Weekly Update

So, I have noticed this week that the focus on my weight is taking me back down a slippery path where I end up obsessing over the # on the scale, rather than making healthy decisions.

So I refuse to focus on the # on the scale.  I did weigh myself this morning, and I'm at 198.6, which makes me super happy, but more impressively, I've had 1 single glass of sweet tea this week at lunch, and 1 coffee from Dunkin Donuts.  (this is down from Coffee purchased out every day, and at least 2-3 sweet teas every day, usually from Bojangles.)

So, I'm looking at those wins, and focusing on those steps in the right direction.  Yes, I'm losing weight as well, but I don't want to focus on that, because then I get a bit overwhelmed and obsessed and it stresses me out.

Thank you for continuing to support me.  Now that I really feel like I've got the coffee and tea under control, it's time to step up my exercise game.

Krista

Post-Disney Update

So, I said I was going to be working on changing my eating habits and getting my weight back down.  The plan was to start after the trip to Disney because we had the dining plan, and I didn't know what kind of food would be available.

I was super excited to get on the Scale on Sunday morning and see that my weight had gone from 202 point something to 200.6.  So, somehow I lost about a pound-and-a-half at Disney; likely because I about sweated to death!

So now I'm working on being far more mindful of what I eat and drink.  Making changes a little bit at a time.  I started by getting Crystal Light Peach Tea, to replace my sweet tea addiction.  Crystal Light was recommended by my weight loss surgeon if you needed to get your water in, but didn't like the taste of water.  Once I get over the hump with the tea, I'll work on cutting back the coffee, too.

Week 1 update

I posted last week about gaining weight and being back up above 200 pounds for the first time in about 2 years. J was devastated when I saw that 2 as the first number on the scale again, but if I'm being honest, not surprised. I've been tempting fate for a while, allowing myself to fall into old habits and not being nearly as careful or mindful as I should be about what I put into my body.

I am happy to report that a bit under a week later, I got on the scale this morning and I was down 1.5# to 200.8. The scale is moving in the right direction for now.   I'm not sure what will happen this week with being on vacation and eating park food. On the positive side, though, we'll likely walk about 8-10 miles each day in the parks, so that should help, too

Thank you for the positive support you all offered me, either publicly or privately over the last week or so. It means more than you know.

Krista

This post sucks....

This post is going to be the hardest post that I have posted, maybe ever.  As I have shared over the years, very clearly, I needed help to lose weight.  I needed to have weight loss surgery to take control of my life back and get myself to a healthy weight.

Fast forward 2 years, to the fall of 2015.  I had been sitting at between 175 & 179 since July 2014 and had gone into to "coast" mode.  In September 2015, I injured my knee and was no longer able to run, squat, or do much of anything I had grown accustomed to doing as I was losing weight.  I was in the process of getting to the bottom of this issue and speaking to the doctor about the options to correct the pain in my knee, when both sides of my family ran into health crises.  

My father-in-law ended up with a pacemaker, and my Nana passed away, and in between the two, my dad was in the hospital as well.  Trips and stays in the hospital aren't good for anyone's stress level or diet, and I started to allow myself to fall back into old habits.  

I have now had 3 Synvisc injections in my knee and am still in pain, all day, every day.  I have no cartilage in my left knee at all, so the hope was that these injections would do the job that the cartilage should be doing, but it appears not to be the case for me.  I wake up in pain every day, it hurts for me to sit for too long, or to stand/walk for too long.  

The point of all this rambling, for lack of a better word, is to explain that life has gotten in the way.  I said when I chose to have weight loss surgery that it was nothing more than a tool, and one that I had to use or it wouldn't work.  I haven't been using my tool.  I've been in cruise control, heading down the highway to my old self and bad habits.  

I got on the scale yesterday morning, and to my horror, 202.00 was staring back at me.  I swore I'd never breech the 200 mark again, but alas, I have.  It's time for me to get my act back in gear.  We are finishing up the school year and preparing for our family vacation to Disney.  I was super excited and bought some new clothes for the trip, only to find that the size I've been wearing for over a year and a half is too small.  My size 14's aren't fitting me anymore.  Well, I'm not OK with that, and I'm not going to just accept it.  

So I'm going to be spending my summer getting back to the things that I know how to do to get my weight back under control.  I'm going to be drinking protein shakes, getting in my protein from meet, eating more vegetables and fruit, no sweet tea.  I've got to re-gain control of my eating and my lifestyle, before I end up back at the 270 pounds I weighed when I started this journey.  

I'm only going to weigh myself once/week (On Sunday mornings) to avoid my scale obsession and frustration.  I hope you'll encourage and support me as I continue to share this journey with you all.  

Krista

Fight Gone Bad

Today's WOD was "fight gone bad"....and truer words were never spoken!

This workout was awful.  I had worked out last night (monday at 7:00).  The less than 12 hour turn around didn't help the situation.

To make matters worse, the WOD was brutal, called "Fight Gone Bad".  The description of the WOD can be found here. 

