Operation 9 Month Off - Week 3-5

Err, take 3 - I've started this post two other times, but with running off to care for babes - it's disappeared twice since I didn't save it! Anyway...I better get it done, so that I can link up with

How did I do this week: (eek - the last 3 weeks!)

Anyone want to guess why I've been AWOL the last three weeks? No, no, I'm not pregnant again...we need to give this body a little more recovery time than that! I have just completely falled off the wagon - I stopped charting my foods, I ate far too many ice cream sodas, and I didn't make exercise or even being active a priority! Err, I'm soo mad at myself - because I actually got down to 183 - which was 2 pounds below my pre-Noah weight and now I'm back up to 187! I decided it's really time to take things seriously - it's time to post real numbers and get real with my fitness journey! This isn't just about losing weight! It is about being a good example for my boys, it's about being healthy for another pregnancy in the future, it's about living better and longer with my family! So, I found a few weight loss link-ups that I plan to join in on, and on Monday I (& J) signed up for WW online. I want to lose a lot of weight and I want to lose it quickly, but I don't want to hurt my ability to nurse Noah, or to limit his nutrition or calories in any way. My issue has always been motivation and sticking to it - but I need to be motivated to be healthier for my kids - to not be the tired mom! If I am going to stick with this as I lifestyle, then I need the flexibility of something like Weight Watchers to let me have my "cheat day" while not blowing the whole diet! It doesn't do me any good to lose ten pounds only to gain it back over and over because I wasn't drinking enough water or I wasn't eating enough, etc. I really like how the new plan gives you lots of healthy options for 0 points (like the banana I just had). I did Weight Watchers in college when I was at my lowest weight (128) and it was a lifestyle that I could stick with and it was easy - but over time I slowly shifted out of that lifestyle - so I'm hoping getting back into it I can go back to the old habits that I used to have and create a new lifestyle - rather than the calorie counting that I've been doing and constant analysis of everything. As I remember, you get to the point where you know how many points most of your favorite foods are - which makes things easy! I really want this to be easy - and I'm coming to the realization - that it's just not. We've hit the 3 month mark - so if I want to hit my goals by Noah's first birthday then the 9 month countdown is officially ON! It's time to make this happen! Hopefully, finding a few friends along the way will help me stick to it!

Measurements (starting points in italics): 

• Waist (smallest point): 35" (35")
• Hips (largest point): 45" (45")
• Arms: 12" (12")
• Thighs: 28" (28")
• Chest: 40" (40")
• Weight: 187.3 (189.9)

Here's a reminder of the rewards I have planned for reaching weight loss goals:

• Reach 0 point ( 185 - post-Owen/pre-Noah weight): Get my eyebrows done - DONE
• -5 pounds: Massage
• -10 pounds: Manicure/pedicure
• -20 pounds (pre-Owen weight): New woven wrap - a shortie 
• -30 pounds: Haircut/color
• -40 pounds: Overnight date/mini vacation 
• -50 pounds (goal weight): New wardrobe (I'll need it!)

Want to do this together and help encourage one another and keep each other on track?? I'd love a partner, or several, in this! Let me know! I'm on Weight Watchers and myfitnesspal and fitbit and twitter - join me! Email or comment with your usernames and I'll friend you!

Operation 9 Months Off - Week 2

Well, it's been another week since I shared my weight loss goals and plan - let's see how I did!

Here's a reminder of the rewards I have planned for reaching weight loss goals:

Reach 0 point (post-Owen/pre-Noah weight): Get my eyebrows done

-5 pounds: Massage

-10 pounds: Manicure/pedicure

-20 pounds (pre-Owen weight): New woven wrap - a shortie 

-30 pounds: Haircut/color

-40 pounds: Overnight date/mini vacation 

-50 pounds (goal weight): New wardrobe (I'll need it!) 

How did I do this week:

It was another crummy week for activity and calories! It rained 3 days and we all came down with colds and I could probably come up with a few more excuses to ;) - but anyway - didn't do too well, although it could have been worse!

