Getting Fit & My New Healthy Lifestyle

I don't think I've really been happy with my body since before I was married. It doesn't help that four months in I became pregnant with Molly. At that point I was at 150lbs, my heaviest, and at the end up to 192lbs. With her I got huge. Not just my belly, but everywhere. Natalie was a different story. With first trimester sickness I got down to 137lbs. It was a little sad because 135 had been my goal for so long and I knew I was going to lose it so quickly. So I promised myself this time I'd do better, and I did. I gained 24lbs with Natalie. I loved how I looked pregnant this time.

So here I am at 149lbs and not loving how I look. Here is the thing and I know I talk a lot about the role model I want to be and that's because I strongly feel like every parent should be concerned with the role model that they are. So to add to the list of things I don't want to be. I don't want to be the type of girl that always complains about how I look. Little kids pick up on more than you think. They hear you say how fat you are. They notice you pinching and pulling at your fat and looking down on yourself in the mirror. I don't want my daughter's to be those girls so I can't be that girl.

I don't want to be super skinny. I don't want to compare myself to all the other girls and long for what they have, because so many times they hate what they have too. I want to be the best me. Curves, saggy boobs, and all. I want to be healthy and I want to be fit.

 I go from thinking I need to lose weight and get in shape to thinking I'm too hard on myself and I should be happy the way I am. I tell myself I don't look like I did four years ago, but I'm not who I was four years ago. Here is the thing, those are excuses I am feeding myself to make me feel like it's ok to live and eat the way I do. The hard part is breaking through that wall and I should have no excuses. I've overcome way more difficult things in my life than losing 10lbs. So the problem is laziness and it has to stop.


I've made some big changes these past weeks. Huge for me, because I am a junk food queen. I love all sweets and fast food. I can already feel a difference, and not because I can see a difference already. I can feel a difference, and not just because I am eating better, but because I am making positive choices for myself all around.

Last Friday I started the Jillian Michael's 30 day shred. I love it! It is so easy to do every day, because it's only twenty minutes of my time. I feel it and by the end I am sweating and warn down in just those twenty minutes. Along with that I am taking her cleanse and burn supplements. It's a 14 day pill system. I am still on the cleanse and detox pills. Not sure what the difference is yet.

As far as eating I started off with the Special K challenge. Two meal replacements and two snacks with one normal meal. I was starving, and I can't do this the rest of my life. So some very health  conscious and intelligent girls in my fitness group advised me that the best way to lose weight is slowly and making changes you can live with. So my new plan is to use the Special K breakfast shake and cereal in a rotation. Although the past two days I've just had a banana with all natural peanut butter because we've been sleeping in.

For lunch I am rotating these three meals. A turkey dog on natural whole wheat bread and cottage cheese. A salad with cranberries and almonds and light raspberry vinaigrette and cottage cheese. A peanut butter (smuckers all natural) and jelly sandwich with special K cracker chips.

For smack I have bananas or apples. My other options are special k cracker chips, special k pastry delights, special k granola bars, and calorie right bites chocolate chip cookies. To replace Coke I've been drinking Cherry Coke Zero. It's really not bad.

 

So here I am in all my glory. My goals are to continue with my healthier diet plan, but not beat myself up when I indulge every now and then. Also to keep up with my exercise. Next time I post a picture like this I hope to look a lot different! (or at least a little)

Fit

I had one goal in mind when I found out I was pregnant with Natalie. Do not eat everything in sight. This is easier said than done.  I've never been one to follow a really healthy lifestyle. I hate to admit that, but it's true. Having a toddler means I have to make veggies. I have to serve fruit. I can't feed her happy meals every night. So in those regards I have been kept in check. However I can't say that I wouldn't hide behind something and stuff myself with Oreos.

When I was pregnant with Molly I ate everything. I overly indulged in any craving at any time. I also gained 40lbs. Which in the world of pregnancy isn't too bad, but it is when you're 5'2" and "overweight" to begin with. This time I wanted to do better. I wanted to hold myself accountable and eat healthy. I'm not the best at meeting goals. Really I'm pretty bad about seeing things through. I know this post is full of good thoughts. So I didn't set my hopes high that I would actually do this.

In the first four months I lost 7lbs. I was sick and didn't really desire much of anything. So by the time I started to gain I was 137lbs. It had been awhile since I'd seen that shiny number. Part of me was upset that I had finally gotten down to a goal weight ( thanks to morning sickness) and I would only be gaining it back again. Wah. I can say lucky for me the cravings this time have been different. I want milk, applesauce, and salad. Can this just stay forever?



As you can see I have a sugar problem.

So two weeks ago I went into the doctor and stripped my boots, belt, earrings. Kidding, but I do take off my shoes despite the nurse's odd looks. Every bit counts lady! To my surprise my doctor commended me on good weight gain. So far 18lbs. This lit a fire. I can do this?! Yes we can!

So with the help of the most useful app of all time, My Fitness Pal, I have been obsessively tracking my calories and sodium intake for the past two weeks. No, I'm not cutting calories. I'm just making sure I don't eat 5,000 a day. I want low sodium, because with Molly I swelled so much in the end. I was informed I ate too much sodium and carbs. Umm...what else is there?

Counting calories is seriously amazing. I know that sounds crazy. It holds me accountable. It's something visual I can look at. I eat so much better now that I realize what two oreos or a 5 layer burrito means to my daily intake.


As of this week I have lost 2lbs since my appointment a week ago. Not my intent, but it's not the end of the world. I'll make it up I'm sure. Now my total gain is 16lbs with about 6 weeks to go. I can do this! I just want to be healthy. I want a healthier start once she is here. Hopefully it won't be hard to get off with the help of this addictive app and breastfeeding. Maybe I'll even throw in a couple walks.