Back To The Gym

Day 5.
Finally went back to the gym. I even took a bottle for the baby so that I wouldn't feel stressed or pressured for time. Did 45 minutes on the elliptical and then did one mile on the track, alternating jogging and walking every lap or so.

Worked out for 70 minutes total (including a comical cool down).
Burned 750 calories.

 

Interrupted

Day Four.
Once again my exercise plans were interrupted, but seriously it wasn't even my fault this time. Walking out the door to the gym, I got the dreaded "come pick up your sick kid from school" call.
Poor kid.

So I decided to just get some treadmill time once Brendan got home, but honestly there is just so much to do in the evenings and it's hard to find time (or energy) once the sun sets. Finally at 9:30pm, after all the kids were tucked in and the baby drifted off to sleep, I found the motivation to jump on the treadmill for 35 minutes. I didn't want to, but I am so glad I did. Which is usually the case. I did more running jogging than last time, but not too much. Although towards the end, after my body was warmed up, I felt like I could just keep on going but I didn't push it.

I think I'm going to weigh in with the fancy body scan scale (I have no idea what to call it) tomorrow. It basically gives you a break down of your weight, fat, muscle by percentage (actually, I have no idea what it does). I ordered it right before I found out I was pregnant and then discovered that pregnant ladies are not supposed to use it.

Anyways, I'm sure the numbers will be super depressing, but not in a few months when I can look back and see just how far I've come.

I also need to have Brendan help me take some pictures of what 223 pounds looks like.
I have been avoiding the camera like the plague, but I know it will be important to have before and after shots.

Sort of like this one.
16 weeks pregnant and 37 weeks pregnant. Gaining 96 pounds is pretty extreme.
Food was on track today.
Made some hot cereal for breakfast for the first time~Gluten free Bob's Red Mill something or other with chopped granny smith apple, chopped pecans and some almond milk. It's a winner and will go into rotation.

 


 

Easy Peasy

Day 3
Easy Peasy. I didn't get any exercise in, but food was on track and I will make sure to get to the gym tomorrow. Had to grab lunch on the go, as I was late for Oisín's 2 month check up, but honestly turkey enchiladas and GF popups from Outpost are a lot better than what lunch on the go would have been last week. I'll take it.

Plus, they were delicious, and I even skipped out on the Vitamin Water Zero I wanted to buy and had water instead. What is even in those damn things?

So, water, tea and decaf coffee (which I am way too in love with) are all I am drinking right now.

 

In The Mirror

Day Two.
I had so many thoughts running through my head today about how I am going to approach my weight loss. I've had experience in this department before. Last time around I was very successful and lost nearly 100 pounds. Then I got pregnant and all bets were off. I think it's safe to say that this cannot be a diet, no it must be a lifestyle change and one I can maintain for the long haul.

I guess that means no excessive exercising, which is something I used to enjoy quite a bit. I'm trying not to think in long term goals yet, it's much too terrifying. Sort of like how the idea of losing 75 whole pounds is overwhelming, well so is the idea of running a marathon.

Yet, I will do both.

For now let's just say that my exercise goals this week include 30 minutes a day at least 5 times.
See? Total success story in no time.

Today I used my treadmill. Did a full 5 minutes of jogging at the start, then realized I wasn't ready for all that intensity quite yet and decided to tone it down. Alternated walking and jogging for about 10 more minutes. For the second mile I actually alternated every single minute. Walk one, jog one. Made it seem easy. Okay, I lie. Not easy, but less harrowing.

I used to be able to run a 5K in 23 minutes. Even during the first trimester with Oisín I could still bring it in under 25. Now I can't run at all, and even my jogging is slow and forced.

That's okay. This isn't about what I used to do. It's about today, and today I jog-walked a couple of 15 minute miles and felt pretty good. Then tonight darling 14 year old daughter and I went to Turbo Kick at the Y, where I kicked (no turbo involved~from me at least) my way through class while laughing at myself and also saying mean things in my head about pretty much every single thing the instructor told us to do. Just awful stuff I tell you, but I burned 500 calories and my legs are aching already. In a good way.

They have full length mirrors there. FULL LENGTH and WALL TO WALL. You have no choice but to look at yourself. I think I've been in denial up until now about just how large I have become. In the back of my mind I'm still that girl who runs 7 minute miles and can fit into her favorite pair of jeans without undoing the button.

In my heart I AM still that girl.
In the mirror?
Not so much.

Food for today. I'm thinking I will need more tomorrow, this doesn't seem like enough (remember I'm nursing my 2 month old). I don't want to count calories, I'm not ready for that yet, but I guess it couldn't hurt to swing by My Fitness Pal and do a quick run of the numbers, although I'm pretty sure it will be obvious to everyone if my milk is impacted. Babies aren't generally very quiet or understanding about such things.

 

I only had one bite of cake~I wasn't withholding just thinking about really giving this gluten free thing a solid shot. More on that another day. I'm exhausted.

Starting Point

Day One.
Starting Point.
That's all this is. A place to start. It doesn't have to be spectacular, or perfectly planned or even hold any empty promises. It doesn't have to be for anyone else, it belongs to me. 96 extra pounds and they're mine, all mine. I gained them during my last pregnancy, invited them really, practically begged them to join me, but now I don't want them anymore. Pregnancy is over. I have an adorable 2 month old bundle to cuddle with and coo over, and he is perfect but this extra weight is not.

Starting point.
Where do you start when you have so much weight to lose?
I've done this so many times before~pregnancy, weight gain, weight loss. Seriously, you'd think I would be better equipped to handle this type of thing.

Starting point.
I've been thinking about this for weeks now, trying to pull it together, trying to find the perfect moment to jump right in, to tackle the issue head on, to start eating right and exercising. Turns out there is no perfect moment.

Starting point.
Here, right now, this is mine.

Starting point.
223.0
Goal of 150. Which means I have to lose 73 pounds. That sounds like a lot, so let's say my first goal is to lose 10 pounds. That seems reasonable, right?

Starting point.
Take pictures of every single thing you eat. This idea didn't strike me until after my breakfast of Kix, almond milk and decaf coffee was long gone, so I started with lunch.

Starting Point.
That's all I got for today, but it's a start and there is a point.