eat. If I don't eat and drink a lot of water my milk supply goes down.  I do drink like half a cup of Starbucks skinny caramel macchiato on the days I workout for a kick of caffeine. I know that is bad for breastfeeding but I've tried to workout without it and it's soooo hard.
    The holidays are going to be difficult for me.  Ahh, Halloween candy!!! It will be a true test of how badly I want to lose weight.

C25K Half Way Done!

I DID IT! I made it half way through the C25K program!  I honestly didn't think I would stick with it but it was surprisingly easier than I thought.  The weeks have really flown by too!  It feels amazing to have accomplished half my goal.  I even created a badge to pat myself on the back ↓  

C25K Half Way Badge = You're Awesome!

 Feel free to copy and post this badge if you completed week 4 day 3.  Be proud and display it on your blog (don't forget to follow me), facebook, instagram, or twitter.    

   

 

Here are my screen shots as proof.  I didn't know that you can change the "skin" in the C25K app.  Well now I do, LOL.  I've looked at next week's workouts and they seem crazy!  But I look at what I've achieved and wow myself.  Four weeks ago I could barely run a minute.  Now I can easily run for 3 minutes. It's amazing to witness how my body has strengthened.  I may have not lost a lot of weight but I feel more confident and healthier.     

Yesterday's Fall

     My favorite quote is: "To fall is not to fail, to fail is not to try."  So I want to call yesterday a fail but it was more like a speed bump.  My first speed bump was Two Ladies Strawberry Mochi.  If you have ever tried this delicious dessert you will understand why I gave in.  When my mom got it for me I was very hesitant.  I managed to control myself from devouring it for one whole day.  Then yesterday I had a moment of weakness.  I was hungry and I didn't want to waste a $3.25 mochi. Yes $3.25 for one mochi! (But its worth it.) AND strawberry is a fruit.  So anyway I gave in and ate it.  Damn you Two Ladies Kitchen...jk.  

     After enjoying my mochi, it was down hill for my diet.  My in-laws came home from a trip so they invited us out to eat.  Before we left the house I was already thinking what am I going to eat?  I even asked my fiance, "should I eat healthy or not?"  He replied "cheat day." (I didn't even tell him about the mochi I ate.)  So we are at Kuhio Grill and I'm staring at the menu like a voting ballot.  Should I get my usual fried rice yakitori chicken loco without gravy or a salad?  Should I vote for Hillary or Trump?  Such hard choices!  I decided to get my usual.  The waitress then informs me that they ran out of yakitori chicken. That was probably a sign that I should get a salad.  So what I ended up with was a fried rice Portuguese sausage loco with a sh*t load of gravy.  (I neglected to order it without gravy.)  Worse yet, I ate pretty much the whole thing.  I didn't take a picture of it because I didn't want to be reminded of my poor decision.  

     Nobody is perfect.  I'm striving for a healthy lifestyle, not a crash diet.  There are going to be times that I slip up...especially with the holidays coming up.  Today I feel really guilty and wish I made better choices.  But we can't change the past, just learn from it.  So I've learned I can't trust myself.  If I make one bad decision, it will lead to another.  Kind of like if you give a mouse a cookie. 

    

What I have learned:

• Don't eat out unless I can trust myself to make good choices.
• Have a healthy decision on what I'm going to eat before getting to the restaurant.  Don't even look at the menu.
• It's ok to say no.  I'm a people pleaser.  I felt bad to tell my mom "no thank you", I felt bad to waste money by letting food spoil.  
• Is the guilt worth it? The guilt today is affecting me way more than the happiness I felt from indulging.  I actually feel depressed.
• Even if I hit a speed bump I need to get back up and chase my goal.    

I hope you can learn from my mistakes and make the right choice. 

