I've made it no secret that I'm trying to
lose weight. In fact I've pretty much been trying to lose weight for
the past 10 years. My 2014 resolution was to Work B*word in regards to all aspects of my life, but my body definitely tops the list {I know, so cliche}. I have been doing great but for what seems like the 700th time I am stuck at the same stupid number! It's so frustrating and so discouraging. Yesterday, Carolyn introduced me to the blog Mama Laughlin {which is now my new obsession} and I spent more time than I care to admit reading it. One thing she said was putting her story out there and getting feedback and encouragement from blog readers really pushed her - so I thought maybe if I shared my story and got your stories {what has worked and what hasn't} in return...I might find a way to break past this dang number!
First, I feel the need to say that I've been self conscious about my body for as long as I can remember and am striving to get to a place where I feel confident and am taking really good care of myself. Everyone has a different body and a different body image. While I know that I am no longer overweight, I do know that I have some areas that can use improvement. There is definitely a number I would really love to see on the scale but my main goal is to feel amazing in my own skin.So no need for the super sweet "you don't need to lose weight! you look great!" comments - this isn't a sympathy seeking post it's a help me get out of this rut post!
So let's take a little trip down weight gain and loss road...shall we?!
High School / Freshman Year of College
Like most women, I was my smallest in high school {and before, obviously} and thanks to living at home and not drinking a drop of alcohol until Spring Break of my Freshman year of college I stayed my high school weight through my first year of college.
Like most women, I was my smallest in high school {and before, obviously} and thanks to living at home and not drinking a drop of alcohol until Spring Break of my Freshman year of college I stayed my high school weight through my first year of college.
College
Then I lived on campus...and went to parties {like every day}...and went to Santanas for cheese curds...and lived 2 blocks from McDonalds. I zoomed right past the college 15 and gained the college 30. I look back at these pictures and am so grossed out, not because of how much I weighed but because of how unhealthy I was! I think of my lifestyle then and cannot believe I didn't gain more than 30 pounds.
After College
After college, {thanks to some major boy drama} I dropped 20 pounds. BUT, I definitely was not healthy about it. I would go the whole day without eating and then have a massive unhealthy dinner, then go workout at like 11:00pm. I also had the most unhealthy sleep habits - I had major insomnia back in the day. So although I was looking pretty good, I was not at all healthy.
After Jason
Once Jason and I started dating I put on about 10 pounds of happy weight and have been fluctuating ever since. I'd go up 5 and then down 5 and back up again. At this point I was definitely more conscious of my food decisions and knew what I needed to do to lose weight/be healthy but I was happy and having fun and was more concerned about that than trying to lose weight.
Pregnant
And then came my precious bun in the oven! I tried to remain healthy during pregnancy which was incredibly difficult when I had really strong aversions to both meat and vegetables. Pasta & Fruit were my best friends during those days {and don't even get me started on the sweets}! I am proud to say that I walked over 250 miles during pregnancy, swam a ton and took several yoga classes to try and stay "in shape". However, I definitely wasn't about to beat myself up about gaining weight, ummm, you're SUPPOSED to gain weight to grow that little one! I stayed within the recommended 25-35 pounds {barely} and gained 34 pounds during my pregnancy.
After Baby
After Kenley was born I was able to lose about 25 pounds of baby weight with little to no effort. Granted 6 pounds 14 ounces of that was a baby, but I pushed her out so it totally counts!
And then there I sat. Down 25 pounds from my pregnancy weight but still 10 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight and 20 pounds from my goal weight. I breastfed for 6 months, dieted on and off and ultimately yo-yo'ed up and down 5-10 pounds. Once Kenley's first birthday rolled around I came to the harsh realization that this was no longer baby weight....it was just weight.
It was after Christmas that I realized I really needed to make a change. I was the heaviest I had ever been {without a baby in my belly} and I felt terrible. I hated how I looked, how I felt, how my clothes fit, etc. But more than anything, I realized I wasn't healthy. I was eating like crap, not working out and my body was definitely taking an overall toll. So, just before New Years we signed up for the gym again, I purged all the junk from our fridge and cabinets, I made a weekly budget friendly plan to buy and eat healthy foods, vowed to cut back on alcohol and overall lead a healthier lifestyle.
