Stepping it up!

Ok so  today has been a very stressful and trying day. So tomorrow I  m stepping up my game. I'm going to kick my diet in overdrive and walking at least 1 mile per day (although I'm going to try to do 2) I'm hoping I will see more results and get off of this plateau I'm stick on. Wish me luck.

On a lighter note there is a great deal on herbal essence and Aussie shampoo that you can price match at Walmart. They are $2 each at walgreens (I think) and there is a $3/2 coupon, making the final price $.50 per bottle!! Happy shopping! :)

It's been a while!!

Well it has definitely been while. Here is what's going on...I am now down to 245! That's right I have lost 31 pounds and I feel so much better I have been exercising andwatching what I eat. I am very excited to say I definitely plan to keep this up and get down to my goal weight!  I just wanted to post an update and I will be posting more often since I now have my account back! Thanks to everyone for the support!

Rough Week!

    Well this week has been really tough. A lot of things going on that have me stressed, mad, upset, and just all together messed up. So of course it was a hard week. Motivation was down, stress was up, and the fat bitch in my belly was screaming feed me (the skinny bitch in my head was screaming no don't do it, but the fat bitch won a few rounds lol)! I did about half good and half bad. I indulged a little bit but for the most part stuck to my diet. I did not exercise as much as I should have, actually I only managed to do it once this past week. Although not a total failure, I still feel bad. I know I'm an emotional eater and it is really hard to get past that. Anyone who says just don't do it, well it's just not that easy. I can do a lot of things but let's look at this for a minute-- if you smoke the solution is don't buy them or be around anyone who smokes, if you drink the solution is the same as smoking. Now think about the overeaters- food is everywhere! You have to buy it or die! Everyone is eating and food is everywhere! I know that you have to have the will power, but it is also a necessity! I'm not making excuses, I'm just saying it is a little harder than some think. I quit smoking with no problem- now food that's a whole other ballgame!

    So for the good news: I still lost 3 pounds this week! I am down to 267! I was 275 at the start (or restart, I should say), week one I lost 5 and this past week 3! I know it doesn't seem like a lot to everyone but to me it is amazing! I hope this week holds better results and better choices. I will push myself and get it done one way or another. I hope to be down 50-60 pounds by August! YES, by August. It is very possible and healthy for someone my size to lose weight this quick! I just need to stay motivated and focused!

    I hope everyone has a great week and feel free to leave comments about your own struggles, you are not alone I promise!

WOW!

    So a week ago today I started the biggest loser club and today was weigh in day. I didn't expect much because I did not actually start doing it until around day 3. I had lost down a couple of pounds but a week ago today I was weighing in at 275. Well today I step on the scale for the dreaded weigh in and OMG I am at 270! I was so excited. I weighed myself 3 times lol. It is just proving to me that the diet and exercise are working and will keep working! I just have to stay focused! Thank god for my support system! Well just wanted to share the news! I hope everyone is having a good week!

Feeling Good!

    Hey guys! How is everyone? Things are going good here. I am taking my lunch and doing my workouts and feeling better! The biggest loser club is really giving me the tools I needed and it is so easy to do. They gave me a calorie target of 1800 to 2100. Well that is a good zone, but I have not been eating enough calories. I know it sounds crazy, but most people do not eat enough calories and the ones that we do eat are the wrong kinds so it ultimately is packing on the pounds. The increase in calories, especially since good ones contain more fiber, can make you feel stuffed. But with adding exercise you have to keep your calorie count up.

    The exercise is going good as well. I did not realize how out of shape I am! I stuggle with it, but I am doing it. My husband and kids are proud and they do not say anything about me doing it, even if supper is a little later or someone has to get something themselves. Which is great, maybe I should have started earlier haha!

    I haven't talked about any of the deals that I have been getting with coupons. Last week Tina and I went to Publix and scored big! I was so excited! A few things we got were Prego pasta sauce for 60 something cents a jar, Stouffer's family size lasgna for 1.99, Campbells select harvest soups for less than 1 a can (can't remember exact price), and there were a few other things, but I can not think of them right now. We will probably go back this week. Publix is about 1 hour away, but we split gas and go once a week if they have good deals. If there are not good deals or not worth the trip deals, we will skip a week.

    I hope everyone has a good day! It is going to be beautiful today! If anyone wants to know more about couponing or just someone to talk to about your weight journey message me! See you soon!

I'm Ready! UPDATED

    Well I haven't been on here in a little bit, but I haven't forgot! I have been taking a good, long, hard look at myself and trying to figure out how I can make this work. So I took an extra step and joined The Biggest Loser Club! They are amazing! They give you all kinds of tools, like workouts and meal plans to follow. And I took it one step further and bought The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout game for the Xbox. It is done with the Kinect and let me tell you it will kick your butt. The menu was a little hard to work but other than that it was awesome. It also gives you fitness and diet tips.

