Inches matter more than pounds

Happy Friday!!!

This morning was a GREAT morning for sure… I pulled my “Skinny Girl” jeans out of the dryer and put those bad boys on (last week was the 1^st time I could wear them in 2 years and they were fitting okay, not to tight or anything). Well, after I had them on for a few minutes, I noticed they were kind of loose!!!! The scale hasn’t moved at all from last week but I can totally tell I have lost inches for sure! Yay for inches lost!

Update on the LiveFit Program – today I am on day 19 and it is my last workout day of Phase 1, Week 3!!! In the past 3 weeks I have noticed I have been getting stronger with each passing day. I have noticed that my biceps are growing. My abs are under all that flab on my stomach. My thighs are toning up. Man I just feel great!! I am looking forward to starting Phase 2 after just 1 more week of Phase 1.

Make sure you check back on October 7^th because I will be posting my Phase 1 transformation photos!!!

I hope you all have a happy and healthy Friday! Remember to not erase all your hardwork to did this week by going cray cray on eating this weekend.

The choice is yours...

Last night while I was in bible study, the group leader was talking about chores and how we stress ourselves out over them. How we work ourselves up so much over the fact we have to complete the chore at hand. All of this stress and us working ourselves up over the chore, makes us end up hating the chore and makes up not want to do it… He went on to say that we have a choice to make to enjoy the chore and let it be a time of enjoyment for us instead.

As he sat there and talked (he was talking about actual household chores) all I could think about is the gym. Back in my “fat girl” days the gym was a chore to me. I hated going. I would stress myself out over actually getting up, getting my shoes on and going to the gym. I would let EVERY little excuse stop me from making it to the gym that day. It wasn’t until I really buckled down and started losing weight that I decided to make a choice to love the gym instead of hating it so much. Once I started to fall in love with the gym, the classes it offered, the people I met while I was there, learning to use the equipment properly; that is when I started to see less stress in my life. I started to find myself at the gym once I learned to love it instead of hating going. I now use the gym as my “Me” time and it is my time to reflect on everything going on, it’s my time to praise and worship God, it’s my time to just not think at all, it’s my time to just focus on me and no one else… and I love it! Yes, sometimes I get mom guilt for going and taking Caleb to the daycare, sometimes I get guilt for not going  out with my friends because I am at the gym, and much more… but when I walk in that gym, I leave that guilt at the door!

Let me give you permission to be selfish, it is okay! You have to give yourself time alone to work on you so that you are able to help others. When you are flying the flight attendants tell you, “if the oxygen mask drops please place it on yourself 1^st and then help your children”, it’s not about being selfish, it’s about taking care of yourself so that you are able to take care of those around you.

I have a reminder taped to my computer that says “Sometimes you have to do what’s best for you and your life, not what’s best for everybody else.” It might be a harsh statement to take in, but it reminds me that it is okay to stop worrying about everyone else and worry about myself. It is okay for me to make time to go to the gym and it’s okay that I enjoy that time… I need it… you need it!

Anyways, back to the bible study…. You have a choice to make, you can either keep stressing out and hating your chores (eating clean and working out) or you can make the choice to enjoy your chores and have that stress lifted! The choice is yours!!!

Caleb's birth story & why I started this journey

In honor of tomorrow, Caleb’s 4^th birthday, I want to share his birth story with you guys and tell you what CLICKED for me with my weight loss…

Some foundation for my story Caleb’s Dad and I were never really together, so I was a single mom from the get go. It was tough, I won’t lie! I ended up moving in with my sister and her family (which at times was really defeating but I knew it was the best option for me and my unborn child). Now looking back, I am very thankful for my sister and her husband for helping us out. While there, I was able to save a lot of money and provide stuff for my son before he was even born. Plus, I was never alone… which that was a good thing then.

I was sick with Hyper Emsis (what Princess Kate had, only 1-5% of pregnant people get it) and was in and out of the hospital because I was dehydrated. I hated being pregnant! Everything I ate came right back up…. Everything! Then 3 months before my due date, I started having really bad contractions and I was rushed from work to the hospital to find out that I was in labor and I was dilated to a 3. The doctor gave me medication to stop my labor and put me on bed rest until Caleb’s due date. I worked as a contract labor in the Oil and Gas Industry and if I didn’t go to work, I didn’t get paid. I was scared to death of what I was going to do to provide (thank goodness I lived with my sister). I was very lucky and my company found “work” for me to do at home for the full 3 months!

