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!
Last weigh-in (10/19/2013) : 146.2 lb
This weigh-in (10/26/2013) : 145.2 lb
Change : 1 lb lost
Total weight loss since Izzie : 55.2 lbs
At this point in my journey (only partially breastfeeding and getting closer to my goal), 1lb is really great. There are so many people who quit Weight Watchers because they're only losing about 1lb per week. ONLY?!?!?! If they knew how hard it was for some people to put a pound per week, and how much harder it is to do alone, they might stick with the program. They say it must not be working if they're losing so little. It's not like we're on the Biggest Loser and expected to put up 8-10lbs or more per week. We are normal people who don't spend 8 hours each day in the gym. Most of us have jobs or children, along with many other responsibilities. In the real world, 0.5-2lbs per week is an amazing weekly average, as there will be weeks when you maintain or gain even. I've been doing this for almost exactly seven and a half years and I've come to the point where I don't take a single tenth of a pound lost for granted. It's way too easy to put it back on so any small number is hard won.
This week I noticed something when I got on the scale. I normally only look at the big number (usually holding my breath while waiting for it to pop up), but we have a fairly nice scale that tells you other things as well. One of those things is body fat percentage. I guess the reason I don't tend to look at that number is that I have always seen it over 30%. That doesn't surprise me anymore, but in high school, we took fat percentage in health class. I remember how shocked and embarrassed I was when mine came out to 33%. Women of course have more than men, but that was a very high number (considered obese, but looking back that doesn't surprise me). The number I saw today was 27.3%! Not just slightly below 30%, but almost a full 3% lower. Compared to the other times I've lost large amounts of weight, I'm working out much more and therefore am replacing the fat with much leaner muscle mass. The average body fat percentage level for women is 25-31% (18-24% for men) and the fat percentage at the fitness level is 21-24% for women (14-17% for men). I have confidence that I can reach that fitness level by the time I get to my ultimate goal. As it is, at the dentist, they took my resting heart rate and were shocked at how low it was - 58 bpm. They then asked if I'm an athlete (which I almost snorted in laughter over) or I exercise. I said I do exercise and that put them at ease. Later, Andy was telling me about his resting heart rate and when I told him mine, he said that's at the level of athletes. I guess all my working out is helping me in many more areas than just dropping pounds.
Last weigh-in (10/5/2013) : 149.0 lb
This weigh-in (10/12/2013) : 146.8 lb
Change : 2.2 lb lost
Total weight loss since Izzie : 53.6 lbs
I finally did it! Exactly 20 months and 3 weeks after I stepped on the plane to Germany, I am back at the weight I was that day! Coming home 20lbs heavier and being pregnant before we got home, watching the weight creep up for another nine months, I despaired that I might never get back here again in those darkest of days. I kicked that attitude in the butt the minute Izzie was born and decided that I would be there before Christmas. Hard work, determination, and sheer willpower are what led me back here and not only did I reach that weight, I blew through it!
It's time to start thinking about a new (and final) goal before I start the long lifetime- journey of maintenance. I'm not done having kids, so there will come times when it becomes necessary to kick it into weight-loss mode once again, but by reaching my ultimate goal before then, I will have less to lose before maintenance become the norm again. So much of my family hasn't seen me in months and I'm excited to blow everyone away when I next see them. My 93 year old grandma sees us maybe once a year (if that) and the last two times she saw me was when Brady was 10 months old (170lbs) and last year when I was seven months pregnant with Izzie (189lbs). She's likely to think I'm sickly because she's never seen me thin.