Today's Lunch

     If you read my previous post on what I eat for breakfast you might be wondering if I eat the same meal for lunch every single day.  The answer is kind of.  For lunch I normally eat a Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice Cafe Steamer.  My freezer is always stocked with microwavable meals.  I don't eat the same exact meal everyday but I have my favorites. 
     Why do I eat freezer meals?  Because its easy that's why!  Like I mentioned before, as a mother I don't have much time to cook or eat.  It also allows me to control what I eat.  If my meals aren't portioned I eat till I'm stuffed.  These single portioned meals have all the calories calculated and printed on the package.  When I cook a meal I'm usually guessing how many calories it has.  The rest of my family aren't dieting so it's easier to cook my family's meal and then microwave mine, instead of cooking two different meals.  (Actually my daughter is a picky eater so it would be like cooking three different meals.)  I also like it because I don't feel like I am depriving myself.  Most of the Cafe Steamers have pasta so I don't get crazy cravings (which leads to binging).
     When I go shopping at the market I usually pick up a few of the meals I know I like.  If I haven't tried a meal, I only buy one.  I made a mistake of buying multiples of one I didn't try yet and I didn't like it.  I was stuck eating some kind of gross stir fry rice bowl.  So my advice is try it first before you buy a lot.  My second piece of advice is create a semi-homemade meal.  If you don't like freezer meals because it's not custom made to your taste, add ingredients you do like.  I chopped up a red onion to add crunch and flavor to my ravioli today.  It also keeps me from being bored of eating the same meals over and over again.

Just out of the microwave

Added chopped red onions

See the red onions? It does make a difference.

     Oh and my last tip is don't expect your meal to look the picture on the box.  It rarely ever does but that doesn't mean its not yummy.  I hope that when my daughter gets older I will be able to meal prep.  For now this is healthier than what I was eating before...spam musubis! 

OMG...C25K Week 4

     I just finished week 4 day 1 of C25K and OMG it was so difficult!!!  Up until now I felt that the workouts were doable.  Then all of a sudden they expect you to jog 5 minutes straight.  You might think I'm crazy or you might get how I feel but I actually look forward to the new week's workout.  Each week I think I won't be able to do next week's routine so its like I look forward to see if I can do it.

      I kind of think of my workouts like homework.  If my RPM drops below 50 during the jog portions I have to redo the whole workout.  (So far I haven't had to.)  That motivation keeps me going especially towards the end because I don't want to have to redo the whole workout when I'm so close to finishing.  Remember your teacher saying "when you cheat, you're only cheating yourself?"  If I slack then its only going to be harder for me the next week.  This week is going to be hard but at the end I will be half way done with C25K.      

Body Measurements Log

     I'm not going to lie, this is a post I have been dragging me feet to post.  The main reason being that I have to be honest with myself.  When I see the numbers, it scares me.  You know the saying "ignorance is bliss."  To actually take my body measurements made me face the truth.  Now I'm kind of depressed but at least I have a baseline and more motivation.  After giving birth to my second daughter I'm not sure what size pants I am.  Loose, flowy dresses are my friend.   So I really didn't know how "big" I had gotten.
     I have been told that it is important to take measurements because weight is not accurate.  You can be gaining muscle but loosing fat.  I created a worksheet to log my measurements.  So here it is:

     If you want to keep track of your own measurements using my chart you can copy it ↓ here ↓

     So now the whole world knows how big I am. According to this website my waist to height ratio says "take action."  That is what I'm doing! I can just look in the mirror and see I need to "take action." (Don't need a waist to height ratio calculator to tell me that!)  I hope to post my log again with lower numbers after I finish C25K.

Spicy Poke Summer Roll

Today I wanted to be adventurous and try make a healthy alternative.  I was craving spicy tuna sushi but didn't want all the carbs from rice.  Then I got an idea...at Safeway I usually get a California summer roll.  So instead of using a crab filling I thought I'd try spicy tuna.
Here are the ingredients I picked up from the market:

• Summer Roll Wrappers
• Spicy Poke (I got 0.78lb from KTA)
• Lettuce
• Alfalfa Sprouts
• Japanese Cucumber
• Avocado

First I sliced the Japanese cucumber and avocado.  Then I soaked the summer roll wrapper in a plate of water for 5 seconds.  To make the summer roll I just placed the filling in the middle of the wrapper and folded the sides in...then roll.  And ta-da!