At my 36 week checkup, the doctor said it would be fine for me to stop my medication and let Caleb come! I was THRILLED!!! My baby would be born any day now… Well, he is stubborn just like his mother and made me wait another 4 weeks before making his appearance. He wanted to come 2 months ago and the doctor stopped him, now that the doctor is saying it is okay for him to come, he decided to just sit there and not move! That little butthead!

Fast forward 4 weeks to September 20, 2009 (my due date)!!! My sister and I went to Wal-Mart to get some groceries before the Cowboys played that afternoon. While at Wal-Mart, I started to have really bad contractions and had to sit down and wait for her to finish. We got back home and I started to time my contractions during the game… My mom kept calling saying “Jordan just go to the hospital” and I kept replying “I will after the Cowboy win!” Haha… See stubborn! I always said I wasn’t going to go to the hospital unless my water broke, I really wanted to experience that because both of my sisters did. Finally, the game ended (and I believe they lost that one, ugh) and I agreed to let my Mom take me to the hospital even though my water was still intact.

We sat at the hospital and they monitored me, I was still only a 3. Since it was a Sunday and I had my induction scheduled for that upcoming Wednesday, the nurse in charge sent me home and told me she highly doubts I will go into labor myself and to not come back unless my water breaks or its time for my induction. She was actually really rude about it all.

We went home; I went to bed and decided that I would NOT get out of bed for the next 3 days! I wake up Monday morning and have a HUGE urge to pee… you know like all pregnant women do… so I got up and here a tearing noise and then WOOSH!!!! My water broke… all over my sister’s hall way, with my 4 year old niece and her best friend at the end to witness it all! Her friend said “I think you Aunt just peed on the floor!” My sister was outside mowing with headphones in so I had to waddle to a window and bang on it until I got her attention.

My mom got me to the hospital in rush hour traffic on a Monday morning, in record time! And get this… the nurse who told me to go home just hours before all this, was still there and NOT happy to see me back! She told me that my water did NOT break and that I just peed on myself. Luckily my doctor was at the hospital and he came to check me in and break my water since the nurse said it didn’t break. Well, he started the process and then stopped because my water DID break!!! I loved the look on that nurses face, it was priceless!!! When my water did break, green stuff had leaked out with it (Caleb had a bowel movement inside of me and would have meconium aspiration syndrome).

9 hours later, I pushed 5 times and delivered a 9 pound 4 ounce 21.5 inch long baby boy! I held him for a brief 2-3 minutes before the NICU took him from me and left the room. I didn’t see him again for a few hours and I didn’t get to hold him again until after he was a day old. It killed me! After a week in the NICU, he was cleared to go home!!!

I rambled… sorry! Here is where weight loss tied into it all…

My best friend at the time was on her weight loss journey and killing the scale. My sister was on her weight loss journey and looked better than ever. And here I was… fatter than ever! I was ashamed and disgusted with myself. I would get down on the floor to play with Caleb and I would quickly get tired. His car seat was HEAVY for me to carry everywhere with him in it. I remember looking at him one day and thinking, he deserves a better mom than I am for him. Makes me sad to even think I ever thought that…

That day, I decided I was going to change my life. I never ever ever wanted him to struggle with his weight. I never wanted him to be made fun of being of his weight. I wanted him to learn to make good healthy choices from early on. I wanted him to have all the tools I didn’t have. I buckled down, started the gym, found a trainer and well… the rest is history!

I did all this being a single mom. I made it to the gym (most times twice a day). I bought healthy groceries. I ran 5K’s. And let me repeat… I did this all while being a single mom!!!! People give me excuses all the time why they can’t workout or why they can’t afford to eat healthy… I never ever have sympathy for them. I was a single mom of an infant and did it, you can to! You have dig deep and find out what matters most to you! You have to make changes in your life and switch around your priorities. Trust me; if there is a will, there is a way!!!

Week 2 Phase 1 - LiveFit

Yesterday started week 2 of Jamie Eason’s LiveFit program (google it). I want to tell you a few things I have noticed for myself and share with you my thoughts on the program so far…

I love how she has the meal plans broken out. They are very easy to follow and my prep time hasn’t been as long as it usually is. I think mainly because I am eating more repetitively then I normally do. The only thing I think I am getting tired of is eggs… I have been sticking to eating my eggs in the morning BUT I cannot make myself eat another 5 eggs at night… Instead I have been having a protein shake.

I have to say, I do miss cardio. I feel so naked going in to the gym, lifting and leaving. I feel like I am missing steps without doing a warm up and a HIIT cardio workout after my weights are done. I know that there is a method to Jamie’s “madness”, so I am going to just stick it out for the rest of phase 1 and have comfort knowing that I can start cardio back up in Phase 2. I mean, it’s almost October 7^th, right?!

