Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Getting Real About Weight

Last October, I stepped on Kristin's scale. I hadn't been keeping a scale in our house because I don't believe that the scale tells you everything you need to know. Well, stepping on that scale told me exactly what I already knew: I had a gained a lot of weight since I got married.
As I'm telling Kristin about the scary number I saw, she said "but, as long as your clothes fit well, that's what matters"! And I had to admit, out loud, that my clothes didn't fit. And that I had started buying clothes in sizes much bigger than I'm used to. 

And now is when most people say to me "but you do barre all. the. time. so it's probably just muscle that you've gained". Or they say "but you still look great". Or even better, "as long as Christian still finds you attractive!". Duh, he finds me attractive, he married me. But, shouldn't I find me attractive, too?

Now, yes, I have been going to barre 3-5 times a week for two years and I know I've absolutely gained muscle because I feel it. I feel stronger every day. But, going to barre without supplementing it with any cardio and still eating horribly is not the way to keep or develop a healthy body. 
My average weekly diet was awful - for breakfast I was stopping at Starbucks way more than I want to admit, for lunch, I was eating Chick fil A and other chains WAY too much and dinners were heavy, creamy (and delicious). On the weekends, it was just chaos - Mexican, hot dogs, burgers, fried chicken, French toast and on and on. Very rarely did a vegetable make an appearance in my dinners - I much preferred mashed potatoes or white rice. And I definitely wasn't ordering salads at Chick fil A. 
None of these things are inherently bad, in my opinion, but, the quantity I was eating them in was. And, I felt lethargic most of the time - wanting to spend most weekends just laying around and never wanting to do things after work. Overall, I just felt icky. So, it was time to make a change. 

Starting in November (prime Holiday eating time), I started to be a little more mindful. I didn't make any huge changes, but I just tried some easy swaps and started eating a lot more quinoa at dinner, ha. Even though I wasn't depriving myself of any treats over the Holidays, I still saw a few pounds fall off. 
Recipe for this delicious treat is here
January was the big "let's do this" moment, though. I mean, duh, resolutions. But, as you guys know, I'm not setting resolutions. Instead, I'm just trying more. I've found this to be crucial in how I'm approaching this lifestyle change.  I've also got a friend at work that is on the same path and we're motivating each other and sharing tips and tricks to keep ourselves moving forward. 

So here we are, March 8, and I'm down about 12ish pounds. I don't write that for kudos or anything like that. But, putting it out here for the blogworld to see gives me just a little bit more accountability. I'd also like to share how I've done and what changes I've made because they haven't been terribly drastic and I've still been living life and enjoying it. So, if that's something that interests you, keep an eye out over the next few weeks because I'll be sharing! 

So, if you have any tips or tricks to share, I'd love to hear them! 

7 comments:

Myra said...

Way to go, girlfriend! I've been focusing on this too and I gotta say it feels good to see how much better you feel when you start fueling your body correctly! Good job, love. Keep it up!

Miranda said...

I love your positivity! It sounds like you're doing awesome. Why does food have to be soooo good? In the past couple of years I have lost about 40 pounds, but I've recently been in this place where it's getting more and more difficult for me to work out and eat healthy all the time. I just want French fries.

Just gotta keep going though. :) Happy Wednesday!

Unknown said...

Good on you for making that conscious effort to improve your diet. Eating more veges is never a bad thing! My only tip would be to not get too caught up in losing weight. It is so easy to slip into an obsessive mindset and from personal experience, it is NOT a good place to be!

Stephanie said...

12 lbs is awesome, I look forward to more posts about it! I'm definitely trying to improve my diet too, I was relying on fast food way too much.

Whitney H said...

I'm right there with you! I'm trying to make small changes that will hopefully make a difference over the long term. My blood pressure is up to an unhealthy level so that's the main thing I'm working on right now.

Audrey Louise said...

Congratulations on the 12 pounds, friend! One of my best friends drop over 160 lbs. and she always reminds me that weight is a lie- you need to feel good, eat well, move often. But still, it's nice to see those 12 pounds gone :) Congratulations! Keep it up!

Laura Darling said...

Sounds like you are doing a great job! We starting eating healthier in January too and it is so tough and I miss junk food but it's true about how much better you feel when you're eating good food. One thing I started about six weeks ago and have noticed HUGE changes from is not really eating dairy. :( I hate to say that because no one loves cheese or milk more than me! I still have small amounts here and there but not eating as much as I used to has made a big difference in how I feel! ANd how my pants fit!