Week 10

9 Full weeks down. And this week's weigh in @ 292 brings the total weight loss to 11 pounds! It feels so great! It's the lowest weight I have been since I started 9 weeks ago. This week's goal of 2500 calories was really good for me. I was able to get 3- 20 minute workouts in this week. So I decided my goal for this next week is to get 4- 30 minute workouts and keep at the 2500 calories a day. I really want this to be a lifestyle change and so staying at 2500 calories seems just right for now. Any lower would put unrealistic expectations on me right now. The weight loss and the way my body feels right now is very rewarding and I have to admit that it is tempting to go all crazy and eat less and less. I guess it's the excitement of finally seeing results. I think that a lot of people who try to lose weight do crazy diets that can't be sustained over long periods of time. I don't want to be "on a diet". I want to be healthy. I want to eat healthy portions of foods. I want to take care of my body that my Heavenly Father gave me. I can do that by changing my lifestyle in a healthy way, not a quick crazy diet where I am starving my body and not giving it the nutrition it needs. As I keep reminding myself of that, I can keep a good perspective and just keep plugging away and not get all crazy about it. Many thanks to all you wonderful friends and family who supported me this week, it helped me so much! I am going to try a mid-week check in on Wednesday to report how I am doing this week. It really does help knowing that I have other people counting on me. Thank you so much! Have a wonderful week!

Week 9- Let's Move!

296 and holding. Counting calories was an epic fail though. So I am starting a new idea. I have been really focused on my weight lately and want to shift that attention to forming healthy habits. So, I will try this week again for counting calories and going to give the "calorie counting app"on my tablet a try (thank you Stephanie for the idea). So everyone please hold me to it this week. I am going to do a nightly check-in on facebook to report my calorie counting, I need the motivation and to be held accountable. So I will start the "calorie app" tomorrow, my calories today were roughly 2500 which is where I need to be this week. Thank you all for the support! 8 weeks down, 40 to go, feeling positive and ready for another week!
-Tanya

Week 8

Great news this week! My swelling is better, not all gone but better. Apparently it wasn't water retention though. We still don't know what is causing it. But, I see the doctor about sleep apnea and possible insulin resistance/diabetes this week and hopefully we can get some answers/help.
   As far as my weight. It has been 7 full weeks and after being up and down so much I have stabilized around 296: which brings total weight loss to 7 pounds. 7 pounds in 7 weeks. Well, that's good. I had seen that number after just the first week, but after all that has happened I am still hanging on. So, now it's time to really watch those calories. I totally hate counting calories, I think it's very tedious, but I have done it enough that I am getting faster and better at it. So I will report next week on calorie counting and see how that goes!
Thanks to all and Happy December!
-Tanya

Week 7: Count your blessings

Well, the good news is that my bad days are not as bad and my good days are even better. The not so good news is that my swelling in my legs has gotten worse. They are "pitting" more now and so when you press on my leg it makes a big funny dent that stays for a while. Not liking that at all. Which also means my weight is still fluctuating up and down. Frustrating! Anyway, we had a great Thanksgiving Holiday with Brycen's family. I am hoping to call the doctor this week and see what to do about all my swelling hopefully get that taken care of. Hope you all had a great Holiday! Bring on the Christmas music!!

Week 6: Getting back to Normal!

So this was a good week for me. My swelling has gone down a little bit and so has my weight! Back down to 294; which is just one pound away from where I was before my surgery. I am still a bit swollen but the water retention seems to be lessening, so hopefully that will be all done in the next week or so. I finished my internship hours which is taking a lot of stress off and helping me to relax. I was able to do 2 days of workouts this week and remember more water, which really helped! I am feeling so much better than I have in a long time, and am hoping for more workouts this week. I am really wanting to see weight loss this week and think I can if I really focus on trying to eat healthy and get my exercise in. I know we have Thanksgiving this week, but I think I can enjoy it AND keep my weight where it needs to be. I also was able to do a sleep study last night to see if I have sleep apnea and see how to take care of it. We'll get the results in the next 2 weeks or so. Anyway, I am looking forward to some family time w/Brycen's family this week and feeling more like normal! Thank you all again for your love and support!

Into Week 5: Stepping Up

Have you ever worked at something and have the results not turn out the way you planned? Well, that's how this last week was for me. It's been quite the week. With the election, school, sick husband, sick baby, swollen legs, painful bruising, recovering heart and coming down with a cold myself, I have felt a fair amount of stress. There were a few days of some stress eating, which I was able to have and still keep it under control without eating too much. It was a small effort, but more than I have done in the past. Yet, from the swelling and water retention from my heart procedure and still not being able to exercise, I went back up 7 pounds. That is so frustrating! I feel like my body is betraying me. Even though it is hard to report this to you all this week, I do feel at peace knowing that I made an effort. I didn't let the overeating rule me. And I am not giving up.
The great news this week is that my heart seems to be responding well to the procedure now and I have been in a normal rhythm for 2 days now. I don't know how to describe how it feels, other than I feel more like myself again. I have more energy, I can climb the stairs without gasping for air, and I feel more clear minded. I am so happy about it! I go in this coming Saturday to do a sleep study to get some help with my sleep apnea. I am hoping that goes well and I can get the things I need to help that. The doctors think that the sleep apnea is a major contributor to my heart problems, so if it can be treated then my heart will should continue to do better.
I am moving forward into this week with a "Step it up" attitude. Last week was hard, yes. Now I have a new week before me. Despite a threatening cold, I am feeling so much better than I have in months.

