get fit

weigh to go: 2 months in

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

Click here for the previous update.

I was disappointed the last time I posted because I was doing SO well following my plan for dieting and exercising only to gain weight.  I’ve increased my water intake significantly, stayed the course overall, and am continuing to lose weight.  With my goal being to lose 20-24 pounds (and maintain in that range thereafter), I am over halfway there.  As of last Friday, I’ve lost 12.8 pounds.  
What’s working right now continuing to log all of my calories — yes, EVERYTHING I eat, on MyFitnessPal.  It definitely helps me focus, make better decisions, and plan ahead for what/how much I am going to eat throughout the day.  I’m trying to incorporate snacks between meals to keep my metabolism busy but it’s hard to do when I’m counting calories and have to ration enough for meals on days when I don’t hit the gym (MyFitnessPal gives me more calories to eat when I exercise — hello, motivation to go to the gym right there!). 
What’s also working is planning to cheat.  In other words, I give myself something to look forward to and that helps me maintain while that cheat day is approaching.  Last week it was enchiladas, chips & queso, and a margarita with a friend on Friday night.  I ended up eating twice as many calories as I was supposed to for the day, and guess what? It’s fine.  Not every day, but once every couple of weeks is fine.  I’m still losing weight and honestly?  I was probably eating that many calories EVERY day before January.  Yikes.  Having an awareness of this completely changes the way I look at my food, and yes, other people’s food as well.  I just want to make better choices, be around for a long time, and set a good example for my kids.  
What’s essential to my success so far and going forward is reminding myself that I am not in a race to lose the weight and get in better shape.  I’m determined to make this a lifestyle change.
Going to the gym makes me feel stronger, more energetic, and accomplished. I love how I feel leaving the gym.  I love being able to say that I pushed myself.  I even love wearing my sweaty clothes out of there like a badge of honor.  Take that, fat.  Keep crying! I am taking control of my life, my health, and my body.  I’m not letting my body control me.  I feel proud when I resist a cupcake here, a donut there, and a latte every morning.  I’m having fun searching for and testing healthy recipes for my family.  
I know I’m only 2 months in, but I like where this is headed.  Dramatic weight loss or not, I like feeling better and fitting in my clothes better.  
xo,
~C~

weigh to go.

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

I just thought I would provide an occasional update on my efforts to live a little healthier, lose some weight, and gain more energy that I talked about a lot in some previous posts.  I’ve been dieting since Jan 2 and exercising since a couple weeks after that.  My longterm goal is to just be more active, maintain a healthy weight, and engage in lots of physical activities as a family.  To get there, I gave myself a shorter term goal of losing 20-24 pounds (and stay in that range thereafter) and exercising 3-4x per week.

Weight lost:  Two weeks ago I would have been proud to tell you that I had lost 9 pounds, but unfortunately that’s no longer the case.  At my weigh-in two Fridays ago I had gained 1.8 of that back and then last Friday, another 1.6. So for now, my total weight loss is 5.6 lbs until I weigh again this Friday.  The thing is, I didn’t even cheat much.  Not enough to be packing on over 3 lbs in 2 weeks.  I’m not sure what’s going on but I was pretty bummed last Friday when I got on the scale. All I know is I’m not giving up.  I’m trying to increase my water intake since I do tend to eat a lot of pre-packaged (high sodium) foods for breakfast and lunch that may increase my water retention.

I’m having to pep talk the girl in the mirror (but not while looking in the mirror, that would be weird) to remind myself that I’m still exercising more than I have in the past three years.  That I’m not trying to lose 24 lbs in 2 months.  My goal is to lose the weight before we go to Disney in October.  My goal is for this current healthy living, that can be a struggle at times, to turn into a way of life by October.  I want to have energy and make good food decisions 90% of the time.  That there’s more going on here than the numbers on the scale.  That if I keep doing what I have been doing for the past 6+ weeks, there’s no way that I won’t lose the weight eventually. 

How are you doing on your goals for this year?

~C~

now or never

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

We had big plans of going to Tennessee to visit our one-week-new niece, Penelope, this weekend but both boys had colds and by Friday, it seemed that Theo’s was getting worse instead of better.  Turns out, it’s just a junky cough that has not changed one.bit. since late Thursday night.  He acts like he feels fine so who knows if it was/is anything contagious.  Dexter hasn’t (yet) developed a cough.  We worried about the car ride, them sleeping somewhere else, and mainly, that Penelope would catch it.  As much as I wanted to go to Tennessee, I knew the right thing to do was to stay away from a 5 day old baby while the kids were not 100%.  Despite being super bummed, we made the most of our weekend.  Friday afternoon the weather was nice so we took the opportunity to play outside and go for a quick wagon ride.  Unfortunately we only made it about four houses down the road where a few neighbors were gathered, chatting. Even though I really wanted to bust on down the road and burn some calories, I stood and chatted for a few minutes as well.  Afterwards, Theo was ready to go back home.

Saturday we mainly relaxed around the house doing stuff like this:

then ventured out at dinnertime for Cheeseburger in Paradise.  COASTAL TACOS, y’all!!

I remembered a Groupon I bought for a bouncy place so we took advantage of that today.  The boys just loved it.  I was excited because I remembered taking Malachi (my nephew) when he was three and sweating to the oldies right there with him.  I figured we’d all get some exercise.  I was figured right about that part.  I figured we’d stay for about an hour. I figured wrong.  We were there almost two hours.  I was begging the boys for a break, “hey, aren’t you thirsty? Don’t you need a sip of water?”  Really, it was a lot of fun.

I couldn’t hear him, but I know this face + clap = “Yay! I deeed it!”
wee!
quite possibly Theo’s favorite part

After almost 2 hours of bouncing, we went across the street to Bajio, where we had a coupon. Can you tell I love a deal?

Woody was the only one that didn’t have a hard time staying awake on the way home.  Also? Maybe one of my favorite pictures. EVER.

It was almost 2 by the time we got home and the boys were bushed.  I have been telling myself since January 1st that I was going to re-join the gym.  I snuck back out as soon as we got Dexter in bed and joined the Y.

 Since I had worn my yoga pants to the bounce place, I figured I may as well take advantage of the facilities and get in a little work out.  I only did 35 minutes on the elliptical.  I only burned 220 calories.  I kept telling myself how pathetic it was that this was wearing me out. Then I pep talked myself (silently of course).  Although I was struggling, at least I was making myself do it.  It felt good to move my body instead of spending the boys’ nap taking a nap myself.  Those 220 calories are the only ones I’ve burned on purpose since Theo was about 4 months old.  Those 220 calories made me sweat like I haven’t since Theo was about 4 months old.  Seriously.  The more I thought about it, the prouder I felt of myself for taking this initiative to take back control of my life.

“Yay! I deeeeed it!”

I was active with my kids today. It was fun.  I did something for myself by working out and I felt accomplished afterwards.  I don’t want to be skinny minny, I just want to feel good. I want to have energy left at the end of the day to do something besides just lay on the couch playing dumb games on my phone.  I want to be able to wear shorts at Disney World in the fall and not feel disgusting.  I’m trying.  And that’s the most I’ve done in a long time.

looking up,
~C~