Shrinking Kimber: December 2010

Friday, December 31, 2010

2011 Goals, Hopes and Aspirations...

2010 is almost a memory.

2011 is right around the corner and like millions of others, I have some things I would like to accomplish in this new year.

I want to be closer to God. I don't read my Bible enough, or pray like I should. My goal for this coming year is to get God back in the center of my life.
I want to be healthier. By mid-year I want to be able to hear my doctor tell me that my cholesterol levels are normal, my spleen is back to it's original size and that all signs of Fatty Liver disease are gone.
I want to be a Mamavation Mom. This goes along with number 2. I am currently campaigning for my chance to be a Mamavation Mom during campaign 7, but if that does not happen, I will, once again, wait for the next campaign! I want to weigh at least 60 lbs. less by the end of the year.
I want to receive a promotion at work by the end of 2011. I love my new job. But I want to keep moving up!
I want to run a 5K. My husband actually cackled at me this first time I mentioned this to him, so yeah, I really want to do this! I dream of running. I remember being younger and running and I remember how liberating it felt, just to run!

So there, I made my goals for this year! It will be interesting to come back to the post in 365 days to see how well I did!

What are your goals? Share with me!

P.S. If you want to show your support in my quest to become a Mamavation Mom, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

#Mamavation Monday - Now that we got Christmas over with..

It's time to start focusing on becoming the next Mamavation Mom. I feel that I did very well during Christmas. I can tell that I had a little too much sodium, as I am retaining water, but my weight is still lower than last week's! Yes, that's right, my first loss since I started taking Prednisone in October! It was around 3 lbs lost before Christmas. Feels great! I am definitely a force to be reckoned with this coming campaign!

I want to take this opportunity to share some of my recent Mamavation Mom related blog posts with you.

First, check out my 10 days of posts on "Why I Want to be a Mamavation Mom".
Next go check out my guest blog post over at Slightly Off Kilter, the blog of one of our most recent Mamavation Mom's, Shelley, @Momma_Oz.
Are you kind of confused about what all this Mamavation Mom talk is or how the nominations and voting works? Check out this post!
And finally, my Mamavation Mom application vlog and blog post.

Hope that you all had a very Merry Christmas and got everything you heart desired! Tweet you all soon on Twitter!

Friday, December 24, 2010

Why I want to be a #Mamavation Mom - Final Day 10 - Just for me.

image from woodchips.com

See Days 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9

Day 10 - My children are still very young. However, they are not so young that they take up every minute of my free time like I try to let on. It's time I start focusing on me. More time planning meals, for me, more time planning activity, for me. I know it is great to get the whole family involved in all of these things, and in time, that will come. But I need to get myself to a state of mind where taking care of myself is routine, a way of life. Then I am sure it will pass on to my children and husband. I want to be a Mamavation Mom so I, yes I, can start feeling better about myself, and shop where I want to shop, and be a good example for my children. I already feel a little selfish, but that is the state of mind I need to get out of. Moms, it is not selfish for us to want something only for ourselves. My something is to be healthy. And if I selfishly want this bad enough for myself, it will eventually be for them as well.

If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Why I want to be a #Mamavation Mom - Day 9

See Days 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Day 9 - For your inspiration. You, the mom who is reading this and maybe you are at the end of your rope. Transforming your life into a healthy one seems hopeless. I've been there. With two boys who like to snack and a husband who is a very picky eater, I figured that we were destined to have a kitchen full of refined sugar and processed foods. I want to be a Mamavation Mom to inspire other moms to get healthy. I have A LOT of weight to lose. There was a point in my life, earlier this year, where I thought that I was meant to be overweight. I gave up. I have 130+ pounds to lose, and looking at it when I had no support, and no plan, it looked hopeless. I want to be the light for that mom out there who has given up. I want to share my story with her and help lift her up and support her. I want her to see that if I can do, anyone can do it.

I have always said that I want a story to tell. Becoming a Mamavation Mom, getting healthy and losing weight would be an awesome story to tell, don't you think?

If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Why I want to be a #Mamavation Mom - Day 8 - To feel better about myself

See Days 1,2,3,4,5,6,7

Day 8 - When I go to a new place, like at school or work, I always look around to see if I am the biggest person in the room. If I'm not, I feel a little more at ease, like everyone won't be staring at just me. I have worried enough about how people are going to look at me, or what they are going to say. I have missed enough events in my life because I am too ashamed for people, family and friends, to see how much weight I have gained. I have noticed I am not as friendly to people as I used to be, and I have figured out that it is mainly because I don't want to draw attention to myself. This isn't as upbeat or comical as a lot of my posts, but this is real. I am not looking for sympathy, I don't deserve sympathy. I did this to myself, this obesity is all my fault. I am not going to play the blame game and say it is my parents fault, or my husband's fault. It's all me. I did it, but I need help to undo it.

