WLW - Week #2

Starting Weight:  155 lbs
Today's Weight:  151 lbs
Total Loss:  4 lbs

So far I am still feeling really motivated and it helps that I'm still seeing results of all of the hard work I'm putting in! 

Diet
I started last Monday measuring the creamer and sugar that I put in my coffee to keep it at 100 calories total for my two cups every day.  The first day it wasn't very good at all, but now I have adjusted to the taste.  I think next week I might cut it in half and eventually maybe get down to black coffee.  That would be neat.  People won't ever mess it up when you order it places! 

I also changed up my lunches this week to give me more calories to play with at dinner time.  That has made it easier to figure out what to make for dinner. 

I have been buying the bags of baby spinach for salads and it turns out Lyla really likes it!  So that was an added bonus! 

Saturday I came up with my own version of Chicken Noodle Soup and it was really good! 

Exercise
I have been doing the treadmill every other day.  If I do it two days in a row my body is just too worn out and I don't think I really benefit from it.  I think having the day to rest in between is working out well for now.  Gary has some resistance bands that I am going to have him show me how to use and maybe start to do that on the days I don't do the treadmill. 

Gary fixed the computer on the treadmill so now I can see how fast and how far I am going.  Boy is that ever eye opening...... lol   It takes me 21 minutes to do a mile.  21 minutes for ONE MILE!  I'm working to improve that.  Everyone has to start somewhere.  And I'm trying so that's all that matters.  A 21 minute mile is better than 21 minutes on the couch eating a bowl of ice cream.

Lifestyle
We have been cooking almost every meal at home.  Its just easier for me right now.  But Friday night we really didn't feel like cooking and we had a gift card for Olive Garden.  So we decided to get take out.  I went over their menu online and was having a really hard time finding anything I could get to eat.  Most of the things that I would normally get have more calories in them than my entire allotment for the day!  So even eating half of it wasn't really an option.  I ended up ordering off of the kids menu which I thought was really genius! 

Heard Around the House #32

Me:  Daddy is taking you to the pediatrician tomorrow. 

Lyla:  What doctor will I see?

Me:  I'm not sure. There are a lot of doctors there. 

Lyla:  What are their names?

Me:  Well one is Dr Baht, one is Dr .....

Lyla: (interrupting) Is one named Dr Seuss?????

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Later in the evening with Lyla in bed, almost asleep...

Lyla:  My belly hurts. 

Me:  What's it feel like?  Is it tight?  Or is it like waves, like you might throw up?

Lyla:  It feels like cucumbers. 

Me:  hmmmm.... Well... I don't really know how to fix that...

WLW - Week #1

Starting Weight:  155 lbs
Today's Weight:  152.8 lbs
Total Loss:  2.2 lbs

I'm a week in!  And thank goodness I have seen some results, otherwise I think I would feel so discouraged.  Its been a lot of work and changes in my lifestyle, but as long as it works I can stick with it. 

Diet
I haven't made any kind of radical changes to my diet where I am eliminating any foods or anything like that.  I am counting calories.  I bought a kitchen scale and extra measuring cups and spoons.  I am calculating EVERY SINGLE THING that I eat or drink.  It takes time, but once I get it figured out then I know for the next time.  I haven't been starving (except for Monday - but I blame that more on the fact I didn't get a good night's sleep so I was just cranky in general). 

Exercise
I got a treadmill.  Its a manual one, not electric, therefore its always at an incline.  I don't know if we put it together wrong or if its broken, but the computer part isn't working to tell me how fast/far I have gone.  I can tell you this much though - I did it for the first time Thursday evening.  I was on it for 15 minutes.  I thought I was going to die.  I have been working at it and now I'm up to 25 minutes.  I go fast enough that I can't have a conversation with you and when I'm done I'm completely drenched in sweat and have to shower immediately.   Exercise isn't something I have ever really done - so I'm very out of shape.  Although, can you be OUT of shape if you weren't ever IN shape?!?!  LOL

Lifestyle
In the last week I succeeded at going out to eat both Friday and Saturday night.  I made sure to scout out the restaurants online before we went and figure out what I could eat and stay within my calorie count for the day.  I'm super motivated right now so I don't mind doing the extra work, I hope I can stay this way for a while. 

