final picture and status.....

Here are the final images for now. I still don't see much of a change and probably shouldn't. The 31 day challenge was exactly that ...challenging at times....espcially that last week. That last in the 31 day challenge was spring break here so I was working every day at my jobs and still planning Easter and Sam's 3rd birthday and trying to workout. I technically didn't work out every day in the 31 days...I missed 1 day for being sick, 1 day for being exhausted and angry at my H and one day for just being too busy and exhausted.  I really really tried and felt a difference! I really will try to contine to work out up until my vacation in 5 days and even through at least half of it. and then again revisit my goals when I return. I just wish I was more swimsuit ready then I am. I am not terribly bad looking but I definitely could use more toning.

 

After nearly working 31 days straight.....

Not as much improvement. I took the final weight on April 1st. Unfortunately since then I baked cupcakes for my daughter's class, went out for frozen yogurt on April 3rd for my daughter's birthday, drank a bottle of chocolate wine and then I baked a cake for a pinterest party I have tomorrow and I haven't had the time to work out. I don't want to know what the scale says NOW!

 

Day 26: don't know what to think

I literally can not see a change in my body. I barely see a change on the scale and yet I am constantly feeling sore. However, I feel like my strength and endurance has increased. My Cindy Crawford video that I began with is not very challenging. On a daily basis I am able to do better at my workouts. more pushups then the day before, longer planks and so on. I'm feeling a little discouraged. I couldn't help but notice the number on the scale tonight. I wasn't expecting to care this much about weight because my original goal was to be less jiggly and look better for my trip to Florida. Honestly I just don't see my goals being achieved. I have a few more days left of my monthly challenge and I have got to kick it up a notch and go hard! I will probably workout in April up until my trip but I am trying to keep my goals and challenges achievable and short.

Day 15: On the eve of my birthday I took the latest photos.

I have been working out 2 full weeks and got two more to go. I may not be seeing too much change but I do feel stronger. Each day I am out of breath LESS and I can do more repetitions and not feel as bad the next day. I still just wish this gut would go away!

 

Day 15: A new WEIGHT!

The Scale did fluctuate between 109.6 and 110 even. However, this was the most 

stable number. One little movement or foot adjustment and it moves. I am sore pretty much all of the time. I mean I prettymuch  feel like my  body is getting a beating every day. I am still not seeing a difference. Sometimes I might flex my arms and legs and *think I am seeing a small bump where there is a muscle but honestly I think it's my imagination. lol

Day 11: Feeling it more than seeing it....

Today I went skiing as you know which is a long day of working out the legs but also a little of the arms. I broke a sweat near the end of the day which was great becuse that means I worked hard enough and was breathing hard enough to get in a little cardio. I also did 22 burpees and about 20 pelvic lifts/abs. 

 

As you can see there isn't much of a difference. I kinda wish I had started taking pics in a different room with better light but I definitely think that regardless after lots of exercising you will see the silhouhette change. I am currently taking pics EVERY Friday. I think the most obvious thing I hate is my stomach. I don't feel like I am working it out hard enough so I think tomorrow is going to be  "AB" day. I want them to BURN baby.  This week I am hopefully going to get in a little yoga. But I am really struggling with motivation and just getting excited to work out unless it's fun. Today was a great work out that was fun but also expensive! lol I have almost made it 2 full weeks of working out daily but I fear that because I don't have a lot exciting work outs from the 16-31 it's going to be a struggle. 

Day 7: Photos on Facebook

(my view every morning from my house taken a few days ago)

So yesterday, Day 6 I did exercises at home because it got dark fast after work. Today I didn't have to be at work till 1pm and took advantage of the 60 degree weather in Colorado and ran. My legs are so sore! I am so tired and in pain. lol

Today was probably one of the first days that I started to make some different goals. First there are tons of hills and mountains here in Colorado. One of which I wake up to and that I look at almost every day.  I think I would like to try to find the trail that leads up to it and get to the top. Just to say I did.

