Category: Weight / Excercise (Page 1 of 4)

You know how when you’re filling out your weight on your driver’s license application you have the mental battle about whether or not you’re going to put your actual weight or not?

No?  Come on… tell the truth.

I would find it hard to believe that I’m the only person who has this struggle.  I know, I know, it’s not like I’m TRYING to blatantly lie or anything, but I always seem to shave off a few pounds.  Technically speaking I did weigh that amount as I passed it to my heavier weight.

Well, for the first time since I can remember I actually weight LESS than my license says!

***(Insert Happy Dance Here)***

Sometimes it’s the little things in life (that no one will even notice, like my Driver’s License) that make me smile.

Well today was the day I FINALLY took the lead in our weight-loss competition… I’m so proud of me!  Haha!

And I have to say I’m a little surprised.  We went out to eat with a bunch of friends (we had 23 people total!) from church last night at Pizza Ranch.   It was so much fun, but I ended up eating more than I had planned… Darn that social eating!  Actually October is going to be a rough month for me and social eating because we have our Pumpkin Parties coming up as well as Halloween (all that candy at my fingertips–gah!).  I just have to be more diligent in my weekdays since my weekends will be tough.

But I’m happy to report that I’ve been able to transition into my work clothes pretty well.  I’m officially back down to my pre-pregnancy weight for Maddie.  I still have quite a ways to go to get back to my ideal weight, but I’m trying to focus on baby steps.  As long as I continue downward (even just a miniscule amount) that’s still progress.   🙂

I have hit  funny stage in my weight-loss, however.  I was SO big when I was pregnant that now that I’m loosing weight I have a ton of extra skin on my belly.  Ha!  It’s a bit depressing when I think I should look thinner and yet I still look pregnant because my belly sticks out.  Oh well.  I’ll just keep sticking with it and eventually it will go away.

I haven’t talked about weight loss for quite a few months.  Being pregnant will do that.  No matter what I did, I knew the scale would continue to go up.  Now, perhaps I could have slowed the movement of the scale going up, but I’m not going to dwell on that, since “what’s done is done.”  And here we are on the flip side.

I’m no longer pregnant.

And unless we have a major shift in our thinking, or God has other plans, I don’t expect to be pregnant again.  Which is a very good thing for my motivation.  Now I have the mindset of, “Well, there’s no more excuses.”  It was hard to really get on board with loosing weight before because I knew I would just balloon up again the next time I got pregnant.

So, I’ve started to weigh myself and chart my progress.  I had to take it easy for the first couple of weeks, but we’ve been going on more walks, and I’m back to mowing the lawn again.  I’m also drinking a lot more water and trying to be more aware of listening to my body telling me if I’m full.

And I’m pleased to report that in July I lost 30 pounds.  Now, take that with a grain of salt, because a lot of that was baby and water weight… but it’s still nice to see the scale moving in the other direction.  I’m hoping to keep the downward momentum over the next month so that I hopefully have some teaching clothes that fit by the time I start back in September.  Right now I’m right in-between my maternity clothes being too big, and my regular clothes being too small.  It’s a frustrating place to be.

But I’m going to try and keep my focus on the baby steps and remember that even if I only lose a pound a month, I’ll still be down at least 12 pounds by next year.  And that’s something.

*EDIT:  I wrote this post earlier this week and today I had my six week follow up visit with the midwife.  I’ve been given the OK to start exercising, EXCEPT, I have a separation in my abs.   That means I have to wait six more weeks before I do any ab work/Pilates/planks.  I’m not surprised that I have a separation since I was SO huge, but I’m still a little bummed that I need to wait longer.  However, I can still go on my walks and do arm exercises and practice restraint while eating.  So… it’s really just a minor set back.  🙂

All things considered, I’m pretty proud of how well I ran the race on Saturday.

Keep in mind, I’m a bit out of shape.

And it was pouring.  POURING… when we started.

🙂

But I finished with a time of 31.42!  Yay me!  I was aiming for 30 min. but I had never finished it with the kids in anything less than 35 min.  so it was a pretty over the top goal.  I’m pleased.

But yes, it was not a pleasant day for a run.  It would have been one of those days that I would have laughed at the idea of going out “for fun” on my own–especially since the kids would also get drenched.  There was thunder for a while beforehand, but it did lighten up about 10 min. into running to a soft rain and finally stopped by the time I was done.  The kids cheered me on from our windows as I ran by, which was fun.

Plus a friend of mine from church and her husband also ran the race too!  We didn’t run much together, but I rode with them so we were able to stand around chatting while we waited for it to start.  It was fun to have someone to talk to!  (Oh, and I forgot to mention that Tim volunteered to watch their 4 kids while they ran, so it was a full house here!)

