Well I am down to 30 days until my wedding and I am starting to get very excited!! Things have been busier and busier so making time to exercise has been a challenge. To date, I have lost about 26 pounds. I had lost 30 pounds at one time, but in the recent weeks I have gained a few back. Now its crunch time for me. I am focusing on eating healthy and working out my arms and back. My wedding dress accents those parts of my body, so I really want to tone up. I am not sure how much toning I can do in 4 weeks, but I will try my best. I have found that exercise is a stress release for me, so I try to get to the gym as often as I can. I am sure I will need all the stress relief I can get in the next few weeks. If anyone has any good arm and back exercises to recommend, I would definitely appreciate it. I will keep you posted.

Well my list of priorities is constantly changing. Now that the wedding is only 2 months away, things are getting crazy. I used to go to the gym every day at 4pm and I loved the routine. Now my 4pm slot is taken up by wedding cake appointments, church meetings, ordering flowers, making invitations, etc. I am having a hard time fitting in a workout these days. I was doing so good until I got sick and things started piling up. My biggest mistake was eating fast food for the first time in 4 months. Those french fries tasted AMAZING!! I felt guilty after I ate it, but it tasted so good. I thought I would have gained weight from eating poorly, but I didn't. Knowing that I didn't gain weight from eating fast food, I decided to eat it again a week later. Now I am really struggling to eat healthy AND get back in the gym. I know I have come so far and my wedding isn't that far away, but its harder than ever. For some reason, its been harder to get motivated now then it was when I first started. I know I just need to get my act together but its really hard. I could use all of the help and motivation I can get!!!

Well, I know I haven't really blogged much lately, so I thought I would make a video to show my progress. I am currently dealing with this stupid intestinal infection that I had 3 weeks ago. The illness has been getting progressively worse, so my time at the gym has really suffered. I try not to get so discouraged because the past few months have been great. I have learned to eat healthy and push myself to get active. To date, I have lost 23 pounds and I hope to lose even more. Over the past 3 weeks I haven't been able to do much and its killing me. With the results I have seen thus far I know I can recover from my sickness and get back to the healthy, active lifestyle I was living! Watch my video and I hope everyone continues to stick with me and I try to reach my goals.

Well the past two weeks have been really hard. I was doing so great with working out, walking, and doing around 200 sit-ups a day. I was going full speed ahead when I started to have pains in my stomach. I thought I had pushed it too hard in my workouts or maybe I did too many sit-ups. I went to the doctor after a few days to find out that I had a small intestine infection. I was stuck in bed with no energy for almost a week. When I was finally able to sit up, I couldn't hold anything down. My next step was the hospital to be treated for dehydration among other things. My exercise regimen and meal plan went out the window. After two weeks of sickness and recovery, I am finally starting to feel better. I have yet to return to the gym or my walking routine. I was doing so good and now its such a struggle to get my motivation back. I guess I need to start out slow and work my way up to the intense workout I was doing before the illness. I guess what I am looking for is a little encouragement from my friends and family. I know I just need to do it, but its hard!!!!

Well, I am moving right along. Honestly, I am begining to enjoy working out. I kind of have a routine now and walking is definitely a part of it. The more I exercise, the less I want to eat crappy foods. This is definitely a change for me. I haven't eaten fast food in almost 2 months. That is incredible for me. It was nothing for me to just swing through McDonalds or Taco Bell for a quick 1,000 calories and 50g of fat. Now, the thought of that kind of food makes me sick. I can feel my life starting to change. I now realize that food should be eaten for nutrition, NOT pleasure. It really makes sense when you see food for its nutritional value, not just taste.

As far as my walking plan goes....I am getting into it. I am still not near where I would like to be, but I am making progress. My knees are still killing me, but I try to walk through the pain. Sometimes I have to cut my walks a little short or go at a slower pace, but I push myself to the limit. The funny part is...the harder I push, the more I enjoy the workouts. My biggest pleasure is at the end of my workout. When I accomplish my goals and know I worked 100%. Its the greatest feeling ever!! I can't wait to tell you all about my new sit-up/crunch routine. Just wanted to give you a little update.....

I am actually having fun walking on the treadmill. The first 3 or 4 weeks I don't think I really enjoyed it. The past week has been frustrating since I did not lose any weight, but the treadmill has kept me going. I can see results while I am walking. I can set smaller goals of walking a specific time or distance and when I complete my workout, I am happy.

I did try a fat burning setting on the treadmill which I am pretty sure just about killed me. I wanted so bad to press the stop button or reduce the speed and incline, but I didn't. When I was finished I was so satisfied and proud. Probably more proud than losing a pound or two. I know if I keep working out like that then the pounds will fall off on their own. I love it!

Below is a small clip of me continuing to follow the plan Coach Jenny gave me and one of my favorite activities helping me to get fit. Maybe when it stops snowing, I will start to love my bike again! My frustration level is low thanks to my treadmill.

So, how does one measure progress when it comes to exercise and weight loss?!?!?! I have officially lost 8 pounds but I am not sure if that is good or not so good. I am not sure what a healthy weight loss progression should be or if I am slacking. I feel like I have more energy and I think my waist is getting smaller, so I think I am making good progress. I haven't dropped a pants size or anything big, so I am still feeling a bit discouraged. Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction and let me know what a good/healthy evaluation is to calculate my progress. I will continue to weigh myself once a week and hopefully the pounds will continue to fall off. I will let you know.

I have definitely found my new passion.....bicycle riding!!! My friend, Trish, and I went for a 3 mile bike ride and it was so great. The first 1/2 mile was the hardest, but once I got my blood pump's and muscles work'n I felt great. The weather was in the 40's but it didn't stop us. We rode for about an hour and I was ready to keep riding. I think my new activity is just what I needed to jump start my excitement. As I was huff'n and puff'n, I just kept thinking of all the healthy foods I would be eating in the future. If I am going to work hard and push myself, I sure don't want to ruin it by eating junk. Take a look at my bicycling adventure. I will keep you updated on my progress!