In 2007 I lost 50 lbs on a popular diet. I was taught how to eat, told what not to eat and how much activity I should shoot for. A lot of this advice came from people that were hired right off the street, people who had no experience working with overweight individuals, or had never experienced being overweight, or dealing with an eating disorder. But I was never taught how to deal with the triggers that made me over eat. The emotions, self pity, all the other triggers that send me spiraling into a binge. I have since dealt with the most of those, mostly through praying and focusing on God in the rough times. But if I do become the next Mamavation Mom I would have more than just the eat this, do this kind of training. Mamavation Moms receive the kind of attention that a person like me needs. There is more than just diet and exercise training. There are real live mentors, Mamavation Mom graduates who are succeeding in the new lifestyle and are there to lend the new Mamavation Moms an ear when they need it. Then, of course, there is Pete Cohen, the Mamavation Lifestyle Coach. He is there to break down the good and bad and motivate the Mamavation Moms.

I need a push. I need the help of the Mamavation Coaching Team. But I won't get there without your support! Now, I need your support through tweets and posts on Facebook. Then, if I am chosen as a finalist, I need your vote. One vote, it won't take but a couple minutes at most.

If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Why I want to be a #Mamavation Mom - Day 7 - Taffeta

Image from morilee.com

See Days 1,2,3,4,5,6

Day 7 - Taffeta - As in bridesmaid's dress! Okay, it's actually satin, but you know what I mean! My little sister is getting married in March and I am her Matron of Honor. The dresses are gorgeous, and strapless! Yikes! I want to be the next Mamavation Mom so that I can have some toned arms, shoulders, calves, and hopefully a little less fat before her wedding. My measurements have already been taken, and sent off to the dress company, but I would have no problem whatsoever with having to have some alterations because I've lost weight!

If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Why I want to be a #Mamavation Mom - Day 6 - Don't look at me that way...

See Days 1,2,3,4,5

Day 6 - Don't look at me that way... The, "Wow, you're fat but I am trying not to stare at your stomach" look. I have seen it hundreds of time, I walk up to a person, and the first thing they see is my stomach. Then they quickly look away or look at my face. Am I being paranoid? Maybe, probably. But I notice it, I see it, it happens. I brush it off most of the time, but it does make me a little more self conscious about walking up to people. Remedy to this problem? Lose the fat belly! I'm working on it, but being the next Mamavation Mom would be a great kickstart to start burning some fat!

If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Why I want to be a #Mamavation Mom - Day 5 - I want to shop there!

See Days 1,2, 3, 4

Okay, don't act like I'm the only one! I want to shop at those stores that have the cutest clothes. For skinny people. I love Old Navy, and yes, I know they carry up to size XXL, but even that is too small for me! I had built up a hate against plus size clothes, the horrid styles and the outrageous price that accompanied them. I felt like I was being discriminated against because I had to pay more for plus size clothes. I hate shopping for that reason. But I have finally realized, plus size clothes will always cost more, and they only thing I can do to change that is change me.

If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

#Mamavation Monday - The campaign begins...

Wow. It really doesn't seem like it was that long ago when I was recording my video for Campaign 6! But here we are, almost 3 months later, and another campaign is just getting started! If you have watched my Mamavation Mom application video, you know that things did not quite go as planned last go-round. But this time, I am healthy, well down the path of recovery, and set to roll! I truly believe that God had a reason for everything that happened in October. One reason I am sure of, had I not gotten sick, I probably would not have went on the search for a job with benefits, and would not be at the great job I am at now!

Go here to check out all the mama's who have applied so far!

I have been blogging daily about why I want to be the next Mamavation Mom. There is so much that just could not be fit into a four minute video. Make sure to take a few moments and check out my "10 days of why I want to be a Mamavation Mom". See Days 1,2, 3, 4

I have finally settled into a little groove with the new job. It took almost 5 weeks, but I am at a place where I feel comfortable! (It also helps that my college classes ended this past week!) I went shopping at the grocery store and I am in the process of buying the "staples" of healthy eating. Today I bought a couple things I have never purchased before. Milled flax seed, and Truvia. I just recently started reading a book my Phil and Amy Parham from season 6 of The Biggest Loser. The book entitled, "The 90 Day Fitness Challenge" has been very inspiring to me so far. And to be honest, there is not much in the book that I haven't heard or read before, but I feel as if I have a little more control when I have an "instruction manual".

