Friday, September 9, 2011

My new life: Simply changing my diet and exercise


Now that it's been a year since I completed my weight loss program and have successfully kept the weight and inches off, I felt like it was time to share my story.
Summer 2011 (Keeping the weight off for a year)
Last summer June-September I embarked on a weight loss journey that has been (I may cry) a life changing experience. I know that sounds cliche but to me it really was a complete change, physically, mentally and emotionally. I went from 163 lbs to 143 lbs by eating from the food plan of Bill Phillips Body for Life and the workouts from Beach Body's ChaLEAN Extreme .
Fall 2009 (With friends on a trip to Washington, D.C.)

May 2010 (The biggest I've ever been)

From photos of me in 2010 you can see that I was hiding my belly by repeatedly buying oversized shirts with a lot of detail at the face, and tons of fabric to cover my big belly.
One of my shirts even said "maternity" and I have never been pregnant!

After watching my roommate at the time go through several diets and weight loss programs, I discovered, one of them worked better than all the rest. She realized this too, but felt there was one small flaw, the food. We are both particular about our food, and so when she read the book "Body For Life" by Bill Phillips and compared his weight loss program to the one she had just completed, Beach Body's ChaLEAN Extreme, she realized they were nearly identical.
May 2010 (With my cousin at the NW Regional TV Emmys in Seattle, Wash. (This dress falls off me now))
So, as an experiment in the summer of 2010 we committed to the diet from Bill and the workouts from Chalene (I feel like I can refer to them on a first name basis now that I've spent days with their programs, and Chalene has talked me through many grueling workouts).

EXERCISE

My first weight lifting workout with Chalene was not easy, I will tell you. At one point during the tricep workout (a muscle I hadn't given much thought to before this) I screamed in pain, "I feel like I am giving birth through my arms!" My roommate laughed and I have learned to push through the pain, and focus on one of the many motivational quotes we stuck on the walls of our workout room, "Pain is weakness leaving the body," - Marines.

If you don't know much about the workout routines it was three days a week of weight lifting and four days a week of 20 minutes of cardio in short high intensity intervals. You could do this by following a workout DVD or by riding your bike outside, or jogging, or anything, you would just need to follow Bill Phillip's guide for cardio.
I personally loved this workout routine, I was able to change it up so it wasn't monotonous and I actually looked forward to weight lifting, something I'd never tried until last summer.

This pushing through the pain, helped me become stronger, not just physically, but mentally. This commitment took a ton of consistent journaling. Every day I would need to record what weights I lifted, or what cardio routine I did and rate my performance, mediocre or that I rocked it. I also recorded my meals that I ate each day, and even penciling in if I didn't keep up with my goal for that day and gave in and ate a cupcake or something else not approved. But then I would set a goal the next day to stick to my plan no matter what. I wrote down my goals and realized that my change was a process.

DIET

I loved the diet (six meals a day with a protein serving the size of your fist and a carb serving the size of your palm) and realized by just changing a few things that I purchase every week from full-fat to non-fat I could slim down in no-time and still enjoy the great tasting foods I've always loved. I also realized that I didn't have to give up my two most favorite foods, 1% milk and peanut butter, I never stopped eating either of these the entire time I was on my diet. To this day, I still make the meals from the Eating for Life cookbook. They are super simple, contain tons of veggies, and have 1/2 the fat of most meals. I've even taken some of the recipes and made them my own by substituting ingredients for others, or using a simple concept and turning it into a wrap, or a salad, or a casserole. I feel like I've grown as a cook.

MY LIFE

I worked for months hating my job, and doing nothing to change it. But after starting my weight loss program, I was able to see that if I set goals I could accomplish them, and if no one else was proud of my growth, I could be proud of myself for what I did. I was even able to admit out loud that I hated my job and needed a change (something I had held in for months). I started working towards new goals and trying new things, and holding true to the fact that I was going to get where I wanted to go, because I know that if I believe I can do it and I work at it, and push hard, I can accomplish anything.

In fall of 2010 I quit my job without knowing where I'd go next (for sure) but I felt like I was changing my life for the better. Now, nearly 12 months later I can tell you I am happier than I've ever been in my life. I enjoy exercising, something I used to frown upon because it took too much time and effort, and I never got results.
Now that I've seen that changing my exercise pattern and diet and change my body shape, I realize that I can change, and that I can be better.

I'm now working at a job that I love and many people have told me that I seem very happy (something, I realize they say now, because I wasn't happy then). I love that I get to see the sunshine and meet new people, and practice my photography skills and reporting abilities.

