RIP Uncle Adrian :(

Yesterday was a pretty messed up day.

It has been so super hot here... heat indices have been 100-115 degrees... just like walking out into a mild oven when you step outside.

So, it's been kind of hard to get the grass mowed in a timely fashion since we have a push mower; a nice one... but, still takes way more time than a riding one.  So, a little after 4pm, I go outside, and decide that maybe I can get a little weedeating in being that it was slightly cooler than earlier that day and there was a breeze.  And then, perhaps start mowing... well, I heard several loud BOOMS.  I thought, wow... that was loud... what kind of gun is that???  Because it's not unusual to hear gunshots where I live.  So, I start weedeating.  After a few moments, I hear sirens.  So, I stop.  They sound close.  I look around and see a huge black plume of smoke!

 

So, eventually, the smoke cleared.. in the meantime, I see more than the usual vehicles down our road and neighbors walking to the front of the street (towards the smoke).

We, the kids and I, walk to the front (Wyatt rode his bike), and there's the accident!  An 18-wheeler heading towards Opelousas on HWY 190 had a blow out and ended up going through the medium, and hitting the house that faces 190 to the right of our road!  It took off the front left corner of the house and then it blew up!!!  Thankfully, the driver got out before it blew up and the father and his 2 kids were able to get out their house as well!  All 4 went to the hospital with minor abrasions.

 

This was all that was left of that truck!  And look at the house!  There's bricks and cement all over the yards and road... and even burnt leaves all the way in our yard - thanks to the wind!

Here's the link to the story on our local ABC station: KATC

So, this whole time this was playing out, I was informing my family via mass text (dad, Aimee, Angele, Cherie, and Jared) as well as Jeremy.

After we walked home, my dad sends a message that our Uncle Adrian has passed away :(
He had recently returned to the states from Africa, where he's been working for decades, due to him feeling badly.  This return was either the end of May or beginning of June.  He had cancer; in 3 different locations (if not more).  The most painful was on his spine. He had lesions on his brain.  And I can't remember where the 3rd was... I think his lungs?

They tried to treat him... started with radiating the ones on his spine.  So, for about two months, the doctors tried helping but, ended up sending him home with Hospice this past Wednesday.  We (my dad, siblings, and us) had figured we'd be able to go visit this weekend... but, no.  Just like my grandmother/his mother; passed away within 24 hrs at home with Hospice :(

It just really sucks because I hadn't seen neither him nor my Aunt Peggy since my grandmother's death in April 2005 due to him working in Africa and when they'd come to visit the states, they'd usually just go to Mississippi to visit her side... and we usually didn't hear of them coming down until after they'd left and shared pictures.

So, I don't know when the arrangements will be yet.

Just sucks.

I only had 2 blood-related uncles and one blood-related aunt.

Weight Loss Update

146.0 lbs this morning!!! Woohoo!!!

The jeans in this picture is a size 6!

I've been taking Slim-Vie for almost 2 whole months and it works!  I feel awesome!❤❤❤

Gym Stats

Went to 90lbs on 3rd set... 10 reps... on lat pulldown.
Went to 90lbs on 4th set..  10 reps on seated row.
Went 60lbs on 3rd set... 10 reps on chest press.
Went 60lbs on 3rd set... 10 reps in pec deck.
Went 75lbs on 3rd set... 10 reps on triceps pulldown.

Did 10 minutes on elliptical pre-workout... went .75 miles :-)
Did 20 minutes on recumbent bike post-workout.   Went 3.5 miles... 172 calories.
Did 32 minutes on treadmill... 2 miles... 186... 8 minutes continuous running at 5.0 mph.  Rest was like 3.2 mph slow...

May Gym Update

Today:

Bust: 41"

Waist: 31½"

Fullest part of abdomen: 37"

Hips: 41"

Thighs: 25"

Calves: 14.24"

Arms: 13"

Weight: 157lbs with no clothes in the morning.

