Reaching that first goal!

I don’t know If I have actually mentioned my numbers Before But My start weight was 334 pounds and I am ashamed and Embarrassed to admit that I let myself slip that far. I had been heavy all my life. But 334 was a new high for me. A lot of things happened that lead to me being unhealthy. At one point I lost a significant amount of weight and then Ended up pregnant… I lost even more weight during pregnancy. Then Came Breast feeding…

I just want to say that Breast feeding is wonderful and amazing. I don’t want what I’m about to say stop anyone from doing it… Anyways… When I was Breast feeding I wasn’t producing enough milk and I was being told I wasn’t eating enough and more specifically that I needed to eat more carbs. I was desperate to feed my baby my own Breast milk till she was a year so I was eating Massive amounts of oatmeal 3 times a day along with other meals and wasn’t still being told it wasn’t enough. I wont get into specific details but Eating more and not producing enough milk was leading to stress and all three were leading to weight gain. In the year of best feeding I put on 50 Pounds. But the Important part was my daughter was healthy.

So I stepped on the scale today before jumping in the shower and It smiled back at me… 299.4 I cried instantly I was so proud of myself. I hit goal #1 Then I started to notice all the little things… How different It felt when My husband husband wrapped his arms around me. How Far I could wrap the towel around my body now. How Different it felt when I bent over to pick something up off the floor. How My stomach Looks when I’m sitting her Typing on my computer. Its the littlest things that are making Me feel so Much more confident.

I have so far to go yet. My next goal is 275 and I know Its just a mater of time before I get there and Im so excited! I hope to share my journey with all of you!

Until next time,

The Curvy Dreamer

Finding Confidence and self Love!

So Yesterday I cut my hair. Your probably thinking ok big deal…. BUT I have not had a hair cut since I was about 14 years old. Sure I have had a trim every so often, the last one being nearly 3 years ago and the one before about 5 years ago. Its safe to say Hair Salons and I just don’t mix. Well I had been feeling so Down on myself and I couldn’t shake it. It was to the extent That I hated who I was and There was nothing about myself that I liked when at one point my hair was the only thing I did like about myself. So I got it cut. I had around 12-15 inches taken off and Its is now to the middle of my back. I also had it styled in the front and I am Obsesed with my new look. I wish I had some photos to share but I don’t. I know Its just hair and I know it wont turn my mental health around but Its A step.

Im also taking other small steps to get on the right track to mental health a few examples….

I’m drinking my coffee outside every morning that I have the chance to. This is a very small step but I think it could be good for me because I often forget to get outside and get some fresh air. I also got a new coffee Cup that Says Love Yo Self and its perfect. I’m also going to be spending more time outside because My garden is going in and I’m so excited!

I’m taking a well deserved shower every night. As much as I hate to admit it being a mom I don’t get a chance to take care of myself every day Like I should and Like I use to. When you have littles doing things like taking a shower is a Luxury that simply doesn’t automatically happen every day. It literally takes planning. I have decided that my little will ether be going to bed early or my husband will be on little one duty every night an hour before usual bed time so I can Have that much needed me time. As bad as I feel for doing so I need to put myself first for once so I feel Like I am an Actual person again.

Lastly I’m trying to exercise and this is a big one because Exercise makes you feel good and it will go hand in hand with My Keto,

If you have any advise for me please leave me a comment I cant tell u how much it would mean to me.

Until next time,

The Curvy Dreamer

Miss Muscle box (May 2021)

Last month I decided that I wanted a subscription box that was Along the lines of fitness and health. I Knew of several and have had a few in the past, Back when I first wanted to start a YouTube 5 ish years ago. (Starting another YouTube is still something on my mind btw lol) I wanted to try one that I have yet to try so I looked into a few and decided to try Miss Musclebox. Miss muscle box is a monthly subscription box for women! How cool is that! Every month has a different Theme and comes with 7 or more Items such as Gym Clothing, Healthy snacks, Fitness Accessories and workouts that are actually designed by Trainers. If it already sound up your ally you can Get yours here!

I knew that if I have some sort of Goodies coming in the mail for my fitness journey that I would be so excited to try them that I would actually be more motivated to work out. Its a Win win for me! But enough of that lets open one of these baby’s up!