I do love this program so far, however I feel like the work I have done so far is kind of easier than expected. Maybe it’s because I have been lifting now for a while and I am use to doing a lot more in one workout. Who knows? All I know is that I am going to trust this process and do the work she puts in front of me each day and I will take a rest day when she schedules it (even if I don’t feel like I need it).

So far, I give this program 2 thumbs up and would recommend it to anyone who is seriously ready to build muscle and shed some fat. This is a program you have to stay dedicated to and allow no excuses to get in the way… Heck I even stayed on track on vacation! I am looking forward to finishing out Phase 1, taking my Phase 2 start pictures and sharing the comparison photos. Time to give Day 2 of Week 2 some hell… I am going to leave it all at the gym!

I hope you all have a happy and healthy day!

XOXO

Fit by Jordan

Eating Clean on Vaca

I am in the car driving home from a very successful family vacation... Actually besides hanging out with friends in Lubbock, this is our very 1st family vacation! We had a blast at Sea World, walked all over San Antonio site seeing and jumped on the beds in the hotel!! 

Besides the family having fun, I also had a lot of success with my weight loss journey. This was the very 1st vacation I have ever been on that I have stayed on track with eating and my workouts. 

Friday morning I woke up and had a workout outside (the hotel didn't have a gym) with the weights I brought from home. I packed my own foods for the trip and took them with me everywhere we went. I called ahead at Sea World and made sure I could bring my food into the park since its "health" related and it was approved. While my family ate whatever their hearts desired, I sat there and ate my food from home.

I won't lie, it sucked at times but I know it will pay off in the long run. I did enjoy some BLT's (bites, licks and taste) of foods they were eating... Ice cream, praline, pastry from a Mexican bakery, a piece of Caleb's birthday cake... Can you tell how much I love sweets?! I felt great just having a BLT instead of having a whole one to myself. 

The trip is coming to an end as we get closer and closer to home, however it isn't over yet. We still have 4 hours to drive which means lunch on the road and then stopping at West Czech Bakery (it's a Texas road trip must). I am out of my food from home so it's up to my knowledge of what is good and bad, some research for online nutrition facts and good decision making... I can do this! 

Oh and did I mention, we walked about 1000000 miles! Seriously, we just put Caleb in the jogging stroller and took off walking... Then Casey and I went on a date last night and instead of going to a movie and dinner, we decided to rent bikes and ride all over downtown! Man that was a blast!! 

When you set your mind to something, you can achieve anything!! I am ready to jump on that scale tomorrow and whatever that number is, I will be proud of it for sure!! 

Y'all have a happy healthy day! 

XOXO, 

Fit by Jordan 

10K for BB!

Ok y'all, lets get my girl Brittany Eats Clean to 10,000 likes!!! 

She has changed my life and can change yours too!! Go check her out now!!! 

www.facebook.com/bbEatsClean

Jamie Eason LiveFit - Start of Phase 1

For those of you that don’t know, I have started the Jamie Eason LiveFit Program from www.Bodybuilding.com. I had 1^st heard about this program from the lovely Brittany Eats Clean (check her out on FB). Her results are actually what inspired me to get off my coach and start taking control of my life again earlier this year. I have been kind of hesitant to start the program because I have always been such a cardio bunny… however, the more and more I have fallen in love with weight lifting, the more and more I started to open about starting Phase 1.

Well, Monday (9/9/13) I started the program. I prepped all my meals (according to the Phase 1 meal plan) and printed out all my workouts. This has been a great week so far… the only thing I am going to have to get use to is going to the gym and not doing cardio. Throughout all of Phase 1 (4 weeks) you are focused on building as much muscle as you can with zero cardio. I am going to trust the process and give it my all.

Actually while walking back from the gym today, I realized that I will start the 4^th week of Phase 2 (there are three phases) the week I attend my 10 year high school reunion. I will complete the whole program (Phase 3) the day before… YES, THE DAY BEFORE I take my wedding dress to be altered!!! That right there is some exciting stuff…

I am so excited to be on this journey and to start seeing more changes in my body. I am ready to have my arms and back more tones (to show off in my dress) and ready for my kangaroo pouch (gotta love being a mom) to start shrinking more.

You have the power to change your life, get up and get moving!  

Fat Guy in a Little Coat

Y’all ready to laugh? (I am about to tell you a story and PLEASE do not feel sorry for me or anything, I am totally not scared from this experience… actually it has given me a drive to change the story for the better).

Okay so a couple years ago, back in my bigger days, I decided to be all girly and buy me a bunch of new clothes.