I showed up for my first 5:30am WOD and honestly, woke up in pain and almost bailed on it.  Tired of bailing on workouts, and on myself, I went anyway.

I got ready, and when our coach, Josh told us to get started...I decided I was ready to go.  It's

So the WOD goes like this, 5 minutes of work, 1 minute of rest, and a different exercise every minute on the minute:

Minute 1--wall balls (10# ball for me)
Minute 2--box jumps (I have to step-up due to my knee issues, using a 20" box)
Minute 3--Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (25 # KB)
Minute 4--Push Press (I had 55# the first round, dropped to 35# for rounds 2 & 3)
Minute 5--Row for calories

Rest 1 minutes---do a total of 3 rounds,

In my first round I got 69 reps
Round 2--61 reps
Round 3--30 reps

Between last night's workout and todays, everything from my shoulders to my bra strap, plus my left knee and my quads are KILLING me!

No workout tomorrow.  Tomorrow's WOD includes Overhead squats, and pull-ups, 21-15-9.

My first round of knee injections is tomorrow, and i'm so sore already from the last 2 days.  Maybe after my injection----I can get in the water at the gym and get a workout in that doesn't hurt my knee as much....who knows!!!

Krista

Back at it!

I've got some pretty big goals this year....and in order to complete them, I've gotta get my booty back in the gym.

I registered for the 2016 CrossFit Games, but then wasn't able to complete all 5 workouts due to travel and a nagging knee injury.

I'm going to be getting Orthovisc injections in my knee starting this week, on April 6, 13 and 27.  In the meantime, I'm going to be adding some workouts, some swimming and cycling workouts to the mix when I can't do impact exercises.

I'm also participating in a Diet Bet with the folks who had weight loss surgery the same time I did.  We are all 2-1/2 years out of surgery, and a lot of us have gained at least a little bit of weight back.  The battle against obesity is never over.....it's something we HAVE to fight and be aware of every sing day, every single meal....

Also, I need to STOP making excuses.  I missed my planned workout this morning at 5:30, because while my alarm was set, it was turned all the way down.  So many times (every single other time in my life) I would have written off today as being one without the workout.  Instead, today, I realized that I would be done coaching volleyball by 6;45, and there was a 7:00 WOD....so, I got dressed for my workout, put my coach shirt on over it, and headed straight to the box after my game was over.

Tonight's workout was do-able, but I'm sure I'll know it tomorrow morning!

I had to scale the WOD for sure...so mine was:
10 minute AMRAP:

200 meter run
15 Kettlebell swings (scaled to 20#)
10 ring dips (Scaled to "girlie" push-ups)

I finished 2 full rounds, plus got about 3/4 of the way through the 4th run...It was rough!!!  I'm ready to go back tomorrow!!

My week in review...

So, I didn't make it to the gym as much as I wanted to.  I was home with a sick child with Strep Throat and a fever for 3 straight days.  She was so sick, that I let her stay at home while I ran the other 2 to school.  She said it hurt to lift her head up off the pillow.

I did, however, make it to CrossFit F-V yesterday to get in my CrossFit Games 16.1 workout.  I have to say, that with no cartilage in my left knee, walking lunges are a NIGHTMARE!!!  Also, as my first full WOD in over 2 years, it was brutal.  My knee, Quads and Glutes are SCREAMING at me today, and my arms and shoulders are whining fairly loudly.  I'll be back this week, to get more workouts in....and next weekend for 16.2.

I've done a lot of changing since I started this blog, and I've actually started to find the woman I always hoped I would be.  I wanted to love myself enough to do my makeup before I left the house.  Not because I needed to attract some guy (the reason I USED to wear makeup) but because I enjoyed looking nice.

Me wearing makeup is not a sign of my insecurity, it's actually because I've found the woman I was always meant to be.  I enjoy being a girl, just as much as I enjoy lifting heavy weights and sweating it out at the gym.  I know that I am a walking contradiction.  I love sports, watching UFC and love college football.  I remember watching the Tyson-Spinks fight with my uncle when I was in middle school.  I also like dressing up, looking cute, and all that that being a girly girl means.  I run in skirts, and I want my sports bra to match my outfit.  I'm proud of the fact that I can currently dead lift 165# and that I was once able to dead lift 225#.

I used to think that lifting weights, going to CrossFit, etc, made me less of a woman.  That people would view me as a tomboy.  Fact is, I am ME!  and I like the me that I am.  I like that I can talk about sports with my husband.  I like that I can work my butt off in the gym, then come home, take a shower and put on a dress.  We don't have to fit into a box that someone has decided makes us "girly" or a "Tomboy".  We can do what we love and define who we are as WE want to.

So, this is me.  I'm a CrossFitter, I'm a Younique Presenter, I love Makeup, I love sports, and I love Jewelry.  I can be all these things, without apology, because that is who I am....and I'm never going to apologize for being ME!

Be who you are, Love who you are, Accept who you are.  If you can't, then no one else will either.

Krista