Heard Around the House #31

Conversations with Lyla while she takes a bath never disappoint.  Last night’s was extra good though!

Lyla:  Where was I before I was with you and Daddy?

Me:  You weren’t anywhere.

Lyla:  Well where did you get me from?

Me:  I didn’t get you from anywhere.  I grew you in my belly.

Lyla:  Well…. How did I get in your belly?

Me:  ……  ……..  ……  Daddy and I hoped for you and then you were there.

Lyla:  (Big Grin)  (Giggle) I HOPE FOR A BABY IN MY BELLY!!!!!  (Giggle Giggle)

Me:  No No No No NO.  That’s not how it works.  You are not old enough and you have to be married.

Lyla:  I hope for a baby in my belly!   I hope for a baby in my belly!!!

Me:  No.  Those are not the rules, its not going to work.

Gary:  Laughing in the living room while I deal with this……. 

 

Weight Loss Wednesdays

New Year – New Me…..  Can I get anymore cliché? 

Yes, I’m jumping on the “lose weight after New Years” bandwagon.

I read somewhere that if you are on a diet, tell everyone you know.  That way you can be held accountable.  I think its good advice.  So here I am – telling everyone.  I’m going to start Weight Loss Wednesdays.  I will check in and let you all know how I am doing weekly. 

This Wednesday I thought a nice way to start would be to give a little recap of how I got to where I am today.  I’m not one to play the “oh I’m so fat” card.  I know I’m not huge.  And I know a lot of people heavier than I am probably look at me and think what’s the problem.  But I’m doing this for me.  I’m not comfortable with my current size.  I’m tired of sucking in my stomach for pictures or having Lyla stand in front of me (kids are GREAT props)!  I want to be comfortable in my body.  I want to be able to put a swimsuit on this summer and feel confident, not ashamed. 

This is what I looked like in high school:

 

 

 PS, I thought I was fat.  Oh what I wouldn’t give to be that “fat” again!  Keep in mind though, I ran around with a lot of petite girls who couldn’t break 100 pounds.  I weighed about 110 – 115 and was at least 5 inches taller than all of my friends.  I think in my mind I mistook tall and healthy for fat.  Just because I was bigger than everyone else.

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Here I am in the summer of 2003:

 

I was hot!  ;)  2003 was definitely my best year as far as looks go!  I would love to get back to this size.  Obviously I know I will look different.  I’m not 20 years old anymore and I have had a kid…. BUT  I bet I can get pretty close!  This is what I’m aiming for, my motivation.

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This picture was taken August 14, 2003 – the night Gary and I met. 

 

This is the girl he fell in love with.  The one he was so impressed by….. 

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This is a picture from my wedding, August 6, 2005.  Two years later. 

 

 I gained a LOT of weight REALLY fast.  For starters, I was in love, that means you eat a lot.  I turned 21, so I also drank a lot.  I moved out of my parents’ house and lived on my own for the first time.  Therefore I could eat ice cream for dinner if I chose to.  There wasn’t anyone to tell me I couldn’t.  If I chose to eat McDonalds for dinner 5 nights a week – go for it.  From there the weight just continued to pile on. 

 

 

I was at my heaviest before I got pregnant.  I weighed 168 pounds at my first doctor’s appointment when I got pregnant with Lyla.  I was told I was overweight and should only gain 20 pounds during my pregnancy.  

Ok here is one of the last picture taken of me while I was pregnant. 

 

 

This is the most I have ever and will ever weigh in my life.  185 pounds.  That’s where I topped off.  I was so afraid of breaking the 200 pound mark.

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Most moms get to blame their weight gain on their children.  I’m sort of the opposite.  I can thank Lyla for getting me back to a healthy weight.  This is me two months after she was born:

 

I can’t explain why or how I dropped the weight so fast.  I lost more weight than I gained pregnant.  I very quickly got down to around the 155 pound mark.  And that is where I have stayed.  I may gain or lose 5 pounds here and there.  Depending on the season, depending on what is going on. 

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In 2013 I was in two weddings so I was being careful and thinned out some…. But nowhere near where I want to be.

