The aftermath

It has been 257 days since we welcomed our sweet little boy into this world. 257 since delivering a 8 pound 13 ounce bundle of joy.

257 days since I looked like this

And I was sporting a large and in charge bump

I topped out at 235 pounds when I was pregnant, and that was with eating as healthy as I could and walking, now I wish I had continued to do mild weight training and elliptical but shoulda, coulda, woulda right? I lost 47 pounds within 2 weeks of having RJ but still had a ways to go to get back to my before pregnancy weight. I am now 180 pounds, which is my pre pregnancy weight and was my first target weight - yet my body looks nothing like it once did. My stomach is different, my hips wider, my stretch marks... ugh... don't get me started there. Luckily they have faded significantly but they are still there... but I don't know what I was expecting with a almost 9 pound baby - escaping stretch marks would have been difficult for anyone with a baby that size. I want to lose an additional 15 pounds, and after this initial 20 I have lost I am confident I can do it without the use of gimmicks and fads.  I was posting postpartum pictures for a couple months after labor and delivery but haven't in several months. So without delay here is the ooey gooey unedited goodness that is the baby bump without the baby.

I am starting a squats and kettle bell which will hopefully help to tone up a bit more. Honestly I I am not super concerned with toning, probably because just when I get to my ideal toning there is a chance we will be working on baby #2 and I will be resetting right back to where I started. So I am mainly focusing on weight loss and what the scale says which I never did in the past. My goal weight is 155 - 165, which will hopefully keep me out of the 200s next go around when we decide to have another baby.

Gym Class Hero QUICK update 10/5/13

Starting Weight: 199

Current Weight: 185.6 
Progress: 13.4lb down

Current Goal: 180

5.6 pounds to go

My progress has slowed down but at least I am still making progress so I won't complain too much. I am not using the weight watchers app as closely as I should. I need to get back to using it more closely because I am sure that will increase my weight loss faster then going at it as I am now. My fast food intake is pretty much nonexistent these days and I am eating a lot less fried foods. I have maybe one regular type soda (decaf of course) maybe once ever 2 or 3 weeks but other then that the Mr and I have been trying to find safer and healthier alternatives to big chain soda in all of it's high fructose corn syrup goodness. We've cut our high fructose corn syrup intake in half already which is a great start but I am eager to eliminate even more from our diet.

For a soda alternative we totally love the brand Sprecher, which has several different types of soda. They use kola extract, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon to make a MUCH healthy alternative to the major brand soda companies and it tastes SO MUCH BETTER! I highly highly HIGHLY recommend it.

We also have tries the brand Zevia which is also caffeine free and is sweetened with stevia. I don't like it as much as Sprecher, but they do make a great lemon lime that tastes just like Sprite.

Gym Class Hero. Update. 9/16/13

I haven't been as persistent as I would like maintaining this blog with my progress in my weight loss. And this post itself will be pretty short because I've been working this evening after a long day and I am beyond ready for bed. Juggling my many hats has me exhausted. So without further ado...

Starting Weight: 199

Current Weight: 187.2 
Progress: 11.8lb down

Current Goal: 180

7.2 pounds to go

Gym Class Hero Week 4

Yup. Missed a week - Work, pledge, and raising a 4 1/2 month old kept me preoccupied. Seriously, keeping up with his demands all day I don't know how the weight isn't coming off more quickly!

My progress has slowed a bit but I am still seeing progress, I cheat here and there which contributes to that. If I was more strict to adhering to the rules I am sure the pounds would shed more quickly. It isn't easy to always find a healthy and weight watchers approved meal when taking care of the little one (who will be 5 months in 2 days!)

Seasoned baked chicken has become a popular one for me, usually with some roasted veggie of some sort. It's easy and light. But I find cooking at home regardless of what I cook, as long as it isn't fried, is healthier then anything I would buy outside of the house. Right now we are in the process of fixing our diets here at the W Abode. We are trying to eliminate our use of high fructose corn syrup and that alone is helping my meal making to be healthier. However it is also what is helping making my grocery bill higher.

