I’m almost to my 25 lb weight loss goal. Well, my first weight loss goal. I can stand to lose another 10-15, but I like having multiple goals so I can feel accomplished, I think that’s important. Also, that’s 25 lbs since about a year and a half ago; I had twins in that time, so it’s fluctuated a lot. I did a good job with my gestational diabetes while pregnant, and kept the carbs to a minimum (with the exception of cheeseburgers, those were my pregnancy kryptonite), so I only gained 23 lbs with them. Considering 15 lbs of that was babies, I think that’s pretty good. So really, if you count the weight I gained while pregnant, I’ve lost 40ish lbs, I guess.
Most of the weight loss I attribute to nursing two boys for 4 months. Hoo boy, that’s a lot of calories burned. Since we weaned, the rate of weight loss has dropped off dramatically. I’ve really had to fight for the last few pounds. Also working against me are the hormonal BC and diet.
Diet at home is something I can’t change very much right now, for complicated reasons. My dad and stepmom are living with us until they can get back on their feet (long story, ugh), and getting my dad to stop using white flour, white rice, and potatoes when he cooks is like telling a fish to lay off the water. Not happening. I could probably have that fight, but right now it’s just not worth it. More on the later, perhaps.
I’m also hopelessly addicted to fast food. I have made improvements; no more sodas, only unsweetened tea or water. And portion control, only small fries if any at all, and no oversized burger monstrosities. It’s just hard not to grab something when I’m out and about. My plan is to cut it out completely in the next month, so there is a solid plan, I just need to buckle down and do it.
My workout plan: On Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, I do a circuits with free weights. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I run. I’m using the MyFitnessPal app to track calories and carbs, and the Couch to 5k app to ease back into running, something that I wasn’t good at even in the military. So far, so good. I’m struggling a little with the circuits, because I feel like I’m not getting a whole lot out of them, but I’m staying with it because I know my “feelings” about workouts aren’t always accurate.
Visibly, I can tell it’s having some effect. My waist is visible again, which is nice. I missed it during the twins pregnancy. My poor tummy will never recover fully, but I do see it tightening up a small bit. I gained a lot of weight in my arms (why couldn’t it be the boobs??), and I can now see the definition in them. I still need to work on triceps more. I’m down 2 pants sizes, and have donated out a lot of huge, frumpy clothing. That’s a good feeling. I kept one pair of pants so I can take the stereotypical “look at how much weight I’ve lost” pic when I’m done.
I’m starting to feel a little discouraged at the plateau I’m on, but I’m trying to keep a good attitude about it, and not watch the scale as much. I’m the type that needs a lot of encouragement, and I sort of feel like I’m resorting to blue pill tactics at times to get a compliment about my progress from Mr. Redpill. He’s very good at the “Do These Pants Make My Ass Look Fat” type questions (not that I ever word them that way!), but a little beta goes a long way with me in this department. I need to know that he notices how hard I’m working. Is that really terrible of me? I dunno. I try to encourage him in his weight loss as well, and I love touching his arms now, ooh muscles! Not that I need a cheerleader all the time, but… I don’t really know what I’m trying to get at here. I’m not sure how to approach it from a red pill angle.
I have a question for you guys, though. Music keeps me motivated and gives me my second wind, especially when running, and my music library is starting to get repetitive. Give me some suggestions for new downloads! I like an eclectic mix of things. Right now my favorites are Florence + The Machine, The Black Keys, Jay Z and Kanye, Muse, Mumford and Sons, Wax Tailor, Led Zeppelin, and Queen, so I’ll take any suggestion. Preferably something that’s mostly upbeat.
