Weekly Weigh-in & Week 22 Pictures

Weighing In Today:  119.1 lbs.

Weight Loss for the Week:  2.2 lbs.

Total Weight Loss:  42.2 lbs.

Weight Left to Make Goal:  -0.9 lbs.

      It's come at last!!!  I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am.  This process has begun to wear thin on me.  (Haha.  Pun only slightly intended.)  I'm exhausted and worn out.  Both mentally and physically.  I'm more than ready to lighten up a bit on myself.  Strength training days in particular are going to be revamped.  I have been spent so much time working out on those days, it really wasn't fair to Anna.  The way I look at it, these last 5 1/2 months have been about me and getting to be a little more selfish with my time than I normally would allow.  However, I'm also a mom and I try to be a good one.  My "ME" time is going to have to come back to a normal level and I can take more time to focus on taking Anna outside and we both can get a lot more fresh air and relaxing time.  This doesn't mean to imply that I'm not going to be working out at all anymore.  Cardio days are still the same, but they don't nearly the amount of time strength days do.  Since my stay-at-home-mom-with-no-car situation hasn't changed, I still need workouts I can do from the comfort of my living room.  I'm considering P90X or Insanity, but for now I'm going to be doing a Jillian Michaels workout I found on Youtube and maybe a few more calisthenics thrown in for good measure.  I'm all for any good suggestions you guys have. 

 

Week 1

 Week 4

 

 Week 8

 Week 12

 Week 16

 Week 22

Before & After

      You can't tell as well from these pictures, but this swimsuit really doesn't fit me anymore.  Haha.  There's a lot of extra fabric it's ridiculous.  I'm kinda hunched a little in the last picture I'm looking to the side (toward the picture frames) because we took them this morning before Anna woke up.  She heard the sound of the camera from her room and kept saying, "Oh wow! Take a picture!".  Haha!  I love that little girl.  Ty and I couldn't stop laughing. 

      I'm so happy with how far I've come and how well I've done.  I've worked so hard and the results are definitely easy to see.  During this process and along the way, people have asked me what my secret is or how I did it.  The truth is there is no magic or secret weapons I've used to lose all this weight.  I'm just like so many other SAHMs (Stay At Home Moms) who want/need to get their workout in.  I don't have a car and we are on a limited budget, so a gym is out of the question.  We are lucky that our complex has a gym with treadmills because we couldn't fit ours in our condo.  If I didn't have that, I would still probably try running outside.  Easy and free.  My strength training days have consisted of youtube workout videos (BikiniBodyMommy, Jillian Michaels videos) and workouts from an app.  Awhile ago, a friend of mine posted a KSL article on key strategies to losing weight and they are all exactly right one.  Go here to read the article.  I think the key from here on out to keeping the weight off is sticking with my monthly meal plan.  I'll be checking in here and there to let you know how I'm doing and to keep myself accountable.  I hope everyone has the same great success I've had! 'Til next time!!

Weekly Weigh-In & Week 16 Pictures

Weighing In Today:  128.7 lbs.

Weight Loss for the Week:  1.2 lbs.

Total Weight Loss:  32.6 lbs.

Weight Left to Make Goal:  8.7 lbs.

      Another week down, another pound lost.  Something I didn't say last week, that really needs mentioning, I officially lost all of my pregnancy weight.  Can you believe it?!  Only took me 2 years.  Haha.  You know, I was thinking about it yesterday.  It may have taken me a while to get there, but putting in all this work that I've been doing took a lot of mental preparation.  I'm an all or nothing sort of personality.  I couldn't do this halfway.  And now I'm on my way to my ideal weight.  A place I've never been before.  I'm so happy with how far I've come.  I'm kinda awesome.  ;)

Week 1

 Week4

Week 8

Week 12

Week 16

      It's crazy looking back at all the pictures.  Especially comparing the first week to this one.  Holy bloated-pregnant-looking belly Batman!!  Also, it's crazy how much less junk in my trunk there is.  Even compared to last month.  This swimsuit has a lot of extra material goin' on.  Haha.  Ty's encouraged me to get a new, better fitting swimsuit for the finale.  It's funny.  I bought this swimsuit, thinking it was figure flattering because of the tummy tucking it was supposed to be doing.  Looking at myself in these pictures I realize it REALLY isn't.  Haha.  I still don't ever plan on wearing a bikini because of modesty reasons (that and the stretch marks on my belly from pregnancy have made it all wrinkly), but man I feel like I'm getting close to a point that one wouldn't look hideous on me.  I'm getting more and more excited for Summer and reunions and family pictures.  I finally feel a little more confident in how I look and don't feel like I have to shy away from things.  That right there is the best accomplishment of this whole journey thus far.

