Merry Christmas Weight Gain, UGH!!

Ok, so I must admit I have seriously fallen off the wagon. With the stress of losing my job and other personal issues, it's been difficult for me to stick to a workout routine and eat right. I know I'm an emotional eater and not so much in the sense that I eat when I'm happy, but I eat when I'm stressed and I get mad crazy cravings for the worst foods in the world for you. I've realized that in my times of stress, I've used food to help me through the stress, sort of to "uplift" me temporarily. But what I have also now realized is that feeling is only temporary and after I have eaten said crappy food or made some piss-poor excuse NOT to work out, I feel even worse than I did before, therefore adding even more unneeded stress. So, in the spirit of the "New Year's Resolution" (which I never make them), I am going to make the commitment to myself to get healthy again, not only physically, but mentally as well. Because to overcome weight issues there is a mental battle involved and if you are not quite right mentally, it's going to be even harder to attain any kind of physical goals. Mind and body need to work together to help the other out and for balance. It's taken me year's of trial and error to figure this out, the hard way I might add, but I finally figured it out. Now it's all about action. So, in my quest to not only better my body but my soul, I am joining my favorite trainer, motivator, coach and personal hero Chalene Johnson in her 30 day Motivational Challenge. It's geared to help you learn how to get organized, set and master your goals. I strongly encourage you to do it with me (as far as I know, it's free). Here's the link: Chalene's 30 Day Challenge.

I do have a new job, which I love. It doesn't pay as much, but I love it and I'm happy there and that is what matters. I am still working at Courtney's so I am making some extra money there too. There are lots of things I want to do in the new year and I know this challenge will help me to get organized enough to do it.

In closing I wish everyone a very very Happy New Year and please be safe.

(Not-so, but soon to be again) Skinny Phoenix

You're a Smelly Pirate!

So the title is synonymous with how I look right now. I just got done doing TurboFire 30 and 10 minute stretch class. So I'm nice and sweaty, therefore decided to write a blog! Hehehe!

I've been doing great with my workouts. Last week I worked out Monday thru Friday, every day with a mixture of Chalean Extreme and TurboFire! I also started drinking Shakeology which I've been taking for 6 days now and already I'm feeling a difference. I have more energy to finish my workouts and my recovery after workouts already seem to be much better. Oh yeah and I'm down 2 pounds, so I'm feeling amazing.

Let me tell you a little bit about my experience with TurboFire so far. All I gotta say is HOLY FRICKEN CRAP it's kicking my butt!! I would NOT recommend this program for anyone who is just starting a workout regime. This stuff is definitely for more seasoned/experienced exercisers. But let me just say that if there is anyone out there who has been working out for a while and have hit a plateau or are just getting bored with your workouts, TurboFire will break thru that slump in no time. They use the HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) programs, which is what athletes are now using to train. HIIT programs are extremely effective and rev up your metabolism like crazy! But you aren't suppose to do them two days in a row, because you need to let your body recover and in that recovery you will still be burning calories from the original workout. If you wanna check it out, go to my web site or you can check it out at teambeachbody.com.

So my eating has got way better. Mostly it's because I am tracking every single thing I eat. That is extremely key in weight loss. Keep track of everything you put in your mouth. Food journals can be helpful to gauge how you feel after you eat food, tired, bloated, full, satisfied, still hungry, etc. What I've learned throughout my trials and tribulations with weight loss is that eating every 2 and a half to 3 hours helps me keep cravings away because I don't get so ravenously hungry that I can't control what I eat or crave. That's the other great thing about Shakeology is that my cravings for crap food have really diminished (another wonderful side effect to this powerful shake). 

So, I'm off to shower now. I hope all this info is helpful and maybe it will help someone get motivated to take control of their weight, diet and overall health. I think we ourselves deserve the best, but to get the best and be the best you have to earn it.

Peace out!!

It's On The Way!!