Last weigh-in (9/27/2013) : 149.8 lb
This weigh-in (10/5/2013) : 149.0 lb
Change : 0.8 lb lost
Germany weight loss : 19lb of 19.8lb gained
Total weight loss since Izzie : 51.4 lbs
Less than 1lb to go before reaching pre-Germany weight! I almost can't believe I'm almost back there. I thought back in April when I set this goal for myself (at that point it required a 1lb per week loss average) that perhaps it was setting my sights a bit too high. I have made it six straight months in the gym without taking more than a week off for travel or unforeseen incidents like the kids getting sick. I've never made it more than two or three consecutive months before now and the results are astounding. My dad always thought he was so smart saying the way to lose weight was "eat less, exercise more" and after all these years, I've finally come to the conclusion that you need both of those things and I'm glad I figured it out sooner rather than later.
Starting weight : 154.8 lb
Ending weight : 149.8 lb
Change : 5 lb lost (average 1.2lb lost per week)
This time last year : 172.5 lb (17 weeks pregnant)
My goal for September was to lose 3lbs and I was more than happy to have lost more than that and break back into the 140s for the first time since December 2011. We took family portraits earlier in the month and it was the lowest weight (154lbs) that I'd ever been when taking them since Brady was born. Not traveling most of the month was very helpful in the weight loss for the month as there was more time for the gym and less time eating bad food.
October is here and I have one goal - to reach my pre-Germany weight of 148.2lbs, which is only 1.6lbs from where I am currently. That would require only 0.4lb loss per week for the full month. I set this goal for myself shortly after Izzie was born and I wanted to reach it by Christmas. The weight has come off much faster (with a lot more hard work this time around) than it did after Brady. I am down 50.6lbs since Izzie was born 7 months ago and that took me 15 months to do after Brady was born. Once I break through that number, I will have to set a new goal for myself as I will be in uncharted territory. I can't wait to get back there in the next few weeks and look forward to a new number. It's only one step closer to getting to a point where I stop trying to lose weight and start to maintain, which has never happened in the over seven years of being on Weight Watchers.
Last weigh-in (9/21/2013) : 150.8 lb
This weigh-in (9/27/2013) : 149.8 lb
Change : 1 lb lost
Germany weight loss : 18.2lb of 19.8lb gained
Total weight loss since Izzie : 50.6 lbs
I can't begin to tell you how good it feels to get under 150lbs again after all the struggles of the last 18 months. In the back of my mind, I always wonder what would've happened weight wise had we not gone to Germany and it makes me a little sad. I can't dwell on that now, especially since I am so close to getting back to where I was before we stepped on that airplane.
Losing over 50lbs in less than 7 months is something I never thought myself capable of, considering it took me over 5 years from my first day of Weight Watchers to get from where I started to get to lifetime weight (42lbs lost). I have to give a big part of the credit to the work I do in the gym on a weekly basis. In the past, I've tried to lose weight either through exercise or eating better, but never both at the same time until the last few years. Using one or the other either led to no loss, or not enough loss to change much in the way of inches because the fat wasn't getting replaced by much firmer muscle mass.
As an overweight and obese child and teen, I hated recess and gym at school. I was never athletic in sports that required much speed. My main sports were volleyball and swimming, and even in swimming, I was better at endurance than sprints. I'm not proud of this, but there was even a time I pretended to sprain my ankle so I didn't have to go to volleyball practice one day because we were going to have to run. Never would I have thought then that I'd be one of the regulars at the gym. The people at the gym daycare know my kids the minute we walk in and if we miss a day because one of the kids is sick or we're out of town, they tell us that they wondered where we were. There's more to it than just the physical benefits at this point in my life. It's a mental release as well. I get to have someone else watch my kids, while they get to run around and play with other kids and toys they don't have at home. I get some much needed time to myself and I don't seem to mind too much that it's hard work. It'll be weird when I have to shift to maintain mode and I don't go quite as frequently (likely twice a week instead of three times).