This delicious summer roll tastes just as good as a spicy ahi roll!  I did dip it in some sweet chili sauce for extra flavor.  The 0.78lb of poke I got made 4 rolls.  Now I have to figure out what I'm going to make with the rest of the summer roll wrappers.

What I Eat for Breakfast

     I am a creature of habit. Every morning I eat the same things.  Mornings are chaos because I have to get my older daughter ready for preschool and take care of my 3 month old daughter at the same time.  Many days I don't get to eat my breakfast till 9:00.  Just keep in mind that I don't have much time to prepare a healthy meal for myself.

     The first thing I do between brushing my daughter's hair and packing her lunch, is go to my freezer and take out one of Mrs. Patel's Fenugreek Peanut Butter Bars.  If you are a breastfeeding mommy and need a boost in your milk supply, these bars are the best.  In my first order from Mrs. Patel's I did try the chai spice milk water tea, munch crunch, and combo fenugreek bars.  But the peanut butter bars are my favorite.  After I ran out of bars I tried going without them, but I craved them so much and I could tell my milk supply decreased so I placed a second order.  Honestly, after I'm done breastfeeding I'm gonna miss these bars.  I wish Mrs. Patel's would make the bars without fenugreek so I could have them for a snack when I'm not breastfeeding.  Anyway, yes I keep them in the freezer and by the time I get a chance to eat it, it's thawed out enough to be chewy, but not mushy.

     After I take out my fenugreek bar, I make my tea.  Like I mentioned before, I used to drink Mrs. Patel's chai milk water tea.  I ended up not buying more because it was to complicated to brew, steep, then strain the tea.  So now I drink Mother's Milk tea which comes in a tea bag so it's much faster and easier to prepare.  It's not as yummy but I've gotten used to the licorice taste.

     Lastly, I make my oatmeal.  The only oatmeal I will eat is Quaker Oats Maple & Brown Sugar - Lower Sugar. Other than that I don't care for oatmeal.  I guess the brown sugar makes it palatable for my taste buds.  Plus it's simple to make, just pour it into a bowl, add skim milk, and microwave.  I have also read that oatmeal is supposed to help lactation.

     This is what I've been eating for breakfast for the past 3 months.  Occasionally I have a bigger breakfast like if my mom picks up Portuguese sausage, eggs, and rice from McDonalds (my favorite breakfast). Then there are days that I don't have time to eat oatmeal or have tea and end up just scarfing down my fenugreek bar in 3 bites.  I guess my breakfast is based on me breastfeeding.  Hmm...not sure what I will eat when I stop breastfeeding.  But remember, I am a creature of habit so it probably won't change much. ;)

C25K Couch to 5K App

     In my last post I talked a little bit about my diet so today I'll tell you what I've been doing for exercise.  I decided to try this app C25K.  It's a fitness program that takes you off the couch to running 5K.  I won't go on and on about it, you can find out the details here.  I've been doing it for 2 weeks now. 

Just started week 3

     The main reason why I was willing to try it is because its fast and simple.  Each week's workout ranges from 28-40 minutes. That is totally reasonable for my mommy schedule. I can find half an hour, 3 times a week to workout.  It really can't get any simpler. Each workout tells you when to start walking or jogging.  If you are a visual person like me, you will feel so much satisfaction when you click that "DONE" button when you're finished.  

     Not only am I a "visual person", I am also a person full of excuses.  The only way for me to stick to a workout routine is to decrease or eliminate any excuses.  So I workout on an elliptical machine that we have at home.  These are my excuses that I don't have to worry about by working out at home: 

- Bad or hot weather (where I live it's either raining or hot and muggy) 

- Need to change outfit/ No workout clothes (I usually workout in whatever I'm wearing that day, less laundry)

- Gym is closed/ It's too dangerous to run at night (I can workout anytime at home)

- Can't find parking

- Spending money on gym membership/ trainer (app is FREE!)

