April Measurements (1 Year Gymiversary Comparisons)

Arms

• Last month (11/16/2013) - 9.75 inches each
• This month (4/13/2014) - 9.5 inches each
• Last year (4/13/2013) - 11.5 inches each

Hips

•  Last month (1/18/2014) - 38.5 inches
•  This month (4/13/2014) - 38.25 inches 
•  Last year (4/13/2013) - 47 inches

Waist

•  Last month (1/18/2014) - 28.5 inches
•  This month (4/13/2014) - 28.25 inches
•  Last year (4/13/2013) - 36 inches  

 
Bust

•  Last month (1/18/2014) - 35.25 inches
•  This month (4/13/2014) - 35 inches
•  Last year (4/13/2013) - 40 inches

Thighs

•   Last month (1/18/2014) - 19.5 inches each
•   This month (4/13/2014) - 19.25 inches each  
•   Last year (4/13/2013) - 24.5 inches each

It's been one year since I stepped into the gym for the first time after having Izzie.  I have never gone more than two months in a row being consistent with going to the gym before now.  I've spent a whole year being faithful to working out and am beyond pleased with the results!

In one year, I've gone from 179.4lbs to 142.8lbs, a net loss of 36.6lbs.  That number alone is so great, but when combined with the number of inches lost really blows my mind and you know I am easily my hardest critic.  2 inches from each arm, 8.75 inches from my hips, 7.75 inches from my waist, 5 inches from my bust, and 5.25 inches from each thigh, bring the total to 36 inches lost!  That's almost an inch per pound which is insane to me.  I went from a size 16 pants to a size 8 and a size 14 dress to a size 6.  In terms of general sizing, I've gone from XL to mainly M with some S mixed in here and there (usually in women's sizes not juniors).

I am beyond excited about buying all new summer clothes.  I am so glad I could do this before my kids no any better so as not to give them body image complexes.  I don't put myself down in front of them (not that I put myself down too much in my head anymore) and when we go to the gym, Brady knows I'm there to exercise, which is something he likes to do too in his own way.  There's no connotation about it being to lose weight.  He knows we eat good food so that we can grow healthy and strong.

Here is the ultimate comparison over the course of the last year.  The top pics are from the first day back in the gym when Izzie was 6 weeks old.  Second set was 10 weeks later at 16 weeks old, the third 10 weeks later at 6 months old, and the final set was after a whole year working out.  I still can't believe how much of a change I've made, especially when I don't see it until put like this.

Weigh-in for 2/1/2014

Last weigh-in (1/18/2014) : 140.2 lb

This weigh-in (2/1/2014) : 141.0 lb

Change : 0.8 lb gained

Total weight loss since Izzie : 59.4 lb


We've certainly had a lot going on in the last two weeks, including being stuck inside again for extreme temps.  That certainly makes it hard for me to avoid eating all day long.  I don't have junk food in my house, but even eating too much healthy food isn't good for you.  All in all, 0.8 lbs in two weeks isn't so bad.  I've maintained my workout schedule and as long as the inches come off or continue to maintain, the number on the scale isn't going to bother me fluxuating a few pounds here and there.

January 2014 Measurements

Hips

•  Last month (11/16/2013) - 38.75 inches
•  This month (1/18/2014) - 38.5 inches

Waist

•  Last month (11/16/2013) - 28.5 inches
•  This month (1/18/2014) - 28.5 inches  

 
Bust

•  Last month (11/16/2013) - 36 inches
•  This month (1/18/2014) - 35.25 inches

Thighs

•   Last month (11/16/2013) - 20 inches each
•   This month (1/18/2014) - 19.5 inches each 

I didn't take measurements last month because due to holidays, travel, illness, and bad weather, in the last two months I've only made it to the gym an equivalent of what I would normally do in four weeks.  I didn't expect the change to be much in one month and as you can see, in two months there wasn't much change either.  There is a slight change in some areas and none in others, but anything staying the same or going down is good in my book, especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming between the two sets of measurements.