Small Victories

      I forgot to mention in my weigh-in post that over the weekend, on our anniversary, we decided to do a little shopping at ROSS since we were sans Anna and that basically never happens.  I had just bought a bunch of shirts at Savers for dirt cheap so I didn't need much.  However, I did need another pair of pants since I was wearing the only ones that fit me.  I had two other pairs of size 12's, but they were fitting baggy on me.  The pair I've been wearing are from Maurices and are sized like men's pants so I'm not sure what they would be in women's.  Well, at least I didn't.  Thinking I was still in size 12 (I'm at the weight I was in high school and that's what I wore then) I tried on a pair of jeans in that size.  Most anything I try on is long on me, but these were also really baggy.  Weird.  I decided to go for it since we had the time and tried on a size 10 pair.  Yes, they were long and needed to be rolled up (curse of being short), but they fit perfectly in every other aspect.  Huzzah!!!  The last time I was able to wear size 10 was when I was pregnant and they were maternity pants. 

Weekly Weigh-in & Week 12 Pictures

Weighing In Today:  135.5 lbs.

Weight Loss for the Week:  .9 lbs.

Total Weight Loss:  25.8 lbs.

Weight Left to Make Goal:  20.5 lbs.

      This morning, when I first weighed in, it had the showed the same weight that I was last week.  Um, no.  I know we had a fun weekend for our anniversary, but I was pretty good.  I got back on and it gave a better answer.  Haha.  I can't believe this is week 12! Three months have officially passed and I'm looking pretty good if I do say so myself.  :)  People are definitely noticing too.  My mother-in-law is in town to help out with my niece and nephews while my sister-in-law is in the hospital.  We went over there yesterday to bring dinner and she was so surprised to see how thin I look.  She hasn't seen me since Thanksgiving so that's definitely a big difference.  Let's take a look, shall we?

Week 1

Week 4

 Week 8

Week 12

      After taking these pictures last night, Ty asked me if the swimsuit even still fit anymore.  It's the kind that's supposed to be tummy tucking, so it fit fine there, but it was a bit baggy in the chest and bum.  Huzzah!  Hopefully, the next time I do pictures I'll have to find a whole new swimsuit.  Also, can I just say, that I have no idea what to do with my arms in these pictures.  Haha.  I never know if I just have them back far enough to see the belly or forward enough to see the belly.  Oh well.  Hopefully, you'll get the idea.  So, on kind of a downer note, a couple of people who have congratulated me on my progress, have also said that I shouldn't lose anymore.  Personally, I would like to get  lose at least 10 to 15 more.  Right now, I'm still at the top of the healthy BMI range for my height.  It's great to be in normal, healthy range and I'd like to be comfortably situated within it.  Am I so weird to want to be my best self and to get frustrated when people tell me not to lose any more weight?  Maybe, but I'm not a stick and I don't really like it when they go about it like I'm endanger of going too far.  What do you guys think?  Am I overthinking this?  Whatever.  I'm just doing what I think works for me.  Haha.  I have to live in this body right?  So I might as well enjoy it.

Weekly Weigh-in & Week 8 Pictures

Weighing In Today:  143.1 lbs.

Weight Loss for the Week:  1.9 lbs.

Total Weight Loss:  18.2 lbs.

Weight Left to Make Goal:  28.1 lbs.