December 2010 (Just before leaving my old job and starting a new one)
If anyone out there is lacking motivation to change their workout plan, eating plan, or anything else in life, I'll be your coach. I'll cheer you on all the way. Because I realized that that's something that helped me the most. About 6 weeks into my 12 week body makeover, I was very discouraged. The books tell you that men see results within 6 weeks, while women don't see results until week 9. I almost quit the entire program that day. Then I remembered that in the book there was a phone number I could call at any time of the day and someone would help me if I was feeling discouraged, but as I went to dial, crying while sitting on the couch, I thought, "I don't need to talk to a stranger, I'll call my mom." Thank goodness I called her. She cheered me up by reminding me of my goal and how I told her I was going to stick to it no matter what. I appreciate that feedback so much, the sad part is all she had to do was repeat my own words to me.

Summer 2007 (didn't look much different than high school)

Summer 2009 (Not too bad)


Fall 2010 (Just 2 weeks left of my diet and exercise program)



I encourage anyone who needs to smile a bit more, make new friends, get out and see the sunshine, or just wants to make some more tasty less-fattening food to try out what I did. It worked great and I still follow it 70% of the time. I can't imagine ever going back to who I was before. I don't like that stick in the mud. I like the new me.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Best Friends meet in Boise :)

My first best friend at USU came to visit me this weekend! So fun! On Friday I was up to nothing = watching tv I had recorded, when I got a phone call from Tayna. :) We talked for about 40 minutes about life and that we both didn't have very big plans for the weekend when she suggested she drive up to visit! I was sooo excited! Four hours later she was at my house! We went out to dinner and then came back to my house and talked until midnight.

The next day I had to produce a parade in a nearby city. She came with me and sat in the production truck with us. She thought it was amazing but to me it was just another parade. I've now been here a year and 5 months and this was my year mark of parades. It was pretty stressful because the parade ended 5 minutes too soon. We tried to stretch people putting away their chairs into something interesting. After the parade we headed to my aunt and uncle's nearby and played with my cousins. We baked cookies and grilled hot dogs. We also played evvy-ivy-over and played with the neighbor's golden retriever. He was such a fast dog. We fed my uncle's horses and then came back and said good bye.

Next we headed to the shops! Tayna and I love to go shopping and that we did. We only hit up two stores but I think we got some pretty good sales. Notable buys, I got a new scarf and orange shirt and she got a cute t-shirt jacket and some fun earings.

We came back, ordered pizza and watched a movie. I fell asleep during the movie -- which Tayna normally does. Funny.

Yesterday she came to church with me and then she had to go home. I miss her already. Right now she's looking for a job so I don't know where she'll be in even a month, but wherever she ends up I plan on visiting her. Everyone needs a little bit of spontaneous fun with a friend who understands you completely. :)

I love you Tayna, and hope to see you soon.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Standing up for what you believe in

This story struck me this morning and I knew I had to blog about it to share it.
At the Miss America pageant this year Miss California was asked a very difficult question.

She was asked "Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?"

This was her answer according to the article by Access Hollywood.

"Well I think it's great that Americans are able to choose one or the other. Um, we live in a land that you can choose same sex marriage or opposite marriage and, you know what, in my country and in, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman," Miss California Carrie Prejean said to a mix of boos and applause. "No offense to anybody out there. But that's how I was raised and that's how I think that it should be between a man and a woman."

The article goes on to talk about how one of the judges thinks she lost the competion because of her answer to that question.


First off, I don't think it was a "political" question at all. I believe it was a statement of beliefs.
She stood up for her beliefs and did a great thing for all of us who are fighting for the right to keep Marriage solely between a man and a woman. Great job a Carrie! You stood up for your God and mine when you stayed true to your beliefs.

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and we believe "We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife." -- The Family: A Proclamation to the World.


On NBC's Today Show this morning she said she wouldn't have answered the question any differently, "it's not about being politically correct, for me, it's about being Biblically correct."

Thanks again Carrie! I'm sorry you're not Miss America but I don't think that question should have cost you the crown.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

My Favorite Elphaba: Alexia Khadime


So, If I didn't tell you yet, when I went to Germany I took a weekend trip to England where I saw the broadway show Wicked! It was amazing! And now that I've seen it live, I have fallen in love with England's Wicked cast. I never saw the show in America, so that may be why I'm biased but you should hear this girl sing who played Elphaba.


Her name is Alexia Khadime and she is brilliant at Elphaba. I can't wait to buy her album that she's working on.
She's got to be one of my favorite singers right now.
Check out her new song and video on her website.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

New year, new goals

I haven't posted in a while, not that I didn't want to just because I've been busy working and sleeping and not geting on my computer when I come home from work. But would you blame me? I'm at work for 8-9 hours a day just sitting in front of a computer.