 

 

 

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So here is where I am today:

158 pounds.  I would love to lose 30 pounds.  I downloaded an app on my phone, I am using it to count calories.  I bought a treadmill.  I’m getting serious.  This is where the journey begins.  Check back in next week!

Track #006 - Masterpiece

Kate's Playlist - Track #006

Song Title:  Masterpiece

Artist:  Andy Grammer

Album:  Magazines or Novels

My thoughts:

I just discovered Andy Grammer over the weekend and I am obsessed!  I have decided I like all of his songs, but I think this one is really great.  What a great message, we only get one go around at this.  Make it count!

Video:

I can't find one yet......

Lyrics:

Life is a canvas you paint in the mind
Colors dance, spill outside the lines
I refuse to settle, never the black and white
Rock the neons until the day I die

I'm on a constant search to make my heart swell
Bite off too much, chew like hell
Half my nights spent in a hotel
Price I paid to escape the conveyor belt

One, you get one heartbeat so, take it seriously
This is your masterpiece, don't forget to dream
And taste the colors in the air you breathe
It's your masterpiece, go ahead and feel it all
Don't stop till it is beautiful
(Oh whoa)
Don't stop till it is beautiful
(Oh whoa)
Don't stop till it is beautiful

Close my eyelids, take a deep breath
Feel the lightening down to my chest
I'm just a piece of art, and the paints fresh
Cuz I'm not yet finished yet
I've got a pregnant mind that wants to give birth
Breathe life into these big words
I can hear the universe in my ear

She whispers, you get one, one heartbeat so take it seriously
This is your masterpiece, don't forget to dream
And taste the colors in the air you breathe
It's your masterpiece, go ahead and feel it all
Don't stop till it is beautiful
Oh whoa)
Don't stop till it is beautiful
(Oh whoa)
Don't stop till it is beautiful
And you can settle for a normal life
Said that your afraid of heights
But you were meant to light the sky

This is your masterpiece
Don't forget to breathe and taste the colors in the air you breathe
This is your masterpiece go ahead and feel it all
Don't stop till it is beautiful
Oh whoa)
Don't stop till it is beautiful
(Oh whoa)
Don't stop till it is beautiful
(Oh whoa..)
Don't stop till it is beautiful

Christmas Chaos

The month of December came & went so  fast!  I will do my best with a recap:

The day after thanksgiving we went & got our first live Christmas tree. We had not a clue what we were doing but we ended up loving having the live tree versus our artificial one!

That Saturday we went to Becca's 4th birthday party. 

 

The following weekend I had my work Christmas party Friday night & Gary's birthday on Saturday. The three of us went to dinner & Lyla got them to sing!

 

 

The next weekend we did the Santa trolley in WashPa then lunch at Shortys. It was a really nice day. Lyla spent the night at grandma & pappys then Sunday the three of them and Em & G came up for lunch. 

The following weekend was the weekend before Christmas & Maria's annual fried dough party. Lyla had so much fun playing with Maria's niece and Gary & I had fun visiting everyone. 

On Christmas Eve the three of us stayed home and baked cookies all day and Lyla did her gingerbread house. Then in the evening we exchanged our presents to each other. 

 

On Christmas morning Lyla got up at her normal time of 4:30 which I was good with. I was afraid she would be excited & we would do Christmas at 3:00 in the morning!  Santa brought her the panda & singing Elsa she wanted so all was good!

 

Around noon we left to begin our travels. First stop was Bill & Patti's. Hendrick was asleep so he didn't get in on the yearly picture in front of the tree. :(

Then we went to my mom & dads with Em & Gerald. We exchanged gifts, had dinner, played games. Then me, Gary, Lyla and my mom went to Oglebay to see the lights.  It was fun!  

Friday morning we got up & went to Morgantown to meet Chris & Judy for lunch. The to Clarksburg to visit Gary's mom & Jason and his family. 

Saturday morning we went to Gary's Aunt & Uncles. It was such a treat, Gary's cousins were there with their husbands & kids. We have so much fun when we are all together (which is usually only at Christmas)!

We got home Saturday evening & spent Sunday trying to regroup for work on Monday!