As far as the overall goal goes, here's where I stand:
I started 2014 with a vengeance and lost 10 pounds in
January and was on a killer streak of eating great, working out and
feeling awesome. After my trip to Vegas, the stress of leaving my job
and then my trip to Arizona, I majorly lost my way and gained back 6 of
those 10 hard lost pounds. Upon
my return, I decided it was once again time to get on
track and make a
change for good. I came up
with a little system reboot that would get me back on track in a
serious way. And it did! I started with a One-Day Zula Juice Cleanse and
followed that with mostly clean eating, calorie counting on MyFitnessPal {let's be friends!} and crazy
FitBit {let's be friends!} stalking. I
lost 7.5 pounds in a week and was back down to the weight I had worked
so hard for in January.
And now, today, I am back to this dreaded number I have
been at a million times before...I am ounces away from my pre-baby
weight and ounces away from a number I haven't seen in 2.5 years!
As far as the overall goal goes, here's where I stand:
Weight loss goal: 42 pounds
Total weight loss: 34 pounds
Pounds to go: 13 pounds
to read the rest of my baby weight posts, click HERE!
So now it's your turn. Tell me what has worked for you!
What did you do to break past your plateau number?
So now it's your turn. Tell me what has worked for you!
What did you do to break past your plateau number?
Great story lady! thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI'd suggest Skinny Meg for another blog to follow too. She is really inspirational and just had her second kid.
I think making conscious food decisions is key, but you might need to change up how/what kind of workouts you do. Add in more HIIT and life heavier weights.
You've got it lady, I know your journey will get you to the weight you want!
I can relate to this so much! Once Dominick hit 1 and I was still sitting not so pretty on some of the weight I gained while pregnant I knew I had to do something too! You got this girl!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have also struggled with weight loss and I'm in the maintenance stage now. I have found myself creeping up at points and using MyFitnessPal definitely helped me get back on track. For me, I had 2 things that really helped. 1) fitness routine that I love. Sometimes that involves changing up the classes or work outs you do but it's good to change it up so your body doesn't get used to it. 2) Healthy living/healthy cooking blogs and magazines. I love Cooking Light and SkinnyTaste- both are great resources for amazing recipes. I rarely cook the same thing twice I find it makes it easier to stay within your calorie goal when you're excited about what you're going to eat.
ReplyDeleteMeal planning, tracking calories, working out consistently, and focusing on how my clothes fit (not necessarily the number on the scale) are the big things I do and have worked for me. Hope this helps!
I love that you did this! I have been trying to motivate myself for seven months now! It's nice to hear other moms out there that struggle with the baby weight as well!
ReplyDeleteOh, you know I'm right there with you. Sometimes our bodies just need a break from losing and stop even though we're doing all the right things...it's something we talk about at Weight Watchers ALL the time.
ReplyDeleteI did go and stalk your MFP food diaries, and one thing I noticed is there's a lot of sodium in your diet. That could be causing you to hold on to water weight more than you normally would - a lot of times salt is the culprit for me!
If you ever need to vent or need encouragement, definitely reach out. We ALL need weight loss bodies. I'm going to send you my cell number so we can text for support if you want!
Thank you for posting this! I am pregnant and due any day. I have been thinking a lot about losing the baby weight and appreciate reading about other people's journeys post-baby. I really appreciate how honest you were and it is great to hear about the things that are working for you!
ReplyDeleteI can relate a little too well to this! I'm still 10lbs off from my goal weight... But I'm starting to realize that I need to be happier the way I am now. Because I've been 10lbs off for a long time... And have been working my butt off. Soooo I blame getting old. And haveing a kid!
ReplyDeleteLet's do some more hautte-shake it classes! I would love another work out buddy!
