I went from being 135 pounds to a solid 200 pounds in just 18 months. I had gone from a size 6 to a 14 in that time and I had a hard time coping with my new size. I'm 5'11 so I did have more room to "share the love" but it was wreaking havoc on my emotional/mental well being. I'm not embarrassed to admit my top weight- I'm more embarrassed to admit I let it get to that point. At first, I was constantly squeezing myself into clothes too small because I had the excuse of post baby weight and I couldn't actually admit how much I had 'let myself go.' I stopped going out as much as I used to because I felt I looked terrible, to me I was almost unrecognizable: round face, puffy cheeks, flabby arms, saggy butt. Where had I gone wrong? I started wearing my husband's clothes, even when we were leaving the house, because I didn't have any clothes that fit properly. And, if I dared, I probably could have parked in the 'Expectant Mother' parking the entire time between pregnancies 1 and 2. And Still, I did nothing about my weight until March 1, 2014- 9 weeks after having a fairly serious pregnancy complication with baby number 2.
*He is perfectly healthy as far as we know, and expected to make an appearance in the next 7 weeks*
Let me be quite clear- I'm not advocating dieting while pregnant. That is not what I have done. I'm merely documenting the positive changes I have made in order to get my health back on track.
My first trimester was a nightmare. I was so sick that I lost 25 pounds. Not exactly what you want to do while you're incubating another little person. My second trimester wasn't a whole lot better, I was still sick all the time, and by 20 weeks I was down another 10 pounds. I was now 170 pounds. I was still unhappy, and now it was because I knew that this wasn't the healthiest way to be pregnant. I needed to make a change.
First of all, I'm making changes because I WANT TO. Losing weight and/or eating clean will not work if you're doing it for someone else. You have to be motivated, focused and willing to work for it because it will be hard when you start out. You have to establish your "WHY," your reason for making the changes. For me, it was my health, and the health of my child. That was enough to get me going. I've found other reasons since (more energy, less cravings, better mental health, and more fulfilling relationships. Things will snowball, and what once was hard will become easier every day that you keep at it.
My first piece of advice (and I'm not a doctor, nurse, or dietitian. I'm just a mom with a blog who wants to feel good about my choices and the way that I look) is don't set unrealistic goals. You will be setting yourself up for failure if you expected to lose 30 lbs in a month. It's not worth the disappointment, and it's not something you can maintain.
Always set goals that you believe you can achieve while still being healthy. Crash diets and faddish weight loss cleanses are all the rage right now. Really do the research for yourself before you start something. For me, the thing that has made the biggest impact is a product called Shakeology. It is full of super foods, calms cravings, and fills me up. I drink it for breakfast, and it really makes a difference in my day. You've probably heard a million times: breakfast is the most important part of the day. Well, I used to think sleep was more important than breakfast. It didn't get me anywhere. Do yourself a favor and START EATING BREAKFAST! Since I've always heard it's so important I made it a habit to start getting up and getting myself some breakfast. I usually drink a healthy fruit smoothie made with Almond Milk and Shakeology. I can say I know for sure my new routine of making sure I get breakfast has helped with my healthy transformation. Give it a try and see how you feel!
*If you want more information on it, message me, or follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fightingfit11 or on twitter @JennKnowles11. I'm delighted to share my experiences.*
Now, I used to hate working out. HATE IT! I'm in the military, but believe me, being hot, sweaty, and achy is not my thing if I can avoid it. But I couldn't expect to get any healthier without working out so I decided to take up a workout again. I was on the swim and cross country team in high school but the thought of swimming or running again 9 years after I had been involved in organized sports made me want to be sick. I assumed I would die during my first attempt at a workout but it went surprisingly well. If you don't consider yourself athletic, I still urge you to give it a try. To me, a good workout is now a necessary evil. I can really feel the benefit for all my muscles when I get a workout in. If you feel absolutely lost with where to start, I'd be happy to help you find a program that will work for you depending on your "WHY." Just message me or follow me at one of my accounts above, and I can get you started.
My next tip is make your goals visible: Putting it out there where other people can see it is a great way to make yourself accountable. Tell your friends, family, or spouse what it is that you want to do, and when you want to do it by. Do you have a reunion coming up? Do you want to just tone? Get it out there. Use social media to do it. Find a way to make it know to others, and you will have a much better chance of keeping up with it.
Schedule your work outs. I'm a college student, a pregnant mom to a toddler, a Corporal in the military, and I work at an elementary school. I get tired at the end of my day, but I'm also a control freak about my time. I can't stand to lose a couple of hours to the tv, and not accomplish the things that I set out to do. It drives me crazy. So I schedule it out. I get up early and get my workout in. here is an example of what I do during my morning to make sure it happens:
8:00-9:00 workout and get my ShakeO in
9:00-10:00 feed the little man when he wakes up, walk the dog, and get ready for work
10:00-3:00 work
Don't cut out meals. It's only obvious to think that the easiest way to cut calories is to skip out on a meal. Don't. I use this analogy: imagine a fire burning. In order to keep the fire going you need to add wood every now and then. If you stop adding anything to it, it burns out. The same with your body- when you add food to it, your body gets re-energized and can work better. If you withhold nutrition and fuel, your body is going to burn out like the fire. I will say, I am not a big calorie counter. I know eating Arby's and McDonalds is not a healthy choice. I prefer to eat healthy foods like fruit and whole grain and vegetables. Baked chicken over fried, smaller portions, skip the pop, etc.
*Again if you want more information on how I do this, or more accountability, I run 10 day clean eating challenges at least once per month. Go ahead and message/follow me, and I can get you set up.*
Diet/Workout Journal: I started keeping a diet and work out (journal) and it has really helped me realize what foods I'm eating and what I may need to cut out and just how much time I'm devoting to working out. I keep it in my bag and anytime I eat anything I write it down. I usually end up skipping dessert type foods just so I don't have to write it down. I may want a chocolate satin pie at the time but when I write that down and read it later, I realize I really could have down without those extra calories. You'd be surprised at how much you probably munch throughout the day without even realizing it. A journal would make it more obvious and easier to cut back. It has for me.
My final piece of advice: just because you've worked out doesn't mean you can then eat a bunch of junk food afterwards. You're not a dog- don't reward yourself with food. Don't ruin your great workout!! Trust me, you'll regret it after you do! And remember the secret to clean eating is not to get discouraged. If you can eat clean 95% of the time, you will see results. One bad meal will not make you fat, just like one good meal won't make you skinny.
I know it's hard, I know it's not instant, and I know it's really an entire lifestyle change, but it can be done! There are tons of great ways to give yourself the advantage while trying to be healthier. Remember that you aren't going through this alone. There are resources out there to help. Also keep in mind that it isn't about fitting a social mold. It's about feeling good about yourself, having the energy to chase after your kids, grand kids, nieces or nephews. It's about setting and reaching goals.
You can do it! And if you would like advice, as a certified Beachbody coach, I can help. Find your WHY and get started. Good Luck!
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