Progress...

Ok so it's almost been a week since I started losing weight. First, I just want to say that dieting is so NOT fun!!! However, I know it's the key to loosing weight, so it'll have to go on and on for a while. I was totally off carbs for the first few days and just eating protein and a lot (seriously A LOT) of veggies. I was doing great until church on Sunday. I was sitting there feeling hungry and then shaky. Usually at this point, had I been at home, I'd grab some celery or a red pepper and much on that, but since I was at church, that wasn't an option. To avoid fainting in the middle of singing a hymn, I did something totally against the rules. Yes, I'm ashamed to say I ate not one but TWO Starburst candies. It was bad, I know, but at least I didn't feel like I was going to faint anymore.

Ok so onto my progress. I've lost.... drum roll please...........

5.5 pounds so far!!

Now I have 10-15 to go to feel "not like a cow", but ideally I'd like to loose 20-25 more pounds.

I'll keep you posted.

- Elisabeth

Results - 1 Month

Hi y'all!

Just a quick note about my weight loss. I've lost 15 pounds and feeling pretty great!! I've been eating A LOT of salad with home made dressing and cutting back on junk food. I've also been running and on Tuesday night, I finally ran my entire 5.4 Km route without stopping. I have a race in one month so as long as I keep it up, I'll be good and ready!

I'm hoping to continue loosing weight, about 15-20 more pounds. Stay tuned!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

The Plan

Hey everyone! Ok so I said in an earlier post that I'm going to loose the baby weight by December 1st. I figure that's a reasonable amount of time to loose 40 pounds.

So what's my weight loss plan? Well.... I don't really have a set out plan. Normally I would never recommend NOT having a plan but let me explain.

I'm a mother of 3 children ages 3 and under. My youngest is 2 months and always needs to be picked up and doesn't nap for very long, then I have a 2 year old (who is such a handful these days) and a 3 and a half year old who starts school in a few weeks and I've been trying to get her ready. I just can't commit myself to an intense workout schedule because I honestly don't have the time. After I had my second baby, he would sleep in until 9 am (and so would my oldest). I would get up at 8am, workout, and get in the shower all before they woke up. Unfortunately my kids wake up a lot earlier now. The baby is usually up at 5 am and fusses and nurses on and off until 7:30-8:00 am. My other 2 kids are usually up at 7:30 or 8:00 am. The only way I would be able to workout before they got up would be to start at 4:00 am, something I'm just not willing to do. My husband is also maxed out with work and other responsibilities so he's not available to watch the kids while I workout either. For now, my workout goal is to run 3 times a week, after the kids go to bed around 9 pm.

My diet plan is pretty vague too. I'm breastfeeding and I have to be careful not to cut out too much. I would normally set out a strict diet plan and stick to it, but again, with the craziness of my life and the fact that I'm breastfeeding makes it pretty hard to stay on a diet. I'm cutting out junk food so that means no cookies, brownies, chips, chocolate, ice cream, hot dogs, pizza, etc. I'm eating smaller portions and eating more fruit and vegetables. I think eating smaller portions is key in my weight loss... oh and drinking a lot of water.

So there you have it, my "plan". I know it would be more exciting to read that I'm only eating egg whites or that I'm lifting a million pounds during my workouts.... maybe in a few years.

I'll give you all an update in a week or so and let you know if I'm loosing any weight. If not, I'll have to step it up somehow.

Me Ka Aloha (with love)
- Elisabeth

Time to Lose the Baby Weight

On June 3rd the cutest baby boy was welcomed into the world. We love him so much and we are so happy to watch him learn and grow. My only complaint with all of this is the extra (and I really mean EXTRA) weight I've gained. I've had record breaking weight gain with this last pregnancy by a staggering 20 pounds. So that means my usual 55-60 pound weight gain was 75-80 pounds this time!! It's been over 2 months since I've had my baby and my fingers are still too chubby to fit my wedding ring so it's time to do something drastic.

