Getting in Shape Sucks!

Ok, we joined the YMCA a couple weeks ago. We applied for a scholarship and got 1/2 off the price. My main reason for joining the Y as opposed to other gyms is the kids. I love that the Y not only has child care, but lots of activities the kids can be involved with. As far as joining a gym in general... Well, that just has to do with 50 extra pounds I've been carrying around. I am just sick enough of myself that something HAD to be done. Obviously, I cannot seem to be consistent on my own working out. I know I need some accountability and taking classes at the Y seems a great way to accomplish that.

But, I thought taking classes would make working out fun and less painful. I know that may sound stupid to some or funny to others. But, to me, working out is just NO FUN!! Maybe I am just lazy or maybe I just like instant gratification. I don't know. But, sitting here tonight unable to walk well and barely able to sit down or get up, I remember clearly why I hate working out. I know, I know... It will all be worth it in the end.

Trying to convince myself that all these stupid classes will eventually be fun is about as crazy as when I tried to convince myself that eventually I would learn to love running (if I would just do it long enough).

The only motivation I have right now is the mirror. Well, the mirror and my clothes. I just hate that it is going to take a lot longer than I want to see some serious results. Maybe I should just have a bowl of ice cream!! :)

How Can Anyone ENJOY Running?!!

I just don't get it. I have started running again the last couple weeks. The difference between me and "a runner" is that the ONLY reason I am doing this is for the sole purpose of losing those last 15 pounds that are haunting me.
Yet, I talk to runners who tell me how much they love running. That seems like an oxymoron to me. I do NOT get a high, I do NOT enjoy the heat, I do NOT feel more energized! All I feel is complete exhaustion and sweat!! I have to completely psych myself up for a run and remember what a fat butt I have in order to motivate myself out the front door.
So, for all you runners out there, YOU MAKE ME SICK :)

Biggest Loser - GRAND FINALE!!

It's the week you've all been waiting for!! That's right, it's the final weigh-in and reveal! It has been 12 long weeks and 16 big pounds of fat gone!
The final weights are
Me (154 - Total of 16 pounds!!)
Jess (150 - Total of 11 pounds!!) - Check her page to see her reveal!!
Officially, that makes me the winner. Woohoo! But, we are both winners in my book (do you hear the sappy movie music?). O.k., o.k., on to the good stuff...

Here is the before picture for Jess:

And, here's mineAnd here is the after......

Ummm... you better tell me that you can tell a difference with the face and neck (I used to have 2 necks, now I only have 1!!) Oh, and I love my new dew!! It's perfect for the hot Summer here in Florida!

As far as my stomach and boobs go... Oh my! This has been the trouble area for some time. I not only went down a pant size, I also went down a bra size. By the way, let me just say looking for a new bra is not nearly as exciting as looking for new clothes. I still have a very hard time finding anything in my size that doesn't look like something my Grandma would wear. I have come to the conclusion that boobs are just not "in". Tough luck for me and my large chested friends. Anyhow, on to more positive thoughts. Look, I am wearing jeans and there is not a roll hanging out the top! What?!! Too exciting! I am still not where I want to be here, but I'm not done losing fat.

I am only about half way, so I will continue to watch my eating and exercise throughout the Summer. I hope to be down another 14 pounds by the time of my cruise. If so, you better believe you'll see another reveal.

New Haircut and New Clothes!!

Oh ya! I went and got myself a new haircut and clothes for the upcoming reveal. I know you are all anticipating the results, but you will have to wait 1 more day. We will weigh in tonight and post the reveal tomorrow.
Let me just say 1 thing...
I actually enjoyed shopping for clothes for the 1st time in a LOOOOONG time!! See you tomorrow!

Biggest Loser - End of Week 11

To check out last weeks post, click here.

I was actually pleasantly surprised with the scale this week. I did not exercise 1 day and I did not eat well the whole long weekend!
Somehow, I was still able to lose 1 pound this week! Woot! Woot!

Me (154 - loss of 1 pound this week and total of 16!!)
Jess (150 - nothing this week and total of 11!!)

So, there is only 1 week left and I plan to make it a good one. It would sure be nice to be closer to 20 pounds lost than 15 by the end of this. We will see how much motivation I can muster for the home stretch!

The results will be posted next Tuesday, the 3rd. Remember, you'll get to see an "after" picture. I plan to actually go out and buy a new outfit (or go through some "pre-fat" clothes) and find something nice. I am also going to get a hair cut (sorry honey).