Well, the weight loss is slow... :-/

From Feb. 6th, 2015:

Chest: 41.5"

Waist:  31"

Under belly button (fattest part of abs):  36.5"

Hips:  42"

Thighs:  25"

Calves:  14.5"

Biceps:  13.5"

Weight:  157.8lbs (with workout clothes on)

So, even though there's not much difference in these two stats... I do see differences... my legs are smoother.  I had rippling/cellulite on the front of my legs... it was gross.  It's much smoother there now.  I also had the same thing going on with my upper arms; they're also smoother... mostly smooth with definition starting to be evident.

I usually do 10 minutes on the elliptical, do my work out, then come out and do 50 minutes between the recumbent bike and the treadmill.  Yesterday, I did my 10 min elliptical pre-workout.  My work out.  Then, I did 20 minutes on the elliptical!  I then moved to the treadmill and did 30 minutes on that.

Another thing I've been doing is switching up my weights and reps from week to week.  Like, I'll do lighter weights, more reps one week and then do heavier weights, with at least 10 reps, 3 sets.

Fitness Update

The last couple of weeks, I did lower weight with higher reps on all machines and free weights.

This week, I'm doing more weight, increasing weight until 3rd set... 10 reps at least.

I have also been doing 20 minutes on the recumbent bike; I think that's helping break through the fat! Haha. 10 minutes on the elliptical before weights... 20 minutes on the bike... and 30 minutes on the treadmill - with a mile of that on 10 elevation.  Sometimes life run after that... sometimes I just walk fast.

I am about the same weight; between 156-160lbs.  Guess it takes a while to see major results when you've accumulated a good layer of fat :-P

Milestone Reached!

First off, I did 10 minutes on the treadmill, did my upper body workout, and then back to the treadmill to get in my cardio.

I put the treadmill on 10 incline and walked got a mile like that at like 3.4 speed.  I lowered it back to 0 and started run/walking series for 2 miles... alternating every one minute.  For the last time to run, I just continued... I didn't stop after that minute was over as usual.  I just kept on!  I went a whole 5 minutes (at 5 speed) without stopping!!!  That's HUGE for me!!!  A whole quarter of a mile!!!  I feel so accomplished! I've never done that! Not even as a teen, weighing 110lbs!!!  Feels amazing! 

I just continued until I had a full hour on the treadmill as you can see on my picture :-)

Exercise Update

So, I've been doing at least 50 minutes of cardio...

Yesterday and today, I did a mile on 10 incline... today I went a little faster than yesterday; did about 3.4.  After that inclined mile, I lower it all the way down and do my run/walk for 2 miles.  I run at 5.0-5.3 for a minute than slow down to 3.7-3.8 for a minute.  That is about 40ish minutes; so, almost my 50 minutes.  So, today, after my 2 miles miles of walking/running, I raised it to 5 and walked at 3.7-3.8 until 49 minutes.  I then lowered it all the way down and slowed to 3.3.  I burned 400 calories (see pic).

Roxylean doesn't seem to be doing crap for me.  Kari, (Jeremy's cousin) just started Plexus... I think I'll convince Jeremy to let me try that.

Exercise Update

Today is Friday... figured I should document my measurements... so, here they are:

Chest: 41.5"
Waist:  31"
Under belly button (fattest part of abs):  36.5"
Hips:  42"
Thighs:  25"
Calves:  14.5"
Biceps:  13.5"
Weight:  157.8lbs (with workout clothes on)

I don't see anything special about the Roxylean I've been taking.  I even take it without eating and I don't feel any different.  I have been taking a post workout powder in my water that I bought from the local health food store, called Protein 2Go by Designer Whey.  10 grams of protein, 50 calories, made with Stevia.

Exercise Update

So, now I'm taking Roxylean... I've taken it before but it was a different formula.  Wonder how it'll work... I know I liked it before.  Guess we'll see.  I've been taking it less than a week so far.

I also went to the local health food store and bought a buttload of clearance items!  It was great!  I added up the regular prices and it came out to over $300!  I paid $30 for all the clearance items! woohoo!  And some of them had to do workout stuff!  yay!