ReplyDeleteOk, Miss Kris. I would like to understand how you decide what is you're ideal weight. I have never known anyone who works so hard at trying to be conscious about health. Of course you aren't perfect and dive for the cheese curds sometimes. But you do it right a whole lot of the time. If you are eating healthy and living healthy, who knows...maybe you actually are at your ideal body weight (that is, according to your uniquely and beautifully God created body versus a magazine or other such reliable source). Just a thought. Judye
ReplyDeletein all honesty-- have you tried spaghetti squash?! i pig out on pasta + red wine ((like it's my day job). but, my new thing is spaghetti squash. It tastes wonderful-- and it has 31 calories for 1 whole cup. it's a must try ---> http://bestrecipebox.com/recipes/baked-spaghetti-squash-tomatoes-basil/#_a5y_p=1148620
ReplyDeletealso, have you tried heated vinyasa? it's a fast paced/heated yoga class.
Those are my two go to's when i'm feeling down and out. best of luck xx,m
in all honesty-- have you tried spaghetti squash?! i pig out on pasta + red wine ((like it's my day job). but, my new thing is spaghetti squash. It tastes wonderful-- and it has 31 calories for 1 whole cup. it's a must try ---> http://bestrecipebox.com/recipes/baked-spaghetti-squash-tomatoes-basil/#_a5y_p=1148620
ReplyDeletealso, have you tried heated vinyasa? it's a fast paced/heated yoga class.
Those are my two go to's when i'm feeling down and out. best of luck xx,m
in all honesty-- have you tried spaghetti squash?! i pig out on pasta + red wine ((like it's my day job). but, my new thing is spaghetti squash. It tastes wonderful-- and it has 31 calories for 1 whole cup. it's a must try ---> http://bestrecipebox.com/recipes/baked-spaghetti-squash-tomatoes-basil/#_a5y_p=1148620
ReplyDeletealso, have you tried heated vinyasa? it's a fast paced/heated yoga class.
Those are my two go to's when i'm feeling down and out. best of luck xx,m
^^^oops!^^^ no patience-- and i clearly clicked it one too many times!
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Kristin! That's awesome that you are SO close. I am definitely feeling the need to do something as well after the holidays and with summer approaching(hopefully)! Great job! Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should do the 1800 minute challenge and dietbet with me!
ReplyDeletehttp://eatandsipinthecity.com/2014/03/29/i-signed-up-for-the-1800minutechallenge/
Hi Kristen-- I was not motivated after having Caprilee and was in horrible eating habits since being pregnant (actually.. since I can remember). I was lucky in the past and was one of those girls we love to hate that could eat whatever I wanted and not gain a pound. I was that girl UNTIL I turned 30 and became a mom. It was the first time I realized I needed to get healthy and actually lose weight. Lose weight? Never had to do that before! I was lost. I started on a nutrition plan that has helped me {Not sure if you have seen my instagram posts or this post on my blog: http://www.youmeandcapri.blogspot.com/2014/03/herbalife-workin-on-my-fitness.html} Let me know if you'd like to know more. No joke, I feel better than I ever have before... and I can say I'm proud of how I look too.
ReplyDeleteI know the struggle! =)
xo- Jill
Http://youmeandcapri.com
I can relate to you so much, other than having to lose baby weight, which will come in time…but since I started working at Melrose, I understand ideal body weight so much more than I used to. Have you ever met with a registered dietician? It might be worth it to meet with someone who can actually tell you what a healthy weight is for you. I wouldn't be satisfied with someone who just gave you a BMI chart and a general range for your height…there is a lot more that goes into it. Unfortunately, ideal body weight is actually higher for most people than they would like, but its really helpful (mentally and emotionally) to know when you are actually in that range so you can stop beating yourself up for not reaching an arbitrary number. It was for me, anyways!
ReplyDeleteahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Kristin!!!! i am TOTALLY with you... i have so much to say more than i want to post in a comment. just know that i am right UP there and DOWN there with you.... i put my scale away during our bathroom remodel that we have going on and i am SO scared and TERRIFIED to step onto it...
ReplyDeletei am going to soon head out and get my fitbit and with the sun coming out i will be back on track to feeling good about myself! ;)
First I am going to say what you don't want to hear. You are beautiful inside and out!