Activity Goals: 

1. Workout/video 3x/wk - FAIL - one workout 

2.  Run/walk 3x/wk - FAIL - one 7 mile walk - better than nothing, but still a fail

3. Stay under calorie goal 6x/wk FAIL - I went over calories 3 days this week, not much, but still

4. Reach 10,000 steps 4x/wk FAIL - 1/4 days

5. Reach 10 flights of stairs every day -  FAIL - 2/7 days

6. Drink 100oz of water/day - FAIL - 1/7 days - once you get out of the habit it's hard to get back! 

Measurements (starting points in italics): 

Waist (smallest point): 34" (35")

Hips (largest point): 45" (45")

Arms: 12" (12")

Thighs: 28" - changed position to measure this is the new starting point

Chest: 40" (40")

Weight: +3.8 (+4.9lb) - down 5.9 from post-vacation weight

Since, I went from no workouts and no runs/walks to one of each this week, maybe next week I'll pull off two of each?? I was really hoping that posting here was going to keep me accountable and help me to do better sticking with this, but I don't seem to be doing too well so far! I really want to make healthy habits, but I'm pretty stuck in my old unhealthy ones and I've been really good at finding excuses for why I can't do things and why I need crummy snacks! (Like it rained 3 days this week so I couldn't exercise and we all got crummy colds - although I could have figured something out if I made it a priority!) Thankfully, the weight gain last week was really vacation bloat and I'm down a little from the week before!!! It looks like I have found the right calorie intake to lose weight slowly and still maintain my milk supply - yay! I'm still hovering at the same weight I've been at for two months now though, and it's super frustrating! Anyone else in the same boat? Want to do this together and help encourage one another and keep each other on track?? I'd love a partner, or several, in this! Let me know!

Operation 9 Months Off - Week 1

Well, it's been one week since I shared where I am starting out postpartum and my goals for where I want to end up by next here - let's see how I did! 

Here's a reminder of the rewards I have planned for reaching weight loss goals:

Reach 0 point (post-Owen/pre-Noah weight): Get my eyebrows done

-5 pounds: Massage

-10 pounds: Manicure/pedicure

-20 pounds (pre-Owen weight): New woven wrap - a shortie 

-30 pounds: Haircut/color

-40 pounds: Overnight date/mini vacation 

-50 pounds (goal weight): New wardrobe (I'll need it!) 

How did I do this week:

Overall, not well at all! We left Wednesday morning when J was post-call to head up north to J's parent's house - then Thursday morning we ventured even further north to visit a lake and spend the weekend fishing and enjoying family cabin time for Owen's birthday! It was a great time, but long road trips don't really facilitate exercise or sticking to calorie goals (we decided to cheat and not count car snacks - because they are a necessity!) 

Activity Goals: 

1. Workout/video 3x/wk - FAIL - didn't do this a single time :(

2.  Run/walk 3x/wk - FAIL - didn't run a single time either

3. Stay under calorie goal 6x/wk PASS (sorta) - I was 350 calories over one day this week and under 6 days (except for car snacks one other day, but those don't count, right?!)

4. Reach 10,000 steps 4x/wk FAIL - 1/4 days

5. Reach 10 flights of stairs every day -  FAIL - 4/7 days

6. Drink 100oz of water/day - FAIL - 2/7 days - although 6 days I had over 48 oz which is fitbit's water goal

Measurements: 

Waist (smallest point): 35" - +1/2in

Hips (largest point): 45" - +1/2in

Arms: 12" - same 

Thighs: 25" - same 

Chest: 41" - +1in

Weight: +9.7lb (54.7lbs from goal weight) - up 5 pounds since last week

Eek! Well, that's definitely not the direction that I wanted to see any of those numbers going - but it is reality and sometimes that happens as you figure this stuff out. All of these numbers were taken at 8 in the evening after eating and drinking all day - immediately after getting home from our lake trip - so I'm hoping the numbers are negatively inflated from travel and they'll be balanced back out by next week after a few normal days back at home with normal water intake and sleep, etc. 

xxfingers crossedxx that vacation bloat is all that this weight gain is - because even though my activity level was a little low (combined 20 hours in the car over 5 days) - and my water intake was low without my brita (relying on purchased water bottles in limited supply) - my calorie intake truly wasn't that bad! We'll see, after next week it may be time to pull out the big guns and sign up for weight watchers!

Operation 9 months OFF!

So, before you have your first baby you are (read "I was") really concerned with losing the weight after baby, but you hear over and over how when you breastfeed the weight will just fall off! Unfortunately, for some people, that just isn't true - and when the weight comes off slowly you hear "it took nine months to put the weight on and it should take nine months to take it off" - but that didn't work out so well last time either.

After I had Owen, I lost 20 pounds within the first month, but then nothing. I gained and lost the same 5 pounds over and over until I got pregnant with Noah (still weighing in 15 pounds above where I was pre-Owen - and pre-Owen I was at the heaviest I had ever been). My body was determined to hold onto the weight while breastfeeding - I counted calories and stayed within my allotments and I exercised a little, but I just didn't lose the weight. And every time I started to cut calories a little more or exercise harder - I saw a significant drop in my milk production, and as I was barely pumping enough at work for Owen's bottles - I just couldn't risk doing anything that might diminish my supply, so I sucked it up and accepted my new weight. 

