Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Wednesday Weigh-In: Week Fifteen

It's Wednesday!!
We're fifteen Wednesdays into this journey.  That's almost 4 months.  Some days it feels like I started yesterday and some days it feels like I've been at this forever.  I can definitely see big changes in my body.  I still have a long road but seeing progress is so encouraging.  I've been consistently working out at least 3 times a week for 11 weeks now.  I feel stronger than I have in a really long time.   Also I can tell if I've eaten more carbs than normal because I feel like crap.  I feel sluggish and heavy and just blah.  I was shocked by how bad I felt.  It was definitely the motivation I needed to stay the course.  I don't want to go back to that feeling all the time.  It took one day for me to realize how far I've really come and how much better I really feel.  I'm not going to lie, sometimes I look in the mirror and wonder if I'll ever get to my goal.  Sometimes it feels like an impossible task to lose these last 25lbs.  But I just have to sit back and look at how far I've already come.  I've lost more weight, done more push-ups, more burpees and run more stadiums than I ever thought I would do again.  When I'm feeling down about the size of my pants and what I left to do, I redirect my focus to what I've already accomplished.  I don't focus on the flaws, I choose to celebrate the progress, even when it feels like I have to dig to find any progress to celebrate.
-1.6lbs from last week.  Not quite 2 pounds but I'm still on track to hit my goal before surgery.  So close to kissing the 160's goodbye forever.  I can finally wear my wedding band again which is my favorite non-scale victory so far.   I can get my engagement ring on but can only wear it if the humidity is low. Ha!  
The -25.5lbs is what I've lost since starting Keto. I've lost more than 42lbs total. I've got around 25lbs left to lose.


Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Wednesday Weigh-In: Week Fourteen

We've been trucking right along this week.   Trying to make good choices.  I've been committed to working out 3 days a week for 10 weeks now and I can definitely see the changes in my body.
The other big news this week is I'm having breast reduction surgery.  It's something that I've thought about since I was 18 years old but I always wanted to wait until after I had kids.  Well I've had two kids and it was time to seriously consider it.  I went for a consultation back in August and I liked the surgeon ok but I wasn't convinced I wanted to do it.   I did get approval from my insurance company that they would pay 100% so that was good but I wasn't sold on this guy.  I talked to a few other friends and decided to go for a consultation with another surgeon and I really, really liked him.  He was so nice.  I never felt rushed.  We talked about exactly what I wanted the end result to be and I was very encouraged.  I left that day knowing I wanted to do it, we just had to decide when.  I originally thought I wanted to do it in January but after talking with this surgeon about recovery and my weight loss goals I felt confident that I wanted to go ahead and do it as soon as worked with our schedules.  So I went ahead and scheduled it for the first week of November.  I'm very excited.  I'm a little nervous to not be able to work out for several weeks.  Everyone that has had it done said it's 100% worth it. 

I'm down 2.4lbs this week!  I'm excited for this progress.  Every little bit counts!  I've got about 15lbs I'd like to lose before surgery in 7 weeks. 
I've lost 41lbs since March. (I think I'm going to change my graphics to reflect the total weight loss.)  I did another body fat analysis this week and the results weren't what I'd hoped for but I did lose 1.5" in my arm and .75" in my thigh.

I posted this on Instagram and facebook yesterday for "transformation Tuesday" yesterday.  That picture from Disney popped up on my timehop last week and I couldn't believe what I saw.  I knew I was overweight but I had no idea how big I really was.  I was 6 months postpartum and still breastfeeding but I was miserable.  Not necessarily with how I looked (I didn't love it but I because my body had just grown another human and was still feeding it I was ok with it) but I felt terrible.  I was so exhausted all the time.  I had zero energy.  I just didn't feel like myself and I wondered if I would ever feel like me again.  Here I am a year later and I feel great.  I love fitting into old clothes but I love the way I feel even more!  I'm so proud of how far I've come but I've still got a good way to go.







Monday, September 18, 2017

Tuscaloosa Gameday

I had tickets to the Alabama game Saturday in Tuscaloosa, it was a late game so I didn't really want to take Barrett.  I knew Brittany and I would have a blast.  We had so much fun the two years we were at Alabama together and I was ready to relive the glory days. 
We got there, got parked and headed over to my cousin's house to hang out.  We visited for a while and then headed out to see the sights.  We walked by the stadium and it was almost time for the team to arrive so we waited around to see that.  Then we walked all through sorority row to see the new houses.  (They are huge!)
We made a pit stop in front of Tut to make our picture before they tear it down.  I've made so many memories in that building.  From cheerleading camp to my freshmen year.  I'm sad they're tearing it down. 
We walked back up in front of the quad on our way back to the stadium.  I love Denny Chimes.   There was a big crowd for it to be a cupcake game. 

I was so excited about how good our outfits looked together.  Also this is my accountability partner and she looks amazing.  I'm so proud of how far we've come.  It's been many years since we sat in that stadium together and I'm so thankful that we're still friends.
And I know I include a picture of Matthew every year but I just can't get over how old he is.  He came to my house to tailgate before his first Alabama game when he was just 2 or 3 years old.  Now he's 14 and taller than me. 
We had the best time and I've decided that this is the perfect friend day because you're trapped in the car for at least and hour each way so you get lots of time to catch up.  And then the game is just so much fun anyway.  I'm hoping to get back down for another game this season but I don't know if it'll happen. 
And we won!
Roll Tide!


Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Wednesday Weigh-In: Week 13

I feeling better this week and slowly but surely getting back on track.  If I had one piece of advice for this whole weight loss journey it would be get an accountability partner.  Someone that has similar goals and someone that will challenge you.  Someone that will call you out when you are slacking.  Someone that will truly encourage you.  They celebrate the success and they pick you up when you feel like you can't eat one more hamburger without the bun and run with you when you think you can't run one more stadium.  I had a great accountability partner in 2010 when I was successful (she moved away) and I have a great one now.  I feel like I have my own little cheerleader. (Hopefully she feels the same way.)  I've fallen off the Keto wagon too many times to count in the last month and honestly if it weren't for Brittany's encouragement I would have probably gone back to my old eating habits.  But we are in this together and I want to see her reach her goals as much as I want to reach my own.  So we tell each other to put on your big girl panties and deal with it. While we still have a ways to go to reach our goals, we are so much closer than we were even a month ago.  We've also been lucky to find a fitness instructor and class that we both really enjoy.  The instructor is so motivating and encouraging.  Sometimes I feel like he feels sorry for us but either way he's been good for us.  He challenges us every week and we've surprised ourselves at how far we've come.  I am so surprised by the changes in my body in just 9 weeks of working out.  I'm excited to see what progress looks like in another 9 weeks.  

-2.8lbs this week!  I might do a backflip when I get below 160bs.  This is the smallest I've been since I got pregnant with Barrett.  I'm so proud of that.  

My total loss since March is 38.4lbs.  Hopefully I'll hit 40lbs next week.  We're going for another body analysis this Friday and I'm anxious to see the results.  The scale hasn't moved that much for me but I feel like I've lost inches and fat.  I'm hoping I'm not wrong.
Find a partner and get started.  You won't regret it!

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Wednesday Weigh-In: Week 12

This pretty much sums up my feelings today. 

But I'm committed to this.
Well, I'm committed to blogging, Keto, not so much this week.
And the scale shows it.

Anywho, I feel like I sound like a broken record lately.  I'm just on the sugar struggle bus lately.  It all started with a piece of cake for Patrick's birthday and it's been down hill since then.  I'm slowly getting back in my routine and will hopefully see some results next week.  A concert,  football kickoff and long weekend did me no favors this weekend.  I did stay on schedule with my workouts and I am proud of that.  I actually crave that time each week.  I start getting antsy if I haven't gotten to sweat.

I gained 1.2lbs.  Which is frustrating.  But I can't say I'm surprised.

Oh well, You can't let a bad week wreck your whole outlook.  I've come so far, (and still have a way to go)  I'm going to pick up today and get back in gear.
I also feel like crap after eating like crap.  Makes me want to get back at it even more.

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Labor Day Weekend: So long Summer

We've had a wonderful long weekend at home! 
Thursday night Barrett went to workout with me.  He now insists he has to go every time I go and while I love using that as my time away, I also love having my own little cheerleader there.  When it's not crowded the teacher lets him "workout" with us.  It's really sweet.
Friday morning started with donuts in our college colors.
Then we had a little adventure to check out the wedding venue for some of our dear friends.  It was a beautiful place so I tried to take advantage and snap some cute pictures of the kids. 



Here they are wearing the same outfit.  Patrick told me not to show anyone this but it's too cute not to share.
Friday afternoon Crystal sent out a group text asking if anyone wanted to go see Sam Hunt in Birmingham.  I'd already planned for the kids to spend the night with my parents and Patrick had to be at work early Saturday morning so he didn't want to do anything so I went.  We had so much fun!  Brittany ended up getting a ticket from another friend and we met up for a bit.  I wasn't a huge Sam Hunt fan but he put on an amazing show (for free!). 

I did learn I'm too old for general admission tickets.  I almost lost my cool several times when people kept pushing through to "get to their friends" in the front.  Finally, I just didn't move and told them they should have gotten there when their friends did if they wanted to stand with them.  And I made a poor choice of footwear and my feet were killing me. but other than that we had a great time!

There was a huge crowd and it was a gorgeous night for an outdoor show!
Saturday morning, Brittany and I met at the GUTS trail for a little hike.  We did 3 miles to start the day and it was so nice.  I'm really enjoying getting out and sweating.  My goal is 4 days a week right now and so far so good!
Saturday night the kids and I went to Matt and Jennifer's new house to watch football!  Their new house is beautiful and the kids tried their best to destroy it.  This is the only picture I got of them together.

He said he couldn't take a picture because he needed to relax.

I squeezed her into this outftit from last year because it was way too big on her and she only wore it once.  It was tight but she was just so cute I couldn't stand it.

Selfie with my girl!

Last year in the same outfits.

Sunday morning I got up and went to Mass.  Barrett was whiney and AveryAnn was coughing and had a nasty runny nose so Patrick stayed home with them and I went alone.  Which is super weird when you're used to wrangling two kids.  After lunch the kids took naps and I went to HIIT.  Later the Moore's came over and the kids played. 
Monday morning we all slept late and enjoyed some snuggles. 
After naptime we loaded up and went to the park. 
We haven't been since AveryAnn started walking and it was fun.  Barrett was so excited for his dad to watch him go down all the slides and AveryAnn just wanted to play on the steps.  Then of course the ice cream man showed up and luckily Daddy had some cash.

AveryAnn wore most of hers but they sure were cute. 
After the park we made a family trip to Lowes.  Patrick got some screen so he could make me this cute frame to hold my earrings.  We did baths and then it was time for bed!  We're ready for Fall!  The weather this weekend was such a tease.