Encore! Encore! -- I love my pilates class!

So, I am always complaining there aren't enough exercises out there I can do with my bad back. But I have been doing pilates for the past 2 years, and it's very low impact on my back if I do it correctly.

I took pilates at a gym, but I hated it. I take a mat class from one of my neighbors, and I absolutely love it. The mat class is held in a private home in Holly Springs not far from Avent Ferry. If you live in the Holly Springs, NC area, I highly recommend you check it out www.encorepilates.net/ ... the instructor is Kathy, and she has had two kids and understands how a woman's body changes, especially her belly area, and what it takes to get your belly back in shape and strengthened the RIGHT WAY.

The mat classes are usually five people or less, so you can expect a little bit of one on one attention, not like those gym classes when  you are one of 20.

Pilates has helped my back so much, as it focuses so much on core strengthening. My belly is flatter, stronger and so it my back! I feel like I can do more, and her classes have helped me break the pain cycle. I cannot say enough good things about her, and she's a little shy about sharing her success stories. But she's amazing!

Finding Weight-Loss Buddies!

Found this online this morning and LAUGHED
so hard I burned 30 calories.

You're not alone! I want to lose with you. I'm a competitive person, so I like to race people to the finish line. In this case, there is no finish line. I'm tired of losing-gaining-losing-gaining ... I want to lose forever and stay fit, happy and healthy. Several women my age, mid-30s, will be contributing to this blog. Why? I am going to fall off the wagon here and there, and I'm hoping they'll pick me up when I do. And I'd like to return the favor to them if I can.

Also, I walked 30 minutes yesterday and spent 35 minutes on the elliptical. That's about as much as I can do, due to my back problem. I am drinking my water and working as hard as I can to reduce the fat in my recipes, from rinsing (not just draining) the grease off the ground burger in my recipes to substituting egg beaters and ground turkey and chicken to other recipes.

FYI- I have degenerative disc disease and chronic, acute pain because of that and some instability from my stretched SI (sacroiliac) ligaments from back-to-back pregnancies. Running is out of the question as well as many other things I love to do (volleyball, basketball, etc.). I have to lose weight, for the first time in my life, with low-impact exercises. Any advice is more than welcome!!!


PROGRESS: 4 lbs down, 15 to go!

Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality. -- Ralph Marston


-- Kristin

Nothing works better than Success!

Thought I was doing HORRIBLE. Turns out I've lost almost 4 pounds!

Went to another party today, but my success kept me from cheating as badly. I didn't eat any cake. All I could think about what my scale and how good it felt to see the pounds coming off.

I am getting off the computer and going for a walk!

4 down, 15 to go. Yay me!!!

Hard Candy Can Help

Tootsie Rolls and Hard Candy help with my cravings. You just have to make sure you only eat 1 or 2! Hard candy is fat free but not sugar free. And weight watchers, three tootsie rolls are 1 point (on the old system).

These two treats always help me -- in moderation of course.

-- Kristin

Day 3 - No Cheating & A Short Walk

A couple days ago I starting my journey. My sister gets married in March in Florida & her bridesmaids are gorgeous, thin, and almost model like. I am not. I am the real deal and will never be "skinny." But I can be in better shape pretty easily.

So I have 19 pounds to lose in 7 months. I am on day 3, and I've already lost two pounds. It's not always going to be easy, I have a horrible back problem that keeps me from doing most of my normal exercises. I cannot run or play volleyball anymore.

But I'm going to do it! Watch me!