    I am still hoping to hit my goal by summer! With the game, the club, and putting my treadmill to use- I think I can definitely do it. I am going to try to use this as much as possible and keep it updated with my results. If anyone has a Kinect and wants to get the game (which is not very expensive at all) we can challenge each other on Xbox live! Wish me luck!

OH YEAH! I forgot to put the measurements that the biggest loser game gave me and I double checked by measuring myself. And I have to say that they are pretty accurate! So here it is!

Weight 275
Height 5'7"
Neck 15"
Waist 51"
Hips 58"

Well its all out there now! No hiding it! Hope this helps someone else come to terms with their weight and change their life!!!

UGH!!!

    Well, I have been off the wagon over here! I am not even going to lie or make excuses about it either! I have just felt like crap and all I can say is UGH! I am frustrated with myself! I haven't been eating no where near what I should or for that matter even exercising at all. I am getting back on the wagon and have a motivation to lose at least 20 lbs by the end of March. I know that seems a little extreme but not to me! When you weigh as much as I do you can expect weight to come off a little faster in the beginning and then slow down to where it should be which is about 2 lbs a week, give or take. I am going to get on the wagon and make it my bitch, excuse my language! I am just tired of being fat and tired! I will be getting on the treadmill at least 3 times a week for at least 30 mins each time and I am going to do my best to go to gym 2 times a week (probably Wed. and Fri.). I made these plans forever ago, but time to get going! Anyone else in??


    On a better note, I went couponing yesterday and scored some amazing deals. I got 8 large boxes of Kellogg's cereal, 2 tubs of Country Crock, 4 tubes of Tylenol Precise cream, 2 bottles of Clorox bleach, 6 cans of Campbell's Chunky soup, and 2 bottles of Kraft BBQ sauce for $24.98 with a savings of $63.16!!! I was so excited! This was at Kroger. I also went to Walmart, but the deals weren't as great there but did score 4 bottles of Cheer laundry detergent and 2 bottles of All laundry detergent for around 1.50 each by price matching and coupons. It was a great day. I think I may go back to Kroger and get some more cereal today!


    Well I am off to finish all of my chores today so that I can study tomorrow! Everyone have a great day!

It's been a while!!!

    Well first off let me say HELLO! LOL And that I am sorry it has been so long since I have been on here and posted anything. I have been super busy with school and it is wearing on me. Now to the good part I am down 2 more pounds, which puts me at 272. I know that is not much improvement. I should be seeing better results, but I haven't been eating like I should and my appetite suppresant is not strong enough to last all day (hence the eating). I can not get the dosage raised until I go in for my next check up, so I am dealing until then. I also have not exercised. I need to get my butt on that treadmill, but I just feel like a cow when I try to walk on it. I know the only way to fix that is get on it but damn it's hard.
    Today was a rough day! I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, but got over it and got my day started. Hell, I even put on make up and dressed decent today lol. Then class drug on and it was awful. Then I realized that my "friend" is only my friend when it is convenient and when no one is looking so to speak. Well honey, let me say this because if you read this you know who you are. I was there when all the ones you are hanging with now were not and I am still here. Just because I'm not perfect and pretty and skinny like them doesn't mean I do not have feelings and that I do not notice that you pretty much ignore me when they are around. I like them and really they are more accepting of me than you in my eyes. Okay! So that was my rant about that!
    But that was not the end of my day, after everyone got home tonight we decided to go get something to eat. Well here we go over to this little resturant and I am being looked at like I am a fat cow. That was the first time I ever noticed anyone staring at me eating like I had a sign on me that said stare at this cow while she eats and maybe it will stop. I wanted to cry, yell, and become invisible all at once. It was the worst feeling I have had in a long time. It was more than one table / group too. And none of them were really thin either, I have no room to judge but they made me feel like shit. I knew in that moment that I have let it go too far. I am so ready for this change!!!
    Well this is it for the night! I am sure that I will be posting more often like I did the first week. It makes me feel better and makes me accountable and I need that. Good night everyone!!!

Motivation

   Well I started all of my medicine yesterday. Some of it kind of made me sick to my stomach in the morning yesterday and today but I got through it. Yesterday was good. I got a lot of things around the house done and worked on some coupons and homework. Today was just blah, I stayed up too late last night and I was tired and lecture was long and drawn out and I feel like I did not learn anything from it. It was just one of them days.
   The good thing is that I have made it through the last 2 days not being hungry. I have controlled what I am eating and had extra energy. I love the appetite suppressant! I am sticking to my diet and starting this weekend I will utilizing my treadmill. Starting next week some of my nursing buddies and I will be going to the gym on campus on Wed. before class and Fri. (once we no longer have class). I am looking forward to getting back in to the gym. Having a group of people will make me be more accountable for going and I really need that! Now if I only had my workout buddy, Becca. She would keep me so motivated and we always had so much fun working out! I miss you girl, we definitely need to get together soon.
   Well I am off to work on some homework and finish my shopping list for my very first Publix trip tomorrow. I am so excited and I can not wait.

