My Weight Lost Journey

I have lost around 38 pounds since May of 2010! When I first started, I never thought I'd really be successful. I was feeling a little discouraged. I was trying to lose weight since my son was born almost 5 years ago. I was a little overweight before he was born. I would drop 5 pounds here and there and gain a few pounds back. It was a yo-yo effect. I also was not gaining a lot of weight and maintaining what I had gained from my pregnancy. I was considered overweight slightly. I am not a big diet person. I would rather do portion control and overall I am not a unhealthy eater. I am a southern girl and I love sweet tea. It has to be homemade sweet tea. I can easily make it by the gallons weekly. I love chocolate and cheese also.

I enjoy exercising with my Bowflex, but it ended up in the garage when we built our classroom. It only fits in one room in the basement. I don't want it upstairs in our living room. Exercising in a garage is not something I can do with 4 kids in the house during the day. Also face it, I want to be comfortable while I am exercising. I don't want to be to cold in the winter or sweating in the heat of a Kansas summer. I know myself enough to know it isn't going to happen. I even thought about selling it before I lost my weight. It was just taking up space in my garage. It was a reminder also of my lack of exercise.

 Then at the beginning of the year I had my yearly physical and my cholesterol was border line. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant also. I didn't want to go on any medication. I don't want my kids having a mom who is unhealthy and I want to set an example for them. My back was hurting all the time. My hips where hurting like crazy. My family has a history of heart attacks. I didn't like the way I looked. I was ashamed of my weight. I was always skinny growing up, too skinny and would have to go shopping in the kids department up until my mid-twenties. I even forced myself to gain weight I got tired of everyone telling me that I need to eat more or all the jokes about me being too thin.

After several months of trying to lose weight I finally scheduled an appointment with my Doctor to make sure I didn't have any other health issues that were effecting me not losing weight. She felt it was stress and that my metabolism needed a boost. Having a high maintenance child with special needs is stressful and the Dr. told me she sees this alot with parents in my situation. I am not one who shows her stress outwardly. Only my closes friends from time to time would see it.

She prescribed a prescription for the first few months to start out. It worked to give me a big boost. I also made sure I filled my plate with veggies and cut back even more on my portion size. I stayed away from my beloved sweet tea and only allow myself 2 glasses a day. I still have some chocolate and cheese but in moderation. I am one who believes not to deny yourself everything. I don't like that feeling guilty because I ate something I shouldn't have. I am bad at taking care of myself. Everyone else comes first. I forget to eat or catch myself snacking. I am also one who doesn't sit down alot. When the kids are in bed at night I grab something to eat and go and relax with Jeff downstairs. I wasn't even grabbing unhealthy snacks! It was right before bedtime! That is the worst thing to do and I even knew it.

Now, I am averaging a pound or two a week. Its more slow and steady weight lose. Which is good but, it is also the time that many fall off the wagon. I am at that point where I want more instant results. I know that I am doing good.

I even had to go out and buy a smaller size! That was exciting, I had fun buying size large. I was at the point where my pants would fall off to my ankles if I didn't have on a belt. Such fun when you can take off your pants with out unzipping them. My kids thought it was funny.

My goal is another 20-30 pounds. I wanted to blog about it so maybe I can be more accountable to myself.
I do not have any pictures of myself recently. I am always the one taking the pictures. I also don't like pictures of myself. More so when I don't like the way I look. I will get a recent one up here soon. I am doing the pictures so I can see a side by side myself. Maybe it will be a reminder to keep pressing on.

This is me after my pregnancy. March of 2005 I was around 185. I actually didn't gain a lot during my pregnancy.

This is December of 2004. I was around 15 to maybe 20 pounds over weight.

I am now exercising and eating smaller portions and snacking much less. I don't want to gain anything back with the upcoming holidays where the sweets abound and over stuffing yourself is just so common. Many blessing. May the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you this week.