One Year Ago- Before and After

Yikes! How did a MONTH go by without an update?


Thanks Andi and Crystal for reminding me that I was neglecting my poor fitness blog! : ) School starts again on Monday. Fall is in the air, structure is returning to our life again, and I will be here on a much more regular basis.

As I look toward the first day of school, I'm reminded of where I was at in this fitness journey one year ago.


It was the first day of school 2008, and I was at the beginning...facing Mount Everest once again.


I was emerging from four years of loss and grief, and had given birth to a baby two weeks before someone caught me in this picture. I definitely wasn't posing for photos at the time. I never want to be there again.

Today, I am celebrating that this is the me who will be taking my girls to school this year:




But I am also praying, because I know I'm about to face the most difficult part of this journey of all- the lasting change part. I would like to lose between 10 - 15 pounds more and be done losing. I then enter into the part I've never learned how to do: maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and weight.


More posts to come soon!


Thanks for cheering me one!


Stats:

45 pounds gone
15 to go
Goals: Learn maintenance and how to keep off the yo-yo diet trap. Learn how to have lasting change spiritually and physically.

Confession Time

I've spent a lot of time talking about my successes lately. I think it is equally important to share my failures.

I just came home from my son's doctor appointment. He's been sick, his sisters have been sick, I feel sick. It was two hours past lunch time. Everyone was melting down. The door to door meat salesman was at the door.

I was hungry, grumpy, and stressed, and I cheated on my diet. I just started grabbing handfuls of cereal, bites of the zucchini bread I made for everyone else, then it turned into "just a little mugful of cereal" which had to be refilled three times. I finally decided I needed to stop myself, come over here and confess and then get out of the kitchen and back on track.

To be honest, I just want to give in to this binge. I want to, but I'm not going to do it. That's why I'm rambling on this blog right now, stopping myself. The old me wants to wait until tomorrow to get back to it, and to enjoy this mess up to the fullest extent. But the new me likes being the new me and wants to do things differently this time around.

So....I think I'll grab an apple, drink some water, and be done. The End. : )

By the way....

How many times do you have to tell the meat salesmen you don't want meat before they stop coming anyway? Seven times? Seventy times seven times?????

Told you I was grumpy.

The 4 P's That Are Working for Me:

1. Prayer- This journey has been way more about me being spiritually healthy and figuring out what was the underlying causes of my weight issues. God has blessed me so much this time and I'm so grateful. I've asked Him to re-teach me how to eat and think about food and my body, to be the strength and discipline for me that I don't have in myself, and to show me how to do this in a way that would please Him.

2. Produce: I'm eating at least four servings of vegetables: 2 at lunch, 2 at dinner, and 3 fruits a day. The bulk of the veggies really curbs my appetite and the fruit has become a treat.

3. Portions: I think there are two schools of thought when it comes to dieting- eat bigger portions of "light" food or eat small portions of "real" food. I've learned to really enjoy real food, just less of it. I'm re-learning what a bowl of cereal should look like or allowing myself some dessert- just a little. I'm also using light foods, reduced calorie and fat, but I'm sticking to food that tastes good. I don't want to sacrifice taste just so I can have more.

4. Protein: Adding protein to my meals has helped so much with keeping my appetite down and steady. Whey protein is an easy way to add protein to meals.

I'm getting to a point where I'm really enjoying things. Shopping is getting fun again. I just feel good and I'm so grateful.

I weighed in this morning, so here's a progress report:

- 45 pounds since September

Goal: Lose ten more before August 14th and then learn how to maintain the weight loss. That is something I've never learned in the past. I've been a yo-yo dieter and am determined not to be this time.

Too Many BLT's

I'm really excited about the progress I'm making. Another 10 pounds lost since May 30th for a total of 40 pounds! since September Yippee! This has been such a blessed journey this time around. I'm really thankful. I would like to lose 10 more before my baby's first birthday on August 14th.

I really miss running. I think I should be able to get back to running within the next week or two. I feel great after the minor surgery I had in May, but the doctor said to wait to run again. I'm not sure how I'll know I'm OK. I guess if nothing falls out while I'm running? Sorry if that is TMI. : )

The running I do should probably be called jogging since I'm not that fast. That time is so special to me. It is a time when nobody needs me. I can think and pray and daydream. Walking has been nice, too, but I need to start training for a 5 mile race I want to try in September.

I'm really pleased with my weight loss, but I've noticed that I've hit a plateau these last few weeks. I want to complain and say, "That's not fair! I'm eating so little, how can I not be losing weight?" Then I remember.

I remember all of the BLT's. No, not Bacon Lettuce and Tomato Sandwiches. I mean all the Bites, Tastes, and Licks that don't count, right?

It is so easy to pretend that the bite of my kids' mac and cheese is free of calories, or the chunk off their granola bar, etc.

Once the BLT habit begins, it is a hard one to break. That's my focus for this week: NO BLT'S! : )

I'll check in later to report how I'm doing resisting those pesky BLT's.

Putting on my Running Shoes Instead of Being a Spectator

Boy have we had a BUSY week! Summer vacation started with a bang for my girls and we have been on the GO!

Every morning for the next three weeks, we will be at our local college where the girls are taking swimming lessons. The first day I sat and watched the entire 50 minute lesson. By the second day, I thought, "They are safe with their teacher for nearly an hour. Why am I sitting here being a spectator?"

So from that day on, I've been walking through campus and on the greenbelt. The river is so beautiful right now. Even though I don't have the green light from my doctor to run again, the walking is doing a lot of good. I work up a sweat, my baby falls asleep for a morning nap in the stroller, and I get to be a participant in life instead of a spectator.

I watch the first few minutes of swimming lessons and the end so I have enough to talk about with the girls and to encourage them with. I want for other ways to add activity into my day. Not all exercise needs to be a scheduled event. Sometimes, we can just squeeze in a walk instead of waiting in a waiting room or for a prescription to be filled, etc.

Tomorrow, I weigh in again. I'll post a progress report then.
Happy Weekend!!

Rediscovering How Good Food Tastes

Have you ever noticed how good food tastes when you are hungry? There is no greater seasoning than hunger. : )

While I'm eating less and trying to lose these last 20 pounds, I've noticed that I'm enjoying every single bite I take. I pay attention to texture and flavor and appreciate every calorie.

I guess overeating dulled my senses. I was eating all I wanted to get to a state of fullness, but I was sacrificing the full enjoyment of my food to do it. I had forgotten how delicious an apple can be or how amazing chocolate really is when you only get a tiny little square of it. Ha Ha.

I don't know what point I'm trying to make here, but I really am enjoying how good everything is tasting to me and how grateful I am for the food God gives us. I didn't realize how much I was taking it for granted.

The Correct Way to Weigh Yourself

Now I know why I never like the number on the scale!

All these years I've been weighing myself incorrectly.

Here's how it is supposed to be done!