Back to business...

   Today was hard. I went back to the doctor today and she has put me on a statin (cholesterol lowering medicine). I was hoping we wouldn't have to go that route, but with my risk factors and cholesterol numbers combined she thought it would be better to jump in and treat instead of waiting to see. She did give me the appetite suppressant with it though, so that is good news. The appetite suppressant means no more days like today where I feel like I am starving all day long. It is horrible to feel like that. I know it is my fault for convincing my body the over intake of food is normal and I know that only I can fix it. I am so ready for this change!
   Well the good news is I am down 2 pounds this week. I am now at 174! I know 2 pounds is not a whole lot but every pound counts. Its like saving money, every little bit helps and eventually you will have more than you ever thought. I am going to be taking my measurements at some point this week and I will post them when I do.
   Off the weight loss train and on to the couponing lol. I think a friend and I will be making weekly trips to Publix (depending on the sales). This week will be the first week! I am hoping to score some really good deals at their sales! I will also be making a budget this week. I am hoping that by making a budget I can keep better track of our money and spending and end up saving some money! We will see how that works out.
   Well it is after 9 o'clock and I am one wore out woman. I hope you all have a great night!

Catching up!

   Hey guys! Sorry for not posting yesterday, but it was my catch up day. I cleaned, I scrubbed, I couponed, I did laundry, and I grocery shopped! It was a busy day! My only mistake yesterday was going to the grocery store with kids in tow. Why would I say such a thing you ask? Well if you ask that you must not have children lol. They are good kids, but taking children in the grocery store is like taking them to DisneyWorld - nothing is off limits. This is especially true when I am trying to calculate coupon deals as I go (my fault for not planning better)! It was painful to say the least! But I did end up only giving in to a few request for stuff I know they will never eat and will sit on the shelf forever!
   On another note, my diet is going good! I am staying motivated, especially knowing that I have high cholesterol now. Oh and have you ever noticed that just about everything has cholesterol in it? And I do mean everything! Well good for you things anyways, perfect example is this: Tuna in water has 25 mg of cholesterol per serving while lays potato chips have 0 mg of cholesterol per serving! Really? I know the cholesterol in fish is the fatty omega 3 kind, but still looking at the label it does not discriminate, cholesterol is cholesterol.
   I have yet to start using the treadmill, but I will be very soon! I have to get my body back in good health. I know that losing weight comes with that, but the most important thing is getting in good health for myself and my children! Oh, I almost forgot! I found this neat little website that lets you see what you would look like after losing weight. It is www.weightmirror.com and it is completely free! It is not a gimmick and I am not getting paid to endorse it or anything like that. I will be posting my before pics on here soon and I will also post an "after" pic from there. As well as printing them and posting them all over my house. It is good motivation if nothing else lol.
   Well guys, I am off to do some more catching up and then later I will be on to some school work. I may post again later, so be on the look out. Don't forget to follow me on here to stay up to date on all my posts!

Rough Day!

   Today was a rough day! I found out that my cholesterol is high, actually very high! I have to meet with my FNP next week and discuss what my options are. It will either be cholesterol meds with the appetite supressant and a diet and exercise program or just the appetite suppressant and a diet and exercise program. I'm hoping it's the later. This is just another kick in the butt to get back in shape and take better care of my body. And this diagnosis comes right as we are studying the heart in nursing classes, go figure!
   Well today was a stuggle to stay on my diet but I did it. I did break down and have a handful of chocolate covered pretzels! They were good and cholesterol free LOL! I just wanted something chocolate and I figured that would be better than a snickers or something like that. Tomorrow my goal is to get on the treadmill and walk at least 1 mile. I know it will help, but getting myself motivated is the hard part.
   Tomorrow is also going to be my coupon organizing and sorting day! I am going to start looking at deals for the next week and plan a trip to Publix! First one ever! They always have great sales, but they are kind of far away. So my friend, Tina, and I plan on splitting the gas and heading out on a Friday morning and being back before the kids get home! I love shopping and couponing. If I could only make diet and exercise more like that I would be doing good. HAHA.

Started today!!!

   Well I did it! I started my diet today! I made a plan and I followed through with it. It wasn't a great day though. I struggled with being hungry and wanting to eat when I found myself stressing over class or other things. It is always so hard to get through the first few days.
   My lab work did not come back but as soon as it does I will know whether or not I can get the appetite suppressants. I hope so because I hate this struggle. I am dedicated to losing weight and keeping it off. I have made a lot of attempts at it, but this time I am going to do it and make it stick!