I won't be at Mamavation TV Monday night, still working Mondays for now. Thanks to my class schedule this spring, that will be changing soon! I miss you all like CRAZY and I have enjoyed being back on twitter this week, you all rock!

Congrats to an awesome sista, and a fellow Mamavation Mom applicant, @ChristiDarty for being named our Sista of the Week! :) She is Awesome, and I would be honored to serve as Mamavation Mom next to her!

Check out this week's Mamavation Monday post over at Mamavation.com and get all the details on the sponsor of this week's blogging carnival and how to win some cool swag! :)

If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Why I want to be a #Mamavation Mom - Day 4 - I don't want them to hurt.

See Days 1 & 2 and Day 3...

Day 3 - I don't want them to hurt. "Them" being my family and friends. I have lost so many people in my life due to weight related issues. Obesity kills. That is something that is not communicated enough. Sure, I believe that people should love themselves, no matter how they look, but we should also love ourselves enough to care how our health, sickness or even death may affect those around us. I am talking to myself here! I need to be the next Mamavation Mom to finally be taught how to do the right things! I can't do this on my own, I have tried, and failed. I need the support, and guidance from the Mamavation Sisterhood and Coaching Team. Even though this bootcamp is only 8 weeks long, that is 8 weeks of change, 8 weeks of finally focusing on me! For them.

If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Why I want to be a #Mamavation Mom - Day 3

See days 1 and 2 here...

Day 3 - Family. I have two gorgeous, healthy sons. Bradley, who is 4, and is the oldest, is independent and headstrong. He is a great big brother to his 2 year old brother, Isaiah, and loves spending time with family. Unfortunately, due to my (and my husband's) bad eating habits, Bradley is overweight. Mamavation is all about helping mom's get healthier, and making the lifestyle change that is needed to help their families become, and stay healthy. Not only do I want to be a good example to my sons and husband, but to the rest of my family. My boys stay with my mom while I am at work, and all of those bad habits that I learned as a child, still linger in my parent's house. There is always an endless supply of little cakes and cookies. The kitchen is the first place my children run to when staying at Grandma's house. My father has already begun making changes to his diet because he is borderline diabetic. But I need to have a change, and I mean a dramatic change, in my life to show my family that I am serious about these changes. And if I can do it, so can they!

Don't forget, if I inspire you and you want to support me through this campaign, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

What is #Mamavation Mom?

All this posting about Mamavation and my quest to become the next Mamavation Mom warrants some explaining, right?

Mamavation

Leah Segedie, owner and creator of Mamavation is focusing on us moms. (Finally!) It's all about us. She is leading this group simply to help us all learn how to live a healthy lifestyle so we can make our families healthier. Obesity starts at home, and we can end it there!

Every 3 months or so a new bootcamp also called a campaign for Mamavation Mom begins.

How do you become a Mamavation Mom? (December 15th to January 5th)

Yep, Create a video, fill out an application, then the campaigning begins! I have created my video, which can be viewed here, and I have started campaigning.

Finalist Week (January 10th to January 17th)

This is when all the Mamavation Mom applicants are narrowed down to five finalists. Leah posts the finalists videos on Mamavation.com and opens a poll. One vote per computer/phone/tablet is allowed. I will post a link to the poll if I am chosen as a finalist! I need your help to become the next Mamavation Mom!

Mamavation Mom Twitter Party (January 17 8-10pm EST)

The Mamavation Mom Twitter Party is unlike any party you have ever attended! New friends are made, new facts are learned, and lots of prizes are won! At the end of the Twitter Party the two Mamavation Moms are announced! Loads of fun!

Mamavation Moms (Campaign #7: January 17th to March 4th)

If you support me and my quest to become the next Mamavation Mom please tweet this message,

Not on Twitter? No problem! Head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and leave the above message on the wall! You can tweet or post as many times as you'd like!

Don't want all the limelight, but still need support? Visit Mamavation.com and learn how to pledge to the Sistahood!

All quotes comes from Mamavation.com, and owner Leah Segedie, @bookieboo on twitter.

Why I want to be a #Mamavation Mom - Days 1 and 2

Yesterday was the opening day for Mamavation Mom applications. I applied because not only do I need Leah to kick my booty in this bootcamp, but I need the support and accountability from all of the sisters! So I announced yesterday on Twitter that instead of the 12 Days of Christmas, I am doing the 10 days of why I want to be the next Mamavation Mom. (See my Mamavation Mom Application Video here!)

