Weight Loss Stats Update!

This past July 1st not only marked the 146th Birthday of my fair county Canada, but it almost marked the two year anniversary of my commitment to losing weight. It has been quite a journey and I have learned so much about myself, about health, and about fitness. I truly feel these issues and my experiences have affected me so deeply that my future will be greatly shaped by them.

If you'd like to catch up on a bit of my weight loss story you can check out last year's stats , or some of these posts on my weight loss experiences.

So where am I now? 95lbs light that's where! Can I get a woot woot??

I have seriously never felt better in my life. I am healthy and fit. I have muscles!

As a family we are eating a nourishing diet and fuelling our bodies with the right foods. We are able to enjoy life, and nature, and fitness all together.

Here are my stats from last year:

Start Pant Size: 22/24       Current Pant Size: 14/16
Start Top Size: XL/XXL Current Top Size: L

Start Weight: 247.4    Current Weight: 186    Total Loss: 61.4 lbs

Start Hips: 54"           Current Hips: 46.5"      Inches Lost: 7.5"

Start Bust: 45.5"        Current Bust: 39"         Inches Lost: 6.5"

Start Waist: 45"         Current Waist: 38"       Inches Lost: 7"

                            TOTAL INCHES LOST: 21"

Start BMI: 36.53 - which they say is Obese 2, that sounds really mean :(

Current BMI: 27.46 -still considered overweight but nearing the lower end.

Today:
Pant Size: 10/12 (total size loss of 10/12 sizes)
Top Size: S/M
Current Weight: 155 (total loss from all time high of 250 is 95lbs)
Hips: 42.5"(11.5" loss)
Bust: 37"(7.5" loss)
Waist: 33"(12" loss)

Total Inches Lost: 28" 
Current BMI: 22.9 (nicely in the zone of HEALTHY)

Over this past year I really did a lot of strength training as well and it is starting to show. I am so proud of the positive changes I have made in my life. 

Before I close I'll put on a few pix as reference: 

How about a behind shot first :) 
Top two were taken July 2011 and July 2012
Bottom two were both taken end of June 2013

This dress was a HUGE deal for me. It was a size seven and the shrug was a size small. NEVER have I EVER fit into those sizes. PS. I like flexing in change room mirrors apparently :)

 

 This was my "start" picture on July 1st 2011

 And this was me July 2012

And now here I am July 1st 2013

Sorry no swimsuit pic this time, but I may get one soon. I need to buy a new one as last year's is too big (#firstworldproblem) and we have yet to go on a trip to the beach. YIKES!

If there is ONE thing that I hope my weight loss can do, is inspire others and to let them know that it IS possible. You CAN Change your life. For Good. If someone in your life is in need of weight loss inspiration they can check out my weight loss site Guide To Healthy Weight Loss. There are big things happening in my future which has all come to me from my amazing experience and success. I hope to share all with you soon. 

Homeschool Fess Up

So it seems as though this past year has been a big derailment from what I envisioned. I hear on the homeschool grapevine that that happens a lot. Each year is a new year to learn about your children and yourself. Each year presents different challenges, different goals, different gains and losses.

One big thing I discovered about myself is...I HATE CURRICULUM PLANNING. While I love the idea and the practice of using "real books" it is the tying everything together that really really bogs me down. On a yearly overview I can plan it out, even on a monthly overview I can plan it out. But when it comes to the day to day I get so overwhelmed.

Spring is around the corner (I'll keep telling myself that) which means that homeschool convention time is nearing. That means that talk and planning of curriculum comes up. Sometimes I think homeschoolers spend as much time deliberating and debating as they do actually teaching the dang stuff. I know that is true in my case. I have read my guide books, I've done so much online research.

I feel like I sit between wanting to be the perfect planned daily homeschooling mother and wanting my children to learn an all encompassing and self guided approach as is unschooling. Rock meet hard place.

Truth be told we have been doing a lot of unschooling. I don't like to admit this because I fear the fall out from it. What will others think?? Am I failing my kids?? How are they possibly learning?? Those are some of the guilty thoughts that pop in my brain. But all I have to do is really observe them to see that they ARE learning. They are absorbing so much. Sitting back and allowing them to gravitate to their interests and learn various concepts seems both lazy and gratifying to me at the same time.