ReplyDeleteI also know how hard you have been working to be healthly for your family. I am so proud of you as your hard work is paying off. A plateau is a good thing becasue that is a true weight without just loosing water weight. Do not go under 1,200 calories but change up your exercise and do more weights and resistance training. It will build more muscle and muscle burns calories. Yay!! xo m
First off, you are beautiful no matter your size but I know all too well what's it's like to have unwanted pounds on after pregnancy! I'm an Advocare Advisor and found that their products worked WONDERS! And the best part is that they are delicious and incredibly healthy! From when I started using the products it took me about 8 weeks to drop my baby weight {no working out included} and now I'm down about 4-5 more pounds! If you've never head of Advocare check it out! And if you have questions I'm your girl! ;)
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, great job on losing so much! I have to say, I did the same thing with Harper. Lost 25 lbs without batting an eye, and then just stopped. Wasn't eating healthy or doing anything right, until this past October.
ReplyDeleteWhat helps me stay on track and accountable is actually my blog. I do a linkup every week at another blog that I have found to be an awesome source of motivation and support.
I religiously track my foods with MyFitnessPal, add me (Winterbenson) if you like. I use a Polar FT4 heart rate monitor when I work out (which has been slack lately), and I recently got a FitBit Flex, which really gives you an awesome idea of how much activity you're doing in a day (Rather than just saying you're 'active' or 'sedentary' on MFP).
Good luck with your last few pounds!
Well - you know that I think you're a hottie, but I totally get it! I'm also in the "need to lose weight" boat... but my number is way higher than your number. :) You are doing SO AMAZING and if you just keep with it, I think you'll get past your plateau!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are doing awesome and are motivated to go this!! I swear by the program I did right after Delainey was born. I don't weigh myself but I know I'm close to my pre-baby weight. Let me know if you want more details. Totally doable. 25 min a day! FYI you already look amazing.
ReplyDeleteI feel you! I mean I'm a long way from goal but I feel like i've been stuck and haven't been able to get that number moving in a long time. I do find sharing on the blog helps a lot for motivation and accountability. It also helps for ideas. But maybe like Erin said it may just be your new post kid body? Hang in there and you'll find what's right for you!
ReplyDeleteI've been working a post kind of like this, too. I have gotten more into working out this year, but my diet needs major work. It's just so hard. #iwantallthefoods Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOk, so I know that you aren't looking for a "girl you look great!" comment, but I truly think you do. However, I know the feeling and go through the same thing of needing to get myself back to myself. It's definitely gotten waaay harder as I've gotten older and since having little man, but I guess that just means I have to be more disciplined.
ReplyDeleteSo it took me forever and then I committed to a 1/2 marathon 10 months after having C (my first) and running really helped me. And I felt amazing both for completing it and just the way I looked.
Then the holidays hit and I fell flat on my face and ate like a pig and didn't work out. (boo)
Now I've found a place I like to work out here in Omaha, Nick & I have changed our dinner habits (he got a personal trainer who gave him meal plans) and that helped me do better. It really is eating better and making time for exercise. Not always easy but just the reality.
Man how I miss being a lanky teenager sometimes... =)
Good luck - you will rock it!
Sounds like you are on the right track, girl! I have been in the same 10lb weight range since 2010. I try not to weigh myself ever, but started a program at the beginning of the year that required weekly weigh ins and measurements, so I bought a scale. It's amazing that my weight can fluctuate by 5 lbs in ONE DAY!!! Therefore, I never really give the scale any credit and as long as I stay in a certain range I feel okay about it. Days I feel my best I weigh more than I did on a day when I felt my worst. Mind boggling, I tell ya.
ReplyDeleteSomething that really helped me feel less bloated all the time was eliminating most grains from my diet and anything with added sweetners, even natural sweetners like stevia and erythritol. I did the 21-day Sugar Detox (check out balancedbites.com for some great info).
Also, I am not sure what you are doing for your workouts, but weight training helped A LOT for me to see better results with my body. The trade-off there is that muscle weighs more than fat, so you might see the number on the scale go up and panic, but it might lead to more overall satisfaction with your body.
Good luck! Sounds like you are definitely on the right track! And thanks for sharing your journey!
2016-03-02keyun
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