2013 Year-End Stats

Starting weight : 189.0 lb

Ending weight : 142.2 lb

Change : 46.8 lb lost (average 3.9 lb lost per month)


Going from the start of 2013 to the end with weight doesn't accurately reflect the loss for the year, since I was still pregnant at the start and the numbers went up for the first two months of the year, up to 200.4lbs.  The total loss when looking at the weight that was shed would be 58.2lbs and that was all lost in the last 10 months of the year, which made the monthly average when it came to weight lost 5.82lbs lost per month.  

This year has been absolutely phenomenal when it comes to weight loss.  I really had no idea that I could lose almost 60lbs in 10 months while caring for two young children.  In the 10 months following Brady being born, I only lost 44.2lbs and weighed almost 30lbs more than I do today.  I am at my lowest ever on program and also the lowest I've been since middle school.  I'm in clothes sizes I would've never dreamed of being in.  I look better than I did the day I graduated high school and also the day I got married.  Sometimes I really can't believe how far I've come in the last 7.5 years on Weight Watchers, it's truly changed my life.  I know my kids will be healthier because I'm healthier and that's more than I could ever ask for.

This year was huge in terms of weight loss and obviously I'm at a point where there's not much left to reach my ultimate goal.  I have 12.2lbs I still want to lose before I'm ready to stop with weight loss (but the journey to maintain is just as hard).  I would like to do that before my 10-year high school reunion in July, but would be happy to see it before we ring in 2015.  That's an average of 1lb per month, which I can see being totally achievable.  My biggest benchmarks will now be seeing the inches go down rather than the pounds.  I'm at a very healthy weight, so if that doesn't change and the inches still come off, I won't obsess about the number on the scale.  Here's to a happy and healthy 2014!

November 2013 Measurements

Hips

•  Last month (10/19/2013) - 39.25 inches
•  This month (11/16/2013) - 38.75 inches

Waist

•  Last month (10/19/2013) - 29.5 inches
•  This month (11/16/2013) - 28.5 inches  

 
Bust

•  Last month (10/19/2013) - 36.5 inches
•  This month (11/16/2013) - 36 inches

Thighs

•   Last month (10/19/2013) - 20.5 inches each
•   This month (11/16/2013) - 20 inches each 

Arms

• Last month (10/19/2013) - 10 inches each
• This month (11/16/2013) - 9.75 inches each

The last month hasn't yielded too much lost on the scale (less than 2lbs), but the inches are still coming off and that's what matters when it comes to clothes fitting better and seeing changes in yourself.  While I've set a weight goal for myself, as long as the physical changes are still happening, I won't stress too much if the weight comes off more slowly from this point forward.  I probably won't post arms or bust unless there's a major change from this point as well as they are getting to the point where there isn't much more to lose in those areas.

Izzie started taking swim lessons a few weeks ago and that meant I was back into my bathing suits (and more specifically my bikinis) for the first time since August.  I had taken a selfie the first time I wore it during the summer, which was in the middle of July at 163lbs.  Since then, I've had to tighten the straps on the top and moved to a smaller bottom size, in addition to being down about 20lbs, so I decided to take another shot to compare the difference.  It's hard for me to notice other than clothing sizes changing, so this was pretty shocking even for me to see.  I'm not super model skinny, but man have I made a difference.  Four months saw 20lbs gone, in addition to 2.75 inches from each thigh, 3 inches from my bust, 3.5 inches from my waist, and a whopping 4.5 inches from my hips.  I am currently at my lowest hip and waist measurements since starting Weight Watchers 7.5 years ago (and who knows how long before that).  I hope to make even greater changes before the summer!