- People will think I look stupid (I'm not comfortable working out in public yet)

- Hate being sweaty (I can shower right after I'm done)

 - My knee is bothering me (elliptical has less impact on joints than running)

The little OCD person in me loves seeing all those ↑ green check marks

     I'm not a fitness expert but this is what works for me.  I workout on my elliptical with the incline set at 17, resistance set at 1.  When the app says "begin walking" I keep my RPM around 40. When it says "begin jogging" I keep my RPM at 50-55.  

My elliptical screen

   So far I like this app.  It keeps me motivated to see the workout boxes checked off.  As far as the difficulty of the workouts...it's not easy for me.  Usually the last 10 minutes of the workout I have to push myself and has me thinking motivational quotes. 

Suja Green Delight Juice - I'm Obsessed!

    

     I used to drink V8 V-fusions before I researched juicing. In an article, I read that it's important to get cold-pressed not pasteurized. V8 is cheaper but I guess if you want the quality stuff you gotta pay more.  

Suja vs. V8 V-Fusion

      To be honest, the only reason why I heard of Suja was because it was on ibotta. Side note: I'm a crazy coupon person. Target had them on sale, plus $1 ibotta credit so it came out to $1.99 per bottle (regular price $3.99).  I picked up three different flavors to try. First I tried the Sweet Beets flavor. The beet flavor was too strong for me.  Then I tried Berry Goodness. That was delicious! Taste like a berry smoothie. The last one I chose was Green Delight. I saved that one for last because it looked all green and gross. To my surprise, it's my favorite flavor!! It taste like sweet fruit juice. I can't taste any of the vegetables, spirulina, chlorella, or grasses. Last week I had the flu and had no appetite for 2 days. Instead of eating I drank Suja's Green Delight and felt so much better.  I recently tried the Naked Juice brand "Green Machine" and it was gross. I had to pinch my nose to drink it.  

     I do have a couple comments about trying Suja. First, so far I can only find it at Target and they don't have all the flavors at my local Target. Even the limited flavors they do have are not always in stock. Wish there was a Whole Foods store on this island :( Secondly, I had one bottle explode like a soda when I opened it.  There was juice ALL over the floor!  I tweeted Suja and they replied "We're so sorry! Carbonation can be a sign of a break in the cold chain. Please email info@sujajuice.com & we'll help you out!" After that incident I make sure to open it over a sink. Has anyone else have that happen to you?
     Currently, I drink one Suja Green Delight throughout the day. It is expensive but I feel that it is healthier because it has spirulina, chlorella, barley grass, and alfalfa grass.  Some juices only have fruit juice but they have a lot of sugar. My diet right now is not completely healthy.  I'm kind of easing into a healthy lifestyle instead of flipping a switch and like going vegetarian.  Hopefully this method will help me keep on track. 

My Struggle with Weight Story

     Going back all the way to elementary school, I remember being chubbier than my friends. It wasn't like I was obese and my doctor never mentioned loosing weight. As I grew older I learned that society deemed skinny people as cool and popular. One memory that comes to mind is when I used to dance hula. I remember at a performance we had to wear an outfit that showed our midriff. My kumu (hula teacher) was showing my mom how to tie my skirt tight to tuck in my belly fat. She announced in front of all my hula sisters,"You better suck in that gut!" After that I was always embarrassed about my flab and eventually quit dancing hula at age 10. 

     Middle school was pretty much the same. I wasn't skinny or super fat. Just a little on the chubby side. But being at the age of puberty I became very self conscious. My friends were getting boyfriends and so I thought I had to be skinny to get a boyfriend. Side note: I did get a boyfriend in 8th grade but it was pretty much a waste of time and emotions. 

