Back in March I sort of secretly posted about starting my resolution to lose not only my baby weight, but the 20 lbs I had gained since getting married. {To see that post click here.} Now, please.. don't roll your eyes. I know I'm not fat. This isn't about getting "skinny". This is about getting healthy. This is about me taking control of something that has controlled me. Grant is a huge motivator. When he gets older I want to be able to do fun things with him without huffing and puffing.
I'm so excited because I have made progress! I'm so proud I'm able to say that! And I've never done this before- so don't laugh at me! But I'm going to share pictures of that progress! (Oh man, I feel the feeling of vulnerability kicking in..)
Alright, so the top pictures were taken in March, and the bottom pictures were taken today, April 28!
This sounds weird, but looking back, I love this top picture. The look on my face says it all. Unhappy, not confident, almost.. lifeless. You can see how horrible I felt about myself. (Taking those pictures were hard.) And looking back I never want to feel like that again.
That day in March I weighed in at 160 lbs. Today, I weigh 148 lbs! WOOHOOOO! That's two pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight and 18 lbs until my ultimate goal of hitting 130 lbs! I'm so happy that finally my BMI is in the normal range and no longer in the overweight range!!
I know I still have a ways to go, but sharing this makes me want to keep going because hallelujah I'm actually doing it and it's actually working!!! Lately I have been surprised that people have actually noticed and have said things like, "You look great!" or "I notice the difference!" and my favorite so far..."Carmina, you look better than you did before you were even pregnant!"
Now I don't know if you want to know, but I'm going to share anyway! Here's what I've been doing:
1. P90X. And by doing P90X I really mean trying. It's no joke, and I have yet to make it through a whole video. I used to think if I couldn't do it all then I shouldn't do it at all. But that thinking was so wrong! I have learned to celebrate my effort. So what I can't do a whole video and I normally fast forward through the hard stuff... I'm trying. And that's what counts! Jaron has been doing it with me and that definitely makes it more fun! We exercise when Grant is asleep, and he goes to bed around 7 or 8pm, so it works! :)
2. "Do something." I don't want you to think that I have worked out every single one of those days from March to April.. uh.. no people.. no. It's more like three times a week, sometimes only one.. and some of those weeks I didn't work out at all and ate pie and marshmallow cakes instead. The struggle is real. lol. But the other goal I made was to always do something. Whether I go on a walk with Grant, play Just Dance or just do a couple sit ups I try to do something active every day. Some days, when Grant is fussy I count that as a work out because lets be honest, carrying a 14 lb baby around all day really works out your arms!
3. Foooooood. I have yet to be perfect at managing my sweets. But I have changed what I normally eat. When we first got married I am convinced a lot of my weight gain was from eating garbage. My meals were Hot Pockets, Pizza Rolls, and Spaghetti O's. (Wife of the year right there.) All of that stuff was just yuck and had no nutritional value. I have started making real food, and eating well! I eat more fruits and veggies, (I'm crazy about spinach right now) and I try really hard to snack on healthy things. Sometimes I catch myself with a fist full of Cheese Nips, but it's a work in progress!
4. "Skinny people drink water." LOL. That was something my roommate Megan and I said to each other all the time in college. But for reals, I am trying to drink lots of water because I know how good it is for your body! I also notice it helps get rid of my water weight ex: the chub in my face, neck and hands. I also need to keep hydrated because I'm breastfeeding. Which brings us to...
5. Breastfeed, breastfeed, breastfeed. Remember how I weighed 194lbs when I had Grant? Well, -WITHOUT- exercising at all, I lost THIR-TY POUNDS. I attribute all of that to breastfeeding. You burn like 500 calories a day just by sitting there! It's be beyst.
I'm so excited to keep going and to post my next pictures! (never thought I'd say that) Maybe this summer I'll even be able to fit into my expensive Hapari swimsuit I bought in college! :) Woohoo! If you have wanted to lose weight, join me! Seriously! It's hard, but at the same time.. it's not as hard as you tell yourself it will be!
CONTROL IT. FINISH IT.
Carmina Joy