Feeling good.

I really feel like I have a hold on everything in my life right now, not just my weight-loss.

Brandon and I are moving into separate apartments.
It really is for the best and we are making all of our plans together, with the kids coming first. We both, thankfully, got to a point where we knew we wanted to remain friends and decided to take the high road and put our friendship and our children first. Thank you to everyone who is also a friend on Facebook that has checked in on me during the last few weeks/months. The truth is, is that I am very lucky all-around and am looking forward to being in my own place soon.

Now that I have lost about 30 pounds and have gone down two dress sizes, people are starting to notice. Friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances have taken time out of there lives to text, email and message me on Facebook to basically just tell me "Good Job". This means sooo much to me.  I also appreciate it because it helps keep me accountable.

They've also asked for advice on how I was doing it. Basically, I am watching my calories and working out. I'm going to start posting everything I eat on Instagram for the next week or so. I will tell you right now, I am busy and lazy. Seriously. I eat a lot of Smart Ones and just add fruits and veggies here and there and guzzle down between 120 - 160 ounces of water a day. It's not rocket science but it is science and takes a lot more motivation and effort than I ever could have imagined, but it's worth it!!! I promise you!!!

***If you're interested in seeing what I put in my belly (and the other randomness that is me), follow me by clicking the little camera thingamabobber to the left of this post.

Needing the confidence boost and another reason to stay on track, I have went a little (A LOT!!!) out of my comfort zone and have decided to do this "Burlesque Experience" with a new friend of mine after the New Year.  I'll be doing an entire post about that as it gets closer and I find out more details. 

For now I will leave you with a recent pic of me in my new (2 sizes down) dress.{Holla!!}

Mid-Week Musings

Wasn't sure what to write about but had a bunch of random thoughts floating around in my head.

So, here we go...

Finally posted a before/progress/goal pic over on the left. Looking forward to more of those!

My van is being a real POS lately... it's quite likely it is possessed. Damn thing shuts off randomly, beeps unexpectedly and on any given day, decides all on it's own whether any of my lights will work or not. {SMMFH}

Discovered I'm still bruising where my shin splints were at on my left leg... taking a break from running for a week or two. So far it seems like they're on the mend but still a little sore after I get done working out.

Thank goodness for those Smart Ones from Weight Watchers... without them I would fail miserably. I need easy.
 
Jeans that never really even fit when I bought them but I squeezed my fat ass into them anyways, are not only fitting but are baggy all over. I have started packing a box full of all my fat clothes. Feels frickin' AMAZING!!!

As of this morning's weigh-in, I HAVE LOST 25 POUNDS!!! HOLLA!!!

I think that is it.

Happy Hump Day to all you Cyberspace Hotties out there that are working your asses off today too!!! 

Meet the kids behind the mom!

Where to start?!
I have four kids, three boys and a girl.My daughter is 6 and the boys are 2, 3 and 4.

Here they are...

From left to right:


Alex - We call him Alejandro, since he is the only one who seemed to take on any of my
half-hispanic-ness.  He is the cuddler of the bunch.

Aiden - Boy, oh boy! Is really all I can say! This kid has energy that goes and goes and goes!
He is VERY sensitive and VERY smart for his age.

Zachary - The baby of the family but doesn't realize it! Our only blue-eyed blonde!
His first few dozen words were ALL foods!
 
Alhana - Loves life and lives with multiple disabilities. You can find out more about that by visiting her Caring Bridge site that is linked over on the left side of my blog.

Apparently, I ONLY learn one way... the hard way!!!

I have fallen behind in my Couch to 5k training.
I had to take more than a few days off to rest after thinking that I had it all figured out!
Self-diagnosed with shin splints in my left leg I knew I had to cut back.

I thought I was in the clear after I got some great tips for taking
care of myself after my runs/workouts from Dr. Google and a chick
I have decided to call my Fairy-Running-Godmother!

A few of those tips were things like making sure I iced my legs
afterwards, took some ibuprofen and glucosamine, re-hydrated with water and Gatorade, and then also making sure I ate something like a protein bar (or something similar)
soon after I finished.

I had a SUBSTANTIALLY better time after running once I implemented
these tips and tricks. Then the pain came back even worse in that lower
part of my left leg. WTH???!!!

So, time to try something else.
I went out and bought these ($40?!) neon green compression sleeves
for my calves that made me feel like a Japanese schoolgirl...

...and when I went out to run in them I still hurt.
The Natalie from 6 months ago would've definitely given up right about then!

Next on my list was to try new shoes.
Everything I read online brought me to the conclusion that the $30 'running' shoes
I was wearing from Target were... (I'm sure you can guess!) ALL WRONG for me!

So, I went to Luke's Locker in Fort Worth and traded these (top) in for these (bottom):

 
                                            I felt like I had bought a brand new pair of legs!

My actual shin pain is gone now, although I still have soreness
in my calves after I run/workout. I am chalking that up to needing
to strengthen them since, hello?! that is probably why I got the shin splints to begin with!

Who knew getting in shape would require this much of a learning curve?!

How dare you challenge ME!

I may just be crazy after all.

I signed up for a month long fitness challenge through a group on
Facebook inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, Mama Laughlin.

Some insane person decided it would be awesome to challenge all of
us fatties to do a Jillian Michael's workout EVERY.SINGLE.DAY in October! (WTF?!)

Well, being the crazy, fed-up with being fat, person I am, I couldn't NOT at least try it.

So, I played along, printed out the little calendar she made up for us to keep track on.
Went through and made the OCD freak inside of me pretty pleased
by color-coding workouts and adding in Jillian quotes and everything.

Now, October 1st, first day of the challenge I have this bad boy staring me down.

                                                                   Ahh! What have I done?!


This is definitely going to take a lot of blood, sweat and tears. I have my first 5k in just over a month and a half. I need to get my ass in gear fast, so... CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!