I Love how colorful the box is!

The First few things I received in my box are some Airlight training Socks designed to keep you cool and supported (who doesn’t love socks) and two head bands the thinner one is from mavi bandz (I like that its adjustable) and the thicker one is from Bandz wear. both are smooth and light weight.

Next we have 2 snacks and I am so excited about them! They are both from the brand snack house and both Keto and only 3 carbs each! I’m super excited to try them! (stay tuned for my keto post!)

Lastly we have the star of the show are two large Items Fist is the Movement band This band can be worn around the waist or over the shoulder while you workout . You can store your keys, phone, or ear bugs in the two Expandable Pockets. This is going to be a lifesaver for hikes! Then we have Dynamix V2 Booty shorts. These are lightweight, supportive, and allow for dynamic movement and come in a wide range of colors. These are going to also be nice for hikes and lots of other workouts!

Over all I was really Happy with this box. It is my second month and I will be keeping it for at least a few months so I can really see what they have to offer. If you would like to get this box please click here I will receive 5 dollars off my next box for anyone who joins and that would be helpful. If you would like to see what I got in my April box Please let me know. I have a lot of content Im trying to finish so I can really kick start this blog again so stay tooned!

Until next time

The Curvy Dreamer

Challenge Time!

I have been trying to think of ways to get myself into the swing of working out again. I have a trampoline and I like to jump on it but being blessed in the chest I have to wear my special Shefit bra and that can be a hassle. I was sitting thinking about my favorite you tuber Beatrice Caruso and all the challenges she does. I have done challenges before but haven’t for some time now. I also just received a Booty band in my April Miss Muscle Box so I decided that a booty challenge would be the best way to start. The problem was that when you search for these challenges on google they are far from beginner. So I made my own.

The tricky thing here is I hate squats. come to think of it I hate Lunges also. But I guess that’s why they call it a challenge. I Really want to accomplish this one because of my Extreme Dislike for squats.

My hopes for this challenge is

1.) Obviously to have a better butt

2.) To get myself into the swing of working out

3.) Gain some confidence when it comes to exercise that isn’t cardio

4.) have enough Discipline to do every workout!

My only concern is that I don’t know proper form when doing a squat but I’m sure we will work through that. I also Worry about the number of Reps on some of the days that’s another hurdle we will have to jump when we come to it. Along with this challenge I am also Doing a gallon a day water challenge mostly because I can sometimes go all day without drinking anything and as someone who only drinks water and tea I need to make sure I’m not dehydrating myself. I Also Would like to challenge myself to get outside more. I really don’t get out enough and I think getting out would be good for my mental health. I know I will be out more when it comes time for the garden to go in in a few weeks but right now I would rather stay in the house and I really don know why because I am happier when I am outside. Ill be sure to take lots of notes on how that challenges are going and post on them each week!

Until next time,

The curvy Dreamer

Goodbye October

I’m late on typing this up by 5 ish days. (who’s counting tho?) I must admit the last few days of October I was cought up in the Halloween Festivities and Didn’t even have time to think about this post. October was good to me for the most part. I lost only 2 pounds but a total of 12 inches and if that’s not something to be excited about I’m not sure what is. I crushed my Monthly challenge to Exercise 4x a week. I could have done better with my nutrition but that’s a battle for another day. I wanted to share complete tracker page of my journal before I share my plans and goals for November so here it is.

In total there are 19 leafs filled in. There would have been more but I injured my ankle early in the month and had to take 3 days off. I probably should have taken longer but I didn’t want to go down a road of no exercise.

For November my Goals are

  • Continue to exercise 4x a week
  • Gallon a day challenge
  • Jump rope challenge
  • More Self care days

For my Jump rope challenge I decided to try to see how many jumps I could do before I just couldn’t go on. I got 50 in 5 min. Then I decided to just do time slots so for the first 5 days I’ll do 5 min and then on Day 6 and up I’ll add a min every day or every few days Depending how my body is handling it. I also decided to count and record how many I’m getting. Today I got 110 in 5 min. So I’m improving already.

Below are a few pages for this month

Hello November cover page
This months Quote.
November exercise tracker
What I’m thankful for. My husbands name is in spot one!

