60 Days

Last year between March and the beginning of August, I lost around 40 lbs. I looked better. I felt good. I was on the right track. Then Depression hit me like a ton of bricks. My great grandma died, we started MAPP classes, I had to face my infertility as a loss head on, the weather grew colder, etc. I had a hard time staying out of my funk long enough to care about nutrition, health, and fitness. I was just trying to get up in the morning and function among the living on a daily basis. No one truly knew how bad it was for me on the inside. Regardless the reason, I gained back all but about 15 pounds of the lost weight. I didn't notice until about December/January. That's when I knew it was time to get back into it.

I began broaching the idea to the hubs. I talked about eating better/less, exercising more, logging my food and exercise with My Fitness Pal, etc. I talked and talked and talked about it for several weeks. I WANTED to do it, but getting past myself to actually start was far more difficult. I began to wonder if I was ever going to stop talking about it and actually DO it. That's when Heather, a lady in my Sunday school class, approached some of us on Facebook about starting a FAN (fitness and nutrition) group. We'd commit to 90 days of logging/tracking food, drinking enough water, exercising, etc. We could choose our own plan, but the goal was to stick to it for 90 days. This gave me the extra push to get started. The hubs and I committed and even started about a week or so before the FAN 90 group started.

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Last Saturday was the group's 60th day. A lot of the group members have slacked off. I'm not trying to be mean, but when a group of 32 only sees about 6 or 7 of the same people posting regularly, then it's safe to assume the rest of the group has slacked off for some reason or other. However, the hubs and I have stuck with it. It hasn't been a smooth and perfect road, but we've tracked out food, exercised often, and worked really hard towards our fitness goals. I'm back to 26 lbs lost. I've lost +/--10 inches overall. The hubs has lost several as well. We've begun to not only do cardio, but weight lifting as well, so our bodies are toning/firming up.

Here's what our progress looks like thus far...

Be Still My Heart

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My heart and my mind are OVERFLOWING! I have soooo many things I need to share, but I haven't wanted to blog. I am SO stinkin' busy, it's ridiculous! Buuut, since Max is playing trains (and the little goober does NOT want me to play with him!!) I thought I'd take a few minutes to update all of my faithful (???) readers out there on what's going on in the Bailey household!

1. We moved! It went well! Out apartment is a disaster as we try to condense two years worth of HOUSE build-up into a 2/2 apartment. We definitely need an Ikea trip in the near future to take care of a couple of issues furniture wise (like a new entertainment center since what we've been using is way too big for the area in which it needs to fit!) We've used the pool at least 7 times in the last two weeks. Definitely loving that we moved in right when it got warm! When the mess is put away, I will definitely post pictures!

2. We celebrated two SPECTACULAR years of marriage! I have no pictures of the event, as we didn't make a huge tado about it! We plan on celebrating somehow later, but we don't have the extra money/time to do it right now. We both worked that day (June 19th), came home, exchanged sweet cards, had awesome homemade Asian food, went to our apartment complex's gym, swam, watched a movie, etc. It was a sweet night! I adore my husband with every ounce of my being. To me, there is no greater guy in all of eternity (excluding Jesus, of course!)

3. I gained/lost weight. Yeah. During those couple of weeks of packing/moving, we didn't cook a lot at home due to our stuff being packed/not wanting to buy a ton of food before we moved. Soo...I gained a few pounds. BUT...I've also lost a couple of them already this week. I was super frustrated and discouraged, but my My Fitness Pal buddies have been seeing me through! Set backs happen, but I'm not allowing myself to fall this hard next time!

4. Still no baby. Sigh. Two years of marriage signifies two years of not being pregnant. It's difficult, but not super difficult for me. I was reminded today of God's perfect (although sometimes ironic) planning. He orchestrates things to work out for the best. For that, I am extremely grateful! I had to cancel my doctor's appointment this week because I needed to watch Max. We're going to try to reschedule sometime next month, though. With all that being said, it leads me to my next point...