Last weigh-in (9/14/2013) : 151.7 lb
This weigh-in (9/21/2013) : 150.8 lb
Change : 0.9 lb lost
Germany weight loss : 17.2lb of 19.8lb gained
Total weight loss since Izzie : 49.6 lbs
Not bad for a week after a huge loss. I'm sure I was eating a bit too much regardless of hitting the gym three times this week. This was Izzie's second week on rice cereal twice a day. The first week, she wouldn't eat the whole bowl and still mainly nursed, so I didn't change my daily target to adjust for her eating solids. It didn't really impact my weight loss last week by not changing the daily target. This week she was eating more, but I still didn't change it. I could tell as the days went on this week that she was nursing less than the prior week. I knew by this coming week when she starts veggies mid-day in addition to the cereal twice a day that I would definitely have to change it. Now I have 33 points plus per day instead of 40. In a way, it will be a welcome relief as there were many days where I plotted out my day in advance and had 20 points or more to blow on things that weren't my three main meals. It will also help mentally prepare me for when she stops nursing altogether and I go back to 26 points plus per day like I was for so long.
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.
Last weigh-in (9/7/2013) : 154 lb
This weigh-in (9/14/2013) : 151.7 lb
Change : 2.3 lb lost
Germany weight loss : 16.3lb of 19.8lb gained
Total weight loss since Izzie : 48.7 lbs
Mid-week I was at 153lbs, and because it was so cold this morning, I figured with pants on, I'd be lucky to get that at official weigh-in this morning. My jaw dropped when I got on the scale. The last two weeks have been more conservative losses, which were what I was going to expect going forward. I couldn't believe I was still capable of a multi-pound loss!
It was a little cooler on Thursday when I had to take Brady to school, so I donned a pair of size 10 jean bermudas and a medium top (pictured above). Andy knew the numbers were going down, but most of my summer clothes were so loose that it was hard to see the changes. Finally able to wear more form fitting items in my wardrobe that have been either never worn or not worn in years, he could see the physical changes. He was taken aback and couldn't believe it. I never shy away from compliments because it helps boost my self-image, which has been badly damaged in the past.
That same day, I went shopping for the kids and saw some pants I thought looked good and decided to try them on. They were skinny jean capris. I have never used the word skinny about myself and never imagined in my teen years of being either obese or overweight that I could squeeze myself into anything with the word skinny on it or manage to look good if I did. I grabbed a size 10 and headed for the fitting room. They were too loose and I grabbed a size 8 to try on (a size that hasn't fit me since Feb 2012). When I got those on no problem I couldn't believe it! I guess seeing the number on the scale only two days later, makes me realize I shouldn't have been so shocked. I was in a size 8 around this weight last time. I see that almost every item in my closet and my "skinny" bin fits now and I realize that if I keep losing weight they will no longer fit. I've spent years building a full closet of clothes and I will be sad to see them go as I am attached to many items. I guess I should look forward to building a new wardrobe.
Last weigh-in (8/31/2013) : 154.8 lb
This weigh-in (9/7/2013) : 154 lb
Change : 0.8 lb lost
Germany weight loss : 14lb of 19.8lb gained
Total weight loss since Izzie : 46.4 lbs
I wasn't planning on stepping on the scale this week after four days being away from home and eating out on the road. I ate out several times, not only at fast food places, but sit down restaurants as well (including the super rich food at the Cheesecake Factory). We got back on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning I was in the gym. I tracked as soon as we got back, but that was only three days. I knew I wasn't going to weigh-in, but decided to step on the scale to see what I had to work with this week. I was not expecting a loss. Izzie started rice cereal yesterday, so I'll be cutting back on breastfeeding and we'll see how it goes from there. On another note, I wore my size 10 bermuda jeans yesterday!