So to step it up this week I will focus on 2 areas: WATER and EXERCISE.
Drinking the water my body needs will help with the swelling and water retention, and finally being able to get up and exercise will feel so good!

Thank you all for standing by me through this setback. I was wanting to ask all you readers if you had time this week to send me some of your favorite "encouragement quotes". Quotes or sayings that encourage you and help you have more determination and focus. I sure could use some of those right now!!

Moving Forward with Faith,
Tanya

Week 4 starting- Heart procedure

    Well it was a good week. As some of you may know and most probably don't, after I had Lucas last year my heart began to go into Atrial Fibrillation. That is where my heart wasn't beating properly. We tried different medications and a cardioversion (which shocks the heart back to rhythm) but after 20 months my heart still wasn't beating properly. So, on Halloween a few days ago, I went to the hospital to have a procedure called catheter ablation which can hopefully cure my condition. In simple terms the doctor stuck a tube in my leg that led through an artery up to my heart, looked at my heart, then burned/scarred the parts of my heart that were causing the improper beating.
      The doctor said that he had to do a fair amount of ablation to get all the problem spots, but he thinks he got them all and hopefully within the next 3 months the scarring will help my heart to be healed and it will continue to beat properly. So, I have been recovering from that the past few days.
      As far as taking care of my health, this week I really have been aware and careful of what I eat. I have eaten more salads, more veggies and fruit, more whole grains. And I have been very good at portion control this week. Exercise was very limited as my procedure has had me recovery and not able to do too much activity. Yet, I have done what I could when I could. I am very happy with the efforts I have made this week.
     As far as my weight this week, it has been really wacky because of my procedure. It caused me to swell and retain a lot of fluids and I gained 18 pounds, which I have now lost and am back down to my 293, which keeps the total weight loss at 10 pounds. So this week stayed the same. Yet, I still feel a bit swollen and with the way I was eating this week I am sure next week will bring better results on the scale. And the scale isn't the most important part of this goal, it's healthy living. This past week I have done the best out of all the weeks to take care of my health and so I am really happy and pleased with the progress I am making. Thank you to all who have been thinking of and praying for me, those thoughts and prayers are felt. We have had so many people bring meals, cards, and well wishes. Thank you!
   Hope you all are well and enjoying November so far!

Week 3 Begins

Well, it's been 2 full weeks and I lost 3 more pounds this last week which brings the total to 10lbs lost! That is a good solid start. This last week was hard. With doing internship right now and having my heart problem it was a stressful week, which triggered a lot of extra eating. I realized that I could only get through this week and be successful by turning to Heavenly Father. And I did. And He made the difference. The 3 pounds this week were all because of Him. Because of Him I can be successful. Because of Him I can be happy and I can gain greater health. Whatever struggles or trials you face I know that He can help you overcome them too. May you all have a great happy week and a fun time with your friends and family this week for Halloween!
-Tanya-

Week 2- What it's all about!

One week down. 7 days, 7 pounds. Out of the 300s. Feels really good to say that! I focused this week on the "little things". Eat just a little less. Exercise just a little more. This next week I am focusing on what this is all about. Last week I contemplated a lot on why I am doing this and focused on how I felt as I was eating healthier.

It's all about:

1) Feeling the peace that comes when I do what's right (which includes caring for my body).
2) Being beautiful (health is beauty-spiritual and physical).
3) Energetically living life the way I want to.
4) Building strength and self-discipline.

This next week I really want to have a healthy week. Fruits, Veggies, Water, Sleep, Exercise, all those good things I want to have lots of this week. I like the feeling of health. It's invigorating. I want to chase that feeling and keep having it more and more. My battle with weight loss can be won. I know I can do this. I need to keep that positive focus. I want to replace harmful habits with healthy ones. I can do it. I am doing it. Thank you again to all for your faith and encouragement. I am so happy to have you, who have been true friends through the years, on my side cheering me along. I love having you along with me.
This picture today shows me taking care of myself now. I dressed up, I put on make-up, I washed and straightened my hair, I put on earrings. I made myself look my very best. Most days I figure "why bother?" I would think that because of my weight that nothing I did would make me look any better. Well, that's not true. Taking care to look my best makes me feel better about myself, I look and feel happier and it shows that I do care about myself. So, here is me, today. Happy.