      Wahoo! Another two (basically) pounds bites the dust.  Definitely makes me feel better.  I'm just about over this cold and that is another thing for me to celebrate.  I'm feeling so great right now.  My progress is just kind of awesome and my body is looking pretty dang good.  The bloating is dying down as I've been taking action against it.  Probiotics are definitely a good key to this, but I've been eating 1-2 Tbsp. of Sauerkraut a day to help keep my digestive system in gear.  There are a lot of natural probiotics like sauerkraut that you can take, like yogurt, but this is just much more effective and I actually don't mind it like a lot of people do.  I guess that's the German in me.  Haha.  If you are having a similar issue, I highly recommend giving this a try.  Your body will thank you.  All of us women know that bloating can affect weight and the way our body looks.  This has been something I've been dealing with even when I'm not experiencing lady time and let me tell you, it's not awesome.

      Anyway, enough of that! How about some pictures and measurements!

Week 1

Week4

Week 8

      Okay, I'm still not totally in love with how I look in a bathing suit, but I for dang sure look way better than I used to!  It is so motivating to see this progress and know that I'm doing so well.  And let's just talk about those measurements for a second.  I mean come on!!  This round definitely beats the last one for sure.  I'm so proud of myself and I love the confidence I'm building in myself.  I no longer go to the gym and freak out if someone else is there because I know I can hold my own.  Playing with Anna is easier and I don't feel, literally, weighed down by my body.  Saturday we went to the park and I needed to grab something from the car.  I ran.  And didn't die! It was awesome. This is making me a better person.  A better wife.  A better mother.  I can't wait to see what the next 4 weeks bring.

Weekly Weigh-In & Week 4 Pictures

Weighing In Today:  151 lbs.

Weight Loss for the Week:  1.6 lbs.

Total Weight Loss:  10.3 lbs.

Weight Left to Make Goal:  36 lbs.

(You might have noticed, or may not, that I actually marked my progress on my chart an extra pound more in loss.  Whoops!  I didn't notice until today and fixed it.)

      I made it to 10 pounds!!!! Woot!! I made my goal! I will admit that I was hoping to be under 150, but I'm just so happy that I made it to the 10 pound goal that I'm shutting down any other negativity.  This is the most weight I've lost doing the strict diet.  Speaking of which.  That diet is OVER!!!  Huzzah!  I'm so happy to finally taste bread and occasionally some sugary treats.  I don't plan on going crazy.  Mostly, I'm really just looking forward to Anna's and my birthdays.  It will be great and I can't wait.  This diet has been good for me to do and I'm glad I did it.  It helps to teach me that self control that I need to have.  However, it's not something that I could maintain full time.  I enjoy lots of different yummy foods and I like having the option to have them or not. 

       Anyway, I'm pretty excited for my progress and my measurements and pictures are no exception.  Check it out!

Starting Stats:                                         Week 4 Stats:

Chest:  30.5"                                             30.5"

Bust:  37.25"                                             36.5"

Upper Left Arm:  13.5"                             13"

Upper Right Arm:  13"                              13"

Lower Left Arm:  10.25"                           10"

Lower Right Arm:  10.5"                           10.25"

Waist:  32"                                                 31"

Mid Waist:  40"                                         36.5"

Hips:  41"                                                  34.5"

Left Thigh:  25.5"                                       23.75"

Right Thigh:  25.5"                                     24.5"

Left Knee:  16.5"                                       16.25"

Right Knee:  16.75"                                   16.25"

Week 1 Pictures

 Week 4 Pictures

       I'm really happy with how my progress is going so far.  It'll be spectacular when other people really start to notice as well.  One of the quotes I have on my wall is "It take 4 weeks for you to see your body changing, it takes 8 weeks for friends and family, and it takes 12 weeks for the rest of the world.  Keep Going."  I definitely noticed some changes from 4 weeks ago.  I think you can see in the pictures my middle section looks better, but I'm definitely looking forward to what week 8 will bring!

Week 1 Weigh In and Before Pictures

      Today was the official DAY 1 of my diet and body transformation.  Anyone else start a diet today? I'm actually really happy with how today went.  There was really only a small window of time where I was really wanting chocolate, but that was because it was definitely time for a snack.  Dinner was a bit of a hassle because I forgot to pre make the brown rice like I had planned.  It turned out alright though and we managed a doable dinner.  I weighed myself, took my measurements, and my before pictures today.  Guys, putting this stuff on here, I making myself incredibly vulnerable here.  I know that you are all my friends, but it doesn't change the fact that I don't like even my friends to see me this way.  I like people to see me as my best self.  Obviously, I'm not there physically, otherwise I wouldn't be doing this.  So here we go.  Let the accountability begin.

