Weight Loss Journey

I have been going to the gym more often since we joined the gym here. Tomorrow highlights a new journey in my continuing weigh loss journey. I have my first appointment with a personal trainer. So with that said, here is a little bit about my journey before this point.

It really started before I left for college, still living in Germany, that I started to want to be fitter. I rode my bike A LOT there and that summer before I left for college, I rode it most everyday and lost about 10 pounds. Once getting to college, and all that late night snacking and pretty much unhealthy lifestyle, I gained it all, plus more.

Christmas break my freshman year of college, I went on the Atkins diet. I had immediate results and come back from break about 20 pounds lighter, and tried to keep it up, but it was too expensive with me having to pay for it myself. I ended up gaining most of it back.

Summer break, I decided to do it again since I was living at home (mom paying for all my meat). That was also my first summer away from Joe and that motivated me more, I wanted to look good when I saw him again. I was very successful and probably lost 35+ pounds. I was at my smallest point since I could remember then, but going back to college, ruined it all. I couldn't afford to be on Atkins and with my school schedule, it was impossible, but I gained it back slowly through the next couple of years.

By the time I was pregnant with Alana, my senior year of college, I had gained it all back. I was at my heaviest then, which may have been part of why the pregnancy was so hard on me? We were so poor and eating whatever we could afford. I remember we would make like 5 bags of ramen and eat that between the two of us. Or Fazoili's for the dollar menu. Yuck. I didn't really gain anything in the end with Alana, but while I was pregnant with her, I gained somewhere around 60+ pounds in water weight, which made me HUGE. I can't believe my husband proposed during this part of my life! I guess maybe that is why he took so long ha ha ha. I vomit a little when I look back on those pictures.

Then I had Collin, still overweight when I got pregnant and probably gained about 15 pounds with him. My body was a disaster after having the two of them! My skin is ALL stretched out everywhere. Almost anywhere on my body you can pinch skin and pull it away. I have stretch marks up the wazoo and the radiate out from my belly button out. Needless to say, I was disgusted with myself.

After Collin was born, I had made up my mind that I had NO more excuses. No more kids were to come from having my tubes tied. I joined the YMCA and did my best to eat better. I lost about 10 pounds. Then Joe started traveling more, like ALL the time. It is amazing how much free time I have when he is gone. I make my life all about him, so when he is gone, there is a huge difference. My nights were no longer watching TV with him or going out to eat. It was me and the kids. I had no desire to take them out by myself! I had hours after the kids went to bed, so I started working out then.

On New Years Eve of 2009 going into 2010, I decide my new year resolution was to loose 50 pounds. I JUST made it by the next New Years and was unbelievably proud of myself. I did my work though. I bought that at home exercise program, Insanity, bought a Treadmill and was eating right, between South beach diet and just watching what I ate. So far this year, I have lost another 10 pounds and would like to reach my goal of losing another 20 more pounds. My goal for this year is to race in a half marathon. I have come to terms that I might not run all 13.1 miles, but will be satisfied to just have done it. I have been told there is one here, in San Antonio, in November. I am trying to prepare myself, but my longest run to date is 4.5 miles, so it is a work in progress. I have ran/walked about 10 miles.

Before I decided I wanted to become a runner, I thought people who ran were CrAzY! Why would you do that?? So much work and I had such a hard time breathing when I tried. I started with the interval training and worked my way up. I remember when it felt like torture to just run for just 5 mins! I still hate it sometimes ;) But if I can run outdoors (which I can't yet here) it feels so freeing and peaceful. I have come to have a fondness for it and feel good when I accomplish my personal goals. But I am only human, I have "taken breaks" from working out and eating right. Have gained a few pounds back here and there, but I think that is normal and healthy. I am not just trying to change my body, but my way of life.

So my ultimate goals are to be a healthy size and weight. I have been overweight for pretty much my whole life. I am satisfied with myself at this point, but I have deeper issues with my loose skin and outer appearance. I want to get down to my healthy weight and keep it off for awhile, to make sure I can, and potentially have some skin removal procedures in the future. I know, plastic surgery is vain, blah blah blah. But it is something I want for myself, not for anyone else. Well maybe a little for my hubby, too. I'm sure he won't complain if I look better ;) LoL

But for now, it is one day at a time.

3 months pregnant with Collin July 08

About 6 months after Collin was born Summer 09

Jan. 2011 50+ lbs off