I also have a calendar page after my Quote page and a Reflection page in at the end of the month but They had some personal information so, I didn’t share. Next month I’ll be sure to get pictures before anything is filled in. Hopefully this month is as good to me or better than last.

Untill next time.

October Bullet journal

I have been working on the content for this post for a few weeks now and because I’m a Perfectionist that ment I started over allot. But I think I’m finally happy with what I have. I was looking for motivation and inspiration to keep me going on this journey and I stubbled Upon A post on Pinterest of a Bullet journal page. I had never even heard of a Bullet journal before that. So I typed Bullet journal into the ser h bar and Holly crap the stuff I found was endless. People were using this style to track and log everything from dreams and goals to Everyday tasks. There was so much to look at that I scroll Pinterest for hours. Then I went to YouTube and found more and more information. I thought what if I could make my own journal pages to help me keep track of my workouts, to keep record of my weight and measurements, and to write down all my goals. So I got to work and after Weeks of working I finally have something I’m happy to show you.

This First page is My October calendar. (I drew the candy corn and spider web) I found the treadmill Stencil yesterday and decided that it would be fun to add it to days I worked out as one of may ways to keep track. Other than that it’s just a calendar lol.

The next page is a quote that is important to me at this time in my journey.

My third page is one I have spent a lot of time on and actually Re did it several times before I was happy with what I had. This is my workout tree. The idea for this one is to color a leaf for every day of the month I have worked out. It make me want to workout because I enjoy seeing the leafs colored in.

The next page is a weekly check in almost like a tiny journal so I can Wright down how I feel I did that week.

The last page is my monthly reflection it’s a place for me to record how my month went, weight lost, quotes, challenges and things of that nature.

I will have more pages to show soon but for now I hope you have injoyed these.

September reflection

Lately I have been struggling to find time to Wright in my blog. I also have been struggling to keep to my September challenge. I have to say that my original challenge to walk everyday has been a bust. Between my husbands and my conflicting schedules and The basics of being a stay at home mom, finding time is just impossible. I haven’t given up but I haven’t been able to walk every day as I had hoped. Now Its the end of the month and the end of my challenge.

Even tho my challenge wasn’t exactly completed I still plan to give myself full credit for what I have accomplished this month because even though it’s less than planned I moved more this month than I have in the past and even as I type this I’m working on my Exercise bike.

In the past i have had a habit of giving up when the going gets tough or life tosses me off my path. This time around that will not be the end result. Maybe its because my support system is light years different or because I have more resources now but this time I’m in it till the end. I love how I feel these days, every day I feel stronger and every workout is Easier. This challenge has helped me keep my head in the game and stay more active than I would have. So how did I do this month? Well in total I worked out 16 days… Not to good, just a day over half the month but as I said I walked more than I have in the past. Also this month I lost 8 pounds!!! Eight!! I know it doesn’t sound like much but that’s incredible to me.

October brings 31 new days, 31 chances to be better, and a new challenge. My October challenge will be to work out 5x a week. I realize this is almost the same as My walk everyday challenge but it may be more Obtainable for 2 reasons. One.. Workout is a larger category in general than just walking everyday and two I’m giving myself 2 days of rest a week. I also have a few thing I hope to accomplish in October such as

  • Lose 5 pounds
  • Work up to 30-45 min workouts
  • Work on my self care

It’s a small list but hopefully all Obtainable. So here’s to the end of September and the beginning of October!

Changing the challenge

Today marks my half way mark into my September challenge. If you didn’t already know I Challenged myself to walk every day of September. It’s been a Rocky start. But I’m hanging in there. Some days I counted my grocery shopping or laundry as my walk (lots of walking involved in both) and other days I walked a mile around my neighborhood in the rain…. Actually I did this 3 days in a row. Then I decided I wasn’t going to do that any more. I went on the hunt for a second hand Treadmill. I found a good one it wasn’t to old, it was digital, folded up, and Inclined. The best part only 25.00 I set up a time to pick it up the next day. I woke up and sent the seller a message that morning asking if I was still set for my 11 o’clock pick up. I got the response “It’s Sold sorry” I was devastated. I started looking again. Nothing. Then I came across an Elliptical. Digital display, works, 25$. I went and got it.