I'm going on a major diet and exercise plan. I'll discuss what I'm doing later, because the baby is crying and I have to rescue him from the evil play pen.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabethb

You Need Muscle

There are so many diets out there, promising to help the numbers on the scale drop. The thing is, they work! They all work in some way or another. Even the crazy grapefruit diet, where all you eat is grapefruit for 7 days, works. Here's the problem. Besides being next to impossible to stick to, most diets will make you loose water weight and muscle weight. Therefore, you'll just look like a smaller flabbier version of your old self. Sad, but true. Check out this picture of 2 different women. Both are a size 2, but one looks pretty good, where as the other looks AMAZING!What's the difference? Muscle! Instead of worrying about weight, it's a way better idea to worry about you body fat %. The leaner you are, the hotter you'll look, no matter what your weight. Here's a few reasons why having more muscle mass is WAY healthier.

1. The number 1 reason (haa haa at least for me) is that it looks better. We all know it, muscles (not too much) looks HOT!
2. Studies have shown that people with more fat around their abdomen are more likely to suffer from Type 2 Diabetes than those with lesser body fat around the waist

Read more about The Health Benefits From Having Low Body Fat Levels by 24 Hr Fitnessst

Studies have shown that people with more fat around their abdomens are more likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes
3. Reduced risks of developing certain types of cancer
4. Sleep better at night
5. Lower your blood pressure
6. Toxins are stored in fat cells, so less fat = less toxins
7. Reduced risk of heart problems that may arise due to clogged arteries and veins
8. Helps control your blood sugar levels
9. With added muscle comes some additional power and strength. This will help during normal everyday activities.
10. More energy throughout the day
11. The more muscle your body has, the faster your metabolism is. Essentially this means your body burns more calories to do normal functions. Bottom line...a faster metabolism means a better fat burning ability.

So what I'm trying to say is, dieting is ok if you're trying to kick start your body transformation, but the key to getting in shape is to lower your body fat percentage. I'll leave a post later in how to do this.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth
reduced risk of heart problems that may arise due to clogged arteries or veins.

Read more about The Health Benefits From Having Low Body Fat Levels by 24 Hr Fitness

reduced risk of heart problems that may arise due to clogged arteries or veins

Read more about The Health Benefits From Having Low Body Fat Levels by 24 Hr Fitness

reduced risk of heart problems that may arise due to clogged arteries or veins

Read more about The Health Benefits From Having Low Body Fat Levels by 24 Hr Fitness

Recipe Friday - Yummier Protein Shakes

As much as I hate to admit it, when I'm working out really hard or when I'm trying to loose weight, I drink a protein shake for either breakfast or lunch. I'm not one of those "gym rats" that eat only chicken, egg whites, and shakes instead of real food. Trust me, the rest of the day I'm eating a lot of fruits, veggies, and whole grains (and the occasional treat) I've just learned from my personal trainer friends that extra protein is needed when you're trying to build muscle, and lower carbs (notice I said lower carbs instead of NO carbs) will help people lose weight. So today's recipes are how to make a protein shake actually taste good, instead of like cardboard.

First of all, the best tasting protein shake is called Whey Gourmet and you can get this at most sports nutrition places. If you want to save money, Exact (found at Fortinos) isn't too bad either.

Second, you'll need a blender like the Magic Bullet or whatever.

Third, drink your protein shake cold. There's nothing worse than a warm thick shake. Eeewww, I'm grossed out just thinking about it.

Here's a few ways I like my shakes

1. Chocolate Monkey - 2 scoops chocolate powder with half a frozen banana and water. Mix in the blender until smooth.
2. Strawberry Banana - 2 scoops vanilla powder with half a cup of frozen strawberries, half a banana and water. Mix in the blender until smooth.
3. Mint Chocolate - 2 scoops chocolate powder, 4-6 ice cubes, half a teaspoon mint extract, and water or skim milk. Mix in a blender until smooth
4. Orange Creamsicle - 2 scoops vanilla powder, 4-6 ice cubes, half a cup orange juice, and skim milk. Mix in a blender until smooth.
5. Pina Colada - 2 scoops vanilla powder, 4-6 ice cubes, 1/3 cup frozen pineapple chunks, 1 tablespoon canned sweetened coconut puree, water. Mix in a blender until smooth.

I've also heard that mixing in some instant coffee crystals makes a fabulous mocha shake, but I don't drink coffee.

