Weight Loss Journey & Tips!

I've been asked a lot lately about how I've lost so much weight. I figured I would write about it to give a little more detailed information. I first started trying to lose weight before I got pregnant and I was successful as well. I didn't really change much except working out more frequently and watching my calorie intake. I lost 30 lbs by the end of January 2012.

I was extremely happy and continued to work out then I went away to Vegas for a Bachelorette party one weekend in March and stated to slip with the exercising and watching what I ate. I was getting discourage with not being able to get pregnant and used food to cope. Guess what happened next?? That's right in April 2012 I found out I was pregnant! I guess that trip to Vegas for a long girl’s weekend helped me miss J. During my pregnancy I only gained 25 lbs so I didn't gain everything back, but enough that I hated how I looked after we welcome our little girl L in December 2012 (12/12/12 to be exact!).

After I had L I tried to focus on eating healthier, but was very distracted. L had trouble breastfeeding so she lost a bunch of weight, which stressed me out and made me feel awful about not being able to provide food for her. After we supplemented with formula I was still stressed because I wanted to breastfeed so bad, but I then stopped producing milk about two weeks after we started supplementing. Let's just say at this point I was an emotional wreck. After that we went from a very peaceful baby who slept through the night to one who refused to sleep much at all. It took much experimentation with different formulas to figure out that she was waking up a lot more than normal during the night because she had really bad gas and upset stomach. After some time I finally decided to try my hand at losing the baby weight and more.

I started my journal over again in May 2013, before I was just simply watching what I was eating, but not making it a priority. I have no clue what I weighted before May 2013 because I refused to get on the scale. I know near the end of November 2012 at eight months pregnant I was hovering around 200 lbs. That day I weighed myself again I weighed in at 185 lbs.

When I started over again in May 2013 I made myself track my food intake with MyFitnessPal. I started challenging myself to eat out very rarely, cut back on sweets, and stop drinking as much coffee as I was. I focused on finding healthy recipes from Pinterest and worked on portion control. I was amazed at how much I was actually eating.

This is one of my favorite pins that helped with portion control. I printed it out and stuck it on my fridge for the longest time. Now I've got it pretty much memorized, but I still reference this chart when I need a refresher.

To keep myself on track I referenced the above chart, tracked my entire food intake no matter what, and tried to at least go for a nightly walk with my family. By June 15th 2013 I had lost 5 lbs and was down to 180 lbs! I continued with my method of eating healthy meals and not eating out a lot and by the end of August I was down to 175 lbs. Even when the weather turned cold and too bad to be outside I made sure to exercise in the house even it was just something simply like Jumping Jacks, Squats, and Lunges. I made sure I was adding movement into my day. 

These are a few of the challenges I did during the winter to keep me active. I even still do this first one on days I can't motivated myself to exercise. 

I also tried out various workouts on the BeFit channel on YouTube. They have tons of FREE workouts for you to do in the privacy of your own home! No expensive gym membership required! I mostly stuck with Jillian Michaels, but tried whatever seemed interesting to me. By the end of 2013 I was down to 158 lbs, 42 lbs gone! I cried numerous times through the year. Happy and sad tears, but I've never cried while on the scale and I did that last time in 2013 when I weighed myself. I finally felt like all my hard work was paying off. 

This year I've been focusing on the same things eating healthy at home, eating out less, and working out every day, but I've also adding in eating real food and less boxed food. I also watch my diary intake as I was getting really sick eating tons of diary. I made the switch to Almond Milk, which is wonderful. It took me about a month to get use to it, but now I can't stand regular milk. I also just limit the amount of diary I use in cooking and eating. Here is my favorite Almond Milk brand for those that are interested. I prefer the Vanilla unsweetened over the regular, but I will drink any of it. I rotate between the two types just depending on my mood. 

