Day One

Because I have sooooo much time on my hands (HA HA)  I started another blog. :-D

This one will be dedicated to my weight loss journey.

I need to lose between 40 and 50 pounds.  This is jaw dropping for me.  I always hear obese people say they didn't see it happening, just woke up and weighed the same as a small horse.  Yep, it happened to me.


I've been married 6 years and within the first 3 years had 5 pregnancies.  Two miscarriages, three healthy kids and 50 pounds later, here I am.  


This is the first time I've ever really had to diet and exercise in my life.  Before I met/married Josh, I maintained at 130-135 by eating whatever I wanted and not exercising.  I was a grazer.  I'd sit at my office desk with a box of Wheat Thins and a small tub of garden vegetable cream cheese and eat it in small increments all day long.  I snacked.  And I didn't gain weight.


Now, however, it's a different story.  I gained 20 pounds right off the bat during my engagement, due in part to Josh's insistence that I needed to eat "3 square meals a day". HA.  Thanks, babe. ;-)


With Kate I was so sick I only gained 12 pounds, with Christian I gained 15 and then with Owen I gained 20.  And now, here I sit at 170 on my 5'4" frame and it ain't budging.  It's gruesome and horrible, and it's gotta change.


SO.  My battle plan is to go to the gym on the days I don't have Savannah (my niece, whom I babysit), shooting for 3-4 days a week (more if possible) and burn 500 calories on the elliptical.  If I can't make it to the gym, then I'll do as much as I can on the treadmill here at home, a minimum of 20 minutes.  I also plan to log onto SparkPeople (I like TheDailyPlate.com better, but the site wasn't working and I couldn't register... I'll go back and try again tomorrow) and begin counting calories.  I have NO idea how many calories are in anything, as I've never dieted before. Well, I did do Weight Watchers for a short time, lost 10 pounds, plateaued forever (ok, it was prob 2 weeks, but still) and quit.  And gained the 10 pounds back.


So, now I'm in it for my health and for my self-confidence.  I am NOT going to allow it to affect my family, I am NOT going to allow it to rule my life, I am NOT going to allow it to affect my happiness.  BUT I am going to work on it, diligently and faithfully.  I don't have a time frame; I don't know how long it will take me, but I'm not going to give up.


A few months back I had a week where I worked out 5 days, burning 500 calories each day and eating no more than 1500 calories a day.  And I lost 1.4 pounds.  I was so discouraged--BECAUSE I have so much to lose, it seems like I should've lost at least 3 pounds-- that I quit.  


So now I have to be like the tortoise.  Slow and steady, taking the good losses with the not-so-great- losses and just continue continuing on.  That's the only way I'm going to get back down to a healthy weight.


I have a couple of wool sweaters from before I was engaged that are SO cute, and that is my goal-- to fit comfortably into them.  They zip up, have a hood and are just totally my style.  So, hopefully by next fall/winter I'll be able to fit into them. =)


Today I woke up and immediately drank 28oz.  I felt really dehydrated and have been doing very poorly with my water intake.  Then I headed to the gym, burned 500 calories (way easier than normal, since Jen was there to talk to me!):) and ate the following:


A banana
A cup of coffee, with non dairy creamer

A salad, with meat on top

A banana and apple
A few M&M's and Fritos
Chicken, Salad and a small baked potato for dinner

According to Spark People that's 1,155 calories.  I probably actually ate a little more than that, but at least it's definitely below 1500.



I'm not going to eat anymore tonight. =)