Starting Stats

Weight: 161.3 lbs.

BMI:  29.5

Chest:  30.5"

Bust:  37.25"

Upper Left Arm:  13.5"

Upper Right Arm:  13"

Lower Left Arm:  10.25"

Lower Right Arm:  10.5'

Waist:  32"

Mid Waist:  40"

Hips:  41"

Left Thigh:  25.5"

Right Thigh:  25.5"

Left Knee:  16.5"

Right Knee:  16.75"

Before Pictures

      As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I'm doing the Bikini Body Mommy Challenge workouts.  I'm not ready to share myself in a bikini (and probably won't ever be that comfortable), but my swimsuit definitely reveals my figure enough to let me know I need a change.  Especially since people will see me in a swimsuit this summer.  By the time I'm finished with this transformation, hopefully, my figure and my swimsuit will be better.

Final Weigh In

Weighing in today @:  128.5 lbs.

Weight Loss for the Week:  3 lbs.

Total Weight Loss:  41.5 lbs.

    I believe the appropriate response to this is BOO-YA!!!!!  I made it!  What's really funny is the Dora "We did it" song has been playing on repeat in my head.  :)  Not sure why since I've only seen bits and pieces of that show, but regardless, it's totally appropriate.  Can you believe it?!  I finally reached my goal.  Excuse me, not just reached it, I surpassed it!  What an amazing feeling?  

    In honor of the momentous occasion, I wanted take a little trip down memory lane  and show you how I saw my continual progress on the chart I colored in every week.

And now for the final entry mark:

    I actually had to sort of draw above the chart because I hadn't planned for this.  Incredible!  Now I bet you'd like to see what I look like don't you?

    I'm not sure you can see a HUGE difference between the second and third picture, but the first and last are astounding.  I can't believe how chubby I was!  Okay, I can believe it, but it's still amazing that I let myself get to a place where I looked like that.  I will tell you I'm thrilled to go clothes shopping.  Except for a few shirts I kept around (because I was in denial that they wouldn't fit me or because I planned on loosing the weight "really soon") from before the weight gain, nothing fits me.  In fact the skirt in that last picture is practically falling off.  There are some jeans that fit when I first weighed in (again) at 135 and they are a bit baggy.  Even the leggings I have are sagging.  Basically, I NEED new clothes.  However, so as not to bust the bank, I plan on getting thrifty and hitting places like Value Village first to see if I can find some steal items.  Mostly right now, I'd just like to find some shorts and pants.  The shorts I have from last year look ridiculous on me.  I could wear a belt, but when I do it bunches where the button and zipper are and that's just not attractive or appealing.  Another item on my list is a dress.  The one I wore at Easter:

now sags horribly on me.

    I feel so good and I'm so proud of myself for all the really hard work I've put in.  If I could give any kind of advice, it would be do this only when you are ready.  And by ready, I mean mentally ready.  Once you have mentally geared yourself up for this, then prepare yourself by getting the tools you'll need.  Stock up on food, come up with a workout routine(s), surround yourself with positive people, and keep yourself accountable.  One of the best things I did was calling myself out by opening up on this blog.  It's been sort of intimidating letting you all in and sharing my diet and workouts, but it's helped me immensely.  

    Now that I've said that, you probably won't see me on here for awhile as I plan on taking a bit of a sabbatical.  My goal is to maintain through July and then go from there.  July is reunion season for us and I don't want to be sooo focused on what I'm eating that I'm not taking the time to enjoy spending time with family.  Also, I kind of need a break from this crazy thing I've been doing for the last 5 1/2 months.  I'm tired and worn out and would like to recharge my batteries with a little Summer fun.  That's not to say I still don't plan on being smart.  I'll still be eating the same kind of meals, well maybe a few more fun ones, but for the most part it will be the same.  In fact, Ty has requested that it be so.  :)  Apparently, he likes it when his wife routinely cooks meals and when there is a plan for dinner so he doesn't have to ask (or if he does I can actually tell him).  So dear friends and family, I love you all and thank you for the amazing support and encouragement you've all given me.  Y'all are da best!