I'm soo super excited!! TurboFire is on it's way!! And so is Shakeology! I'm super excited to start TurboFire, mainly because I need some new material to work out to with some kickin new music. Chalene never fails to deliver on the awesome music in her workouts and that is why I am such a fan of her workouts! She truly is an inspiration! So I decided that I will combine TurboFire with Chalean Extreme and I should get the best results. I'm pretty sure I will be sore consistently for 90 days, but I love that hurt. I use to hate being sore from working out when I was in high school, but that was because I never really worked out on a consistent basis to fully understand how good that soreness feels. The soreness from working out is nothing compared to the aches and pains I get from NOT working out. My back and hips get so much worse when I am not working out and that is a pain I cannot afford to have.

So I have been doing pretty good so far, slowly getting back into things. I started Chalean Extreme again yesterday with Burn Circuit 1 and have been filling in the cardio with TurboJam until I get my TurboFire. If anyone wants to workout with me, let me know. If you can't work out with me in person then just go sign up (for free!!) from my website, http://beachbodycoach.com/sten. Just click on "Join" and set up your account. Then we can work out together in the online gym. This is also great if you have friends or relatives that live across the country that you may want to connect with and challenge each other towards getting fit and healthy. There are awesome recipes and a place where you can keep track of meals. There is a discussion forum where you can connect with celebrity trainers, like Chalene Johnson (TurboJam, TurboFire), Tony Horton (P90X) and other popular workout programs and instructors.  Also, just for logging your workouts you are entered into the daily drawing for cash and prizes and a weekly prize of $1,000.

So get out there and just start somewhere. Whether it be your diet, or working out. Everyone has to start somewhere. And if you need any help, I'm here!!

To your health!
Kirsten

Join Me to Become Healthly!

Ok, so I'm sure that there are a few of you out there who have been following me on my weight loss journey. My last post, I posted how I am getting back on track to complete my weight loss goals. I'm 82% complete in getting to my goal, which is great, but not quite there yet. So I'm looking for some people to join me in my weight loss journey. I am now officially a Beachbody Coach. I've achieved all my weight loss so far thanks to working out to Beachbody products (i.e. TurboJam and ChaLean Xtreme) and I will be continuing my weight loss thru other Beachbody products as well. I suggest going to My Website and Join. It is free to join and you don't have to buy any products if you don't want to, but if you do want to that's fine too. The site has an online gym where you can work out with other members, keep track of your food, get recipes and advice on fitness and health, information on products and more. It's an excellent resource to help anyone through weight loss and I highly recommend it. Also, you have opportunities to win prizes just from working out online.

So go check it out and join me in my quest to become healthy!

Back At It

Alright, so I'm back at it. Haven't been doing the greatest at working out, it's only been once a week. And my eating has really got a lot worse. So time to give myself that proverbial kick in the butt again. I've gained 10 pounds back, ugh!! So time to get back on track. Yesterday, I started keeping track of my eating again and worked out for 50 minutes (cardio). I canceled my weight watchers subscription, since it's one of things that I needed to cut from my budget. But I still know how to count points and I still have a WW points calculator. So I'm keeping track of it all in my handy dandy Excel spreadsheet. Ok, I know I just said "handy, dandy"!! I've been watching too much Blue's Clue's with my 2 year old! HA!

So besides keeping track of my food again, I am keeping a better schedule of my workouts and I am working out online again, like I use to. If you get any Beachbody products (i.e. P90X, Turbo Jam, TurboFire) you get a membership to the site and can log your workouts online in the "online gym". You can become friends with other members and schedule workouts online with them. The gym is called WOWY (work out with you) Super Gym. Not only do you get to workout with other members, but if you workout online you are entered for a chance to win daily prizes like $300 or other items like iPods, digital cameras and DVD players. Once a week there is a drawing for $1,000, just for working out! The prizes were what helped motivate me before, so I am going to do them again.

Wish me luck!

Triple 10

Ok, I know it's been almost two months since I've posted. I've been kind of down and out, so to speak. Losing my job hasn't helped anything and having to be super duper frugal about everything, really sucks. But I'll get through it. So I wanted to talk a little bit about volunteer work. Because the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is in Moorhead, in fact it's only a few blocks away from my house. It's amazing the house that is being built. Traffic sucks, but it's really brought Moorhead a ton of business. So they have about 4,000 volunteers for this home. Volunteer work is so amazing and I think it's so wonderful all the people willing to help this family out. But my question is, why can't we get this many volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, or the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center, or several other charities in need. Only a nationally recognized show gets so many volunteers? Just because it's on TV? Volunteer work or charity isn't suppose to be about recognition, it's suppose to be about helping your fellow human being, because it's the right thing to do, not because you may get seen on TV or meet a TV personality.

