My Original Inspiration

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

Today I’m using my old computer to post to the blog while the family use the other one. On this computer I came across my old “favorites” and found some Weight Watchers websites I used to follow to encourage myself in my diet a couple two or three years ago. Two of the three sites I had bookmarked are still near their goals – one under and one only 12 pounds over, but still keeping track of it. This was encouraging to me.

On of those sites was A Woman’s Right to Lose and I noticed that she has gone beyond her original goal and is now working towards a personal best in weight loss. This is the site where I found my original inspirational quote for this blog and my own weight loss journey. You can see her success by clicking here.

Once again I’m inspired to keep working towards my weight loss goals and know that I can maintain that loss for the rest of my life … er…I mean, for the rest of my new ending. 🙂

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I Take It Back

Posted on January 18, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

Saturday I didn’t have time to go to the gym. We were out and about and then I had things to take care of at my house. So, in the evening I thought I’d give my new Wii game “The Biggest Loser” a try and see if I could get some kind of a workout done. I wasn’t expecting much, but I figured something was better than nothing.

I did the “easy” one first for about 28 minutes. Okay, I was sweaty and it worked me a bit. Then I tried the middle level “challenging” for around 20 minutes.
It kicked my butt.
I didn’t realize that jumping rope in place or doing jumping jacks was so hard still. Whew!
So, I take back everything I thought about how that workout wasn’t going to do it for me. I was sweating just like I do when I jog.
Amazing.
I also tried just the Wii Fit Plus and it can get the heart rate up as well.
Now I know I truly can do the Wii at home on days I just can’t get over to the gym. Yay!
Oh, and I didn’t use shoes for the easy workout, but I did for the harder one. I don’t like exercising without shoes.
Anyone have hints on whether you use shoes or not when working out with the Wii?
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The Icing on the Cake

Posted on January 16, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

Sorry, but I couldn’t find a better title for this post…. 🙂

To top of my successful week of the Perfect 10 challenge and my weight loss on the scale this morning I had a wonderful experience at the gym after school.
I decided since my C25K was done for the week I would see where my speed was at for running a mile.
Long story short is I ran a mile in 13:20, which is almost three full minutes faster than the last time I tried to run a full mile a month ago.
I set the pace at 4.5 mph on the treadmill and ran at that pace for a full mile. I wouldn’t let myself slow down.
I knew I wasn’t going to die, but the last two minutes were SO HARD. I ended up walking briskly to complete two miles and I was so proud of myself. Inside I was doing the happy dance!!!!
In fact, I think my husband is tired of me reminding him that I jogged a mile in about 13 and a half minutes – and 3 minutes faster than a month ago. LOL !!! Woo Hoo!!
Okay, I need to get ready for bed and rest these tired legs, but I just had to share that with everyone. It made for a very happy day for me. I feel so strong and capable. Yay!!
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Weigh-In … Cautiously Excited

Posted on January 15, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

Today’s Weight: 206.0

Loss/Gain: -4.5 lbs
Total Loss So Far: -25. lbs
I just giggled when I saw that number because I was pretty sure the M&Ms I had yesterday afternoon were going to blow the weigh-in for me. I was desperately trying not to worry about it last night, but was having a very hard time. I knew I had worked out steadily this week, drank my water, etc., but I was still very nervous.
I am cautiously enjoying this loss, because I know I’ve gone down a lot in the past before only to see a slight gain or maintain the week after. Who knows? Maybe I’m breaking the cycle and will finally see regular losses again. I’m definitely going to to keep trying for that.
Oh, and this loss means I’ve finally lost my 10% of body weight – just skipped right over it in fact! That is exciting too…now to keep it off forever!
Have a great Friday everyone! I have to rush myself off to get ready for work now…
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Perfect 10 Update #2

Posted on January 15, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

Here’s another update for the Perfect 10 Challenge.
My Perfect 10 Goals Are:
  1. Complete the Couch to 5K program. YES – I finished week 2 yesterday! Go me! I’m excited about how this is going, even though there was a day I didn’t want to jog. I felt better once I just did it.
  2. Drink 6-8, 8 oz. glasses of water daily. Yes – At least 6, usually 8 every day!
  3. Adjust my eating to see weight loss. Yes – Now, I was going to put this in yellow, because I had a few times this week that I know I ate beyond full or when I wasn’t really hungry. However, with such a nice loss showing up I guess I should take it and enjoy it, right?
So, I guess green is the color this week for my goals. Let’s see if I can make it stay this way. 🙂
As for the little tidbit on me….
I speak Spanish fluently, but I am of English, German, Irish and Scotch descent. I took Spanish from eighth grade through my junior year of high school and then was a T/A in a Spanish one class half of my senior year.
I first heard the language as a little girl with some Puerto Rican friends I had then and fell in love. Then I saw West Side Story when I was about thirteen years old and fell in love some more with the language.
To top it off…I fell in love and married a handsome mexican young man, who was impressed I could pronounce his name correctly. So, now I have a spanish last name, but I’m white as white can be. 🙂
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Compliments and Goals

Posted on January 14, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

Yesterday I had these nice brown, khaki style, pants on for work. I wore them to church last night also because I had nursery duty for the service. Well, I received four, yes FOUR, compliments on my figure along the lines of “Are you still losing weight?” and “What are you doing? Because you are looking good.”