Day 1 - Elastic Waist Pants. I really don't have anything against the pants themselves, but the fact that I am having to wear them, again, when just a month ago I was wearing jeans is a major reason. I can still wear those jeans, but it's not pretty. (Let's just say, major muffintop!) I have watched two Mamavation Campaigns now, and upon graduating from the bootcamp, you could see a major change in the graduate's waist lines! I need that! My waist is 40+ inches around and my hips are 60+ inches around. Yikes. I am at such a high risk of heart disease because of those numbers.

Day 2 - Health. In August of this year my doctor threw the hard truth at me. I have elevated levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, the beginning signs of Fatty Liver Disease and my spleen is enlarged. I asked him how much of that was caused by being obese, and he said all of it was. He instructed me to walk 6 days a week, and start losing weight. I trudged forward and took that advice until October when I got the diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. This disease is not caused by my obesity, but would probably be better controlled with a healthier lifestyle. Also, my disease is more concentrated in the right side of my colon which puts me at a higher risk for colon cancer. That is a MAJOR reason to get and eat healthier!

If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Once again I present... My #Mamavation Mom Vlog Application...

Thanks once again to all those who have held me up and supported me through the past couple months! I hope to become the next Mamavation Mom so I can be a light to other moms, the same way previous Mamavation Graduates have been a light to me!

Without further ado, my vlog application...

Don't forget, If you want to show your support, please tweet the following, or head on over to the Mamavation Facebook page and let Leah, @bookieboo know that I inspire you!

Check out my latest Mamavation Monday post!

Weight: 276.2 Yikes!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

At the end of the tunnel... #Mamavation Monday

I can see a light... It's at the end of this long tunnel that I thought would never end. A tunnel that made my mind and body do things that were not normal. I know, this seems awful dramatic, especially since this "tunnel" I am referring to is basically my 3 month long relationship with that evil drug, prednisone. I had heard, before being prescribed this drug, that it could really mess with your system. The first couple of weeks, I thought, "Wow, this drug isn't so bad..." But here I am 3 months later, almost 20 pounds heavier, with a moon face and bloated belly thinking, "They were right!" And I will admit, I used being on this drug as an excuse from time to time to binge on foods because I had a raging appetite that would not, could not be satisfied some nights. But I can gladly say, that I am almost finished with this drug, my tapering schedule ends on December 31st and I will be free. No more crazy thoughts running through my head, no more weird hair growth (that's another blog post...), no more indigestion!

I feel like I have let myself go... There were weeks when I was spot on with my diet and exercise and still gained weight, and it got to me. I kinda sorta quit. But I can't stay in that "quit" state of mind. I have a family to tend to, I have skinny jeans to get back in to, I have a wedding to help plan, and a bridesmaids dress to get in to in 4 months. I have a life to live.

I am applying to be the next Mamavation Mom on December 15th. I have been in the sisterhood since July, and I am oh, so grateful for Leah, and all the sistas. There were times I avoided twitter, the thought of facing my sistas when I felt I had been at my worst made me feel so ashamed. But every time I confess I am met with nothing but compassion, encouragement and support. Wow. I never in my life imagined I would meet so many accepting, understanding women in one place. I love these ladies!

I have a lot of weight to lose. I want and need the Mamavation Bootcamp to get me back on the right track, the track that leads to health, vitality, a happy me, and a healthy family. Keep an eye out for my Mamavation Mom Video Application on the 15th, and after you watch it, please tweet this to show your support for me!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

#Mamavation Monday - Hi-ho, hi-ho...

It's off to work I go!

I just wanted to check in quickly! :) I miss you all like crazy, my work schedule is a little crazy right now; working 5pm-12am is not my cup of tea, but it will get better soon! I am missing Mamavation TV again this week, but hopefully I will be back before long. I am excited about the announcement that Leah is opening up the application process for Mamavation Mom early! I can't wait to make my video! I am almost finished with the Prednisone, I am feeling more and more like myself again with each decrease in dosage. I am down to 7.5 mg per day, I was on 40 mg per day. 3 more weeks!

Hope you all have a great week, and stay warm if it's snowing where you are! We had our first official accumulation of snow over the weekend and I am loving it!

This week’s blogging carnival is sponsored by @EarthFootwear!!! I have been pining for a pair of these shoes, and will probably list them on my Christmas list! (Yea, I haven't made one yet...) Check out the awesome line of shoes, boots and sandals at Earthfootwear.com!

Love you all, miss you all, see you all on Twitter!

Love and Hugs!