October 2013 Measurements

 
Hips

•  Last month (9/15/2013) - 40.25 inches
•  This month (10/19/2013) - 39.25 inches

Waist

•  Last month (9/15/2013) - 31 inches
•  This month (10/19/2013) - 29.5 inches  

 
Bust

•  Last month (9/15/2013)   - 38.5 inches
•  This month (10/19/2013) - 36.5 inches

Thighs

•   Last month (9/15/2013) - 21 inches each
•   This month (10/19/2013) - 20.5 inches each 

Arms

• Last month (9/15/2013) - 10.25 inches each
• This month (10/19/2013) - 10 inches each

The measurements have at last lined up with my lowest weight from December 2011 (148.2lbs), with some being lower.  The waist is what I have been waiting for to catch up and it's exactly what it was at it's lowest almost two years ago.  The thigh and hip measurements are lower than they've ever been, with the hips coming in at under 40 inches.  I have the makings of an hourglass figure, but my hips have always been a problem, making me look more like a pear figure.  My ultimate goal when it comes to these measurements is the get the hips and bust at the same size. 

I have taken bust measurements since Izzie was born, but they were pretty stagnant because of breastfeeding.  This was the first time I'd seen any change, so I decided to include it.  I went from a 36D to a 34D within a year of starting weight watchers.  After Brady, while nursing I went up to a 40DD and it took months after I stopped to even get into a 38D.  I was finally at a 36D when I got back to pre-pregnancy weight after him and stayed there until I got pregnant with Izzie.  Because I full-time nursed her, I was still able to get into a 38D when necessary, but mostly wear nursing bras that didn't have cup sizes.  I've realized through this journey that I will not be losing the cup size no matter how much I lose (not the case with most people), so the band size is the only thing of which I have control.  I sometimes have to go up a shirt size to accommodate my bust size and then the waist is way too big, so if I can lower the band size, it should hopefully open up smaller shirt sizes to me.

I am amazed at how fast my "skinny" clothes are becoming too big for me.  My medium pants are almost to the point of falling off, so I've resorted to wearing either my small sized yoga pants, jeans, or my medium leggings.  I'm sure soon, I'll have to get some new pants, but I'd like to wait until I'm closer to my ultimate goal (130lbs) before I do so that I don't have to buy even smaller ones when I get there.  My rings are getting very loose and I'm also holding off on sizing them down.  I imagine sometime after Christmas, if not before, it will become a necessity.

September 2013 Measurements

  Hips

•  Last month (8/17/2013) - 42.5 inches
•  This month (9/15/2013) - 40.25 inches

Waist

•  Last month (8/17/2013) - 31.5 inches
•  This month (9/15/2013) - 31 inches 

 
Thighs

•   Last month (8/17/2013) - 21.75 inches each
•   This month (9/15/2013) - 21 inches each 

Arms

• Last month (8/17/2013) - 10.5 inches each
• This month (9/15/2013) - 10.25 inches each

Since the last set of measurements 6.3lbs has come off and the inches seem to have come off equally quickly.  Right now, the only measurement that isn't smaller than the last time I was at this weight (151.7lbs) is the waist measurement. That's still the same as about 15lbs up from last time, but that was also much longer after having a baby.  As long as the numbers keep going down at the waist, no matter how slowly, I'll be happy.  My hips are the smallest they've been since joining weight watchers!  That's my biggest problem area and the one I put the most focus on in the gym, so I'm thrilled to see the results.

I broke into my "skinny" clothes bin that had been packed away shortly after returning from Europe.  I was so bummed that they had only fit me for a few short months before the carbs and fat got me.  I tried on all the pants and some of the tops and almost everything fit comfortably!  I did a little happy dance thinking about all of the options I will have this fall.  

