fitness Friday!!

hey yall!! hope your Thanksgiving was perfect! lol

today is fitness Friday. man, if i was to take measurements today I'd prob cry!! so, no measurements, but, i will tell you what my biggest hurdle has been since getting ready to tackle this fitness thing again.

food:
i HATE food!! i hate to eat. i don't know why but i do. I'm like completely opposite of people with weight issues. i don't over eat, in fact...... my hurdle has always been getting enough calories in a day. my body goes into starvation mode, so, anything i do eat, my body wants to hold on to all the fats and sugars because it"doesn't know" when I'll eat again.
this week I've been trying to eat at least three times a day. my goal is to eat 6 small meals, but I'm honestly lucky to eat 2.

I've also tried cutting out bad sugars this week.(haha) i have to make little small changes at a time.

that is my tip for you today. if your starting a fitness program.... take your time. each week add a little more activity or a little less bad calories. getting into shape isn't easy...
it's NOT gonna happen over night...
it's more then a diet, it's a lifestyle change!

if your problem is soft drinks.... cut back the first week.
i find it easier to make one small change each week. that way you don't get overwhelmed and give up early.

if you fall, it's ok! start over. NEVER give up! you CAN do it!! and so can i! i have faith in us!

so, until my next post, here are my fav pics from Thanksgiving...

this last one is my dad, me, step mom, and my step bros! yes, I'm the only girl lol!

how's your lifestyle change going?
muahs

i think someone is ready for pull ups

Potty training can be such a headache!! Trust me, I know!! I've worked with 2yr olds for 15yrs! But, the rewards are nice!!
Mainly the $$ you save!

One thing I have learned is NOT to rush it!! If your child isn't ready, it's not gonna happen.... Just saying! All it will do is cause frustration for you and your child.

A few signs to know your child is ready

•dry diaper

If your child is going hours without wetting/waking up dry in the mornings and or at naps

• vocal

If your child can tell you peepee or poop that's always a good sign too.

•actions

Is your child somehow showing you?? Watch for little hints.

Now, let me give your a prime example:
"today while I was in the kitchen washing dishes, my grandson came running to me with his pants around his ankles. I wasn't paying him too much attention.... Thought he was playing around. Well, he finally gets his pants off. I asked him what he was doing and he began hitting his diaper saying "pee pee pee" he ran to the bathroom door and stayed knocking on it!"

Yaaaassssssss! If that wasn't a sign....i don't know what is!?

"we took him into the bathroom and put him on the potty. He didn't do anything but, he got all smiles and high fives for trying! We took him off, got a fresh diaper on him and 5 mins later..... He poo'ed!"

Yea, yea, I know.... Total fail! Right? No, not really. He is one step closer then before!

There are ways to help your child get ready for potty training.
Take your child with you when you potty. While your in the bathroom... Talk to them. Tell them what things are. Introduce them to sounds that may scare them.

Get them their own toilet or seat for the big toilet. Sometimes kids freak out a little cause they think they will fall into the toilet.

Put them on their toilet as soon as they wake up, and every few hours.

Remember to be consistent! If you don't stick with it, your child won't either.

*please note*

While my youngest son was potty training, about ten years ago, he needed to go potty while we were at WalMart.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS!!!!
My son was terrified to go any where near a toilet after that!
Any place that has a motion thingie to flush isn't good! One little move and it sounds like a huge monster is gonna suck you in! I mean, they terrify me and I'm 36 yrs old!!

Do y'all have any potty training tips? Things to avoid? How did your lil ones let you know they were ready?
Muahs

down 75lbs up 25

Hey sweets 🍬! How are y'all today? Hope your staying warm!! I've really been thinking about this blog. I'm not a professional writer, I don't have a degree. All I have are life experiences. I've been really just thinking of different topics of things other people can possibly learn from me and/or be entertained. So, one of the many things I look up are weight loss tips and tricks.
But, hey!! I wanna learn from y'all too!
I was thin in middle school. But in 9th grade,I started to gain a lil weight..... Maybe just filling out?

Middle school 8th grade prom

Summer before 10th grade

So, I was always considered "big boned"
Once I got pregnant and 3 kids later...... I was pretty plump lol
In 2007 I started doing a ton of walking while I lived in Utah and started losing weight... Yay!

2007 at about my lowest weight since high school
175lbs

Once I moved back to Georgia IT HAPPENED
I was dx'ed with bipolar disorder. As anyone that has a mental illness knows, it's hard at the beginning while the Dr tries all the different med cocktails. The emotional rollercoaster, getting sick, hives, adverse reactions, weight gain, weight loss, sleeping all the time, not sleeping at all, ECT
It really takes a toll on your body. By the time they got my meds adjusted and together I was pretty much at my heaviest and still gaining weight

Me in 2011 at my heaviest
275lbs

Y'all, I was miserable!! I had NO energy
I wanted to sleep all the time
I was a walking zombie
Never left the house

So, can someone please explain to me how the meds were helping me other then sedating me!!?
In 2012 I did the unthinkable.

I do NOT condone this or say it's ok without talking to your Dr first

I stopped ALL meds! Cold turkey!! And it was not easy. But, after 6 months, as I started recognizing my triggers, and knowing how I react to things....i started managing it on my own. Yes, I'd have panic attacks, yes... There were sleepless nights... But, I coped with it and got through it, and still get through it.
Then, weight started falling off. I wasn't dieting, I wasn't exercising, just losing weight.
Within four months I was wearing an 11/12 from a 16/18. Went to the Dr and had lost 60lbs. The Dr did blood work and everything came back normal. He said he was glad of the weight loss(cause I was overweight) but not the way I was losing it. He said it was probably due to anxiety. He suggested me going back on my meds!! I wasn't hearing that!!

So, can you guess what I did?????

I took advantage of this opportunity to make a lifestyle change! I started getting more active and just watching my portions. And, it worked.... The weight kept coming off

So, I took it to a whole other level.
started walking to the gym Mon-Fri (4 miles)
I started running
I added weight training
And started trying to EAT CLEAN as much as possible

It was working great too! Until I broke my foot! Ever since then my motivation had just disappeared!! And it makes me so angry at myself because I've gained back 25lbs and can't get off my butt to get back at it when I know it can be done!!
All it takes is

•becoming more active
• portion control
• eat as clean as possible
• weight training
• time
•dedication
•motivation

Which I'm really lacking in the motivation part!!
Y'all have any tips?
Starting Friday I'm gonna do fitness Friday. I'll take my measurements and weight, and share tips, ups, downs, anything fitness related!! Maybe this will help keep me accountable!

Y'all should join me and we can do this together!!
Muahs

please, it's cold outside, bring in your pets of possible!

I don't know about y'all, but..... It's feeling pretty frigid here in Georgia this evening!!

We live in an 850sg ft house..... Pretty tiny, huh? And even though it's a pain in the butt sometimes, we still bring our dogs in. I mean, think about it, right now with my daughter up, we have 5 humans. So, as cramped as it is.... Add a 65lb American bulldog and an old coon hound(who is an old nag) we have no kind of room left!!
But, we do it anyways.

I'm not saying you don't love your dogs or pets if you don't let em in. But, if your pets have to stay outside, please, make sure they have some type of shelter to escape the wind.
If they have a dog house, you can always throw extra blankets in there for them.

Here is another cool lil tip:
If your dog has to stay outside while it's cold, add additional food to their diet! Dogs burn more calories to stay warm!
Do you have any tips for people who can't bring their animals in?

Muahs!