Ok so i'm in the middle of a rut i'm thinking. i'm still busting my butt and working out as hard as ever, but the weight just isn't falling off. It's frustrating.  I'm becoming more strict about what i eat now, and have started emailing kait daily about the meals i plan to eat and about the workouts i'm doing daily just to add to the accountability. Besides the weight loss pause, i have gotten a lot of compliments about how i'm looking lately which is definitely motivation.  I had a doctor's appointment earlier this week and the nurse that sees me each appointment was amazed at how i looked. It felt good to be complimented. even my mom, who i have a terrible relationship with, has mentioned my weight loss at least once every time i've seen her in the last few weeks. That was definite validation that my hard work is paying off. i'm just going to keep it up, and continue the strict food guidelines and i'm bound to get that weight loss ticker movin again!   I also saw an someone earlier this week that has caused me quite a bit of pain in the past.  She looked like she had lost some weight too and seemed to be sizing me up when she saw me. I heard through the grapevine that last year she had gotten herself down to a size 2 from a size 12, though she seemed to have gained it back when i saw her.  That seemed to kick me into gear even more on my workouts. If she can do it, there's absolutely NO REASON i can't do the same thing and KEEP IT OFF. Though i can honestly say i'm not aiming to be a size two. My size fives fitting me again will be good enough thank you.  Anyway, I guess any encouragement or advice will be appreciated as i prepare to gear up another week of bustin butt! I'm already seeing a boost in my self-esteem....i'm ready for it to be shooting through the roof!

It has been a good week and I have finally seen a 1 pound loss this week.  It has been forever.  So now I need to stick with it and see more pounds lost!
  -Kaitlyn

So I was organizing and rearranging yesterday and started looking through some photo albums, and I came across the time frame of about 5 years ago, when I was 19 or 20, and I reallllllllllly loved my pictures.  I was in such good shape.  So seeing those photos added some fuel to my fire, because I know I can be a smaller size and look fit, I just need to work at it.  At that time in my life, I was working out tons and doing indoor soccer, plus I had just been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism a year after  my surgery, so I was on new medication for that, which totally helped my energy and metabolism.  So I know that I just need to stay focused and get down to my goal weight and then maintain by staying active.  I'm thinking I should put up a picture or two around the room to remind me of what I can look like.  Hope everyone else is off to a great start this week! 

Pretty decent week overall, I stuck with workouts every day and kept up with healthy eating most of the time.  I had a few slip ups, but doing much better.  I did measurements this morning on inches and I have lost about 6 inches overall on the top portion of my body and only about 1.5 on my bottom half.  But measuring inches is another tool besides the scale to see the progress you have made.  I had someone at school come up to me and tell me she noticed I am looking like I've lost weight, so that was kind of reassuring. Just keep pluggin away and do what I do. 

So yesterday was pretty fun- it's finally getting warm enough out there to do some more outdoor activities, which I love.  So Jonas and I went down to the park with a group of people to play ultimate frisbee.  I played last year and was in such bad shape it was horrible.  This time I didn't feel as tired so quickly.  Plus, it was a fun way to work out.  We played for like 2 hours so it's a pretty good long workout.  The group is hoping to start playing weekly now that the weather is getting better, so that will be a good workout for me each week and allow me to mix it up and add some fun.  And maybe I'll actually improve at the game itself. I'm excited for spring and better weather and getting to do stuff outdoors!!!!!!!!!

Saturday- I went to the gym and did the elliptical and then the weight machines.  Pretty good workout.  This week was okay, but next week I do need to pick up the intensity.  Maybe I will get the drive back. 

Friday-  15 minute jog and then a jillian frontside video. 

Thursday-  Kind of a slow morning- so I only did part of a Jillian video and then rushed off to work.  I had walking time at school also.  not good enough though.  Tomorrow I will try to double it up at the gym.  blah. 

So this week I really need to be accountable.  I lost a week of workouts last week because I was too sick to work out most days and then I went out of town over the weekend.  So far Monday and Tuesday I have done a workout in the morning and I've been pretty good about sticking to food.  But I had such momentum going in January and I really want to get that feeling back.  So for the rest of this week I am going to log my workouts on here so that I know I am doing them and I have to be accountable.  This will hopefully get me back on my good workout track and get back into losing decent numbers each week.  I want to hit that stride again.  I hope everyone out there is having a great week and just keep up the hard work!!!!!!!!!

ok so this whole dedication, discipline thing isn't just for working out. i'm having to apply it to real life now too. everyone knows life isn't an easy ride all the time....in fact most of the time i find myself going up hill.  i've really been thinking about how it's unrealistic to complain about your present circumstances unless you're willing to do the work to change them.  kind of like the saying to get to the top of the mountain, you have to be willing to climb.  being healthy and in shape, and to be quite honest, thin and HOT (lol) are things that are important to me, and although it's painful, i want to make sure i am maintaining the drive to achieve those goals. while doing this, i've also made myself another goal. i recently got a second job for the weekends, to add second income to my teaching, and to help my husband in putting a bigger dent in the bills we have.  money is SUCH a stress, and although i know i am doing a good thing working a second job, it's been so hard for me to maintain that drive and discipline that i'm so pushing myself to have with working out.  so my goal is that while i am pushing myself into being more healthy, i want to push myself into busting my butt at work as well so that isaac and i can achieve our goal of financial security.  quite a steep hill i find myself climbing here....and it's going to be easy to backslide...but man that view at the top has to be so worth it...so i'll just keep climbing...

Being sick really throws you off your schedule.  I hate it.  I'm trying to rest my body so I get better, but I also am thinking about all the high intensity workouts I am missing.  Hopefully I will start to feel better tomorrow.  blaaaaaaaaaaaaah
-Kaitlyn

woohoo!  This morning I stepped on the scale, and it seriously said 150.0.  I was ecstatic.  I wasn't sure if I was going to make my goal within a goal I had set a few weeks ago of being 150 by my birthday, but today is my birthday, and there it was!  To me, that was a great birthday present- being able to meet my goal, especially because this week I was craving foods so bad and even though I was still working out, I just didn't have the same energy I had been having. And, I know the numbers on the scale aren't everything, but I do know that I am making myself healthier and trying really hard to make this a lifestyle change. So, there it is, and after this, I don't want to see 150's again and I want to plow through those 140's!  Have a great day everyone, and keep working hard!!!!!!!!!