I spent most of my teen years hiding behind too large clothing.  I was uncomfortable in my own skin and didn't want people to see what I really looked liked.  I hated to wear jeans and even when I got rid of most of the oversized clothes, I lived in sweats or pajama pants.  Even after Brady, if I wore jeans out (which was rare), as soon as I came home, I changed into something more comfortable.  Now that I'm becoming more confident and comfortable in my clothes, I think that I'll be dressing a bit better.  Of course, if I'm not going out, I'm not going to go all out, but I think it's important for my kids to see their mom not slouching around out and about all the time.  A whole new world of possibilities is opening up for me.

August 2013 Measurements

 Hips

•  Last month (7/13/2013) - 43.25 inches
•  This month (8/17/2013) - 42.5 inches

Waist

•  Last month (7/13/2013) - 32 inches
•  This month (8/17/2013) - 31.5 inches 

 
Thighs

•   Last month (7/13/2013) - 22.75 inches each
•   This month (8/17/2013) - 21.75 inches each 

Arms

• Last month (7/13/2013) - 11 inches each
• This month (8/17/2013) - 10.5 inches each

No weigh-in this week because we had to leave town unexpectedly and I want to get a few gym sessions in before I step on the scale.  Two weeks left to lose 2lbs!  Since measurements don't change drastically in one week, I decided to do those this week to give me an idea of how things are progressing since last month.  I've lost 4lbs since the last set of measurements five weeks ago and I was pretty pleased with the results, considering two of those weeks were spent either on vacation or out of town.  In the back of my mind, I always wonder what they would be like if I'd been in the gym the whole five weeks, but I can't dwell on that.  I can only look forward.

My hip measurements are now exactly in line with the weight from two years ago.  I usually focus my workouts on the lower half of my body, so I'm very glad to see the hard work paying off.  The waist measurement is still from over 10lbs ago (last time), but Brady was just turning one, so it's definitely coming off faster this time around.  I was most pleased with the thigh measurements this month.  I was just about 150lbs when my thighs were last this size.  This is the first time the measurements have been better now than at a lower weight and that's exciting because I know when I get to that weight again, the measurements will be even better!  I can definitely tell a difference in the way clothes are fitting.  Two months ago, we attended a funeral and I was wearing size 14 dress pants and they weren't exactly comfortable to sit down in.  We attended another funeral this week and I was wearing size 13 dress pants and they were extremely comfortable.  Those who have worn both know that juniors and womens pants are cut very differently, so I was happy to be in a junior cut as well.  It was also nice that several people who had seen me only seven weeks ago (and 8lbs up) noticed and complemented me on my loss in such a short time.  I sometimes don't even see that much change (since I see myself in the mirror every day), so it's really nice when other people notice.  Once I get to lifetime weight again, I won't be fretting as much about the week to week weigh-ins, but will be focusing on the measurements more as they are what control the clothing sizes.

June 2013 Measurements

Hips

•  Last month (5/10/2013) - 46.5 inches
•  This month (6/18/2013) - 45 inches

Waist

•  Last month (5/10/2013) - 34 inches
•  This month (6/18/2013) - 33 inches 

 
Thighs

•   Last month (5/10/2013) - 23.75 inches each
•   This month (6/18/2013) - 23 inches each

The last five weeks have been pretty good in terms of measurements and taking off the inches.  A total of four inches gone.  Clothes are definitely fitting better and I'm getting into smaller pants for sure.  I had to attend a funeral last week and was so scared that I wouldn't be able to fit into anything I had.  I was able to get into my size 14 black dress pants (that I bought at 9 months postpartum after Brady) and one of my regular dressy tops.  In addition to that, my size 12 bermudas (non-jeans) fit comfortably.  The jean bermudas are now able to be zipped up (with no muffin top) and I would imagine they will be comfortable within the next month.  That nursing dress I bought at the end of April and felt disgusting in due to how my hips looked, now fits better and I don't feel so self-conscious while wearing it.  I decided to splurge yesterday and buy some new nursing clothes for summer (til this point, I had three tank tops and one dress).  I was able to buy a medium dress and medium tank tops.  That feels soooo good.