Ok, that's just my two cents and mostly because I've been hearing about it all week and it's only a few blocks away and I get to deal with all the traffic and such. The big reveal is today which it's reported that about 10,000 will be there for the big reveal. So that will make traffic in this area even more fun. So really people, if you want to help out and volunteer, do it for the right reasons, not recognition.

Peace out peeps, much love on this nice warm autumn day!

I know I've Been a Bad Girl

Ok, so I didn't keep up with posting about my workouts and all, but I've been kind of busy.  Well that is all going to change now since I was recently fired.  I'm not going to get into the details here, but it's basically a bunch of bull! Anyway, so as I am looking for a new position and trying to eat as "cheap" as I can, I will be looking for ways to try to eat healthy and cheap. 

One of the ways I have come across is by buying from Farmer's Markets.  This site: Fargo Farmer's Markets lists local Farmer's Markets in the FM Area.  Some other great ways to eat cheap is to buy in bulk, save as much as you can in leftovers by pre-portioning your food before you eat.  By specifically setting your portion size when you "dish up" at the dinner table you not only have leftovers (provided everyone else doesn't pig out), but you also don't overeat this way.  Another great way to make sure you fill up at any meal, is to drink 8 oz of water before you eat and make sure you also drink another 8 oz with your meal.

Since I will have more time on my hands I will posting way more often.  I am also starting another blog dedicated to music and movies and anything else entertainment related.

I want everyone to know that I am staying as positive as I can with my recent loss and looking at it like even though this door in my life has closed, I know another bigger and better door will soon open.  Thank you to everyone who is there for me and if you wanna help me out, send people to my blogs!

Much love, hugs and kisses!

Hitting a Rut in Weight Loss

Okay, so we've all been there, right?  We do really well, then we hit a rough patch.  We stop losing weight, start to fall off track of eating healthy, get lazy, start to gain a bit back.  It's frustrating when we fall off the "healthy lifestyle" wagon.  But it happens and we just need to dust ourselves off, kick ourselves in the butt and get right back on the right track!! So this is exactly what has happened to me and I've finally narrowed down my problem or breaking point.  As you may already know, I've been doing Chalean Extreme.  However, I've never been able to consistently get through the full program.  It's a 90 day program that consists of three levels of weight training; Burn Circuit, Push Circuit and Lean Circuit.  I can get through the first circuit pretty well, but I start to waver the last week or two of the Push Circuit and it takes me two weeks to do one week's worth of workouts.  It's frustrating because I get more and more hungry the heavier the weights I lift.  Which proves that I'm achieving exactly what I am suppose to in building a higher metabolism.  The downfall to that higher metabolism is how ravenously hungry I get and that's when I start to lose it.  I get so hungry that I have to eat constantly and then I end up eating some really crappy foods which in turn, drains my energy and my motivation to keep working out.

So, I've decided to start the program over from scratch.  And to help keep me on track, I've decided to blog about my workouts to not only be accountable but to show you guys my progress, my triumphs and my struggles.  So Monday was Day 1, and I did Burn Circuit 1.  Felt amazing doing it and feeling that way again helps motivate me to keep doing it and eat healthy so to not ruin my results.  Tuesday was rest day.  Today will be Burn Circuit 2, Thursday is cardio, Friday is Burn Circuit 3, Saturday is Cardio and stretching and Sunday is rest day.  I will update as to how each workout goes, and how I feel I did.

Also, on Monday weighed in at 138.  Haven't done measurements lately, but I will starting next week.  Please feel free to leave comments of encouragement as I may need them along the way.

Til next time!