I had always seen the cute girls from school, work, at the mall or wherever, wearing these cute little jackets with their dresses and I decided to finally jump on board… because I wore dresses a lot. I hated wearing pants because nothing ever fit and I always had muffin top, but that is beside the point.

Okay so while shopping I found this ADORABLE jacket, it was totally something that I could picture my sister wearing (that’s how I knew it was cute)!

I was SUPER excited to wear it. I waited for the perfect time and place and then I ripped those tags off and went out with my girlfriends for a fun night on the town.

A couple hours into the night, I went to hug a friend and heard a RIPPPPPPPPP noise…

MY JACKET RIPPED!!!

Not just a little rip, it was a HUGE rip all the way down the back of my jacket!!!

I laughed it off and said “It’s because I am so muscular…”

SUCH A LIAR!!!!! Heck I didn’t go to the gym; I mean I might have drove past it on my way to get some fast food but never actually inside or anything.

I haven’t worn a cute jacket since that day.

Right before my knee surgery, I ended up buying another new cute jacket for myself (it was on clearance and I couldn’t pass it up.) It hung in my closet and collected dust. At the time I bought it, it was still a little tight on my back and my arms but I knew I could wear it one day…  

Fast forward almost a year or so later, I decided to try it on this morning, not because I wanted to wear it out but because I wanted to see if it would even fit. I put that sucker on and guess what… it FIT!!! Not only did it fit, but it passed the hug test too!!! I hugged Casey and even played around with Caleb… all at 5:30 am this morning! I am sure both of my boys thought I had lost it. I was so thrilled that I changed my outfit I had already picked out just so I could wear the jacket today.

Now I am VERY happy that I can finally mark ‘Fat Guy in a Little Coat’ off my list of crap I hated about being fat!

Hope you all are having a happy healthy Thursday!

XOXO

Fit by Jordan

Kicking the funk

I woke up in a great mood on Saturday, went to the gym and hit it hard then came home and cooked all my meals for the next couple days. It started off to be a great day but ended a little bit differently.

I am usually such a strong person who can let words of others just roll off my shoulders. Usually when people sit there and criticize what I am doing or how I am living, it motivates me that much more to push hard and become stronger. Well, like I said… usually. I let someone get in my head and it really got to me. It started off slow, giving up on the food I had cooked and instead going out to binge eat with Casey. Then it started to spiral out of control. The next day I overslept (by a LOT) and then sat on the couch like a bump on a log. I had plans to get up and be active on my day off and nope, I didn’t do anything but eat and lay on the couch. Then Labor Day arrived and it went almost exactly like Sunday did… By the time Tuesday arrived, I had fallen so deep into my funk that I really didn’t care if I got out or not. Yesterday was a B-A-D day and all I wanted to do was go home, curl up in a ball and go to bed.

I have been blaming it on Mother Nature and saying that “that” time of the month is coming up… which it is and I do usually crave food more and I am less energized, however I ALWAYS make it to the gym and stay away from the temptations. I wasn’t ready to admit to anyone, not even myself, that I let someone elses words throw me in such a horrible funk that I was having trouble kicking…. Until last night.

Last night, Casey hugged me and hugged me tight. He knew something was going on and like the great man he is, he waited for me to tell him. It all came pouring out… I admitted that I let someone else make me think my journey isn’t as great as I think it is. I admitted that I let someone tear down what I worked so hard to build up. I admitted that someone poking fun at my methods that obviously have been working for me, had thrown me off track and make me second guess everything I have been doing. It was hard to admit, but I did.

He asked me 1 great question… “Are you happy?”

Am I happy? Well hell no I am not happy the past 4 days. I have been moping around and haven’t done crap. I feel horrible and so tired all the sudden… hell no I am not happy!

I asked him if he was happy with the way I look now, that if I didn’t lose anymore weight or tone up, if he would be okay with that. He replied with the best thing a man could ever reply with…

I love you no matter what BUT I know you are not happy calling it quits where you are at now and just maintaining. I know that you want to change your body more and you want to tone up more and you are happier when you are focused on that. I want you to be happy and if that means getting back on track and being 110% dedicated even despite what other people say, then do it!

Seriously, how lucky am I to have him in my life?

Okay, so here I am now… I am kicking this funk to the curb! I woke up this morning, gave my day to God and got dressed! I have all my meals planned out (even with me going out to lunch, I am taking my own food) and I have my bags packed and ready to hit the gym twice today. I am kicking this 4 day funk and I am not looking back… I am better than that funk and I will NOT let it tear down everything I worked so hard to build up!

Here goes nothing…!!!