Well, there you have it, 5 wonder ways to actually enjoy a protein shake.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

At Least I Had a Good Laugh

I'm sure you were all expecting this.... but Hip Hop Abs did NOT make me lose 3 inches in 6 days... at least I don't think it did. My waist is the same size as before (how utterly disappointing), but I never measure other parts of my body. It occurred to me last night that maybe they meant that you would lose 3 inches, but not necessarily from your waist. I don't feel that much skinnier than when I started, but maybe it's because I'm PMSing, or maybe it's because it just straight up didn't work. As least I had fun and had a good laugh. Those workouts are hilarious to do and to watch. Check out this Hip Hop Abs workout on YouTube and you'll die laughing. Those backup "dancers" seriously crack me up, as does the instructor, Shaw T. Have any of you tried it? What did you think?

So, back to Jillian Michaels and running for me. Why is it so darn hard to loose those last 10 pounds?!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

Happy Birthday To.... ME!!

Today is my birthday and it's also been 6 days since I started that Hip Hop Abs shenanigans. I've actually had really sore abs and love handles believe it or not.... however..... I didn't take into account a couple things before I started.

1. The day after I started it was my brother's birthday. Let's just say there was a lot of ice cream cake eaten.
2. My cousin and very good friend came over for girls night. If you've ever met my cousin you'd understand that girls night = FOOD!
3. Adam (my running buddy and Italian friend) came over and made us an Italian dinner, with dessert. Who can say no to that?
4. Today is MY birthday and I was woken up this morning with a HUGE serving of pancakes and strawberries... and brownies.

I know, I KNOW!!! Sounds like a bunch of lame excuses, but it's true. Ok so, I can tell you that Hip Hop Abs is a GREAT workout if you're looking for something fun and full of cardio. Plus it works areas of your abs that you might normally have problems with. I'm pretty confident that that it would work if you didn't have a million events happening (which include food). I'm going to try it again, and this time I'm duct tapping my mouth shut to avoid the surplus of food that seems to follow me every where I go.

Meet me back here in 6 more days.... I PROMISE!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

27 years ago I was a little chubby baby.... now I'm just a little chubby.

Lose 3 Inches in 6 Days?!

One of my best friends and I have decided that we're going to get skinny once and for all! We always complain that we're flabby from having 2 kids each and now we're REALLY going to do something about it. I don't just want to look "ok" I want to look GREAT! I always hear people say "you need to learn to accept your body the way it is." Would you tell your kid who is getting mostly Cs in school to just "accept" those grades? Or would you tell them that they need to work harder and that they CAN achieve the grades they want and deserve? Obviously nobody would accept mediocrity in other aspects of their life, so why do we feel the need to accept it when it comes to our bodies. We CAN change our bodies for the better!! It's happened for a number of people, so why not me?

I've been running 5 km and doing the Jillian Michael's workout for a few months now and I have seen results (see my before and after pictures), but I want to lose more. The goal, lose 3 inches in 6 day!

So what's the plan?
1. Jillian Michael's workout 3 times a week (or more) on level 2.
2. Hip Hop Abs every night. They claim you can lose 3 inches in 6 days. Let's see if it works.
3. Eating mostly fruit and veggies (no potatoes or bananas)
4. Protein shake for lunch
5. Sensible dinner, with mostly veggies (less than 500 calories)
6. No eating after 7:30 pm
7. Drink 8 glasses of water a day

I'm hoping the hip hop abs claim to "lose 3 inches in 6 days" is true. I'm going to give it a try. I REALLY want to be able to post "after" pictures that I can be proud of. Wish me luck!

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES and Losing my Race Virginity

I must be a crazy person for agreeing to do this, but as promised, here are my before and after pictures. The first picture was taken about 2 months after Joseph was born. I started doing the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred and lost about 10-15 pounds in the first month or so. Then I became a total slacker during Christmas and then my baby got sick, then I got sick, and yada yada yada, 4+ months had gone by and I hadn't worked out at all. I slowly got back into it a while ago and also started running. Thing were going great and then I got sick for over THREE weeks!!! Man! That really set me back, especially since I had to train for the Moon in June. Any how, I still lost a bunch of weight though not as much as I wanted. I would still like to lose another 10 pounds, hopefully by the end of summer. Ok so are you ready for this? I know I'm not!