The measurements still haven't caught up to the weight yet.  At these measurements after Brady, I was 177.2lbs, almost 10lbs heavier than I currently am.  The last time I was at this weight (168.8), my hips were 44 inches and my waist was 31 inches.  Hopefully in the next few months, we can get the two factors to start matching up.

April 2013 Measurements

Hips

•  Last month (3/23/2013) - 48 inches
•  This month (4/13/2013) - 47 inches

Waist

•  Last month (3/23/2013) - 37.5 inches
•  This month (4/13/2013) - 36 inches 

 
Thighs

•   This month (4/13/2013) - 24.5 inches each

Taking measurements is just as important as weighing yourself because results tend to show differently based on activity level and diet.  In my mind, the measurements matter more than the weight because I'd rather fit in smaller clothes than see a super low number.

I've often mentioned that measurements and weight don't go hand in hand as you can put on weight differently each time you gain.  I am seeing this with my most recent gains via Germany and pregnancy.  The last time I was at these measurements was when I weighed 189.6lbs, almost exactly 10lbs higher than where I am now.  The last time I was at my current weight (179.4), my hips were 45.5 inches and my waist was 34 inches. 

Since my hope is to be below pre-pregnancy weight before the beach (where I was also comfortable in my bikinis), I not only have to hit the weight but the inches to be completely comfortable.  The summer I was at that weight and wearing my bikinis, my hips were 42.5 inches and my waist was 30.5 inches.  In order to get to those stats, I need to lose 4.5 inches off my hips and 5.5 inches off my waist in the next three months.  Hopefully, being back in the gym will help me meet that goal.
 

Weigh-in for 3/30/2013

Last weigh-in (3/16/2013) : 182.8 lb

This weigh-in (3/30/2013) : 181.6 lb

Change : 1.2 lb lost

Total loss postpartum : 18.8lb of 32.4lb gained 


It's been two weeks since my last official weigh-in because I was struggling to get any weight loss going.  We've had a visitor every weekend and that means we bring food into our house that's not normally here.  Even having my mom here, we've gotten snack foods and making things we normally wouldn't.  Today our very last visitors (that we know of) left and my mom was one of them (she was here for a full month).  That means we're back to normal (or at least our new version of normal with two kids) and food choices will be better all around.

It's been stressful as Izzie is a bit of a screamer and I have very little time to myself.  I've been stress eating a bit and making some bad choices.  Now that I don't have full time help anymore, I doubt I will have much time to overindulge as Izzie is very demanding and likes to be held most of the time.

I managed to buckle down in my tracking a bit the last few days before this weigh-in, so I was able to lose that little over a pound.  I was starting to get a bit frustrated with the weight not coming off as fast as after Brady, especially since I was breastfeeding more this time around.  I could eat badly after having Brady and still lose weight, so it didn't make any sense.  I guess because I gained 20lbs more during his pregnancy, the weight loss will be more proportionate to how much I gained this time.  I get cleared in 12 days to work out again and I will be so happy to get in the gym.  I've also not made it into a meeting room for a real weigh-in, but am going to start going weekly again this coming Saturday because it keeps me more honest.

The most frustrating thing is my clothes.  I moved from the large maternity pants into the mediums, so I decided I could look through my fat clothes bin to see if some things in there would fit, since I was in the low-180s and was wearing most of them at that weight.  I pulled out a pair of XL pj pants and almost cried when I couldn't get them on over my butt.  I decided at that moment I needed to take some measurements.  I am so bummed that my measurements are what they were at the same point postpartum with Brady (four weeks), and I was 13lbs less than I was then.  I can understand the waist measurement as I have been stretched out by a baby and that will take time to firm up again, but my hip measurements bummed me out big time.  I could tell when my weight got out of control in Europe that my pants got tight within a matter of a month.  You never put it on the same way you lose it, so I can only imagine the 20lbs from Europe settled all in my hips and thighs.  Such a shame, but I am determined to get back where I was before we left for Germany.