Second because of the number on the scale I would love to say I was between 105-109 after a month of working out. It's usually where I am at weight wise. I want to say I was 105-110 before having a baby. So I don't have a lot to lose to make that goal which is perfect because I don't want this challenge to be super hard. I want to accomplish it and to do that I have to make it bearable and reachable.

Twice I got asked if I was going to do the Spartan Race at Ft. Carson in May. I have always wanted to do it but there were 2 things stopping me. 1) The entry cost is easily like $60 dollars and I am such a cheap skate. I have lots of Summer plans this Summer that are costing a lot and it's going to take every penny of mine and Rob's money...the trip to Florida is just the beginning. 2) I have seen the race before and it is seriously hardcore. I don't think I am ready now but today has made me start thinking about "what if I could be by then... if I worked out every day till May?" hmmmm must chew on that for a while. I am a bit perplexed about what to do with my brand new running shoes. They were easily over $100 for them and I would hate for them to be ruined after the Spartan Race and have to donate them. And yet I can't be sure I should or would be able to buy some just for the race. It's stuff to think about.

Day 5: Weight

 So I have gone years without weighing myself because I don't like to be caught up on a number and like I said, I don't think I am fat.  I started working at a job around Thanksgiving that was very physically intensive at times and I did feel my size 4 jeans get more loose and me begin fitting once again in my size 2's. That made me happy and I took it as a good sign. After doing the Cindy Crawford video 2 days in my first 5 and then running on one of the days and then doing another work out video I found online. I knew that I had to get to the gym. I also knew I had to get a basis of where I was starting at so I could even measure my progress. I am cheap and since I didn't know how long this work out commitment was going to last. I did not want to go through the trouble of finding a gym that I liked near me and signing up for a trial period and then being hassled for payment and or bing stressed that I was losing the membership soon and I HAD to get there and use it. Then I remembered there was a gym on the Air Force base that was FREE! It wasn't as close as I liked and it wasn't open as long as I liked (it's not 24 hrs) BUT you can't beat free! so I went on Day 5 to the gym and worked out and got my weight. I was actually surprised by that number. I thought I would be in the 105-110 lbs range. Not too shabby still. I still don't have any of my other measurements.

and another to make you laugh!

 "look at my butt!" (from the movie, Heart and Souls with Robert Downey Jr.)

Eat your heart out youngins!

So I picked this month to take on this challenge because I have a vacation in April in Florida! I HAVE to look better in a swimsuit. It happens to also be my birth month. So excuse my language but I want to be shit hot for a 35 yr old. I turn 35 on March 16th...mid month so I don't even have a full month to look shit hot nor do I expect to but there is still some benefit. If I get more in shape by then then I could go out and dance the night away and actually be able to stay up later because I am not as tired, last longer on the dance floor and look better while I am out there. I posed this way because I have seen a lot of my nieces and nephews and younger cousins in their 20's posing like this in the bathroom mirror and I am basically making fun of it! lol

 For my first night I decided to do my Cindy Crawford work out video. I had worked a full day from 8-5:30 pm and I was not looking forward to getting in my car and going somewhere again. I actually like the video even though I hardly have used it in the last 3 yrs. It's not cheesy and it's all and all a very good work out that works every part of the body. I want to have shaped arms and flatter abs and less "jiggly" all around....buttocks, thighs, arms, and belly. I guess that was my original and very basic goal...to workout for a month and have less jiggly anywhere.

In the Beginning...

 I decided to VERY briefly talk about my Exercise challenge. My challenge is to exercise for 1 month and that is it. I want to get through the month FIRST or at least most of it before I can say I will continue. I did this challenge because mainly I knew I needed to get toned. I still don't think I am very fat. I knew I had a belly from giving birth and I knew I had a small hernia in my abdomen from giving birth. The doc at the Military hospital said it wasn't bad enough for them to repair and that I could still exercise with it. I was told that about 2 yrs ago and just never took them up on it. lol So here is a picture of me in my basement spare bedroom because that is where I have a full size mirror. I need to paint that room but it's not a priority and I still haven't found "the" paint color.