     My turning point was the summer before I started high school. I was taking summer school P.E. so I wouldn't have to take P.E. during high school. Everyday that summer I would go to P.E. class till noon, come home, eat a yogurt and then follow along with a Richard Simmons VHS and a tai chi VHS. Yes I did Richard Simmons 😳. But this routine worked and when it was my first day of high school I was about 20 lbs skinnier. 

     It didn't stop there though. Getting that taste of being skinner and getting attention from boys caused me to want more. I stopped eating in order to lose weight because it was fast and effective. When my stomach would growl I would drink water and keep myself busy so I wouldn't think about it.  It wasn't the best method but I was addicted to being skinny. My junior year I got down to my lowest weight of 95 lbs. (I'm 5'3" btw) I remember coming home after school and going straight to bed since I was so fatigued. I could fit a size 0 and I was so happy about it.

     Then I graduated from high school and started college. Freshman fifteen did creep up on me and I bounced around 115-120 during college.

     I met my fiancé in college and got pregnant with our first daughter. I really thought now is my time to eat whatever I want because no one is going to judge a pregnant lady for being fat. I went up to 180 lbs then gave birth. I started losing my baby weight because I would only eat a little bit. I was so busy taking care of my daughter that there was no time to eat (I may have had postpartum depression also). I got down to 125 lbs by the time my daughter was 9 months old.

     Then throw in the money wrench...I started working an office job. I gained 30 lbs from working just one year. I did try Purium and got down to 140 lbs. Then another monkey wrench...I got pregnant again. My weight went up to 184 lbs then I gave birth to my second daughter. After giving my body one month to get back to normal after labor my weight went down to 165 lbs and wouldn't budge. So I knew I wouldn't lose anymore weight or I would gain weight if I didn't make a conscious effort. For the past 2 weeks I started eating healthier and downloaded the Couch to 5K app. I have lost 5 lbs so far currently making me 160 lbs.

I'm a typical yo-yo dieter ↑

     So that's my struggle with weight story in a nutshell. I know it's long but I thought it would be helpful to understand where I'm coming from. 

Now Is The Time To Start

     Hello everyone! I am starting this blog to log my new health & fitness journey. First off let me start off by saying I am not a great writer nor am I a health or fitness expert. I also am not a really outgoing person so please don't expect me to share a lot of details about myself. The purpose of this blog is pretty much hold me accountable in hopes that I won't fall back to old habits. I'll post about my diet, exercise, and lifestyle. It will be a simple blog. I wish I had time to do a fancy one. If you have helpful tips feel free to leave me comments (I need all the help I can get).  
     Okay, let me give you a little background info about me. I am a female in my late 20's. I have lived on the Big Island of Hawaii my entire life. My fiancé and I welcomed our second daughter a few months ago. I am currently still breastfeeding so I have that to factor in to my diet. My weight has always been an issue for me but due to this last pregnancy I am the heaviest I have ever been. I did have gestational diabetes during both of my pregnancies.  My family does have a history of health problems, especially type II diabetes and high blood pressure. Up until now I haven't tried a "healthy" lifestyle. I have tried countless times and methods to diet/loose weight.  Hmm, maybe I'll do a post about my struggle with weight next.
     So let me just address the elephant in the room and tell you my weight...160lbs. Feels awkward to announce it to the whole world but maybe that's the first step to changing it. Not sure what size I am because I honestly still wear my maternity pants or loose dresses. Why change now? Well I guess with all my pre & post pregnancy hormones I kind of had mid-life crisis (I don't really know how to describe it). I thought to myself, "My 20's are supposed to be my prime years. If I wait and don't get the body I want now I will start to have wrinkles and white hairs as I get older. Then it would be like I'm skinny but I have other issues (that I can't control) to deal with." My goal weight is 120 lbs but more importantly I just want to be healthy.
     I think that's enough about me for now. Hopefully you're not bored and will join me on my journey to become the best me I can be. ❤