Getting Started

 

This is the most necessary but yet the most difficult step to take when trying to get fit and eat healthier. I have been struggling with my weight since having my first child 8 1/2yrs ago. During that pregnancy I gained 65lbs and just went into a funk. I had no energy or desire to work out and fell into the comfort of being overweight. At the time I was dealing with a lot of emotional baggage which kept me stressed and fatigued further adding to my weight issues. I did not start to focus on myself until I got my emotions in check, took care of the situation that was holding me back, and moved forward with a desire to better myself.

What did I do?

Well being me and the fact I loved to shop, I went on a work-out-video shopping frenzy. I should have bought stock in some of these companies because I was making them so much money. I started and stopped, started and stopped. I must say the video series that helped me lose 30lbs was the Slim’n 6 program made by Beachbody. I never quite got back to my pre-baby weight of 115lbs but I was happy where I was. Fast forward two years. I began a new relationship and with that, I started to gain the weight back. The picture below is a trip we took about four months after we got together (July 2005). This is when I officially went into a state of “Oompa Loompa” (remember from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).

I started to get comfortable again with being overweight. I ate without caution. Every now and then I may jog around the block for good sport but I couldn’t fall into anything serious. Some years later I partnered up with one of my girlfriends and we started walking every night for a few months. We walked at least 45 minutes per day or 2 miles. Walking while engaging my core (sucking in my stomach) helped me to not only lose weight overall but helped to reduce the fat around my belly. I finally got back to a comfortable weight, cut out some of the junk food and was good until I got pregnant again. I swore to myself I would walk, eat the right things, watch my weight, and not fall weak to my cravings…Needless to say that did not work! 

During my second pregnancy which began December 2008 I went from 136lbs to 192lbs at the time of the baby’s birth. I was SWOLLEN! Goodness, what did I do to myself? Again?! So here starts my new journey to weight loss. I started working out a week after having the baby since the doctor said it was safe for me to do so. The workout was very light until after I passed my six week mark. I started out by walking around the block for about 25 minutes per day. As I built up more strength and endurance I started to jog, just a little. I used various work out videos and products. I also did a better job of eating by sticking to a low calorie diet.

This is an example of what I would eat:

Breakfast
Tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low
1/2 grapefruit or juice
1 piece toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter or a boiled egg
Lunch
1/2 cup tuna
1 piece toast
Tea, with 1-2 packets Sweet & Low
Dinner
3 ounces any lean meat or chicken
1 cup green beans
1 cup carrots
1 apple
1 cup regular vanilla ice cream

The foods and quantities changed but this is the basic concept. I did this from September 2009 for a year. Increasing the amount of walking and jogging I did as well as my use of videos and Comcast On-Demand I lost 44lbs. Keep in mind I had a lot of “fatty girl” moments in between and a good amount of missed work out sessions but I stuck to it. This takes me to September 2010 when I was introduced to hCG. By this time I was bouncing between 148-150lbs. I will talk more about the hCG program and what it did for me in another post. The important thing for me about getting to this point was my ability to stay focused on bettering myself by losing the weight I needed to feel comfortable in my clothes again.

What was my motivation?

I was sick of complaining about my weight over and over again and not really doing anything about it. I found every excuse known to mankind to keep me from eating the right foods and exercising. It was quite shameful. I had a strong desire to change my life inward and outward and to stop making the same mistakes I have in the past. I was going insane (doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result). I had to become a self-starter in order to stay focused and also be real with myself. I know I can be lazy so I decided to get a partner who is just as competitive as I am who will also keep it real with me by calling me on my “BS” and pushing me to stay on track. This helped me to lose an extra 18 pounds and countless inches to bring me to the weight I am at today which is 130lbs. Now that I have lost a good amount of weight since the birth of my second child (62lbs), my focus has changed to toning my body. More of that to come.

Here are some quick tips that helped me:

• Set realistic goals and time lines
• Hold myself accountable
• Partner with a friend
• Start out by walking daily and incorporate some running and sit-ups
• Eat smaller portions (use a salad vs a dinner plate)
• Pay attention to calorie consumption
• Get the entire family involved
• Find a picture of someone that has the body shape you want for your self and place it in an area in the house you will view daily as extra motivation
• Stop buying junk food (replace chips with fruit or nuts, etc)
• Stop drinking soda
• Drink more water (there are a lot of flavored water products out there to disguise the taste) 

**These again are some things that I found helpful. I am not a doctor or healthcare professional so please always be safe by checking with your doctor as needed.

February 2010

February 2011

 

Stay tuned for more ....... (Next: "hCG Worked for Me"!)