My Weightloss Journey....

So far.

So I still have a ways to go.  But I'm currently down 30 lbs since July 2012.  And 65 lbs down since Crinks was born, August 2011.

September 2011 - 270lbs

December 2012 - 243 lbs

January 2013 - 237lbs

This is nasty, I'm sorry.... but you can see that I've lost quite a few inches too.

I have a feeling I'm going to be going for a tummy tuck after baby #2

So there you have it.  I've been keeping up my routine of intense boot camp 3 days a week and just eating healthy.  I stay fairly strict to the plan during the week.  I don't go crazy on the weekends but I don't prohibit myself either.  I'm sure if I did the weight loss would be going a lot more quickly.  Oh well...in time.

I feel so much better.  I've notice less discomfort in my knees.  Two things that I get really excited about:

1) I don't run out of breath, even the tiniest bit, going up a flight of stairs!
2) I can get up and down from the floor without needing to use my hands.

 Just the difference I feel in my body is so incredible.  So much stronger than I ever was.  Getting to this point has been great and I can't wait to keep pushing forward.  I'm hoping to lose another 30 lbs by the end of this year!

I do think we're going to try and get pregnant though at the end of this year so fingers crossed I can get there before then!

It's late and I'm tired.  I'm going to call The Bage and see where he is.  He's getting groceries and is still not back yet :(

Pace et Buona Notte,
Megan

New Year...

...New Me.  Well, not really.  I can't say that I have any resolutions this year.  I really didn't state a resolution last year.  I think the unstated one was that I was going to lose weight and eat healthy.   I'd say I managed that fairly well. 

After a slow start in the begining of the year working out at lunch time at my office gym... I picked up the pace in July when I saw a Groupon for a local studio.  Hyde Park Body Boutique.  I seriously owe so much of my success to the ladies there.  Candice (the owner) and Amber in particular!  Without Candice's meal plans to help give me a better idea on what "eating healthy" really is, it would have been much harder.  Not to sound like a drone or anything here but for me, it helps when someone tells me what I'm going to eat.  Amber runs the boot camp classes I go to three days a week (sometimes 4 if I'm lucky!). 

HPBB is a smaller studio located in Hyde Park, Cincinnati, OH.  It's all women and the class sizes are small.  I've really felt comfortable there (even at my weight of 265lbs when I started), never judged.  And soon, as time when on, I felt like I couldn't just skip a class.  Because the classes are small, even though I know no one was judging me, I felt like I had to be there.  The classes are different every day....so no boring routines.  If it's nice out, we run out side a little even.  I hate running so luckily we don't usually do that.  But there is always a wide variety of things to do to work every part of your body. 

Since starting there in July, I've lost about 25lbs!  It's so hard to believe.  It's incredible the difference I feel ... just stronger, healthier, empowered.  Anyway, if you're from the Cincinnati area you NEED to go there.  It's a little pricier than other gyms but Candice will sometimes have sales on classes or a Groupon.  It's worth it though. 

A side note, HPBB recently won a small business contest where they received money to expand the studio by purchasing spin bicycles.  It's growing and there is lots of love :)


What else .... no other resolutions I guess.  Just continue to live and love life.  Maybe work on a few of my "30 before 30" things.... I've got about 2.5 years.  OH MY GOD.  Seriously.... 2.5 years and I'll be 30.  I might have a tiney meltdown on that birthday. 

Alright, back to being all sickly and working.  BOOOOOOoooooo

Pace,
Meggie Sue

Weight

My weight loss journey has DEFINITELY plateaued.  This last month with Thanksgiving, family over, I have agents that sent us stuff, etc.  But that really shouldn't be an excuse.  I need to exert more will power over the temptation of these delicious foods.  The thing is, I LOVE good healthy food.  Banana and apples with some cool whip on them is pretty darn good.  But what about those times that I NEED, not just really want, but NEED ice cream?  And trust me, a popcicle doesn't help.  A couple little bites doesn't happen, and so on and so forth. 

I know I just need to stop eating that stuff.  I mean, if I was diagnosed with diabetes then I wouldn't be eating it.  So why eat it now and continually increase my chances of being diagnosed?!  Both my dad and my dad's dad were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.  That, inconjunction with my weight and the fact that I'm a sucker for sweets (mostly ice cream) just skyrockets my chances of getting it. 

Here is what needs to happen.  I need to give up ice cream.  I have to.  I'm going to start with a goal of NO ice cream (or any form similar (sorbet, ice cream sandwiches, etc) for the remainder of the month.  I know that doesn't seem like much but if you knew me, you'd understand.

So there we go.  No ice cream for the rest of the month.  I also need to be better about logging my food and using my fitbit.  The fitbit really does help to motivate me to walk more steps. 

I'm curious to try out their fancy-schmancy scale too but it's kind of pricey for me right now.  Maybe down the road...

By the way here are my current stats:

Starting weight: (after Gavin was born and water weight lost): 277lbs!

Current weight: 245lbs

Goal weight: 230lbs (before I can get pregnant again!)

Ultimate goal weight: 170lbs
Total weightloss so far: 32 lbs!!

Pace,
Meggie Sue

I Never Thought I'd Get Here Again...

