July Update

July would have looked much better if I had made better dinner choices last night.  I tend to go a little nuts the day after a cleanse and eat for dinner exactly what I want the first day off and then get back on track the next day.  Lets just say I'm paying for eating what I want.  Curse you fried food!  Why do you have to taste so good?  I always pay for eating you later.

Oh well, gives me a jump start on August.  Here's the graph.

Cleanse Update

I just finished my second cleanse of the year.  If you recall, one of my goals for the year was to do two cleanses.  I did the first one January 1-9th and the second one fell July 22-30th.  It was my plan to do the first one at the beginning of the year (done!) and 6 months later, it happened a little later due to all the things we had going on at the end of the month but I got it done in the right month!

This cleanse was much harder than the past 2, I don't know if it was my mind frame this go round or what but I really struggled on the fast days.  The last 2 fast days I was also super dizzy which hasn't happened before but I got through it.  I have to remember even though the results weren't as big this time as the first time that it's all relative to how much weight I have left to loose...I'M SO CLOSE!  I still hope to be at goal by my birthday but I won't be too hard on myself if I'm not.

Below are some numbers that I've put together about inches/weight lost between the beginning of my first cleanse and the end of this one (the weight in the first row is pounds lost the rest of the rows are inches lost).  Can't complain one bit!

Cleanse 1 (June 20-28, 2011)

Cleanse 2 (January 1-9, 2012)

Cleanse 3 (July 22-30, 2012)

Total Lost Since I Started Cleansing

June 2012 Update

Boy, do I feel like this month was a complete bust. But, I continued to move in the right direction overall so I can't be too disappointed. Better luck next month! I have decided that a cleanse is needed about every 6 months to kind of reset your body.

2012 Goals Reviewed (Mid-Year Review)

I thought I'd re-post my goals for 2012 (I don't much care for the thought of resolutions although that's what they are, I just feel when people make 'resolutions' they only work on them for a couple of weeks and then they are forgotten.  I've made so much progress and wanted to give an update!

Hopes for 2012 (I don't make resolutions because rarely are resolutions kept):

• I would like to speed up the weight loss!  I would love to loose 50 lbs. this year but I would be happy with just loosing more than I did last year.  Starting the year off right with a 9-day cleanse on January 1. As of the end of May I am well on my way to reaching this goal!  I actually lost more weight in the first quarter of 2012 than I did in all of 2011.
• I hope to do 2 cleanses this year, at least.  I'm thinking one at the beginning of the year and then one maybe mid-year. Did a cleanse for the first 9 days of the year, trying to plan another one during the month of July.
• Become physically stronger and more athletic.  I really like this new side of my life and hope to keep it going and trying new physically challenging things. For sure done!
• Run at least a 5k this year.  I could do that now but I would like to run it in under 40 minutes.  If I could run a 10k that would be AWESOME!  But I'm going to stay realistic and since I've never ran anything I'm going to keep my hopes low :)  Something is better than nothing. First race (a 10k) completed on 6/3/12.  Thinking half-marathon and several 5k's in the fall.  It's way too hot to run in the summer outside but I will continue to train at the gym.
• Volunteer more!  I did some volunteer work last year but hope to increase it this year.  It really does make you feel good.
• Travel!  This is always a hope for me.  Past years we've been on the go constantly so in 2011 we kind of took a break and saved some money and stayed close to home.  Hopefully 2012 will lead to the following trips:
• Tour of the North East!  At the least we would like to go to Boston this year.  But we are thinking about flying to Boston and then getting in as much as we can while we are north.  We have some friends that moved to New Hampshire in May and seeing them is a priority this year! Probably this Fall
• Ireland.  If we leave the country this year we will be going to Ireland, I think that is already decided.  It's probably the one place I've wanted to visit my whole life, let's face it, I'll fit right in :) Won't happen this year as we chose to go to Jamaica and 100% unwind instead.  
• California.  Neither Nick nor I have been there and it's some place we would like to go.
• Canada. Montreal, Toronto...who cares.  They love hockey and we want to be there!
• Let's follow the last bullet up by saying that it will be a priority to travel some where in 2012 with the specific purpose of seeing my 'Canes play an away game.  Problem is; I don't like cold, hockey is played in winter and most of the hockey teams reside north of Raleigh.
• Nickell family reunion in July. Not sure where this is but I think the plan is for it to be in Bradenton.  I would love to take Nick to where I was born and spent the first half of my childhood. Nickell reunion was scheduled for Ohio this year which we unfortunately won't make since they chose the 7th and I don't have the Thursday and Friday after the 4th off.  I've got the Monday and Tuesday off and can't switch.
• I know all of this won't happen in the coming year as our purse strings (and time off work) won't allow it but if only 3 of the above mentioned trips happened I'll be happy!
• Blog more!  I'm such a horrible blogger!  I hope to better this in 2012. Done!  I've blogged at least once a month all year!
• Oh!  This has nothing to do with me but I would LOVE to become an aunt in 2012 :) No, I am not asking my brother, Chris to have a kid by any means.  I have some very close friends who would love to be parents and becoming Auntie Laura to their baby in 2012 would be a dream come true for them (and me! I need a kid to spoil and I'm not having one). In process, Baby due around my birthday!

May Update

I am so happy about this month! While it isn't the best month I'll tell you why I'm thrilled...I spent the first full week of the month in Jamaica! While I was there I didn't worry once about what I was eating and drinking (it was all-inclusive so it was a lot). I did however try and continue to work out every day. I feel like when I came back from vacation I was already in the hole (I came back and was weighed more than my starting weight for the month) and had 3 weeks to get back where I needed to be and I did it! See a vacation doesn't have to 100% derail you, you just have to get back to it when you get home.

Another reason I'm happy with this is because my 10k is on Sunday. I had a goal weight of what I wanted to weigh by race day and as of today I'm 4 pounds below that goal! It's very important to keep your goals realistic and attainable. You have a better chance of reaching them and surpassing them which feels awesome!