Last weigh-in (8/3/2013) : 161.6 lb
This weigh-in (8/10/2013) : 159.0 lb
Change : 2.6 lb lost
Germany weight loss : 9lb of 19.8lb gained
Amount needed to get back to WW lifetime weight : 4 lbs
Last week was a small number, due to a week on vacation and getting back on track. This week, I was on track all week and went to the gym three times. I even decided to put in a little variation on my workout to make sure my body wasn't getting to used to it. It all seems to have worked! I haven't been under 160 since the middle of Germany, about 17 months ago. Knowing I have three weeks to lose the 2lbs needed to get back to lifetime and not paying is so reassuring, because that's something I know I can achieve. I went to the doctor yesterday and even while wearing a frumpy exam gown, she took one look at my face and asked if I'd lost weight. That made me feel so good because she couldn't even see the change in the rest of my body, just my face. Only about 10lbs left to get to where I was before Germany! I feel like if I keep working, I'll hit it way before my goal of Christmas.
Last weigh-in (7/12/2013) : 163 lb
This weigh-in (7/19/2013) : 161.8 lb
Change : 1.2lb lost
Germany weight loss : 6.2lb of 19.8lb gained
Amount needed to get back to WW lifetime weight : 6.8 lbs
I am very happy with this number today as we get ready for a week at the beach. Two years ago when we left for the beach, I was 161.6lbs, so I'm ecstatic to be almost exactly the same. The first two years on program, I tracked at the beach and even went to meetings. In over seven years, I've learned that you can indulge for a week and it won't kill you as long as you get back on track when you get home. This is for the rest of my life and if I never got the chance to indulge once in a while, I'm sure I wouldn't be able to stick with it.
Hips
- Last month (6/18/2013) - 45 inches
- This month (7/13/2013) - 43.25 inches
Waist
- Last month (6/18/2013) - 33 inches
- This month (7/13/2013) - 32 inches
Thighs
- Last month (6/18/2013) - 23 inches each
- This month (7/13/2013) - 22.75 inches each
Arms
- Last month (6/18/2013) - 11.5 inches each
- This month (7/13/2013) - 11 inches each
I think my favorite measurement to watch go down is the hips, which has always been my problem area. The lowest I have ever gotten my hips was 40.5 inches, so hoping to push through that when I get back to pre-Germany weight. Although I love watching the hips go down, it's likely the waist that's what will keep me from donning my bikinis at the beach in a week. They fit and I have worn them at higher weights before, but the "mommy belly" is still shrinking back to normal. It's not bad when I'm standing or laying down, but sitting down, there's some pooch and I'm a bit self conscious about it. Maybe next year. A small victory was that I was finally able to wear those size 12 bermuda jean shorts comfortably. That was a goal I set for my self to do before the beach and I did it!
I'm finally starting to get to a point where my measurements are lining up with the weight. The last time I was at these hip measurements I was 163.4lbs (163 now), but the waist measurements are still off as I was 174.4lbs. I'm starting to look at it another way, though. That was when Brady was 9 months old, so my belly and waistline are shrinking much faster, no doubt a testament to my hitting the gym on a regular basis for the last three months. It does a lot for my self esteem to be getting into a more comfortable weight range and wearing some of my clothes again. I really hated wearing bigger clothes after Brady, I just didn't feel like myself.
Last weigh-in (7/6/2013) : 165.8 lb
This weigh-in (7/12/2013) : 163 lb
Change : 2.8lb lost
Germany weight loss : 5lb of 19.8lb gained
Amount needed to get back to WW lifetime weight : 8 lbs
My jaw hit the floor when I stepped on the scale this morning and I did the biggest happy dance ever! I couldn't believe the number I saw and even stepped on again to make sure it wasn't a glitch (which I have had happen before). I don't know what I did this week because if I did, I'd be repeating it every single week to get the same results! I can't believe I'm now at Brady's pre-pregnancy weight, something that took me 16 months to achieve after he was born (and Izzie is only a little over four months old). I have only 6lbs to go before I'm free at meetings again and get free etools. I have until the end of August and it seems so doable now. I have one more week before vacation and I would like to drop at least one more pound to make up for anything I might gain while relaxing by the beach.
