This week was fantastic, no complaints here. I have become quite addicted to the Spin & YogaFit classes that are offered at Gold's Gym. I found a new one last Wednesday morning, called "Spin & Pump", so I decided to try it. It is brutal, but it really makes you feel sore great when you're done. It is basically a combination of a Power Pump (strength training/resistance) class and a Spin Class. You will be doing a few minutes of cycling for cardio, then you will stop and break out the resistance bands they provide, lace them under the handlebars, and work your back/chest/biceps/triceps etc. Then, you do ab crunches. On. The. Bike. Then, several more minutes of cardio, and then you do push-ups on your handlebars (yes, you stop pedaling). It's insane, but sickly oddly amazingly enough - I love it! Plus - all this is paying off, big time. My pants need belts now. My old shirts look really baggy on me. For my birthday in two weeks - I am going to be getting new clothes!

Hans has also been doing great! He loves to run like I do, so he will go to the gym and run a couple miles, then go into a spin class. Or YogaFit - don't let him fool you! He has done this a couple times...! He is also on his last notch on his belt - so he has definitely toned up! *whistles*

Eating healthy has gotten 100x easier. I subconsciously check labels at the store now, so I know what I am getting ahead of time. Then, I also allow myself to "cheat" every now and again, because I know that I will be working it off later that day. Tuesday mornings at my MOPS meetings is definitely a "cheat" day. I cannot pass up all those yummy casseroles! Hans is also doing phenomenal in this area. He has dubbed Monday night as "Chicken Caesar Salad" night. Bradley even likes it!

Anyway - on to the RESULTS!

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Hans did not lose this week, but he did not gain either, so he is even to last week. 

I lost 1.4 more pounds, putting me at losing approximately 1.005% of my weight, and am now up to losing 12.2 pounds TOTAL!

You know what - I am tired of counting who "wins" or "loses". We are BOTH winning here because we are both getting healthier and losing the excess weight we have gained over the years! From here on out, I will not be counting winner vs loser. I will just post our results for all to see!

How much weight will we lose next week? Will Spin and those crazy Yoga poses turn me into a pretzel? Stay tuned!

Week Six: Weigh In! (and crazy Yoga stories...)

Here we are already, week six. Who would have thought we would have made it this far? Not me! This week was the first week we really "slacked off". We had family in town for Valentine's Day/President's Day weekend and I did not go to the gym for 5 days straight. Then, we tried to watch what we are for the most part, but there were some times where we had some splurges, like ribeye steak and potatoes for Valentine's Day. Believe it or not, I actually missed going to the gym! Not to mention when I finally went back today I thought spin class was going to be the death of me. Then, I was crazy enough after that torture class to go to YogaFit.


Now, for those of you not familiar with YogaFit - think yoga, but changing poses really frequently. You actually sweat. Your pulse goes higher. It's amazing for toning and stretching and balance, and you get a bit of cardio in there, too! 


Yesterday, my awesome instructor Danielle was introducing a few poses I have never tried in my life. I am so sore today! Good sore, but I cannot tell you how many times I fell over. My balance was terrible after not doing anything for a few days! Here are some of the crazy examples of the poses we did: 

Half-Moon (I had to use a block under my right hand - I fell so many times!)

Reverse Triangle. Ouch! It still amuses me in this photo how happy she is... 

Ah, Warrior Three. How you always make me wobble...

The funny part about all of this is: No matter how difficult the class, I always am PSYCHED to go to them! It gives me a sense of accomplishment to know that I not only went to the class, but I made it through alive! :)

Hans and I just assumed that we would either gain this week, or keep it level since we didn't really workout all that much and weren't as strict as usual with the "fat intake". 

However - see the results below!

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Hans lost 1 more pound, putting him at losing approximately .535% of his weight, and is now up to losing 14.2 pounds TOTAL!

I lost .8 more pounds, putting me at losing approximately .571% of my weight, and am now up to losing 10.8 pounds TOTAL! I will call this one an even draw this week, since we are so close to each other's scores!

Who will win next week? Stay tuned!

Week Five: Weigh In!

Week five, week five... what can I say about week five? For me, this was one of the more challenging weeks that I have had, and I think that had something to do with me not losing any weight last week - and also gaining a smidge. You see, I kind of weigh myself through the week to see where I am going, and the only one that "counts" is Tuesday morning, but I like to know where I am at.

My gosh - this week I was up wayyyy more than down. I weighed myself at one point (granted it was after dinner and I was clothed, now that I think about it), and I had gained 3 pounds. I was really upset! I felt like giving up. Not so much on the "working out" part, but on the diet. Passing up all those old foods gets difficult in situations like at work - where EVERYONE is eating the pizza/cookies/donuts. I hadn't lost any last week, and based on what I was weighing when I was checking my weight through the week, I thought for sure, I would not lose this week. I thought I would gain again. For sure.

Secondly, let me just say how tremendously proud of my husband I am. He is the reason I stuck with it. He constantly told me how well I was doing, no matter what the scale said. He continues to drop weight like crazy, and it does get difficult not to be envious! It is like the commercial below, I swear:

Yes, yes, I realize men & women are different - and no, I am not going to go out and pick up some Slim Quick - but it does show how I feel to a point sometimes, haha!

So anyway, on to the results!

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Hans lost 1.2 more pounds, putting him at losing approximately .638% of his weight, and is now up to losing 13.2 pounds TOTAL!

I lost 1 more pound, putting me at losing approximately .709% of my weight, and am now up to losing 10 pounds TOTAL! Wait, I won?! WooHoo! 3-2 score for the 5 weeks!

Stay tuned for next week!

Week Four: Weigh In!

Here we are, one month into 2010, and Hans & I are still going strong! Both passing up opportunities to eat like we used to at work when there are the "bad" foods around, like donuts and pizza. Which is very hard to say the least! I caved in on Saturday morning though when a coworker brought homemade, cheesy, creamy hash brown casserole. I couldn't help myself. I had a scoop. It didn't kill me, but I know that it had to be not that great in retrospect for my "diet". Oh well, at least that day at lunch I passed up the Hungry Howie's sausage, pepperoni, & extra cheese pizza. *whew*!

This passed week Hans and I did a Spin Class together Wednesday night and it was so much fun! Have I ever said how proud of him I am? Doing this with him has made it 10x easier than if I were to do it alone. With each achievement he makes and each goal he reaches, I love him and am just amazed at his commitment to this and to making ourselves healthier and more fit for our family. I love my hubby! I also tried a Power Pump class yesterday for the first time. Oh. My. Gosh. I am so sore! My abs and thighs are feeling it today, but it is a "good" pain. Sore, but not excruciating. Power Pump is basically cardio, weights, bands, & a giant ball - and the trainer just rotates through various exercises with each element, or a combination of two. It is a TOTAL body workout. Upper, lower, mid, everything. It is intense, but I must be crazy, because I hope to go back, haha!

Anyway, back to what everyone is waiting for (LOL)... the weekly weigh in results!

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Hans weighed in and lost 2.2 more pounds, having him lose 1.17% of his body weight.

I weighed in and GAINED approximately .2 pounds, meaning I gained back 0.14% of my body weight.

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Yes, you read that correctly, I gained this week, but it was not much in the grand scheme of things. I am just going to chalk this one up to "I am gaining muscle" . There's no way that the hash brown casserole from Saturday could have done this, right?? :oP

So, HANS WINS THIS ROUND! We are tied, 2-2. Several weeks are left, who is going to win?

STAY TUNED!