Honesty

To begin I want to share some family news!! James and Alysha had their new baby boy, Brayden Joseph! He was born at 9:27 a.m on April 20, 2010, weighed 7lbs8oz, 20 inches long. He has hair, it's very dark, and looks very little like his big brother! His birth was FAST. Well, maybe not the labor part since that lasted a few hours, but the pushing part lasted about 15 minutes!! Crazy fast, i'm almost envious! I would share more but it's not really my story to tell! The happy little family is home now and adjusting to life as a family of 4. It's so weird to see my brother with 2 kids but it is helpful to see them juggling both because it gives me hope for my future!

Jordan and James holding new baby Brayden.

MOVING ON:

For those who know me in real life they should know me as an honest person. If I have a problem with something I am not shy to annouce it. This could be considered a bad thing but I try to keep opinions to myself I am just easily read by some people =)

One thing that I feel I need to be honest about in order to get something done about it is, my weight.

I had a baby 2 years ago. During my pregnancy I gained 40 pounds. It's not an un-reasonable amount, not too little or too much in my opinion. The problem is however I have only lost about 25 pounds since I had Addyson...2 years ago...I know that the body is supposed to change after a baby but I never imagined it would be like this.

I am at a loss. I don't over-eat, I am not a couch potato, but I have these stingy areas on my body that won't go away. Namely my stomach, hips, arms, and my fat face. In case you can't tell I am not having a positive outlook today!

According to MSN fitness and health these are the...
10 BEST WEIGHT-LOSS TIPS EVER

1. SNACK, BUT SMARTLY

Grazing between meals used to be on the weight-loss hit list. But nutritionists now know that it's better to satisfy a craving with healthy grub than ignore it and risk a junk-food binge later. The best picks are filling, protein-packed snacks, such as one stick of string cheese, a tablespoon of peanut butter on a piece of fruit, or a medium-size bowl of edamame.

Issue #1: See I don't really think I have a problem with snacking. Maybe that's an issue, that I don't snack...

2. TURN OFF THE TV

Dining while viewing can make you take in 40 percent more calories than usual, reports a new study. And texting, driving, or any other distracting activity during a meal can also result in your eating too much. Instead, make each meal something you put on a plate and sit down to, even if you're eating solo.

Issue #2: I actually do pretty well with this one. For sure at dinner we turn the TV off and have family meal but breakfast and lunch with just Addyson and I doesn't usually work out. I put the TV on to keep her distracted so I can make her meal without a little girl around my feet, and then the TV just stays on.

3. STEP ON THE SCALE DAILY

If your regular weight increases several days in a row, it's a red flag letting you know you need to cut back a little or beef up your workouts slightly.

Issue #3: I don't have weight increases so that's good, it's just not going down...

4. SCULPT THREE TIMES A WEEK

Doing 5 minutes each of push-ups, lunges, and squats (in 30-second intervals) will help build and maintain muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be, so you'll torch more calories as you go about your day.

Issue #4: Never tried this, i'll add it to my list

5. REACH FOR YOUR CELL

Next time your mind gets stuck on a certain food, call a friend and redirect your brain by asking how her day's going. Research shows that cravings only last about 5 minutes, so by the time you hang up, the urge to devour junk will have subsided.

Issue #5: I WILL be trying this one! Be prepared friends for evening phone calls when all I want is brownies!!

6. EAT A BIG, BALANCED BREAKFAST

An a.m. meal made up mostly of carbs and protein with some fat keeps blood-sugar levels steady and hunger pangs away so you're not susceptible to pigging out come lunch, studies show. Opt for something satisfying for your stomach and taste buds — like egg whites and turkey bacon with whole-wheat toast.

Issue #6: egg whites, ok, turkey bacon, disgusting, whole wheat toast of course. This menu is just not in the cards for me, because Addyson will not eat any of it but possibly the toast. I pretty much make a menu for her which is usually fruit and a carb.

7. WATCH THE BOOZE

One innocent-looking margarita or cosmopolitan can rack up hundreds of calories that do nothing to quench your appetite. Treat yourself just on the weekends and cut back somewhere else or stick to a glass of wine, light beer, or vodka and soda — three drinks that each have about 100 calories per serving.

Issue 7: Yea, I don't really drink often so this is fine.

8. HAVE FRUIT TWICE A DAY

Fruit has no fat and is mostly water, so it'll fill you up while leaving less room on your plate (and in your stomach) for high-cal fare. Don't freak about fruit's carb count — we're talking the good kind of carbohydrates that contain lots of healthy fiber.

Issue #8: We love fruit around here. On a regular basis our fridge is stocked with apples, oranges, strawberries, and sometimes blackberries or blue berries. So I'll work on this.

9. STAY ASLEEP LONGER

Getting to bed just 30 minutes earlier and waking up 30 minutes later than you normally do can help you make better food choices, researchers report. Also, when you're well-rested, you're less prone to snacking out of fatigue or stress.

Issue #9: I get A LOT of sleep. Addyson is really the best kid. She goes to bed at 9:30pm and wakes up around 8:30-9:00 am. Perfect. I usually stay up and read until about 11 and use addy as my alarm clock . PERFECTION

10. VISUALIZE YOURSELF THIN

When you feel your willpower breaking, conjure up a mental picture of yourself when you looked and felt slim. The visual motivation keeps you focused on your goal weight and reminds you that it is attainable, since you've achieved it before.

Issue #10: It really depends on the day with this one. Every once in a while I feel amazing about my body and am excited about my clothing and other days I hate absolutely everything about my body. Unfortunately the hating my body happens more often as of late...

It is with these tips that I hope to transform my image beore my wedding and honeymoon on the beach...I fell my major issue is accountabilty. I am alone in this work-out routine and have no one to keep me motivated except for Jillian Michels when I put her on the TV. It's rough....that's all I have to say

Until next time...