Then during my pregnancy with Noah, I gained another 35 pounds (the same amount I gained during my first pregnancy) - except this time - that meant I was up 50 pounds from my pre-Owen weight - and up 80 pounds from my goal weight - eek! 

Here I am just before and after Noah was born. 

 the day before I was induced, 2 days postpartum, and 3 days pp.

By the time Noah was 1 month old, I had managed to lose 30 pounds! Woohoo! And we decided to start working out (Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred - and Couch to 5k, C25K) at about 5 weeks pp. We took before pictures and measurements and weight and all that. Ready to go!

Before: 

(sorry, it's not pretty, but I want to be real here and I want to hold myself accountable - because it isn't ok for this to become the new normal!)

July 5th Measurements: 

Waist (smallest point): 35"

Hips (largest point): 45"

Arms: 12"

Thighs: 25"

Chest: 40"

Weight: +4.9lb (49.9lbs from goal weight) 

Now, over the last month, I have been counting calories using the MyFitnessPal app, tracking activity with my Fitbit, and using other apps to track runs/walks. We only managed to do 5 days of the 30 day shred over the last 22 days (haven't quit, just haven't been consistently able to fit it in) - and we've done 2 runs and about 5 walks. I've had a few days that I've gone over my calorie goal, but for the most part I have been consistently under my goal, but with the inconsistent exercise and my hormones, I haven't seen much success, so I knew it was time to put this out here and give myself the kick in the buns to get motivated and to be consistent enough to see the changes I want and need! I don't want to go too crazy because it is my goal to nurse Noah for at least a year (probably longer) but since I'm at home this time and not trying to rely on the pump we should be able to control my supply a little bit better (at least I'm hoping) - but it is already clear that I'm going to have to do a little more this time to make things happen. 

July 27th Measurements: 

Waist (smallest point): 34 1/2"

Hips (largest point): 44 1/2"

Arms: 12"

Thighs: 25"

Chest: 40"

Weight: +4.7lb (49.7lbs from goal weight) 

That's right, in 3 weeks, I only managed to lose .2 pounds and 1/2 an inch in my waist and hips with no changes elsewhere! Boo! In actuality, I have gained and lost the same four pounds about 3 times over the last 3 weeks with my weight ranging from +4lbs to +8lbs. So, I'm currently .7lbs higher than my lowest weight in the last few weeks, but that is a fairly small fluctuation. 

So, here is my current plan - which may change - First, to help myself stay motivated I need to have small reachable goals with tangible (non-food) rewards. 

Reach 0 point (post-Owen/pre-Noah weight): Get my eyebrows done

-5 pounds: Massage

-10 pounds: Manicure/pedicure

-20 pounds (pre-Owen weight): New woven wrap - a shortie 

-30 pounds: Haircut/color

-40 pounds: Overnight date/mini vacation 

-50 pounds (goal weight): New wardrobe (I'll need it!) 

My rewards get bigger/more expensive as we get farther, because I'm assuming it will get increasingly harder to lose the weight as I go, and I need something to look forward to...to help myself keep pushing - in the past I've always given up when I hit a plateau and I don't want to do that again! 

Second, how do I plan to do it: 

Activity Goals: 

1. Workout/video 3x/wk

2.  Run/walk 3x/wk - we just got an awesome double jogger! 

3. Stay under calorie goal 6x/wk (allow one "bad" day but don't go too crazy)

4. Reach 10,000 steps 4x/wk

5. Reach 10 flights of stairs every day

6. Drink 100oz of water/day

I'll update these goals as I make progress to make them harder or easier as needed. I've played with the idea of joining a gym, personal training, heart rate monitor, and/or joining Weight Watchers (how I reached my lowest adult weight) - but as of right now I want to try to do this for free, although I'm willing to invest money into it if I determine that doing it on my own isn't going to work. So, here we go - it took 5 years of teaching and two babies to put this weight on - but this time I'm going to make #operation9monthsoff work. 9 months on - 9 months off - so, I'm giving myself one more month to get the last of the baby 2 weight off and then 9 months to get to my goal weight. That means I should be there by Noah's first birthday! I'm planning on weekly accountability updates to show how I'm doing on my activity goals and to weigh in - we'll see how often I do the full measurements and photo updates, maybe monthly? Hold me to it, friends! It is more than time to make this happen!