Diet and Exercise

Disclaimer: Long post ahead of rambling and I am NO expert this is just some random thoughts and tips that have helped me and are still helping me! Ever since I started college the weight just began to pack on....freshman 15 people is a real thing!! I am 5 feet tall so there isn't a lot of places for weight to go and since I am short my BMI and weight should be on a lower end. I had gone up from 118 to 129. But for the most part i could fit into my clothes (but really, I looked terrible you could tell they didn't fit). I got to a weight that I didn't think was too bad and that became my 'new' normal. I figured I'm not in high school anymore and I'm not dancing 3 hours a day so this is what is to be expected. Then.....I got married! Truly the happiest day of my life but also the heaviest I have EVER weighed!! I was topping in at 132 and my BMI was showing I was overweight... Who weighs their heaviest on their wedding day?!? This girl! Then lets add on pregnancy....YIKES!!!!!!!!! Yet again my thought process was 'I'm pregnant and this is normal'. Notice how I'm continually adjusting my definition of normal :) I had gained 40 pounds while pregnant and after Carson was born I weighed 165.....there it is people that horrific number.

Needless to say on top of post partum, recovery and a fat a** I was at an all time low! I couldn't even fit into my "fat" pants....that's when it finally hit me! It is not all about the working out....it is all about the DIET and needless to say that was where I was falling short. I have always enjoyed working out but I would eat with the mindset of it's ok...I worked out.

I wasn't able to breastfeed once Carson was about 5 weeks old so I figured I would do whatever it would take to lose the weight. It literally became a game in my head. I have a very unhealthy relationship with food and always have. I was ready for a change! I started with HCG. GASP! I know everyone has their own opinions on this but with where I was at mentallly it was fine by me :) HCG did exactly what it said it would do and I started to lose weight and fast! It was so hard. I would literally tear up sometimes watching commercials because I couldn't eat any of the food. But clothes started to fit again and I was feeling better. My goal was to get to my pre-pregnancy weight of 125. Once I stopped I had reached my goal but I was so nervous I put all the weight back on so this is where it really hit me. I needed a lifestyle change. Not some fad diet that works great for a short amount of time. This was a lifelong commitment and a daunting one at that.

I have learned that diet (at least for me) is 80% of the equation and exercise is 20%. Here are a few things I've implemented into everyday life that have helped me:

1. A blender:) If I am going to have a protien shake I have to have it ice cold and blended really well. I also love smoothies (healthy ones) as meal replacements. For work and with a baby they have saved me and are great on the go. Careful with smoothies though fruit is high in sugar and you could be packing on calories with out realizing it.


2. WATER! I am trying to have a full glass of water before every meal and also in between. It helps me feel full and I have notice my complexion is brighter and clearer.


3. Protein. (yuck....) I am not a meat lover and so this one is hard for me but we have been eating a lot of lean chicken and steak and you can tell it really does the body good. Plus you can implement protein shakes after a work out.

4. Cutting back on carbs.....:( I seriously hate this one and I struggle with it everyday. I could live off white bread and diet coke for the rest of my life and be happy. I started to look at label and I was shocked how many carbs are in so many things I eat. Adam and I took on this challenge (and lasted maybe a week) of doing no more than 20 carbs a day....that was 1 slice of wheat bread. I dropped weight but man was I miserable. Everything in moderation.

5. Exercise. Even though I feel diet plays a bigger role in weight loss exercise is SO important. Adam and I go for about a 1.5 mile walk every night. Its not much but even something like walking has amazing benefits. I have also found for me I bottle up EVERYTHING :) and exercise is way cheaper than counseling. It has helped me relieve tension, focus on what is important and prioritize my life appropriately and I am a heck of a lot happier when I do it. Plus if I'm active hopefully my kids will be active too!
Some of my favorite classes/exercises are: Power Pump, Kickboxing (especially if I'm stressed:), Yoga, Plyometrics and the eliptical.

6. Cute work out clothes. This is a huge one for me! Especially when I go to the gym for a class or something like that. It is hard enough to go to the gym because you constantly feel judged but if I have COMFORTABLE and cute work out clothes I feel confident and therefore work out harder.

Wow now that I've rambled and bored you to pieces there is my 2 cents :)