Skinny Phoenix

Bikini

Alrighty, so thanks to my friend Karla, whom has given me the courage to wear a bikini in public (of course at around sunset so the lighting isn't so good) has inspired me to break down and buy my first bikini.  So I did, they were on sale and I just got a cheap one to start out with.  Now by no means do I feel completely comfortable trotting around in it, because of stretch marks and such, but I do feel pretty good wearing it.  It defines a goal in my life that I never thought I would achieve and it actually came before getting my surgery, so it's a bit of a shock to me that it's all starting to perfectly fall in place.  My goal, that has plagued me since the birth of my oldest son, was to wear a bikini in public.  A few weeks ago, I did just that.  Granted, I was with some of my most trusted, closest and supportive friends which made wearing said bikini that much easier.  I'm sure they were probably just being super nice telling me how great I looked, but it really did something for me.  It made me proud that I had lost all 45 pounds so far and despite the stretch marks and bit of saggy skin, I felt pretty darn good.  It was sort of a freeing experience which is why, even though Karla gave me the bikini she made me try on that day, I felt I needed to actually purchase a bikini for myself, that was my own that I picked out and that I bought.

So even though I'm not quite to the point of strutting in a bikini in front of a bunch of random strangers, I am confident enough to do it in front of the people who are always cheering for me, who love me, who support me and who inspire me.

With all the love and gratitude in my heart, this is dedicated to you, my suppoort team of the most amazing people I know.  You are my family and my heart! MUAH!!

Love,

Skinny Phoenix

Still Alive!

Ok, I swear I am still alive, really! I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while, but not much has happened. I still weigh the same (boo!) My measurements are still the same (double boo)! I really need a day job, cuz this working overnights is really starting to get to me. I am starting to thrive for normalcy. I have one more workout left in my Push Circuit then I will be starting the final "Lean" circuit, which is 4 weeks long. I haven't been able to get TurboFire yet, so if anyone wants to get me a gift (I do have a bday coming up in October >wink, wink<) there's your idea.

I am trying to get my own business going, which is Internet marketing. I still have a lot to get it set up. With working full time, it may take me a little bit to get that up and running, but I will get there, I swear! Oh and get this, the name of my business is called Red Phoenix Solutions!! YAY!! So if any of you out there need some type of marketing done for your business, mostly videos for the internet to get customers to your sight and to get more paying customers, I am your girl! Of course that will expand, but that's how I am starting out. So anyway, thought I would just do a quick update about my busy life, oh and still working on making my surgery happen, make take slightly longer to get it than I originally wanted, but I will get it!

Peace out!

Love,
Skinny Phoenix

Found!

Alrighty all, so I know it's been a while since I posted, so I thought I'd better get in an update. So I had my third and final consult yesterday. It was amazing!! I love the staff, I love the surgeon and she is willing to do all my procedures at once! I am soo super excited!! To put in perspective how giddy and excited I was after my appointment, here's an analogy. If you've seen The Ugly Truth and Katherine Heigle's "happy dance", this is exactly what I did! Here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgqZwDdNS9s

So I'm super excited that I have finally found "the one"!!! Now I just need to figure out how to pay for all this!

I'm taking donations ;)

Peace out!

Second Consult and TurboFire!

So I had my second consult with Rick Becker. He was way better than the first guy I saw! Really nice and seemed very eager to answer all my questions. Only down side about him was that he isn't willing to do my hysterectomy at the same time as my tuck. Frustrating!

My next consult, and hopefully my final one, is next Monday on the 28th. I am super optimistic that she will do my hysterectomy at the same time. Because when I initially called to set up the consult I asked the receptionist if they would do that and she said yes they have done it before and since they are affiliated with the hospital they would do it there. So I'm crossing my fingers that she will agree to do it!

My other great, amazing and exciting news this week is that TurboFire is out! Woohoo!! I am going to order it as soon as I can and I am totally gonna kick ass at it!

Hope everyone else is well!

Peace out!

No More Jiggle Wings!