All my thanks,
Tanya

Day 3-quick note

So today was a good day, very hard, yet good day. It was good because I ate healthy and exercised according to my plan. It was hard because I still want to eat and I am choosing to stop because I don't need anymore food today. That is a big step for me! And I did it! One thought that has lifted me up today is that if I keep going then I never have to go through the "starting" part again. I am still in the beginning stages right now, the part that doesn't have much "reward" there is no significant health change between day 1 and day 3 yet each day brings more. As of today I have lost 3 pounds. There is no significant health change or appearance change between 303 and 300 pounds. Yet inside me, I know that I have done my best for 3 days to take better care of myself. And that feels good. And as each day passes the days will add up and as each pound comes off my health will increase and I know that I will feel better about myself and how I treat my body. And that's what this is about.

To those who have already posted comments and sent messages, THANK YOU! I am keeping track of these comments and going to keep them in a place I can refer to them for help when I am feeling discouraged.You are all an important part of this journey.

-Tanya

New Goal Week One

For those of you who read this blog, I am asking for a request. There is an important goal I would like to reach and I know that I am going to need all the encouragement and praise I can get in order to reach it. I am going for 48 weeks. This is a long goal, broken down into shorter, weekly goals, which I will be posting on our blog. This is something that many of you may have previously spent time with me to help me on, and yes I still struggle with it. My weight. It has gotten worse recently and I am currently the heaviest I have been in my entire life. Weighing in now at 303 pounds, my health is seriously declining.
    I understand and have been taught the HOW part and think I have sufficient information on what to do to lose weight. I don't need anymore advice on that end. I just need to implement it now. JUST DO IT.
   So, what I am asking you wonderful friends is for you to check in occasionally on my posts/pictures make encouraging comments, remark on how I am doing, and don't judge. I really need to believe I can do this. I have tried at lower weights to lose weight and ultimately was never able to reach my goals. Now, at this weight it seems nearly impossible. Yet, I know that God can help me to my part and make up for what I lack. I need to do this for my health, and I can't wait any longer.
   So, if you have a little time every now and then, please help me out with words of encouragement. That helps me so much to know others are rooting for me and believe in me. I will be posting on Sundays. Thank you to those who have previously helped and thank you to those who will take the time to help now. You are so important to me.

-Tanya

Almost 15 months

School is coming to a close and things are going great here for us.  Lucas is learning and growing and so adorable.  He got his first haircut at 14 months and he looks so handsome.  I am finished for the school year and am looking forward to a "mommy" summer.  Brycen will continue working hard for his professor this summer doing research.

Growing Up & Getting Bigger!

Lucas is 13 months (almost 14!) and growing up so fast! He is moving around so much and wanting to learn about everything. He has a fun sense of humor, he loves to honk his nose (and daddy and mommy's too-- even baby cousin Logan's nose!). He has been learning some sign language and has taken to it very well. He can sign over 20 different words and uses them to communicate. It is incredible!

   School has been going well, we are in the last month of the school year. Brycen is as busy as ever, and really enjoying his program. I passed my Comprehensive Test for my program and will be able to graduate in December and have my counseling license hopefully shortly thereafter.  I am loving "mommyhood" and learning so much!

Lucas is One!!

                                                   Aunt Sydney 'shoveling' in the Cheerios!

                                                   Helping mommy

                                              I love this bucket! Wahoo!!

                                                     Mommy and Me!

                                                      Too much cake! Can't handle it!

                                                            Bubbles!

Lucas had a fun 'Winnie the Pooh' birthday and loved popping bubbles, opening presents, and playing with friends. The weird thing was that he hated his cake! He would rather eat bread! Cute! Lucas and Brycen went to a 'Lunch and a book with Dad' activity at the Library and ate his first sub sandwich and loved it. He got some cars and books and other toys for his birthday and really enjoyed having so many people around. What a great day!

New Year!

                                                          On the Plane

                                                 Enjoying Texas Sunshine!

                                        Winnie the Pooh is a really great friend... and pillow!

                                             Fun in the Play house

                                                   Look at me! I am so cute!

                                                      Peeking out his window....

We are 3 weeks into the new school semester and off to a pretty good start, despite a nasty cold circulating through our home, GROSS! But, Baby Lucas is feeling better and mom and daddy are fighting it off the best they can! I got this huge cardboard box from the furniture store and made Lucas a little playhouse. He is so cute playing in it and sticking his head out the windows. Mostly he likes playing with mom and daddy in it! We were lucky to have had a great Christmas trip down to Texas and to see Grandma Donna, Aunt Erika, Cousins Michael and Emily, Great Aunt Amy, and Great Uncle Greg! It was a lot of fun and Lucas proved to be a great airplane passenger. We enjoyed Texas and getting out of the Idaho for a little while. I can't believe how big Lucas is getting, almost a year old now! How exciting! We are going to do a Winnie the Pooh party for him and celebrate with some friends and family.