5. We've decided to further explore/start the process of....foster care! Yep. We may be foster parents soon! It's hard to believe that I, the woman who swore she'd never do foster care because "it's scary," is so stinkin' excited about it! We're (ideally) hoping to adopt through foster care. We have pretty strict criteria for the type of children we're willing to take into our home, though, so it could be a long road. We basically don't want to foster kids over 3 years old. I don't feel like I'm old enough to take in a 10 year old, let alone a teenager. Speaking with people who have experience in the foster care system (have I ever mentioned that all of Vance's 6 siblings were adopted through foster care?) and people who have adopted through foster care, we NEED to make our specifications and stick with them as they WILL call about kids outside of your criteria. I'm getting ahead of myself, though. Before we can even have children enter our home, we have to go through the process, which includes a home assessment, financial statements, background checks, references, medical exams, a 30 hour training course, etc. The next course is in September, so that will be the one we attend, if all goes well. We also plan on attending an into to foster care class before then, just to make sure we're going to do this. I feel super strongly about this, though. I feel like God is telling me to do it. I feel a sense of urgency about it, too. I don't know. It's weird, but I'm trying to be obedient. Please pray with us about this! It's a HUGE deal!

I think that's about it, for now. Please pray with/for us about our future, weight loss journey, our new home, our marriage, etc. We can't do anything a part from God!

P.S. Sorry for the lack of pictures!! Here...have a picture of my cute babies enjoying their bed in our new bedroom!

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Sorry For My Silence

Ok ok...I know. I KNOW! I've been silent on here for a few weeks. I promise, it is not without reason, though! So much has been going on in my life these days, so unless you follow me on Instagram (angelsingin4jc) or are my friend on My Fitness Pal (angelsingin4jc), then you probably think I've been MIA!

Here's what's been going down...

• Vance burned his hand. He grabbed the handle to a stainless steel pot that had been over a burner that was on. (He turned on the wrong burner.) He had 1st and 2nd degree burns. He was in a lot of pain for a few days, but healed VERY quickly and had no infections! (Praise!) 

• I had a pinched nerve/pulled muscle in my neck that hurt so terrible bad, that I was practically paralyzed for 24 hours. I could NOT move at all one day. It was BAD! I eventually worked through it and now it's 99% better!

• We are 8 (9 on Saturday) weeks into our weight loss journey and doing SWELL! At the 8 week mark, Vance has lost 20.9 lbs and I have lost 26.4 lbs! Woo hoo! We both lost our first 20 lbs WELL before our July 7th goal. I'm hoping to lose another 10-15 by my cousin's wedding on July 14th! Vance is in the wedding as her fiance's groomsman. P.S. This is the 4th summer I've known Vance. This is the 4th summer he's had to wear a tux and be in someone's wedding (including ours in 2010.) 

-26.4 lbs (5-11-12) 

-20.9 lbs (5-11-12)

• We are MOVING! I am so excited to get out of the house we're currently renting. It has one TINY bathroom...that has no outlets!! The house is 110+ years old and has all the charm and the quirks of a home that age. It needs some major renovating, to say the least. It has no dishwasher. NO DISHWASHER! Two years of having Vance as my only dishwasher (and my own two hands when the blue moon occurs) makes me say enough is enough! We've been apartment searching for several months now (Vance is also tired of mowing the lawn) and I finally found one that's in an excellent location, has a fantastic price, and is swanky! Seriously. They're nice apartments. I was scared because of the prices they have online, but when we went in we found the deal of a lifetime for their 2 bedroom, 2 bath floor plan! I am so excited! My own bathroom! A dishwasher! A pantry! A fireplace! A large fenced in patio! A laundry room! Outlets in my bathroom! Walk-in closets! Almost 1000 sq ft! YES! So excited! Oh and it also has a pretty awesome gym, a dog park, a pool, etc. etc. Plus, it's two minutes from the mall and about 7 minutes from Max's house. Pretty exciting stuff! We officially move in June 4th!

• I am working all the freaking time. I get a day or half a day here or there when I don't have to work one or both of my jobs, but let me tell you...I don't get paid enough for all the time I spend working! Haha. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful I have two jobs...some people don't have one!!...but it's exhausting at times!