Weight vs. Inches

A lot of people just think about weight loss in terms of pounds and if they've hit a plateau they get really frustrated and give up. Something I have learned is that measuring inches can help with this frustration. Sometimes when you're stuck at a certain weight, you can still lose inches.

I have come face to face with this issue in the last 6 months. We joined the YMCA in May and started working out several times a week for the first two months straight. Over the course of those two months, I lost 6.4lb and 1.5 inches off of my hips (my problem area). I then started to slack off quite a bit and didn't make to the gym for three whole months. Although I lost 8.8lb in that time, I only lost 0.5 inches off my hips. I was losing weight, but my measurements weren't changing, so my clothes fit almost the same.

I was getting frustrated watching the end of the Biggest Loser when the contestants would come out and show what they looked like after they'd been at home for a couple of months. There were several women who went home 30-40lb heavier than I currently was, but they were wearing the same dress size as me. That just got me mad. It wasn't fair. That's when I decided I needed to do something to change that.

I started to hit the gym again at the end of October and from then to now, I've lost another 3.4lb, but I've lost another 1.5 inches off my hips, 1 inch off my bust, and 1 inch off my waist. I also started measuring my thighs during this time period and lost 1 inch off each one. My pants are starting to fall off and I look forward to the prospect of buying myself some new clothes. This was our last week in the gym before Germany and we have no illusions that the gyms there will have daycares, so it may be a while before I make it back into a gym. I hope to lose more weight over there, but I know realistically, it'll be harder to lose inches.

Back in the Gym

I will admit that I'm not the most dedicated when it come to working out on a long-term basis. Generally, I work out for a month or two (sometimes less), lose some weight, then get lazy and not want to work out anymore. After I had Brady and we moved to Michigan, we had a gym at our complex, but my excuse was that there was no one to watch Brady for me. When we moved to South Carolina, the excuse became that we had a house and no longer had a gym. I did pull out the Wii Fit in late March and I stuck with that for about a month and half, losing 5.8lb. The problem with the Wii Fit was that it would take me an entire hour or more to burn 200 calories. In Mid-May we joined the YMCA and started to work out 2-3 times per week. Between Mid-May and early July, I lost 5.2lb (an average of 0.7lb per week). We then started to travel the entire month of July and part of August and things started to fall apart.

The last time I stepped in the gym was August 8, almost 3 months ago. The day after that work out, I suffered debilitating back pain and after several trips to the chiropractor to fix what was wrong, I was a little apprehensive about getting back in the gym and possibly injuring myself again. I realized later that for a whole month, in which there was lots of travel, Brady's power sliding door was broken and I had to open it manually, which it's not meant to do. The strain of constantly forcing that door open with all my might probably led to my back problem.

In the time that I'd stopped going to the gym, I'd lost 10lbs (an average of 0.67lb per week). I'm not saying that I am not happy with the weight loss, but it was probably helping to keep me out of the gym. My mind was thinking, "well, I'm losing a lot of weight anyway, so what's the point?" Well, weight and inches are two very different things. While working out, I lost 2 inches off my hips (my problem area), and I've only lost 1/2 an inch since I stopped working out. I feel like someone at my weight would be in a smaller pants size than a size 10, so working out might be the way to lose more inches off my hips and get into smaller pants sizes. I've given up on my top size going smaller than a medium because my bust is never going to shrink. It's just a fact of life.

On Monday, I decided that it was time to get back into the gym. Andy had been going with his friend, even when I didn't, and took Brady to the day care. I kind of used that time to relax and be by myself. When I thought about it, I am "by myself" when I work out and it's up to 2 hours of "me time" where I'm doing something good for myself. I felt good while working out and of course, the soreness hit me yesterday, but it feels good to know I'm sore because I worked hard. I'm going back tonight and hopefully will continue until Christmas, when we have to cancel our membership due to the move to Germany.