Nonetheless I don't feel 100% confident in unschooling so it is not a path I can take. Not to mention what *gasp* others will think. I care to much about what others think really. I have to work on that.

So where does that leave me? It leaves me waffling between curriculums. Where do we go from here? Thankfully I have never made a massive financial investment into resources (thank you internets) so I can shove any guilt there. And as a homeschooler I have the flexibility to shift gears whenever I think we need to.

Who says curriculum starts fresh and book spines cracked for the first time in September. I can rock and roll this thing anyway I want.

In going forward here are a few random thoughts:
-I can't stand the daily curriculum planning
-I know what I would like to approach subject wise
-I don't like printing. Free resources are great...until you are on your 10th ream of paper and millionth ink cartridge
-While my boys are rambunctious they do seem to enjoy sitting down and doing worksheets, go figure.
-I really need to separate my homeschool pinboard into different areas.
-With three kids already and a very busy husband I don't have time to spend fretting about daily lesson plans
-I like knowing what I *should* be doing and then doing my own thing based on that

With some of these points and other in mind here are some less random thoughts:
-We need a core curriculum to guide us through each day
-The free resources will make great supplemental material
-We need flexibility to take days off
-We need flexibility to delve deeper into areas of greater interest
-I need to use both curriculum and my children as my guide
-Most of all I want learning to be fun and exciting for my children

Over next while I am going to be working on creating more balance where all of this is concerned. Say a little prayer for me. Imma gonna need it.

Peak 313 Challenge Check In #4

This won't be a long post today. Last week was a VERY laid back kind of exercise week for me. I think sometimes everyone just loses a bit of gusto and you have to allow yourself that. It is what keeps you from mentally and physically burning out. It is NOT something that I overly feel good about however it isn't like I can do anything about last week now.

I only got physical activity 4X last week. Well, maybe 4.5X is more accurate. I got in a couple walks with the kids. We also had a couple very fun dance parties. Now THAT is cardio. They love it, especially when the get picked up and spun and flipped around. On the Monday evening I was also able to fit in a run through of some strength intervals (that is where the 0.5 comes in).

I am coming up on the last week of this challenge. It is a bittersweet feeling really. I have thoroughly enjoyed the push, the spiritual aspect, and also blogging about and sharing it. I hope to finish this last week strong in both heart and spirit.

Speaking about strength of heart...that brings me to last week's verse which I will share and leave you with today...

"Above all else, guard you heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

Proverbs 4:23

Peak 313 Challenge Check in #2

Today is check in #2 for the Peak 313 LivingActive challenge. I exercised 5/7 days last week with a mix of cardio and weights. So far I am feeling stronger both physically and spiritually. I really enjoy the "Soul Food" that goes along with each week. Last week's verse was,

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

 Each day has enough trouble of its own"

Matthew 6:34

How true is that!??!?! So each day I focused on the exercise/workout/jog at hand. I didn't worry about what I couldn't do the day before. I didn't worry about how I would fit in fitness the next day. I even took the verse to heart for every moment. If I had to drop weights in Rep 1 I didn't worry about it and when Rep 2 came up I gave it even more. I have been learning lately to really let go of worry and to put myself into God's hands more. Amazing things happen when I am in God's hands.

As far as exercise went here is a quick breakdown:

Monday- Level One Extreme Shed & Shred

Tuesday - Level Two 30 Day Shred

Wednesday- 1/2 hour fast walk (pushing stroller)

Thursday- 1/2 hour interval jog (pushing stroller)

Friday- OFF

Saturday- Level Four Ripped in 30

Sunday- OFF

As you can see I took two OFF days this past week. Not so much intentionally but because I was literally OFF on both those days. My schedule and routine were whacked and I didn't get make the opportunities. This week I am really going to try to hit up six days again. Today feels like a jog kind of day, I may possibly round it out with some arms work. 

I have a new verse for this week too, it's a good one. It's about cravings (as I eat my square of chocolate). I look forward to sharing it with you next week.