When I weighed myself on January 2nd I found I gained some weight back from the holidays and was back at 161 lbs. I was sad, but it just motivated me to keep going. During the winter I did my workouts indoors, I went to the mall and walked around, and I chased after my 1 year who just learned to walk. By spring I was down to 155 lbs and itching to get back outside to workout. Thankfully my friends introduced me to this awesome FREE class called Stroller Strength that one of the local city recreation departments offered. I was a little afraid at first that I would be the only one who couldn't run, but once I got into the class I found that to be completely untrue. Jen, the instruction always pushed us to work at our own pace. I took the class from April to the end of May and got down to 153 along with gaining muscle!

I signed up for Stroller Strength again during the summer and I'm currently going every Monday and Thursday as my schedule permits. I also walk with Lexi at least once a day if not twice. I have also taken up running, which is a whole new thing for me. I never thought I would enjoy running, but I have found that when I'm running with friends I like it more then by myself. I'm even doing my first 5K on July 19th and another one later this summer. 

I've been hovering in the 150s this whole year pretty much and I'm pretty happy with 153. My goal was 150 lb, but I'm not going to be too disappointed if I don't get there. I feel good and I'm leading a healthy lifestyle for my family. I wanted to work on being a good role model for L and I think I do that most days. I still have days where I indulge or eat too much, but I'm all about everything in moderation. I am not one of those people that can do a restrictive diet. I need to be able to have cookies and ice cream sometimes or I go crazy. 

Here are my best tips I can give anyone trying to lose weight.

1. Find the right motivation. I can't stress how important this is. I use to do a lot of yo-yo dieting so I could fit into this dress for this event or look good for the summer, but then just stop caring once the event or summer was over. Becoming a mom was my motivation for leading a healthier lifestyle. 

2. Figure out the correct portions for what you’re eating. This isn't news, but the portions at restaurants are huge compared to what you are actual supposed to be eating. Also most people don't care about portions at home, but I guarantee your eating more than your suppose too.

3. Made small changed at first. I worked on my food habits first then working out. I also did simple swaps first. I stopped buying pop and sweet tea for the house and made myself drink water instead. Instead of chips I had an apple or other fruit. Small manageable changes are the best first step.

4. Find accountability partner if you need it. I use MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun for this exact reason. Other people, friends, family, and even strangers can see whether I'm on track or not. I also post on Facebook about losing weight because all the nice comments that I receive give my ego a boost, which motivates me to keep going. If you need a real person then find someone. Online works great for me.

5. If you’re feeling hungry and reaching for something unhealthy, drink a glass of water first. I've just recently started to do this and nine times out of ten I'm just thirsty instead of hungry. 

6. Surround yourself with likeminded people. It is really hard to be motivated to work out and lost weight when everyone around you doesn't have any interest. I'm so thankful for the group of mom friends I found that are all trying to lead healthier lifestyles. They motivate me when I need it and give me new tips/suggestions that I would have never thought of. 

7. Make your workout fun! I know it always can't be, but I much rather count my exercise for the day running around after L or going hiking with my family. I love working out even more when it's with my girlfriends and their kids. It makes the time go by fast, makes you work harder, and is even fun!

8. Use weights. I feel so much sexier since adding weights into my workout. I hear that people are afraid they are going to bulk up and be all "manly" looking, but that is not the case. I use resistance bands and just look more toned then bulky.

9. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Whether you need help getting started or continuing, ask someone. If you need help learning about how to use machines at the gym find someone that knows how and ask them for help during another session. Even better ask one of the personal trainers at your gym for a free session. Most trainers will offer a one free session so you can try them out. 

10. Stop being self-conscience about how you look while working out. I know how you feel and what your thinking, trust me. I've been there many times, but I've learned you just have to go for it. Nobody is looking at what your doing they are too busy working out to notice other people.

These are two of my favorite quotes I found awhile back. They have kept me motivated to get where I want to be. The tips I suggested may not work for everyone and that is ok, they are just what works best for me. I'm not an expert just someone who has found a way to lead a healthier lifestyle. I shared them in hopes that they could help anyone on a healthy lifestyle change.

Before (November 2013): 162 lbs - Now (July 2014): 153 lbs

I would love to hear your tips for healthy living. Please share in the comments! I'm always up for learning new information!

~Amanda~