Biggest Loser - End of Week 10

Well, we are getting closer and closer to the end of this contest and it was not the best week for me.
Obviously, I have learned that the exercise part is the biggest struggle for me. I have figured out how to eat healthier and less (portion control), but finding the time to exercise consistently continues to allude me.
So, here are the weigh-ins for the week:

Me (155 - none this week but a total of 15!!)
Jess (150 - 1 pound this week and total of 11!!)

If this is your first time reading the Biggest Loser, check out my previous post here.

Here is a breakdown of what I did this week:
Tuesday - 1360 calories
Wednesday - 1430 calories (upper body weights)
Thursday - 1430 calories (1 hr. cardio)
Friday - Stopped counting calories this day (we went to see Prince Caspian and then went to Johnny Rockets - I had a cheeseburger, chili fries and a coke and decided I wasn't counting Friday:)
Saturday - 1410 calories
Sunday - 1050 calories
Monday - 1200 calories

So, I only exercised 2 days and I had 1 "blow it" day for food. I still feel good with a loss of 15 pounds so far. I plan to continue working on my weight after this contest is good. I really hope to get to 140 by my cruise in September.

Biggest Loser - End of Week 9

Jessica and I were both surprised by the scale last night! Neither of us did much exercising this week and we both lost 2 pounds!! Woohoo! So, here are the weights this week:

Me (155 - loss of 2 pounds this week and total of 15!)
Jess (151 - loss of 2 pounds this week and total of 10!)

I was very pleased with the results. I did continue to count calories this week, but I only did weights 1 day and cardio 1 day. Here is a look at my calories for the week:

Tuesday - 1360
Wednesday - 1270
Thursday - 1020!!
Friday - 1200 (lower body weights)
Saturday - 1500
Sunday - Ummm... it was Mother's Day... the calories don't count
Monday - 1230 (cardio - 1 hour)

If this is your first time reading the Biggest Loser, check out my previous posts here and here.

Biggest Loser - End of Week 8

Well, it's about time to use the excuse of my "cycle". Yes, that's right, I am at the very beginning of my cycle and I am sure that is the reason for the lack of weight loss this week. Jess is using the same excuse and we are both the same as last week.

Me (157 - same as last week and total of 13)
Jess (153 - same as last week and total of 8)

I actually wrote down all my calories for the week this time just to share with you (and to keep myself accountable). I am trying to stay between 12 and 15 hundred calories for the day. I did pretty good at that this week. The exercise was still lacking (only 3 days). I can't exactly figure out how to make exercise fit in every day. It would probably help if I went to bed earlier and woke up earlier.

Well, here are my calories for the week:

Tuesday - 1250 (cardio - 45 min.)
Wednesday - 1150
Thursday - 1200 (upper body weights)
Friday - 1230 (cardio - 1 hour)
Saturday - 1250
Sunday - 1860 (yes, I know! We had homemade lasagna for lunch and garlic bread - my willpower was lost!)
Monday - 1360

I am actually not that disappointed this week because I knew that I should have exercised better and I expected to be a little high due to the time of the month. Next week WILL BE a good one. There is only 3 more weeks until the end of the contest.

Exercise For Me... Game For Them

I LOVE my DDR!! We got a Playstation 2 a couple months ago. The sole purpose of this purchase was for me to be able to get some exercise at home. I had played DDR (Dance, Dance, Revolution) at another home and decided that this was the kind of exercise I could get behind. It has the fun, competition and butt-kicking aerobic exercise I needed.
My kids have joined the fun as well. They love to play along with me and it has really taught them how to have better rhythm.
Considering this is the ONLY time they get to play a video game, they think it is the best!

Here are Sydney and Jordan getting ready for their song to start

Busting a move

It takes concentration...
And fun!!

Biggest Loser - End of Week 7

Well, I was pleasantly surprised by the weigh-in this week. I actually lost 2 pounds!! Here are the official weights for the week.

Me (157 - loss of 2 pounds this week and total of 13!!)
Jess (152 - same as last week and total of 8!)

O.k., so Jess has lost some motivation. You need to head on over there and tell her to keep going!

This week I still had a hard time getting all my days of exercise in. I did cardio 3 days and weight only 1! I gotta find the time to get this done.
I did really good with my eating EXCEPT for on Saturday and Sunday. We usually spend a good part of the weekend at my parents house. This weekend they made cheeseburgers for lunch and pizza for dinner on Saturday. On Sunday, they made meatballs, gravy and noodles for lunch. I was pretty sure that the lack of exercise and having those 2 days right before my weigh-in meant I was destined for no weight loss. That is why I was so surprised.