Okay, okay!

   Okay. So I said I was starting my diet today, but due to unforseen circumstances I did not. What I did do is go consult my FNP and have some labs drawn. It is important to consult a physician before starting a diet or exercise program since you never know what could be happening in your body! So I should have the lab results tomorrow and I will also be starting my diet in the morning.
   I am also looking in to starting an appetite suppressant along with my diet and exercise. I have lost weight using it before and it is a good way to jump over the first few weeks of feeling hungry, for me anyways. I will let you know how it is going once I get my lab results and find out if I am even eligible to be on it.
   Well since I did not start my diet today I indulged in pizza and chips. It is the last day of having food like that and I took advantage of it! I also had my first day of actual class today and it was good. I think I am really going to enjoy doing the maternal newborn class this semester. I also found some great deals online. Tomorrow night I will be going through all my coupons and clipping them. Oh and today a friend of mine surprised me by giving me a couple of coupon inserts! Thanks girl :) I know that is a small something but it made my day lol.
   Well class comes early in the morning and this chick is tired. I hope everyone has a good night!!

2012 is the year!

   Well tomorrow officially begins my diet. I will be hungry and cranky! I am so used to all the high fat, carb loaded foods that even thinking of healthy foods is like yuck! Also, it makes it harder for me that I am a picky eater. Not really that I am picky but I just do not like vegetables. My list of veggies that I will eat is very limited! I do not like anything that goes in a salad! Isn't that crazy? I love all things fruit though and I eat green beans regularly (at least it's a green veggie, right?). I do like corn but it is kind of void of nutritional value and more of a starch than a veggie if you ask me. The diet that I am doing is one that I came up with on my own. I will have high fiber, high protein, low fat meals. Here is what a day might consist of for me: a high fiber cereal in the mornings, such as frosted mini wheats, with low fat milk and a fruit; a turkey sandwhich on whole wheat bread, sunchips (single serve bag), and some kind of fruit or veggie for lunch; a chicken breast and green beans and another veggie or fruit for dinner. Now I know this sounds like not a lot of food, but you can add healthy snacks and tweak it where needed. The point is being accountable for what you are eating.
   I know anything and everything about how to diet and lost weight, it is just using it and sticking to it that is the kicker. I love food and it is hard to overcome that. Now I love chocolate, but chocolate is something that I do not need a lot of so what I do is buy the mini of my favorite and when I crave chocolate I just eat one or two of those. I know that I shouldn't but it is better to give in then to feel miserable and end up eating one or two whole bars because you can't control the urge anymore. LOL My weakness is caffiene! I love diet dr pepper and I drink a lot of it. My goal is to cut back, not cut out, but cut back on the caffiene! I drink coffee in the morning, usually about 2 cups and then I am going to limit myself to 16 or 20 oz of soda per day and drink more water. Speaking of coffee, you really have to watch the cream and sugar that you use in your daily coffee. There can be a lot of calories there and they will add up. I'm not saying cut it out just watch the labels and try finding a similar but less fat and calorie filled version :)
   Now the key to dieting for me is to set short term goals and give rewards for hitting certain milestones. My goal for week 1 is to lose 5 pounds. That will put me at 271 and if I achieve that I will be excited. After the first 10 pounds I will reward myself with something (not food of any kind). I will think of a good reward system and possibly post that tomorrow. I will also be adding exercise to my routine. I bought a treadmill over the summer and have used it all of two or three times. The good intentions were there anyways, haha. Well if you have any questions or concerns or if you would like to just get together and walk sometime leave me a comment or email me! Hope everyone has a good night!

WELCOME!

  Hello and welcome to Fat Girl Skinny! I am very glad to have you! This is my very first blog and I hope that I will have lots of followers. Lets just start with what I am doing here. This will be a type of journal. I will be discussing my weight (the good and the bad), my couponing adventures, and my life. I am looking forward to being able to share all of these things with everyone. I will have pictures, information, and tips up as soon as I can.


  First things first though, I am Rachel! I am married, a mother of 2, a nursing student, and a couponer. I have struggled with my weight all of my life and have tried all different kinds of things to lose weight. I am now at my heaviest, coming in at a whopping 276 pounds. That's right, I am putting my weight out there and owning it. Afterall, to control something you have to own it. My goal is to get down to 176 pounds in a year or less. I know that is a lot but all things are possible if you put your mind to it.


  Other than my weight struggles I will be talking about me and my husband's journey to getting debt free and also about couponing. Both of those pretty much go hand in hand since couponing frees up some money. I will post really good deals or coupons that I think are of special interest. I will also refer to some of my favorite websites and post deals that I have scored through my own couponing adventures.


  Well I hope you enjoy my blog and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me and don't forget to subscribe so you do not miss anything going on.