• Still no luck on the baby front. It's more difficult at some times than it is at others, but I try not to dwell on it. On Mother's Day, I focused on my mom, Grandma, and mother-in-law, so I didn't have time to focus on my babyless self. Oh and we played 2+ hours of volleyball...which I did in a skirt, leggings, and tank top. Hahaha! I was perfectly dressed for sports! (I played volleyball in a dress and leggings at Thanksgiving. I'm beginning to develop a trend....) OH! We were supposed to have a make-up doctor's appointment next week, but I'm watching Max while his grandma is out of town. I don't really want to take a 23 month old with me to the doctor, so we are rescheduling. It's my 6 month follow-up to my initial appointment back in December. I'm really looking forward to being like "So yeah...I've lost 30 lbs since I was last here!" 

Setting up the picnic area! 

Grandma opening her present from Vance and I!

• We redeemed my Christmas present last weekend! Vance's Christmas present to me this year was two tickets to see the traveling Broadway show, WICKED!! I seriously cried during parts of it! It was SPECTACULAR!!! I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas present! We're thinking of doing this every year for our Christmas present to each other, since we both loved it so much. We're thinking of either going to Mary Poppins or Sister Act next year, since we saw posters about them at DPAC (Durham Performing Arts Center) while waiting for Wicked. Before seeing the show, we ate at Cuban Revolution. Great food with a fun atmosphere! After the performance, and to gear up for the hour and a half drive home, we got some food/milkshakes from Steak 'n Shake! Seriously! Best. Christmas. Present. EVER!!!

Ticket

Menu 

Outside on DPAC Campus

Waiting to go in!

Curtain/stage before opening!

Aaaaand...I think that's all the major news as of late! What have you been up to these days? I'd love to hear from you! I've missed you all!

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Thankful Thuesday 4-19-12

I haven't done a Thankful Thursday in a couple of weeks! Not because I have nothing to be thankful for, but because I haven't had the time to write a post!

1. Weight Loss
I'm down 16.5 lbs as of Monday morning! Woohoo! I am well on my way to my 20 lbs down by July 7th and 50 lbs down by December 31st goals! Pretty excited about it! I've never stuck with a weight loss program this long and I've never lost this much weight during one program. Pretty awesome! Also, I feel pretty great due to exercising Mon-Fri for at least 30 minutes. :-)

2. Vance
He's a spectacular husband. He cooks. He cleans. He shops for groceries. He mows the lawn. He takes care of me. He encourages me and joins me in my weight loss. He loves me unconditionally. He's wonderful.

3. My jobs
Working at Old Navy is obnoxious at times. The schedule is inconvenient sometimes. The customers are a pain sometimes. The co-workers are lazy and/or gossipy at times. However, I am grateful for my job there and that I like it 95% of the time! I LOVE watching Max. He's hilarious, charming, adorable, and sweet! He says some funny things and repeats almost everything I say. Good thing I don't swear! He brings a lot of joy to my life!

4. The NC Zoo
Vance and I invited my mom and youngest sister, Hannah, to go to the zoo last Saturday. We had a blast! It was a nice day and a lot of the animals were active! The NC Zoo is one of the best in the country. I'm so blessed that it's so close to where I live! Elephants are my fav, but the giraffes were sooo cool that day!

What are you thankful for today? Come link up over at my sweet friend, Cami's blog, First Day of My Life!

If you could take 2 seconds and give this a click, it would mean so much to me! Thank you!!

Thankful Thursday 3/29/12

Happy Thursday!

Today I am thankful for...

1. My husband, Vance. I know I write about him all the time, but seriously...he is THAT amazing, and I am THAT thankful for him. He keeps on encouraging me in my weight loss (as I am him) and supporting me by being on this journey with me. I love him. Infinity and 'yond.

2. My sweet friend, Cami. She, too, is encouraging me in my weight loss journey. She emails me asking how I'm doing, sends me suggestions for exercises, keeps up with my weight loss blog, etc. While I do have Vance (and other friends on myfitnesspal.com who keep me accountable) it's nice to have a girl friend who is healthy and in shape encourage me! I love her to itty bitty pieces!