Baby talk!  Don't get me wrong, I've always wanted 2 kids, no more, no less.  But over the last 15 months with Crinkles I can't count on my own hands and feet the number of times I've thought, this isn't happening again.  This whole living your existence with screaming, crying, pooping, sleeping...yes, yes, the baby NOT ME (well......) is just not my cup o' tea.  I love love love the stage he's at now!  He's so curious and interactive.  I love that he understands (most) of what i'm saying.  He likes to help us feed the doggies ("Haiii doe doe") and dry the dishes and mop. 

But the other day, I was stolling along being all me, and then the thought hit me.  Like, a light switch literally flipped because there were no shades of gray in this at all.  Light bulb over my head....I'm ready for Crinkles Junior.  And before anyone says anything, yes, you can have a "Junior" off a "Senior" if that "Senior" happens to be their sibling.  I mean, that's who you're naming them after right?  Well, that's how it's going down in my world.

Anyway, so Crinkles Junior, or CJ for short... I'm just ready.  It just stinks we have to keep an eye on our finances.  Boooo money.  We both have great salaries and are frugal on top of that.  But we just bought a new house in August which saw our mortgage go up $500!  We also borrowed some money from my parents which we have to payback.  I want to have them paid back within 3 years but that's almost $5,000 a year.  so yeah, with those things on top of our other loans, it would just be best to be patient and hold off.  The last thing I ever want to do again is live paycheck to paycheck.  Not. Fun.

But i'm excited.  Especially after hanging out with a 4 month old and 10 month old this last weekend.  I had so much fun.  I just can't think of the horrible sleeplessness and stress.  I tell myself it'll be a little better now that I have a better idea what to expect.  But as I hear from everyone, no two babies are the same.  We'll see I guess. 

I need to do one thing at a time.  I need to focus on getting the house in shape, getting my butt in shape, and figure out what is going on with my job.

Speaking of my butt, I'm down about 20 lbs!  I was doing really well and then this last weekend blew up in my face.  Add that to the fact that Thanksgiving is coming up.  I wish I had someone doing this with me.  It's a lot more motivating when you're accountable to someone other than yourself.  It doesn't help that The Bage is not eating well AT ALL lately.  He's driving me crazy!

We got two large bags of candy from Sam's for Halloween this year.  We were told from neighbors that so many kids come along.  Well this year, the weather was aweful... it was cold and spitting rain here and there.  We barely had any kids.  So at first we were going to try and return the candy.  But then we couldn't find the receipt.  So I'm thinking cool, it'll be nice to have some candy around to have a treat here and there.  Well not only has The Bage eaten at least 3 pieces of candy a day but he usually eats more.  He finished a whole bage of nerds in 2 or 3 days.  It just makes me nervous.  It's like, ever since he got back from the hospital he just eats like crap and comes up with excuses on why he can't go work out. 

I don't want to push him, or nag on him, especially with how great he's been with me.  Since we've been together I've gained over 50lbs.  Part of that was an after effect of a surgery I had but I know I haven't always eaten the greatest.  But it just makes me nervous, like he thinks, "Oh, I lost all this weight when I was in the hospital so I can gain it back."  I don't know.  I think he's a little depressed right now.  He doesn't have any guy friends near by to hang out with.  I've been more social lately with going out and have been leaving him on his out more often.  Not that he can't handle himself without me by any means but I know that can be lonely. 

I just wish there was something I could do.  I've asked him several times if he's happy.  He says 'yes' but I know him.  I'm really trying to encourage him to go visit is friend down in Lexington, KY.  He's really not that far away but I think he's just being lazy and doesn't want to make the trip.

I feel like I've finally figured myself out.  I've gotten over the fact that I'm an adult now and I have more responsibility than I did before.  I think he's still struggling with that.  I didn't realize for the longest time that's a big part of what was bothering me.  It took me months after my theapy sessions ended for me to come to that realization.  I found myself being upset about the things I *had* to do.  And that all I wanted to do was play video and computer games like I *used* to.  Those were the keys, my life isn't filled up with all these empty hours now where I can do whatever I want whenever.  I have a baby now that I need to take care of, and educate, and play with.  I know that sounds like such a basic idea but it was such a big dramatic change that it took a long time for me to get over and get used to. 

Since realizing that, I've been able to make what we do together fun.  If it's nice outside, we go to the park right after I pick him up.  Or we go outside to play.  There are days we just go home when I have to get something done.  It's just the way life is.  I feel so good about my life now.  A little over a year ago I wouldn't have said that, even two years ago.  I've been struggling with this depression for so long that I'd get lost in my thoughts.  I'd start my medication only to stop it when I would start feeling good but then I'd go right back down again.  I do eventually want to try and get off of it but I don't think I'll ever really be able to. 

I'm such a different, happy person on it.  I can tell an immediant difference if I miss my pill for a day or two.  I'm not an advocate of taking drugs or pills because they're the easy solution.  Trust me, I've tried meditation, progressive relaxation, all sorts of stuff.  But it never worked and I would have these explosions, melt downs, if I were a bomb my meltdowns would probably take out the earth.  But with the medicine.  I feel like I can think clearly.  I can recognize myself amongst whatever stress or thoughts I have an get myself to calm down an react is a mostly rational manner. 

Not everyone needs medication but for those who do, it really is life changing. 

As usual, I've gotten off on a random tanget and at this point need to get going, that whole work thing really gets in the way sometimes :)

Pace,
Meggie Sue