I know it's been a while since I've posted. But here's an update. So, I'm down to 133 pounds which is great! I'm in the Push Phase Circuit of Chalean Extreme. And my most exciting thing to post about is that I no longer have jiggle wings!! You know what I mean? All ladies will know exactly what I'm talking about. See most women have this and we absolutely hate it. But we'll lift up our arms and low and behold the skin that hangs from under our arms, if we wave, will writhe and jiggle. However, if you have enough muscle and tighten your arms, they will not wiggle and jiggle and flap like we have "fat wings". I have finally got to a point, where there is little to no jiggle. OMG!! So excited about this!! I finally have arms I can show, slightly sculpted shoulders, and a very nice collar bone (that actually shows)!! It's little things like this that really help keep me going. While my weight may not budge as much as I want to, seeing tone arms, less jiggle, more energy, more strength, more defined jawline and cheekbones, moving another notch on the belt, and having my size 4 pants feel looser helps me realize that I'm still making noticeable progress. Of course my darn belly doesn't budge, but I know that's not just gonna go away without it being cut off.

So to go on that note: second consult is Monday June 14th (My bff's Amy's bday!Woot woot!). It's with Becker Plastic Surgery and he's got some pretty impressive stats. He's booked out pretty far and when I tried to reschedule for June 28th, that was booked and I wouldn't be able to see him any other time until mid July!! So I was like, screw it, I'll just go see the guy on Monday, since he seems to be so darn popular, may as well give this guy a shot. I am still sort of leaning toward the female surgeon, but if I do really like this guy and his work and feel like I can really trust him, then I will have no problem going with him. I like having options tho.

So that's the update so far. Still got 6 weeks of Chalean Extreme to complete, oh yeah, and Chalene has a new workout program coming out called TurboFire that I am super stoked about!! Comes out sometime this month and I do plan on getting that too! Looks amazingly intense and fun.

Here's a link to preview TurboFire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRGTuvoEgdA&feature=related

Peace out!

LOST

So this week I'm going a bit off topic to pay tribute to one of the greatest shows on television which is coming to its end tonight. I started watching the show almost two years ago thanks in main part to several friends, mainly Ryan, Nancy and Kristy. I got the first season on DVD and was pretty much instantly hooked. The story line is amazing, the characters you feel like are your best friends and the island starts to feel like home. It will be a sad night and though it's time to say goodbye, I will always be thankful to those friends who introduced such an amazing show that made a huge impact in my life.

Thank you!

I wish Publisher's Clearing House would come knocking!

Ok, I am super tired so I am gonna make this short and sweet.

Weight is up argh!! 135 pds

However finally got thru the Burn Phase and am on to the Push Phase. Starting to see way more muscle tone! YAY!!

Had my first Plastic Surgeon consult May 13th, yeah, that was a joke. The guy was kind of a dill weed! So made appointments for my next two. One is on June 14th (my sista's bday) and on June 28th. Super excited!

Ok, so that's the update. Will post more later when I'm not soo tired.

Peace out!

~Skinny Phoenix

Breathe Me

So it's a new week. Yet I don't feel nearly as ambitious as last week. Weigh in days (Mondays) can be uplifting or discouraging or downright disappointing. Well, I lost a pound, so I am down to 134. I mean, don't get me wrong, that is great and I need to keep reminding myself that not only am I losing fat, I'm gaining muscle which weighs more than fat. So even though this is a big accomplishment, I still feel a bit disapointed. I know it's probably because I only have 10 more, make that 9 more, pounds until my goal weight, so it's going to go that much slower. It's not like when I had 50 pounds to lose, which at the beginning you tend to lose more because it's mostly fat to lose. So now that I am trying to not only lose the rest of my fat but build muscle at the same time, it's going to be tougher. I know this, I've studied this, yet it still doesn't make it any easier.

Ok, so now about my eating and work outs last week. I really slacked off last week and only worked out 5 days, which was kind of disappointing, but circumstances came up. I ate really well and saved up all my "allowable" bad eating for the weekend and still had some points left over to spare (not including work out points). So I'm pretty proud about how I ate, but I could always do better. I did do all of my Chalean strength training sessions and for some reason they were way tougher than week one. Must be all that muscle I'm breaking down, gets weak, then gets stronger (hopefully). And I only got in two days of Cardio, but I can deal with that. I will just need to step it up this week.

Considering my disappointing weigh in (and other personal crap), the week hasn't started out the best. But at least I can vent all my stress in my workouts. Which, after two weeks, I am noticing some significant increases in energy, despite my lack of sleep sometimes. So obviously one of the many benefits of exercise!