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3. My weight loss thus far. As of this morning around 6:45am, I have lost 12.5 lbs in less than two weeks. I'll take it! :-)

4. The kickboxing workout I just did. Whew. I haven't made it through the entire 45 minutes yet. It's kicking my butt! HOWEVER, I only made it 10 minutes last week and I made it 20 this week (I do it Thursdays when Max, the little boy I nanny for, is at preschool.) According to myfitnesspal.com, during those 20 minutes, I burned around 460 calories. Sounds good to me!

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5. The beautiful weather! To me, Spring is perfect! I love being warm, but not super hot. I love the flowers blooming and the grass being green. By the time Summer rolls around NC, our grass turns less green and more brown from the heat. I enjoy having to wear a sweatshirt in the morning with my yoga pants and then just a tshirt (and yoga pants) by the evening when I go home. It's lovely!

If you could take 2 seconds and give this a click, it would mean so much to me! Thank you!!

Thankful Thursday 3/22/12

Today I am thankful for...

1. myfitnesspal.com. It helps me keep track of the calories I've eaten/will eat through the day and how much I'm burning with exercise. :-)

2. Losing approx. 6 lbs this week. Official weigh-in is Saturday morning, but as of Tuesday, I had lost 5.5 lbs, so maybe it'll be more? Even if it's less, it's still SOMETHING! I have a long journey ahead of me, but am encouraged by such a great start!

3. My husband, Vance. He keeps me encouraged and is working along side of me to lose weight! I love him dearly and am grateful he chose me as his wife.

4. My doggies! Petey and Cinnamon hung with us for 2 miles when we walked the other day. We tied them to the fence (we were walking a track) for the last mile. They were so tired afterward, but were happy!

5. My jobs. I've been working a lot (worked 55+ hours last week) between them both, but I am grateful for having not one, but two jobs, in an economy which is STILL trying to recover! Every little bit helps!

Max Snuggling

Did you write a Thankful Thursday post? Link up with us at First Day of My Life's blog!

If you could take 2 seconds and give this a click, it would mean so much to me! Thank you!!

Down But Not Out

I don't really have a post for this blog today. I posted on my weight loss blog, though. I'd love if you read today's post and comment/follow there for today.

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Excerpt:
My fertility journey has been long, but isn't over yet. It almost feels like it's just beginning in some ways. I'm on Metformin to help in what doctors think might be PCOS. We'll see what happens. I need to be exercising. I need the exercise to help me lose weight, which can possibly aid in my fertility. Exercise also gives endorphins, which can help me feel less sad. I get it. I do. I just can't do it, yet. (See the disconnect between my head and heart?) I am broken right now. I need fixing, but most of all, right now, I need love. I need to feel loved, wanted, needed, and most of all understood. I don't need judgment or to feel neglected, forgotten, ignored, or annoying. I need to know people have my back and that they love me despite my trials.

Click here to read the entire post.

If you could take 2 seconds and give this a click, it would mean so much to me! Thank you!!

Wii Fit/Couch to 5k

This is the entry I posted on my other blog, Wii Fit Extravaganza, on Monday. If you'd like to follow my weight loss/better health journey, I welcome you to "follow" me on that blog as well. I will occasionally blog about my exercising/weight loss on this blog, but mostly, I will try to keep it separate. I would LOVE for anyone who is encouraging to follow my Wii Fit Extravaganza blog and give me a "Go girl!" every once in awhile! :-) The hubs and I started the Couch to 5k program last night. An entry about that will be on my other blog in just a bit. :-)



"Today is Day 1. Day 1 of the rest of my life. Day 1 of a better body. Day 1 of feeling better. Day 1.

I got back on the proverbial horse today and used my Wii Fit. Geesh. What a let down. I didn't realize I'd gained THAT much weight. Yeah, my clothes still fit, but not the same. Exhale. Well...it's still time to make a change. Change doesn't happen over night. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes perseverance...."


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