What I plan to do differently this week:
Dare I say again... Work out 6 days!! Will I ever actually do this?
Bring my own food to my parents house. Actually, 2 of the meals I did o.k. with portion control. The cheeseburger was my big downfall.

If this is your first time reading the Biggest Loser, check out my previous post here.

Biggest Loser - End of Week 5

This week was much better than last for me!! I worked hard and it paid off. I had a loss of 3 lbs. this week! Woohoo!! So, here are the official numbers -

Me - 159 (loss of 3 lbs this week and total of 11!!)
Jess - 152 (loss of 1 lbs this week and total of 8!!)

It feels very good to have crossed the 10 lbs. mark!

If this is your first time reading the Biggest Loser, check out the previous weeks here, here, here, here and here.

Here is what I did last week:
Started to really count calories (not just guessing) and stayed under 1500 every day.
Most days I ate 6 smalls meals.
I did cardio 2 days
I did weight training 3 days

Here is what I plan to do differently this week:
Do cardio 3 days and weight training 3 days (I keep doing 5 instead of 6 days)
Drink only water and more of it. I have been drinking mostly water with the occasional diet soda and sweet tea. I also have not been anywhere close to 8 glasses of water a day.

Biggest Loser - End of Week 4

This week makes me so angry!! I did really good with my diet (except for the cheeseburger and fries) and exercise and the scale did not weigh in my favor! Here are the numbers for this week:

Me - 161 (SAME AS LAST WEEK!!! - Total of 8 pounds)
Jess - 153 (loss of 2 pounds this week and 7 pounds total)

UGGHH!! What a discouraging weigh-in.
The only excuse I have this week is that I started my period on Sunday night. So, maybe that had something to do with the lack of low numbers. I am so ready to hit the 10 pound mark! That would actually feel like an accomplishment.

If this is your first time reading The Biggest Loser, check out my previous posts, here, here, here and here.

Here is what I did last week:
I ate smaller portions and healthier food.
I lifted weights 2 days.
I did cardio work out 3 days.

What I plan to do differently this week:
NO CHEATING on food!!!
Lift weights 3 days.
Cardio 3 or more days.
Eat 6 small meals instead of 3 big

HELP!! I ate a cheeseburger and fries!

Ok, I have been doing so good all week with my diet and exercise. After only losing 1 pound last week, I knew I had to be on top of it.
So, did I just mess everything up last night? My dear, sweet, single brother offered to babysit all 4 kids so that Cory and I could actually have a date.
Well, we wanted to go somewhere to eat and I just can't pay full price for anything. So, I started looking through my restaurant coupons and came across a Fuddruckers bogo coupon. That's all my husband needed to hear and he was ready to go.
Bogo means that we both needed to get a burger (not that there is much choice at Fuddruckers). So, I ate a cheeseburger and fries. I did not order a coke. I drank water. I also resisted the urge to by a milkshake. They have the best milkshakes and we ALWAYS buy a milkshake to share when we go there.
I told my supportive husband that I would go to Fuddrucker's ONLY if we walked around for a while afterward. He agreed and we did. We walked (and I mean speed-walked) around an outlet mall for over an hour.
No more cheating for me! I gotta stay strong! I gotta lose some more weight this week! I gotta BEAT JESSICA!!

Biggest Loser - End of Week 3

It's that time again. This was not a great week for Jess or me. I'm not exactly sure where we went wrong, but the scales did not weigh in our favor. I know you are all sitting on the edge of your seat wondering what the numbers are. So, without further ado, here are the weigh-in numbers this week.

Me - 161 (loss of 1 pound this week and 8 total)
Jess - 155 (same as last week and 5 total)

Wanna see our progress? Check out these other posts: here, here and here.