Starting Weight: 199

Current Weight: 191.0 
Progress: 8.0lb down

Current Goal: 180

11.0 pounds to go

Gym Class Heroes Week 2

I wasn't quite as strict this week as I was the previous week - I blame a lot of that on the fact that it was pledge week with my job and I haven't had the time to commit in cooking. So I tried to focus more on portion sizes more then anything.

And sadly I slept through most of the farmer's market so no fresh veggies for this family this week. I might go to the health food store tomorrow though so I can get some organic veggies and fruit.

The progress is slow, but it is progress all the same. I am also finding it to be pretty easy to keep my portion sizes down which is key. I still cheat every now and then, but with the workload, housework, and a baby I think I deserve a little cheat here and there.

Starting Weight: 199

Current Weight: 193.8 
Progress: 5.2lb down

Current Goal: 180

13.8 pounds to go.

Gym Class Hero - Week 1

OK so I have avoided every giving completely factual numbers when it comes to my weight gains and losses. I think even when doing my weekly pregnancy updates I would fudge numbers here and there and round. I've always been pretty self conscious about my weight and it was hard for me to see the pounds pack on. But in order to be held accountable I figure a more honest approach will help achieve my goal best.

I gained roughly 60 pounds during my pregnancy. Yes the truth is out. I lost 47 of that within 2 weeks of having my little man.

As a friend, Lindsay Fogarty, reminded me not that long ago - It took 10 months to get my body to weigh it was when I had Raiden so why would I expect it to snap back to normal overnight? I wish it did but I have a couple things working against me - I don't have a teenage metabolism anymore and I don't always have time to cook an extremely healthy meal. Me personally, I am the type of individual who needs something that can hold me accountable, it usually is my husband but he is working 70+ hours a week currently and our gym dates have been interfered with by work and you know this little baby of ours. So after some thought I decided to sign up for Weight Watchers to help me with staying on track with what I eat on a daily basis.

Last Saturday I weighed in at 199lb. I weighed in today and am now at 195.4lb. It's a start.

My June 2012 weight was 180 lb. so that is my first goal is to get back to where I was then.

My second goal will be to lose an additional 25 pounds and ultimately weigh in at 155 pounds and to bring my BMI down from 27 to 22.

My third goal is to start participating in community runs next Spring.

So here we go. The first of many posts hopefully sharing my triumphs week to week!

Starting Weight: 199

Current Weight: 195.4 
Progress: 3.6lb down

Current Goal: 180

15.4 pounds to go.

July.

My blogging is so nonexistent these days. I'm too busy raising a child, working and preparing for my first long distance pledge drive, and still steadily unpacking. The unpacking being probably my most least accomplished tasks.

My little man is 4 months old now. I can't believe how quickly time has gone by and all the changes my family has faced in such a short amount of time. We are settling in well in Oklahoma. In June the husband had a business trip so I went to Texas to see my parents with the little man and he got to experience his first plane ride. I can't tell you the stress of flying with a infant by yourself. I had a bag for me, a bag for him, his stroller and car seat, and his diaper bag. I waddled over to the shuttle bench and once I got dropped off at the airport and was checking in I realized I had forgotten the car seat base. I had no time to go and get it so for the trip his car seat had to be seatbelted in during our stay in Dallas. It was so nice to see my family - I know we had really just moved but Oklahoma was a big transition, especially with an infant, and everything felt so foreign.

My new quest is in researching cloth diapers. There is this whole world of terminology and information that I admit it is quite overwhelming but I think in August we are going to attempt it. I will keep you up to date on that adventure.

I am also going to start doing weight loss posts that I will work on through the week but will post on Fridays when I weigh in. I will go further into that in the post I will be putting up shortly after this one.

Well, I am off to be a momma to a screaming baby who doesn't realize he is tired. Oh the joy of babyhood.