The Post About Weight Loss

Timehop can be a lovely app, right? My #tbt was so eye-opening today.

I’ve always been an open book. I haven’t written in a long time and I miss it a lot! So, I’ll let you in on a little bit of my reflecting.

Most of you know, I have 3 daughters. Kylie is 6. When she was 2, I lost about 20 pounds before getting pregnant with Layla. She was born in November 2011 and passed away shortly after she was born. (If you want to read my journey, start at the beginning of this blog). Shortly after, I had Zoey who is now 2. There was not much time between Layla and Zoey, so I just ate and acted like I was pregnant between the girls. I realized when Zoey was about 7 months old that I needed to pay attention to myself a little bit.

After having Layla I didn’t eat for a couple months. I was not healthy and I was grieving. I can see right through the smiles in pictures from that Christmas. I didn’t have a hard time eating after having Zoey. I was at my heaviest in December of 2013. I had to make a change.

I’ll cut to the chase. I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I beat myself up when I have an off day or vacation week. But to see how far I've come is reassuring. I know that if I do the work, I’ll see the results. I still have a little further to go.

Here's your before/after pic. Everybody loves these, right? 

In the before picture, I was 39 pounds heavier than I am now. Yes, it took that long (18 months) for me to lose weight. I take days off, enjoy birthday cake, drink Mountain Dew & eat candy (I need dessert after every meal).

The most important thing I’ve learned; you can't out exercise a bad diet. I hit a plateau from June-Nov 2014. I was running over 7 miles/week & not losing a pound. I drastically changed my eating habits & started losing. I began working out and toning my body. I haven't lost much lately in pounds, but the inches are evident.

I have this goofy fear of being selfish. I feel guilty every time I go to the gym. I should be home with my kids, my husband or working. I’ve recently learned that the time I’m spending on myself has made me a better mom, wife and employee.

Why am I sharing this? I guess to say it's hard work & it takes time. There's no magic pill that will work & there's no end. It's cheesy, but it really is a lifestyle change. I am in control of who I am and have taken huge strides in improving and being intentional in so many aspects of my life.

If you’re at the beginning of your journey, be encouraged. Cutting out processed foods, to start, will make you feel incredibly different. It’s shocking. Try it! 

Surround yourself with encouraging family and friends. It’s always good to have a group of cheerleaders helping you stay on track. My family has been a huge support system as well as the Better Body Fitness family keeping me on track & kicking me in the butt.

If you’ve been living a healthy lifestyle for a while, you know what I’m talking about. Always keep a big perspective on where you are. On the days you feel like you're failing, look at how far you've come. You improved your life, intentionally. Don't stop.