Last summer I knew I was getting heavy. But when I went to the doctor at the end of August and was told that I weighed 187 pounds (AFTER a month of dieting!) I was shocked. It hit me like a bullet. I could not believe that I let myself get that heavy. Yes, I had two kids in two years. Yes, I had moved across the country earlier that year and was adjusting to my new job as a stay at home mom. But that was no excuse for me. I had never been that heavy (non-pregnant) before. This was not OK. I decided that after the long Labor Day weekend this was it for me. Time to get my act together. No more soda, no more ice cream EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT., and I was going to get off my butt and do something about this. I want to set an example for my girls. I want them to be proud of me, not embarrassed to be seen with me. I wanted better for myself.
Cutting Back (Not Out)
So I did it. I gave up soda, cut back on junk food, cut back on dairy, and committed to working out 5-6 days a week. At first it was Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred, then her Ripped in 30, then Shaun T’s T25, and I am currently maintaining my weight loss with Tony Horton’s P90X3. One thing these workouts have in common? Their length. They are 25-35 minute long workouts. There is no excuse to not be able to find that kind of time. For me, I get up at 5am (ugh, I know!) and workout, shower, and have my coffee before my girls even think about waking up. I enjoy that me time. I NEED that me time.
Snack Health(ier)
As far as food goes, I am not on a diet by any means. I eat what I want but I watch my calories. I do not overdo it. I use the MyFitnessPal app to track my daily intake. I don’t eat dessert ever single night like I used to. I don’t finish my girls’ lunches when they don’t – it goes in the trash or the fridge depending on what is left. I still snack – a handful of chips (I love Better Chips), or pretzels, or peanuts – twice a day. I found that if I tried to not have my little indulgences throughout the day, I would binge on the weekends and gain.
Drink Water
I drink water like a fish. Seriously. I drink at least eight 16 oz glasses a day. And one to two coffees a day with a dash of creamer, no sugar. I do not drink cow’s milk at all. I use it in cooking sometimes but that is it. I use almond milk in my cereal. I buy the vanilla unsweetened and I use that with cheerios or corn flakes. It is awesome because it makes it taste sweeter – like their sugary counterparts.
I have lost 52 lbs and I am currently maintaining and toning. I am not perfect. Every now and then I grab a Coolatta at Dunks, have a big piece of cake, or a bowl of ice cream. Just not every day. And one last tip. Do not eat after 8:00 pm. Just don’t do it. If it is past 8:00 pm – you are not hungry, you are just bored. If I can do it, you can do it!