Why did I only lose 1 pound this week? Well, I can tell you. I actually did better in the exercise department. I lifted weights 3 days and did aerobic 2 days. My big downfall this week was food. I did not watch what I ate nearly as closely. In fact, my biggest food temptation (chips) called my name more than one time this week. I went through an entire bag of chips throughout the week by myself. I am not tempted by sweets or chocolate (although I did have some rice krispy treats as well), but chips and french fries are my stronghold. I usually don't even keep them in the house because I know I have zero self-control. Apparently, I still don't.
I also went through a drive through on Sunday on the way to the Bippity Boppity Boutique (see below) and decided on a burger, fries and coke. My big excuse for not getting a salad was that I was driving and couldn't eat a salad at the same time. However, I did not need to order fries and a coke too. Which brings me to my other misconception.
If I am going to "cheat" at all, I usually think I've messed up anyway, so I might as well go all out. I not only do that at one meal, I will do that for the day. Somewhere in my head, I figure that the day is already ruined anyway, so why not eat whatever I want. I know this doesn't make much sense. It's just what I did last week.
So, on to this week. My plan is to continue the exercise routine I started last week and be way more careful with my food intake! If I'm going to lose 22 more pounds in 9 weeks, I really have to step up my game. The goal is to lose 2-3 pounds a week. So, here's to a better and more productive week!

Biggest Loser - End of Week 2

The results for week 2 are in! We both hit our goal this week with a loss of 3 pounds each!!
The official weights are now:
Jessica - 155 (total of 5 pounds lost!)
Me - 162 (total of 7 pounds lost!)

If this is your first time reading the Biggest Loser; Blogger Style, check out my other posts, here and here.

This week has been a more difficult week to truly stick to the diet and exercise. I spent most of the week preparing for Easter (and our church egg hunt), worrying about Morgan's 3 days of testing, taking Morgan to said tests, and going on an interview. It also didn't help that there was so much chocolate from these Easter egg hunts and a wonderful Easter lunch!
So, this week was mostly about portion control. I also tried really hard to squeeze in exercise whenever I could. I did "start" to lift weights this week. I use the word "start" very loosely because I only did it 1 day :)
I do have a plan though. Today I did aerobic exercise (DDR) and tomorrow I am going to lift weights. I will alternate daily.

Looking forward to another week of salads, veggies, fruit and yogurt (see below).
BTW, Even though we tied for the week, I am still winning :) I know, you thought I was actually going to leave that little tid bit out. I just can't help it.

Biggest Loser - End of Week 1

Well, the results from week 1 are in. Here are the numbers:
Cassie - 165 (lost 4 lbs.!)
Jessica - 158 (lost 2 lbs.!)

So, I am the winner for week 1!!! :) I tried not to rub it in too bad. I did have the advantage of starting last week while I was on my period (ya know that extra bloating).

The biggest changes for me this last week were:
1) Portion Control - I tend to eat more (way more) than I need. So, this week, I made a good effort to eat only 1 helping (as opposed to the 2-4 I normally do).
2) Eating Healthy - I ate A LOT of salad. I am not a big fan of salad, but I did find a dressing that I really like that is extremely low in fat and calories.
3) Eating 6 small meals - I didn't do this everyday, but I tried. I know that if I eat 6 small, healthy meals a day, I will speed up my metabolism. This also helps with my portion control because I am not famished by the next meal.
4) Excercise - This was the hardest to accomplish. 2 of the days, I played DDR (Dance, Dance Revolution for you newbies). That is some great excercise. 1 day, I played 2 games of volleyball. I would like to start adding weight lifting this week and I need to do aerobic excercise at least 4 times.
5) Drinking Water - I have cut all soda and most juices. I have been drinking mainly water and lots of it.

If you have no idea what this post is about, check out the first "weigh in" here.

Losing Weight To Win!!

I am competing against my good friend Jessica to lose all that unwanted weight! I have needed to lose those extra baby pounds (can I still blame it on them when they are 8,7,6 and 3?) for a while now. Every morning that I look at myself in the mirror, I wonder what happened. See, I actually used to be cute and skinny (didn't we all?). You don't believe me? Ok, here is the best proof I can come up with. The only other "skinny" pictures I have are from high school and that was 12 years ago. I know I'm never gonna look like that again! So, this is the best "goal" picture I could find. Look how naive and cute I am...
10 years later....
And here's Jess (check her page for the goal pic)...
Here is the deal...
We will weigh in together every Monday night (on the same scale to avoid cheating - she's like that:)
We will post the update every Tuesday.
Right now the official weight is 169 for me and 160 for Jess. I cannot believe this is in print on the internet. Hopefully that will be the motivation for me to get off my butt!
I do not have a "diet" plan. My plan is to eat better and less and excercise more(crazy new concept I came up with).
The contest ends on May 31st. So, the final weigh in will be June 2nd where we will announce the winner (it's SO gonna be ME!).