So, now I keep running and see if I can improve even more over the next few months.

Boy, what a gorgeous day…

I’m so glad I decided to get outside with the kids this morning.

Ew, gross.  Look at that giant bug.  I hope Chloe doesn’t see it.

I should run now.  Was that enough of a warm up walk?  Maybe I should wait to run until I get to that tree up ahead.  No, not that close one–that one further away.

Alright.  This is good.  I’m off to a steady start.  Just slow and steady.

Yes, Chloe I see you. (shown by a thumbs up)

Yes, Chloe you can pick that flower. (shown by another thumbs up)

Yes, Josiah I see the flowers too.  (shown by a loud happy grunt)

Wow–I never realized how hilly this road was.

Try and just relax and swing your arms.

“Okay Chloe”  it’s time to cross the road.

I can’t run anymore.  I think I should walk.  No, wait–here comes another person on the trail.  I have to wait until I pass that person, so they don’t see me walk.

(Happy wave at stranger.)

Yes!  I’m past.  Now I can walk.  Just for a second.

Eww–look at the sweat dripping off my sunglasses.

Time to run again.  I hear you Josiah–Chloe’s starting to get away.  We better catch up.

“Okay Chloe”  Another road.

Remember when I thought it was a beautiful morning–I’ve changed my mind.  It’s too hot.

I’ve got to be getting close…

Oh–I never noticed that house before.  It’s pretty.

Yes, Chloe you can pick up that piece of trash.  (shown by thumbs up)

Yes, Josiah, I see Chloe picking up the trash.  (shown by, “uh, huh”)

“Okay Chloe”

Boy, I’m on a roll–look at me run.  I’m pretty fast.

I feel like I could run down this hill forever.

No.  I was wrong.  I need to walk now.  The hill has ended and Josiah is heavier than I remember.

“Okay Chloe”

Have you gained weight since yesterday Josiah?  I swear you’re heavier…

Oh, look!  It’s the last turn before our house!

Almost there…

I hope I don’t see anyone I know.  I’m a mess…

I’m totally going to sprint the last block.

Maybe not sprint… how about half sprint?

Okay, if I can just keep running and to the end I’ll be happy….

Maybe just a slow run….

Almost……….  there……..

Yes!  I’m a rockstar!  (hands in the air as I pass the finish line my driveway).

(Today is my crazy contest day so I’ve written up a post beforehand–no, I didn’t get up extra early just to write a post about protein powder–that would be crazy!)

Exhibit A, B & C

(As you can tell Exhibit A didn’t actually come in that can–it’s actually a slimfast can re-purposed.  The other can was too huge to put in my cupboard…)

Protein powders are NOT all equal:

So, I decided to start drinking a protein “shake” mid morning after my workouts to help with weight loss and keep me from getting ravenously hungry.  These are the three kinds I’ve tried over the past few months (in order starting with A then B and now I’m currently drinking C).  The first kind (vanilla flavored) was just ok.  Not great, but tolerable.  At first I would down it as quickly as I could without breathing because I didn’t like the flavor, but after a while it grew to where I could drink it in 2 gulps–again, not really enjoying it.  Then I moved to B (chocolate flavored).  That was really good.  I actually drank it in 2 or 3 gulps without cringing.  Who knew protein shakes could be–dare I say it?–tasty?  And believe it or not, it actually had more protein per serving than A.  Then I moved into C (chocolate peanut butter flavored).  NOT GOOD.  It makes the first one seem yummy.  I think I’ve decided that I like peanut butter, but I don’t like synthesized peanut butter flavor.  The powder itself smells really decadent and delicious–but it does not taste that way.  So, we’re back to one giant gulp without breathing again.

Oh, well, now I know!  And in Tim’s defense (since he’s the one who bought them for me) he THOUGHT he had grabbed the chocolate flavor.  We didn’t even know there was a chocolate peanut butter flavor… now we do.  And so do you.  And you should not drink it.

But since we already own it, and it’s wasteful not to… I’m going to power through and finish it.  🙂

That’s right–I found another picture that made me laugh.  I feel like I may have posted this before, but it still makes me laugh.  🙂  You’ve got to have a sense of humor in life, right?

In other news, Stacy is coming up to visit today.  We’ve already made plans to have veggies and hummus and make green (spinach) smoothies!  That’s right–we ARE THAT cool.  😉  I’m excited!

I saw this picture this week and it made me laugh.  Yes, some days I feel like I need this mental image to get myself in gear!