I was 156 lbs this morning; naked. 

I've been doing 10 minutes on the elliptical.  Then I do my work out (legs & abs one day, upper body and abs the next).  Then, I started doing 50 minutes on the treadmill.  Some days (like yesterday), I run/walk.  Today, I just walked for 50 minutes.

When I run/walk... I do it one minute intervals.  I have done it up to 2.5 miles!  woohoo!  When I do this, I walk at 3.7/3.8 and run at 5.0-5.5.

My Earbuds

I really like these WiFi earbuds!  I live how they actually STAY IN MY EARS!!! haha. I could never keep other ones in...
I can listen to Walton and Johnson, Alex Jones, iHeart radio, etc while working out :-)  And no cords interfering with my work out!

February Progress

Well, I'm down to 154.5 lbs :-)

Yay!

How?

I'm missed almost a month due to Jeremy's Cougar's transmission going out and him taking my Odyssey to work...

Last Wednesday I started just eating once once a day.  It's working!

Today is Friday... end of first week back at Cajun Fitness.  

Puppies

Veya and Titan had their 2nd litter of puppies on January 6th  (my niece's, Arielle, 21st birthday!).  She had 11... smashed 3 of them and the tiniest one died :-(  So, 7 of them are doing well.  Only 2 males out of 11... and still 2 males left.  Jason, Jeremy's brother, wants the blue male... he already has one of Veya's pups from her first litter (this is her 3rd) and they just LOVE Dexter! Hehe. So, they want a friend for him.

Have the other male spoken for and 2 of the females so far... yay!

I really think Veya needs to get fixed once these puppies are gone... she looks so awful; like she's starving... her backbone is showing :-(  Same thing happened for her last litter.  I think having puppies puts a huge strain on her... She has access to food and water all day long.  IDK... last time it took a couple months before she got her weight back.

A New Year!

Jeremy and I have been together for 18 years now!

Have they been easy years???  No... not even a little bit! lol  However, we've come through it and we're doing really well now; considering... :D

 

So, here I am, on January 1st... weigh about 160lbs... give or take a couple pounds.

I haven't gone to Cajun Fitness while the children have the time off from school.  Hopefully, I'll get back on track Monday.  I say hopefully because... right before Christmas, Jeremy's Cougar broke down :(  His transmission went out totally.  He knew it was coming.  He towed it in with Kevin's (our neighbor) help.

Jason, Tori, and their kids came over on Christmas Eve.  Jeremy cooked a turkey.

That evening, we drove to Lake Charles in my Honda Odyssey to go to Jeremy's Uncle Anthony's house.  We hadn't gone in years... maybe 6 years?  IDK.  But, everyone was so happy to see us!  They couldn't believe how big the kids were; especially Calista... since she's the one they were used to seeing all the time :)  Calista got to meet Jeremy's artist cousins: Eric and Jamie.  One teaches art at college and one teaches art at the elementary school.
We had a really good time.  Jeremy went begrudgingly; but, he was glad to have gone at the end of the day :)  Sometimes, he does need to listen to what I suggest! lol  It's true, though! :)
Cheryl bought the girls some birthstone jewelry and bought Halo Legos for Wyatt.

My family (Cherie, Richard {her fiance}, her girls, and Aimee) came over on Christmas Day.

They stayed until Sunday.

In that time, we were invited to go to Tasha's to have one more get-together before Jason and Tori head back to Arkansas.  And they were fine with my family joining us :)

My family left Sunday evening.

Jeremy took my van to work Monday.

On the way home, after work (worked until 7:30pm), the oil light came on.  He ended up stopping twice to pour a total of 3 quarts of oil in the van in Opelousas.  He parked on the carport, came in, told me about it, I go out there to see, and there's tons of oil on the cement :(  So, now, we were down to just the motorcycle (Ninja)!  Ugh!
He was able to order a gasket from a parts store and it came in the next day.  He put it in.  He drove the van to work today; so far so good!
Who know how long before he gets the Cougar back... he took out a $1500 loan to pay for it :-/