PT Test, Weight Loss, and New Training Plan...UPDATE!.

Took the PT Test this morning…FAIL. Honestly, I have not passed on my own so why would it be different today? I have decided I need to switch up my training plan a little bit and I need to be able to pass consistently with no question before I take the next PT test. I’m not sure what a realistic time frame for this will be but I’m shooting for before June and we’ll go from there. I’m not going to lie I’m extremely frustrated about it all but I have to keep going. Have to! Want to! And I will! So pushups come first if you don’t do the first 10 right they stop you tell you what you are doing are wrong and then you have to go to the back of the line of another grader. So, that’s what happened to me this morning. First time around no go. Got sent to another grader and he counted 12. I need 17. He told me I really need to work on my upper body strength to improve my form. Next up sit-ups. I did 44 I need 50.  Sit-ups for me are easy to get back into as well as easy to lose. I need to just do sit-ups every dang day. Finally the run… I did it in 21:17. Of course I’ve never ran the 2 miles in 19:40 so why would it be different. Same with pushups I’ve never done more than 17 “real” pushups and had a consistent grader with them. So as much as it was frustrating it was also an eye opener.

As far as my weight loss goes I’m back up 2 pounds. However, I start weight watchers at my work tomorrow. My mom is going to do it with me as well so it will be great to have a buddy. So I’ll start updating weekly again.

Ben and I have some exciting things coming up. We are headed to Wyoming this weekend to visit Ben’s brother, Sis in law, and niece. I’ve never been to Wyoming and it will be fun to have a little getaway. The next weekend is the Spring FTX (Field Training Exercise) for the ROTC down at Camp Williams. It is 3 days 2 nights of camping out, rope climbing, ruck marches…it will be great. School will be over in about 4 weeks which is fabulous. I am not going to school over the summer. Ben’s still not sure. We’ve got to get everything set up to go to Westminster in the fall as well. I’m hoping to get Zumba certified in Juneish? Then we’ve got the Utah Valley half marathon June 11. Putting our names in for the St. George marathon in April and the race is the first weekend in October. I guess that’s about it for now.

Dining Out

We had an ROTC "Dining Out" last Saturday night. It was so fun and such a great experience. Everyone dressed in their evening dresses and suites we had a dinner catered by Ruby River Steakhouse and then had a guest speaker Dan Clark who was absolutely fabulous and hilarious! Such a fun evening!

Water Water Water

Remember that Sesame Street Song about water? 

Anyways here are just a few reasons why water is amazing and you should drink more of it..at least 8 glasses a day if not more!

Helps remove the dangerous toxins in your body

Cushions your joints

Increases energy levels

Helps reduce weight

Carries oxygen and nutrients into all your cells

Reduces Headaches 

Assists in digestion

Helps regulate your body temperature

Keeps your metabolism working properly

Also, for those who are not keeping track we have a PT test on Monday ... yes MONDAY! Today I did a test run on the treadmill came in at 20:30 which is Awesome! If you remember my time needs to be 19:40 so that is 50 seconds we are talking about people 50 flipping seconds! I ran around noon though today which is rough for me. My dad is going to come and pace me again. I know I can do this! So cross your fingers, say a prayer, send me fast running vibes...Whatev! 

10 Min Amazing Ab Workout

Do each workout for one minute. If you run out of workouts start at the beginning again whatever you do though do not stop working out until the 10 min are up!

1-     Cherry Picker- Balance on your butt and clasp hands  bring hands to each side touching the ground near your hips keeping feet off the ground.

2-     Plank- Clasp hands below your chest so that you are holding your self up with your forearm and your toes. Body should remain flat with butt level with the rest of your body don’t sink or hold it up. Abs should be tight.

3-     Huggies- Same form as the cherry picker expcept this time push your legs out straight as you bring your arms out as if you are going to hug someone, bring legs in and bend and wrap arms around legs in hug position.

4-     Situps – just your basic unassisted situp. Try to keep fingers interlocked behind your head and feet on the ground do not have something holding them down.

5-     Lay back down on the ground raise feet about 6 inches of the ground keeping legs straight…HOLD!

Ben thinks we should videotape all of these workouts we have and then post them on here but I don't do them very well so I don't know  how helpful that would be.