Last weigh-in (6/29/2013) : 167 lb
This weigh-in (7/6/2013) : 165.8 lb
Change : 1.2lb lost
Germany weight loss : 2.2lb of 19.8lb gained
Amount needed to get back to WW lifetime weight : 10.8 lbs
I got my butt into the gym three times this week and it paid off. We had guests over on Sunday night, so we made things that aren't necessarily the best and ate out on Tuesday, but working out (while eating well the remaining days) did the trick. The Fourth of July was this week, which usually means eating bad at family gatherings, but we stayed home this year, so it was a day in the gym and eating healthy. To hit my goal for the rest of the month, the next two weeks I need to lose 1.4lb average per week.
Starting weight : 172.4 lb
Ending weight : 167 lb
Change : 5.4 lb lost (average 1.2lb lost per week)
This time last year : 168 lb (4 weeks pregnant)
This is the first time in a long time where my ending month weight is lower than the prior year (at least 18 months), and that's very exciting. This month was great. I hit the 5lb goal that I set for myself and went below my pre-pregnancy weight. Doing that in less than four months is a huge boost to my self-esteem as it took four times as long after Brady.
July is vacation month for us, which means I will only have three weigh-ins. I want to be back at the buffer of lifetime (157) by the end of August so I took the weight (10lbs) and averaged it over the number of weigh-ins until then (8). It came out to 1.25lbs per weigh-in. That's just around the average per week for the last two months, so it seems doable. So for July, the goal is 4lbs.
Last weigh-in (6/20/2013) : 167 lb
This weigh-in (6/29/2013) : 167 lb
Change : no change
Germany weight loss : 1lb of 19.8lb gained
Amount needed to get back to WW lifetime weight : 12 lbs
I can't say I'm upset or surprised by the maintain of the last nine days. I felt like I was getting away scotch free after graduation parties, funerals, and a baptism, along with constant road travel eating. I was dropping weight like crazy despite all of that. It finally caught up with me. In addition to another traveling weekend, we attended a wedding and I certainly didn't count anything I ate. I'll take a maintain over a gain any week and look forward to a full week in the gym for the first time in over a month!
Last weigh-in (6/11/2013) : 168.8 lb
This weigh-in (6/20/2013) : 167 lb
Change : 1.8lb lost
Total loss postpartum : 32.4lb of 32.4lb gained
Germany weight loss : 1lb of 19.8lb gained
Amount needed to get back to WW lifetime weight : 12 lbs
I am beyond thrilled to be rid of all of Izzie's pregnancy weight and knowing that I am now chipping into the damage from Germany. It took nine months to gain 32.4lbs (3.6lb per month average gain) and only five months to put on 19.8lbs (4lb per month average gain). I did better pregnant than I did living abroad. Before leaving for Germany, I was in the best shape of my life, despite being a mom. I felt really good about myself and had a closet full of clothes that I never had to worry from one day to the next if they would fit. The day I left, I was 148.2lbs, and as you can see from the revised chart above, that's where I'd like to be this Christmas. That will require a 0.7lb average loss per week until then. I only have 10 more weeks of exclusively breastfeeding, so I plan to make the most of those, so that I'm not left with too much to conquer. Here's looking forward to another great week!
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.
Last weigh-in (6/1/2013) : 170.6 lb
This weigh-in (6/11/2013) : 168.8 lb
Change : 1.8lb lost
Total loss postpartum : 31.6lb of 32.4lb gained
Amount needed to get back to WW lifetime weight : 13.8 lbs
Well, we unexpectedly had to make a trip home, so the weigh-in had to wait and I got it in yesterday (a week and a half since the last one). I've been at home with my parents the last week, so I'm not in the gym and don't have my own stocked household. There's certainly more eating out and situations where I haven't been able to control the food options. All I have to say is thank goodness for breastfeeding. I really thought the next two weeks would be a wash due to a disruption of my routine, but I'm so glad to see that I'm almost at pre-pregnancy weight! Another exciting week was that I was able to wear size 14 dress pants and size 12 bermuda shorts. Getting there slowly but surely!