So my goals for this week:

Workout 6 days
Drink 1 more glass of water a day
Try to get in 6-7 hours of straight sleep a day for the rest of the week
Try a new fruit or vegatable

See ya next week!

~Skinny Phoenix

Friendship

So at what point is it ok to treat a friend like total crap and cut them off and shut them out? This is what really irkes me, you can get in a disagreement with someone who claims to be the bestest friend ever, but when you touch on that one "sore subject" they hang up on you and refuse to discuss any further! What the heck is up with that?

I've had my fair share of disagreements with people, but I am an aruguer and I don't give up easily. And even if I am wrong, at least I will admit it. Not saying that in all situations there is a "wrong" or "right", there is simply just opinion. But seriously, isn't that what BFF's are for? To vent, to argue with, to discuss those deep dark issues? To share a not so common interest, to debate? Isn't that the beauty of having friends? You can argue relentlessly and come to no agreed conclusion but still have the dignity to work it all out in the end and not completely shut the other out?

Ok, maybe I am being just a bit dramatic, but I carry I high standard for my close friends. As anyone should. Right?

Obsessed

So I have been intensifying my tummy tuck research and I think I am even more obsessed with getting it done now. It's no longer a matter of "if" I'm going to do it, but when. I have contacted a few doctors and plan to meet with them in the coming months. I found the best website ever. It's a networking forum where women talk about their tummy tucks. It's for women who are thinking about getting one, gonna get one, or have had one. It has all the resources one would need to help get them educated on a tummy tuck; what to ask at a consult, what supplies you'll need for recovery, scar therapy, and the most amazing support of ladies I have ever seen! The website is private and you need to be invited. So if you are interested in joining, the website is www.tummytucktalk.ning.com. Tell them Kirsten sent ya!

First Blog Eva!

Okay, so I am new at this blogging thing, but I think this would be a great way to document my journey to achieving not only body happiness but life happiness as well. I wish I would have started this two years ago, when I started losing weight. But I will catch you up to speed in case you don't know my journey so far.

Two years ago I had my second son, Brody. When I got pregnant with him I weighed as much as I did when I was 9 months pregnant with my first son, Brevon. So I was 180 pounds. At 5'3, that's not a good thing. I was really fat and not very healthy at all. I decided at the beginning of my pregnancy that I would try not to gain as much weight as possible and I did do pretty well. Thank god, I didn't hit 200, but I got close and weighed in at 199 the week I ended up having Brody. Also, I slipped and fell in the bathroom at work, which caused me to go into labor 4 weeks early.

On top of having some pretty serious back issues right away, taking care of a newborn was kind of a daunting and exhausting task. I didn't exactly wait the 6 weeks post baby to start my weight loss. I started working out and joined Weight Watchers (exclusively online) about 4 weeks after having my son.

Below is my weight starting out and my measurements (all measurements in inches).

Start Date 3/21/2008
Weight - 180 pounds
Waist - 43.5
Hips - 44
Chest - 45.5
Right Arm - 13
Left Arm - 13
Right Thigh - 25
Left Thigh - 25
Body Fat (%) - 42
BMI - 34

Today
Weight - 136
Waist - 32
Hips - 37
Chest - 38
R&L Arm - 11
R&L Thigh - 21
Body Fat (%) - 29

BMI - 24

So as you can see, I have come quite a long way! I started working out to Turbo Jam videos and that worked awesome! I got Chalean Xtreme, which is a weight training regime that is 90 days long. I got this program a year ago and didn't get thru the full 90 days. So I decided to try to go thru the program again and this time finish it.

I started it again last Monday and I have been great all week. I have worked out 5 out of the last 6 days and will work out today as well. So I am staying on track and would love to stay on track to work out 7 days a week, but if I only do 5 or 6, I will be ok with that. I still do WW, which has helped me to keep track of exactly what I'm eating. I love the points system because I am not good at counting calories. So my goal is to get trim and toned and hopefully that will help my stomach a lot, but I know that I will have to get a tummy tuck due to my massive stretch marks. But my goal is to get down as close as I can to my goal weight before I get the surgery.

So this is where I am going to track my journey as well as use YouTube to vlog my journey as well.

Peace out!

Skinny Phoenix