Time Out!

I've had a really rough week. Sickness and overwhelming amounts of stress. Don't worry I haven't fallen off the wagon or anything crazy. I'm just going to be taking a time out from blogging my weekly weight loss just until the next PT test which is on March 30. Catch the key word their blogging doesn't mean I'm going to stop what I've been doing with my weight loss I just want to focus until the PT test. Guaranteed I'll lose weight and I'll post some tips here and there and other things that will be going on. Anyways, the latest I'll be back is April 4. Might be sooner depending on how I feel. 

Funny how I think I need to "check in" with my blog family or whoever reads this. It is so helpful though to see that people are reading it each week and know that they are waiting to see how I did or didn't do.

I just need some time to focus on a few things maybe I'm just having a bad day but I'll be back no worries and I'll keep trying to lose weight and make changes.

Week Nine

This weeks stats:

Total Days of Exercise = 6-6

Weigh Loss = 3lbs (BELIEVE IT!)

Final Weigh In = 164.5

I am still trying to figure out how I lost 3lbs in one week. Maybe its because my body felt bad from all those weeks I didn't lose anything or maybe I just kicked butt with my workout routines and ate amazing...either way I am so happy with that. Its a boost that I needed. I know thats not the amount to expect every week but it's awesome for this week!

I made a list of some of my favorite things lately that are helping me in my weight loss journey, besides family, exercise and the usual.

*Disclaimer these are not ads for anything I'm just saying things that are helping me*

Crystal Light Energy - this stuff is awesome! It has caffeine in it but no carbonation and only 5 calories. You just pour the packet into a glass of water or water bottle. Love it!

Lean Pockets - Whole grains, about 280 calories, around 10 grams of protein.

Balanced Breakfast- In my last post I talked about ways to make a better breakfast. I have been doing that this week and making sure I have all three items in my breakfasts and I feel fuller and I get a good source of energy to start the day off. I've always ate breakfast but not like this very often. 

Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches and Sherbet - Less fat and calories and I still get a treat.

Homemade chocolate covered strawberries- Low in calories, fruit serving for the day, tastes more like a dessert than anything I 'm so addicted to them. I just cut the top off some strawberries melt a handful of chocolate chips, put the melted chocolate in a baggie cut of the tip and pour chocolate on strawberries. 

In other news found out today that the PT Test will be on March 30. Not counting today or test day that is 22 days away!!! Oh my goodness! So I'm going to buckle down and not do so many other types of workout but just run every day and do pushups and situps 2-3 times a day! I am passing this time end of story!

Breakfast Tips

As you all may or may not know breakfast is extremely important in having a healthy lifestyle and losing weight. It not only starts your metabolism for the day but gives you energy. Many people don't eat breakfast. Lucky me I've never had this problem. I always have to eat breakfast even if it's just a piece of toast or something my sugar gets way too low especially when I exercise in the morning. In my nutrition class we talked about how eating breakfast is important and some people (believe it or not) don't like breakfast foods and thats OK you don't have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast you can eat whatever you want. The healthiest breakfasts for you  consist of three key things: 
1- Include at least 1 serving of fruits and /or veggies. Why? Increase your intake of healthful antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
2- Include at least 1 serving of whole grains. Why? Necessary source of brain and muscle fuel and result in a greater feeling of fullness and more nutrition for the amount of calories.
3- Include a source of lean protein- Why? Helps slow digestion for sustained energy and steady blood sugar. Also important for the maintenance of lean muscle.


Here are some great quick combos to try with a glass of 1% or skim milk or orange juice:


Whole-wheat toast with peanut butter and half a grapefruit


Plain low-fat yogurt with fresh raspberries or blueberries with whole grain cereal or granola


Multi-grain waffle topped with banana slices and hard boiled egg on the side


Bran muffin with almond butter and apple slices or grapes


Instant oatmeal topped with a sprinkle of brown sugar and walnut halves and half a cup of strawberries


Whole wheat English muffin with low-fat cottage cheese and one-quarter cantaloupe


Sliced turkey breast wand one slice of low-fat cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla and fresh pineapple slices


My goal for this week is to make sure I am including all three items in my breakfast meals.



(Don't look for me on twitter I have an account but I never go on and have never updated my status)