BEFORE
AFTER

Haa haa ok so not the kind of before and after you were looking for right? Seriously, my before pictures of my flabby body are EMBARRASSING! I was 168 pounds of pure FAT, no muscle or anything, just loose flabby flab. Ok, so there are a bunch of people out there that can make 168 pounds look pretty good because they have muscle and the weight is distributed evenly and stuff, but MY 168 pounds wasn't so pretty. Now I weigh 145 pounds and I think there's some muscle there. I weigh less than I did before I had Joseph and I still have a few more pounds to lose before reaching my goal weight. Maybe when I lose my last 10 pounds I'll post REAL before and after pictures. Something to look forward to, right?

Ok, on to other things...
So you're probably all wondering how the Moon in June went. It was so much fun!! It took place down the road from the store I used to work at and I've always wanted to do it. There were around 800 people running the 5 km and a bunch of my friends were running too. My friend Adam busted out his 80's short shorts, which was HILARIOUS by the way and my friend Joel wore a black spandex suit which covered this entire body, head to toe. I'm not kidding, this outfit covered even his entire face. I wish I had a picture of him but I'm sure it'll show up in the newspaper or something. Ok so my friends and I all gathered at the very front of the starting line, next to a few runners I know that usually win every race. My heart was pounding because I was so darn nervous. This was after all, my very first race! I wanted to be able to run the entire thing and do it in a reasonable amount of time, I mean really, I didn't want to be the one strolling in last place. I just didn't know what to expect and all the people around me just made me nervous and excited all at the same time. When the race started a bunch or runners raced on ahead of me. I just kept on running at the pace I was used to running (which isn't very fast at all) My heart was racing faster than I was running and I knew that if I didn't settle down, I was going to have a really hard time finishing. I felt like absolute crap during the first half of the race, which doesn't surprise me. I always feel the worst during the first half of any run. Any way, as I was running around the 2 Km mark, some punk kid with a skate board decided to dart in front of a bunch of the runners to mess them up. He thought he was being funny. He darted in front of me and as I tried to dodge him, he darted in front of me again! It totally threw me off a good 10 seconds or so. Well after that deterrent things were great. There were people standing on the sidewalks giving high fives and cheering everyone on, and I totally gave some cute kids on a bike a high five as I passed. As I raced a bunch of faster runners passed me including some kids that must have been like 10 years old or something. I wasn't sure if I should be impressed by they're speed or depressed by my lack of speed. Well, I ran and ran and ran and never stopped and as I reached the finish line, the guy on the loud speaker said "just about 20 more steps. YOU CAN DO IT!" and I DID! I did it! I finished my very first race, running the entire time. I guess you could say I lost my race virginity haa haa! When I crossed the finish line Dave and the kids were there with the video camera, cheering me on and Joseph had had enough of all the loud clapping and shouting. Joseph was absolutely mad and crying like crazy. As I crossed the finish line, Dave handed Joseph to me right away. The job of a mother is non-stop! Well, I may have not won the race, or even won in my age category, but I did it AND I walked away with a free case of Gatorade :) My next goal is to finish the race with a better time, maybe 3-4 minutes faster. I think I might run a 5 km race in October at the Zoo because my older brother and his family might do it too. I'll keep you all posted.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

My Deadline is FAST Approaching!

Remember my promise to post before and after pictures on Joseph's 1st birthday? Well that day is soon and I WILL post some, grudgingly. I haven't met my goal yet and unless something magical happens, like the weight loss fairy coming to grant me my wish, I doubt I'll loose 8 pounds in 2 days :( Sorry to say that I am far from looking like a super model, unless there's a super model out there with a mummy tummy. Oh well, I'm not giving up! Being sick for over 3 weeks this month really set me back and prevented me from being able to work out, but these things happen. One goal that I'm pretty sure I'll be able to achieve is my goal to run in a 5 km race. I signed up for the Moon in June 5 Km and I'll be running it on Saturday. I'm just praying and hoping that I will have the energy and strength to finish the race, injury free. I ran 5.4 km yesterday for the first time in a month and it was rough! At one point during the run I thought I was going to throw up, and then later I felt like I was going to hyperventilate, but the important thing is that I FINISHED it! Saturday's race will be interesting, that's for certain, but at least I'll have my friends with me to keep me motivated. I'm just praying that everything will go well and that I won't embarrass myself since so many people I know will be there. Wish me luck, and throw in some prayers too because I sure need them. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Me Ka Aloha
- Elisabeth

THINspiration !!!!

