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| 189 pounds |
I've been on this adventure of losing weight for seven years now. It has taken a lot of
determination,
motivation, and
patience, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy and that it would be a huge
lifestyle change. I went from weighing 189 pounds to 125 pounds before I got pregnant. Also, just to put it out there, I'm 5 foot 5.
My journey began in 2007 at the age of 16 when my mom decided to sign up for Weight Watchers and asked if I would like to go with her. We went to one meeting every week for six months, and then I stopped going to the meetings but continued doing what they suggested, which was to pay attention to what you stomach is telling you, especially while you are eating. Weight Watchers taught me that it's important to stop as soon as you start to feel full. However, it's equally important to eat a snack if you feel hungry two or three hours later. With me, I found that I was eating
smaller meals every four hours or so. I also do my best to stop eating three hours before I go to bed, but sometimes I need some sugar late at night.
The most important part of my lifestyle change is that I
don't deprive myself of anything. I still eat junk food, I still drink pop sometimes, I still eat out at restaurants and order whatever I want. It's all about portion control and making healthier choices. If you never treat yourself then you'll lose motivation. I started getting salads instead of fries, however I'd choose fries every now and again simply because I like them. I also started drinking lots more water, which meant I was drinking less pop. Water and I have a love/hate relationship, but I discovered that I drink way more water if I use a bottle with a straw. Also, I do my best to not be hard on myself. I will have days where I binge eat or eat a ton of junk food, but then I own up to it and don't beat myself up over it. In fact, I had a whole month worth of days like this and even gained seven pounds, but I got myself right back on track. My whole pregnancy was also like this, which resulted in gaining 65 lbs.
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| 6 days before delivery |
In addition to portion control, cardio is key to weight loss. I didn't start going to the gym until October 2010, which is why it took me longer to lose the weight. I try to go to the gym 3-5 times a week for a
minimum of 40 minutes. I find that going to the gym is all about
motivating yourself and finding ways to stay motivated. One thing that works really well for me is having a good workout playlist to listen to, but even then it can be hard. I also find that if I tell myself that I'm going to the gym, then I will go. I have to make time for myself because my health is
important to me.
I'm always trying my best to crack down on myself and trying my best to stop my bad eating habits. However, it's not the end of the world and I know that I am way better off where I am right now than I was seven years ago, so there's no point in stressing about it. I still have 30 lbs to lose before I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but I'm taking my time and enjoying my baby. It's also a little harder to get up and go to the gym in the morning when you were up every 2 hours throughout the night, but I'll get there!
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| 2 months post partum vs. 4 months post partum |
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| 6 weeks post-partum vs 13 months post-partum |
Currently: 