Since my scale hasn’t really moved in the last couple of weeks, but I have been working out harder and more steadily, I was greatly thrilled and encouraged by these nice words. I also decided that I should wear those pants more often!!! :o)
Now on to another goal of mine….
As I walk/jog on the track up around the gym at the church I pass quite a few couples walking. They are older couples, some maybe in their 50s, but more are probably in their 60s and even 70s. Some are going slower than others, but they all continue round and round steadily getting in their exercise staying right next to each other. Every time I’m coming up behind one of these couples I think to myself, “That’s what I want to be when I’m their age – healthy and going for regular walks with my husband.”
Should Jesus tarry, and we’re given the blessing to grow old together, I believe it’s another goal I can reach.
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If you like giveaways…

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

….and reading, then hop on over to Lori’s site Finding Radiance here and see about a book she’s giving away.

I find Lori very encouraging, because she kept plugging away at her weight loss journey even when she felt like she had failed. She continues to be very inspiring as she maintains and continues working towards being healthier and more fit.
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Back to Real Life

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

Well, my week suddenly got busy. 🙂 I was originally scheduled to work only Wednesday, but got calls for subbing today and again on Friday. So…this means that I have to figure out when I’m going to work out, on top of all my other mommy duties.

And I did.
I was going to go ahead and do a Wii workout or DVD here at home tonight, while hubby took daughter to her basketball practice. But my husband encouraged me to go ahead on over to the gym after dinner while he took all the kids to the practice.
Such a great guy!! So, I got my workout in and we’ve planned how I’ll get it in the rest of the week too.
This is real life and I’m glad we’re still making it all work. 🙂
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Painful Feet

Posted on January 11, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

Friday at the gym I was chatting with an elderly man while doing the weight machines. This was after doing my walk/jog intervals upstairs on the inside track. The end of our conversation went something like this:

Gentleman: Yea, so I saw these three ladies up there the other day walking with a bag of peanut M&Ms in their hand! Said they use them to keep track of how many laps they do.
Me: Really?!? (grinning and shaking my head)
Gentleman: Yep. Every time they finish a lap they eat one. (pause) Now wouldn’t that be like shooting yourself in the foot?? I mean, gosh, you could eat one banana and still have to come in here for 30 minutes to burn off those calories.
Me: Yes, sir, you’re right. (still somewhat grinning, but feeling so convicted…)
We exchanged a few more pleasantries and then he went on his way. Meanwhile, I was left thinking on this….ALL WEEKEND.
Let’s just say, both of my feet hurt, because I’ve shot myself in the foot so many times just like he said. Oh, I would NEVER take candy to the gym with me, but I’ve had my share of self-inflicted shooting going on.
Yes, I’ve had my victories this past seven months, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world, but my feet do hurt figuratively speaking. And the only way to help them to “heal” is to stop shooting myself in the foot. I am going to run a 5K this year, but I know I don’t want to do it at 210 pounds.
So, here’s a new goal: Leah, stop shooting yourself in the foot.
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Perfect 10 Update #1

Posted on January 8, 2010 by Leah@MyNewEnding

It’s time for my first update for the Perfect 10 Challenge.
My Perfect 10 Goals Are:
  1. Complete the Couch to 5K program. YES – I finished week 1 this morning!!! As I ran today I kept wondering how the heck I’m ever going to run 3 miles consecutively. Then I reminded myself to just take it a day at a time, a week at a time.
  2. Drink 6-8, 8 oz. glasses of water daily. Kind of – I drank at least 6 glasses everyday but yesterday.
  3. Adjust my eating to see weight loss. No – I saw a 1.5 lb. gain this week. However, my husband thinks that along with the overeating this past weekend and the effects of TOM it could just be my muscles getting a bit stronger because I went to the gym for 30-40 minutes of cardio and then weights all five days this week.
So, there’s my very colorful first update on the goals.
As for the little tidbit on me….
I love to handwrite letters and have ever since I was a little girl. I wrote my first regular letters when I was five years old and my best friend at the time moved to the Philippines with her family to be missionaries. Ever since then I’ve had a love for writing letters and writing in general.
Now, I do love email, texting, instant messaging, Skype and blogging, but there is still nothing as touching or beautiful as a handwritten note to me. Opening the mailbox to find a handwritten note…well, that just touches me to the core. So, personally I’m praying the USPS never goes out of business, because I plan on using it forever. 🙂
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