This might be old news for some of you, but this is news to me. I don't keep up with celebrity gossip, because I find it a waste of time HOWEVER... I just opened an email from the Oprah Show and read the article about Nadya Suleman (Octomom). She's that single mother of 6, who, less than a year and a half ago, gave birth to octuplets!! That's right EIGHT children at once, AND she already had 6 at home!! Ok so, if that's not shocking enough, wait until you see her weight loss WITHOUT surgery or a personal trainer!!Like seriously?! THAT IS AMAZING!! I've only had two kids and I'm not even close to looking this good. She did this photo shoot one year after her 8 babies were born. She's 5 feet 7 inches (same height as me) and now weighs 125 pounds. She went from 270 to 125! Joseph will be 1 year old in less than a month and a half, so I have to get cracking! Ok so now, I have no excuses, if she can do it, I can do it!

Me Ka Aloha

- Elisabeth

Boo Yeah!

I'll make this post fast. Last Wednesday, my friend Adam and I decided to start running. Our goal, 5 Km non stop. We've gone running only 5 times since last Wednesday. I am happy to report that last night we ran 5.4 Km without stopping!!!!! It's amazing how quickly the body adapts! Next week, when I have more time, I'll explain everything in more detail.

Me Ka Aloha
-Elisabeth

Weight Loss Update

You've all probably been wondering what I've been up to since my post about the 30 Day Shred, and if I've lost any weight. Well... it's been going ok. I started to wean Joseph off nighttime feedings because he was waking up every 45 minutes to nurse and driving me crazy. I would be totally exhausted every morning and too tired to workout. Joseph is sleeping a lot better now, BUT since he hasn't been nursing as much, I haven't been getting rid of as many calories as before when he was sucking the life out of me. My weight loss has been slow, but I'm still losing. I've also been doing some power yoga workouts to help with flexibility and to strengthen my stability muscles. I LOVE doing yoga but it's one of those things that I find difficult to fit in with kids. The yoga workouts take about an hour and I need the kids to be quiet so I can enjoy the relaxation aspect. I usually do yoga when the kids have gone to bed and when Dave is working late so I can truly relax and enjoy. Any way, Joseph will be 1 year old in June and I REALLY want to achieve my weight loss goals by then. As promised, the before and after pictures will posted when Joseph turns 1 (yikes, I better get cracking). How's the weight loss going for the rest of you? I'd love to hear about it.

Here's a picture of my thinspiration. I doubt I'll ever look this good, but it's good to set your goals high.



Me Ka Aloha

-Elisabeth

The 30 Day Shred

I'm a stay at home Mom with a two-year-old and a seven-month-old, so you can understand how finding the time to work out is a challenge. On top of that, I have double the baby weight to lose :( A friend of mine told me about Jillian Micheal's new DVD, "The 30 Day Shred". Basically you follow her 20 minute workout for 30 days and eat sensibly. The workout is a serious "butt kick" and it works! I did this when Joseph was 2 months old and lost 15 pounds!! So why did I stop? Well, life got in the way! My husband went on a business trip for a week, the kids got sick, Christmas festivities, and a host of other things happened. Now that things seem to be normal again, I am determine to lose the last 10 pounds and build some muscles. I don't just want to be thin, I want to look totally buff (in a feminine kind of way). Tomorrow, I'm waking up at the crack of dawn to workout and shower before the kids get up. Wish me luck!

Me Ka Aloha (With Love)
- Elisabeth

P.S. What are you doing to lose weight? I'd love to hear about your success stories.
To get a copy of The 30 Day Shred DVD, go to www.Amazon.com