Lost track of time......and a little weight too.

So it's been almost 2 months since I've posted. What could I possibly have to do other than blog?! (Every mother knows the answer to this preposterous question.) Well I've made progress in all areas of my exercise routine. I've started lifting weights and have increased my resistance on the machines. I've rediscovered the calorie burn that hills on the treadmill can provide. I've slowly gotten a routine that increases my incline and speed alternately and steadily. I've started taking some classes as well. I tried the body sculpt class. Both times I thought I was gonna die. I've since realized that my body cannot handle the stress of cardio and weights at the same time. My heart pounds, my face crawls, I get really hot and have to leave the room to cool down. Needless to say, I haven't gone back. I have however been doing a yoga stretch class every Monday. It's the perfect ending to a workout!! So relaxing and I really enjoy it. I also take a Zumba class on Wednesdays. It's so fun!! I love trying to make my moves look like the instructor but I have a long way to go. I've lost about 5 pounds and have lost a few inches collectively all over my body. My husband told me last week as we were walking home from church, "Liesl, your calves are awesome!" That made me feel extra great!!! I have noticed that I look different in my workout clothes and that really makes me feel good.

I've made some changes to my original goals. I've also made changes to my diet. At one point I wasn't eating enough calories for a sedentary lifestyle, let alone an active one. So I have to be super vigilant about what I'm eating. Turns out grains and veggies don't have very many calories. Who knew?! So my new goal for a daily calorie burn is 300-350. This is about 45 minutes on the treadmill with some toning exercises to finish. I try to work on toning each region of the body twice a week. On my Zumba day I just don't worry about the calorie burn since I can't track it. But the toning afterward is a must! I've completely gotten rid of white sugar in my house. I don't even bake with it! I've found a yogurt shop close to my house that sweetens with stevia and I love it!!! They're getting a lot of business from me. :) I'm also learning about soaking grains, beans, and nuts in order to reduce toxins in the food and be able to properly digest them. I haven't gotten to the nuts yet, but the rice and beans were a part of my dinner tonight and they tasted great!!

Overall, I'm doing so much better than I was two months ago. However, I also know that there is always room for improvement. Whether it's with my exercise routine, my diet, or the way that I'm cooking my food, I will continue to learn as much as I can in order to restore better health to my family and I. This is my main goal. Here's to reaching it!!