So if you haven’t already Guessed I’m changing my challenge from walking everyday to Working on my elliptical. I already got a work out in and it went a little something like This:

I went to the Garage where my Elliptical is currently at. I was ready I had my Alexa for music, I Created a small workout Playlist. I was pumped. I climbed up on my new machine with Full confidence. I started going and my knee hurt every time my foot came back down but I brushed it off as my creaky joints not being use to the motion and kept going after a minute or so my knee was OK. I was going a decent pace and my heart rate was in fat burn and cardio levels. I’m starting to breath deep and heavy. Fast forward a few min. About 5 min in and I’m breathing like I’m having a baby all over again. My heart rate is at Peak, and I’m doing all I can to push through. I reach the 8 minute mark, my heart is pounding out of my chest, The bottoms of my feet ake Like no other, my Legs are burning with the Intensity of a thousand suns and I’m Scream/Grunting my way through the burn as Eye of the tiger Is coaxing Me to just make that 10 min mark…. And I did it. The longest toughest 10 min of this Challenge but I did it. I got off that Elliptical and my legs hurt so bad I could have fell Right over but I felt Amazing. And I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow.

A Running start.

I’m a big girl, Most of my life I have suffered from Asthma so me and Running is a no. But I want to push myself to achieve my goals. I am challenging myself to walk every day of the month of September. I decided it’s a good place to start in my journey to be healthier. So far I’m doing good. I’m almost a 3rd of the way into the month and I have yet to miss a day. I do tend to get creative. One day we went to the store and Were in such a hurry we Power walked around doing our shopping and I counted my walk for that day. Yesterday I had to do laundry and so I counted carry my laundry baskets as part of my walk because I didn’t use the carts at the laundry matt. Than the same day I had to take a tote full of my daughters clothes to the re sale shop and carried the tote the long way around. Every day I find a way

Today however I wanted to push myself a bit. So I decided I would add some running into my walk in a HIT style. I walked to the end of my block then turned down my side road where the blocks are smaller maybe about half a regular block. Anyway I lightly ran a block than walked than ran then walked then turned around walked the block again than ran, walked, ran. It was hard. My lungs were on fire. I forgot to bring water. And my shins Burned. The first block was OK but as I kept going it got harder. I found myself tired sooner in the block but I still pushed myself and didn’t stop until I got to the end of the block. I feel so Accomplished.

It’s the small victories that get us through challenges like this. The small victories That help us push even farther. The small victories that add up to our bigger goals. I know I can run a block. So now I’m going to try it again Mayne not tomorrow but maybe the day after, Maybe Ill try every other day. And maybe by the end of the month That block will be a Breeze to run. I’ll never know till I try.

Make that a challenge

As we say goodbye to August and Hello to September I have been thinking about what kind of challenges I want to overcome this month. I live in Michigan and That means September brings a lot of Change. The leaves will start to turn color, the air will become more crisp, it will be time for Apple picking and Pumpkin patches, sweaters and Fall boots, and lots more things to love about the change of the seasons. And yet all the good that comes with September It also is filled with reminders of things I would rather forget. Things of my past that I may share with you later. This year I Want to stay focused on my journey and less in my past so I have decided that I will do a challenge this month. And by that I mean I will choose a goal to accomplish every day this month no matter what. I will make a promise to myself to Accomplish that one thing. Now Today I read some of the Rachelle Hollis book Girl wash your face so Im feeling a bit Inspired. She talks about how we tend to take promises serious when we make them to others but on the other hand will almost always brake a promise to ourselves. This got me thinking about it and she is 100% true.

I am going to make a promise To finish the challenge I chose to set for myself. The problem is that I have no idea what change to give myself. I have a few Ideas but I’m still on the fence. My first Idea was a water challenge but I’m really already doing that so It wouldn’t be much of a change. Next I thought of a work out change but It has to be more narrowed down than that. So I have came up with :

  1. Walking every day for a minimum of 10 min even if it’s walking in place.
  2. Do yoga every day

And that’s it. For some reason I thought I would be able to come up with more but that’s all I got. Sure there are more I thought of but I’m trying to have something that’s a little challenging but also Obtainable for someone just starting out. I would love to hear some of your ideas for monthly changes. If you have an idea please leave me a comment. But until then TTFN