Here's a letter I wrote, to send to missionaires about a month ago, but I never printed it or mailed it to anyone. I'll try to do that sometime this week, but for now it's my new blog post :) Enjoy :)


Dec. 28, 2008

Hey!

I’m sorry I haven’t written you in forever, and considering I write for my living there’s no excuse.
How have you been? What are you up to? I haven’t heard from you in forever!

I’ve been busy, but mostly with work, sleep and trying to cram too much fun into weekends.

I work at NBC NewsChannel 7 in Boise, Idaho I am the morning show producer. That means I write what the anchors read for the 5-7am newscast. I’ve almost been here for a year! I interviewed exactly one year and a week ago. So crazy! If you haven’t heard, yes, I did graduate in journalism—I went to school to learn what I do. Any other questions? Pretty much my life is my job, and then sleep, and food. I feel like a slave sometimes and I want to go back to school – where I was carefree. Maybe I’ll go back in a couple of years. Right now I’m treating my job as my master’s degree. I signed a 3 year contract up here so one year down two to go. I really do like my job, but I miss taking 5 different subjects a semester and learning something totally new every 4 months.

My highlights of my year are few but fun. I tried wakeboarding this summer, I sorta got up. I wanna try that again. I went to Germany this fall. (My cousin and her husband live there. He’s in the military. I figured, free place to stay and a tour guide!) I flew out by myself and met up with my cousins. It was a fabulous adventure. I went to Frankfurt, Germany, a little south west of there and then into France – just on the border. And one weekend there we flew to London, England and saw the Broadway Musical Wicked!. It was so fun! I also rode mountain bikes through the Black Forest, (If you’ve never been “real” mountain biking this is the place to go, it was hard but fun!)

I fly home to Utah to see my family every few weeks – about once every two months. I have cousins up here who live 30 minutes away so I visit them as well. They are super fun! I just spent Christmas with them. They treated me just like one of their kids. It was fantastic!

The day after Christmas my younger –not so little anymore—brothers flew in to visit me! Even though it was supposed to be a quick flight from Utah to Idaho, it took about 6 hours because their plane from Colorado was delayed in the snow. But thankfully they waited for standby and got on the last flight up Friday night.

I showed them the News Studio yesterday, they were impressed. Now my parents are coming up this afternoon—driving in a car to pick them up—and brining me random things I never moved up with – Like my yearbooks and my guitar—I know random –but they are big and heavy.

Well, as the new year is coming I’m looking back at my “year in review” and trying to think of things I didn’t do this year that I want to add to my list of next year.
1. I work the graveyard shift right now and have since I moved here 11pm –9am so that’s number one: get off the graveyard shift.
2. Read more books, I’ve gotten good at renting from the $1 rentals and watching any movie I want, but I really can’t tell you a book that I have read this year –that is sad.
3. I want to learn the guitar. Yes, I own one but I want to actually learn how to play it. I think it’s possible
4. I want to go to NYC! My uncle and aunt live there, he works at the institute building there, I so want to go visit!
5. I want to go up to some sort of mountains once a month. I live in Idaho, I should do more outdoor things now.
6. I want to buy my first car. I really want a jeep kinda thing—any suggestions? Right now I drive my grandparent’s old Cadillac. I love it and it serves me well, but my sister is about to get home from her mission and she needs a car, and I need something else.

I have a lot more goals but I’m not gonna bore you with them now.
Basically, I want to finally feel like I belong here in Idaho—or move on to somewhere that feels like home. Right now I feel like all this is just temporary.

We’ll see where life takes me.
I hope you are doing well on the mission. I need to study preach my gospel more and read more church books.

Have a Happy New Year and I hope all your dreams and goals happen for you this month and year.

Love ya,
Ranae :)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Christmas at Clarissa's

So a few weeks ago my current roommates and I decided to decorate the house. It was quite a feat. Took most of my Saturday but it was really fun.

Here's a link to a bunch more picts :)




We hung lights on the house, the big tree outside and then decorated a little tree in the house... and made a gingerbread house :)


This is my favorite Christmas song this year: All I want for Christmas by Mariah Carey.

Early Christmas at home

I went home this past weekend for an "Early Christmas" to visit my family. And I got to go to a USU vs UVU basketball game where my brothers and I sat on the front row behind the basket and heckled the other team. We won of course.

While at home I also got to go to my nieces's first dance performance. She was so cute :)

and I got to see my old roomie McMac we had a great convo with our friend Manette. I love those girls :)

That night I went and visited my cousins who were watching "White Christmas" a classic if you haven't seen it. :)

The next day we had an extended family Christmas party.

Here's some photos from that.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028809&l=55c06&id=122800723


I love my family and wished I could have spent more time with everyone.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Layne & Betsy's Ranch

TRIP TO FLORIDA

Quints 2008