Weigh-in for 4/12/2014

Last weigh-in (3/22/2014) : 142.4 lb

This weigh-in (4/12/2014) : 142.8 lb

Change : 0.4 lb gained
 
Total weight loss since Izzie : 57.6 lb


It's been about three weeks since my last weigh-in and some weeks have been better than others in that time.  We've been to a record five birthday parties in the last eight weeks and another two weekends in there were my kids' birthdays.  It's hard to say no to cake every single week.  I didn't every time, but when you are tempted week after week, you give in.  The kids got sick . . . again, taking me out of the gym for a week, which never helps.  Even though my number seems to be hovering between 142-145lbs, my body fat percentage has decreased from 26.2% to 25.2% so at least some of the weight has become muscle rather than fat and I am happy enough with that.

I plan to do measurements to commemorate my one year gymiversary this weekend and I'm sure there will be changes there as well.  I can tell because the clothes sizes are going down in number.  I wore my size 8 bermudas the other day and they were super comfy and had me thinking I could get into a size 6, but they might be a bit restricting.  I bought a few new dresses for summer in general, a wedding, and my brother's college graduation.  I had been in the department stores and not seen anything I liked, so I looked online and saw one that might be nice, but I debated on which size to buy.  I settled on a size 10 because I really had never worn a dress in a size smaller than that.  A few days later, I saw the same dress in the store, in a size 8 and $20 cheaper.  I tried it on and it was perfect!

It's definitely not my normal style which is something that has a more flowing skirt to hide my hips, but I have been feeling more confident in how I look and decided to try something new.

I was heading out of the changing room when another dress caught my eye.  It was also on sale, but when I looked at the ones in stock, there was a size 6 and a size 10.  I figured the size 10 would be too big since I'd just gotten comfortably into a size 8.  I grabbed the 6 and headed back into the changing room, but not really expecting anything.

This is more my typical style, with a band right under the bust and flowing skirt.  To my complete surprise, the size 6 fit perfectly!  A size 6 has been the magic number in my head since I started losing weight almost eight years ago.  I still can't believe I did it!

There's still plenty of work to be done, in terms of body shape, even if the weight and clothing sizes stay relatively the same.  My goal is to have my ultimate body by the time I turn 30 (which is now 23 months away).  I plan to have another baby in that time, but now see that as an aid rather than an impediment to my weight loss.  I just have to keep working hard and keeping up a positive attitude.  I know now to appreciate what I have now instead of being down on myself for not being better.

Weigh-in for 3/22/2014

Last weigh-in (2/28/2014) : 144.2 lb

This weigh-in (3/22/2014) : 142.4 lb

Change : 1.8 lb lost
 

Total weight loss since Izzie : 58 lb


I've finally done what I've said I was going to do at the start of the month - gotten back on track.  In less than a calendar month, we have Valentine's Day, both kids' birthdays, their parties, and then my birthday.  That's a lot of chocolate, cake, and eating out.  It gets me every year, and now that the last party (of ours at least) is over, I am gearing up to drop the few pounds I've gained and get back into fighting shape for summer!

This week is when I finally buckled down.  Seeing the number on the scale get up to 145.4lbs a week ago scared me and gave me anxiety, thinking back to Germany.  Granted, this time I gained 5lbs in a two month period, whereas I was gaining 5lbs a month in Germany.  I am down to one nursing session with Izzie now, so my daily points target is back to the lowest that anyone can have at 26.  It took careful planning and tracking to hit that each day, but I chose more filling options, making me less inclined to go looking for a little something sweet after I'd already eaten a meal.

We are down to 8 weeks until California and the day we get back home is the first weekend of the pool being open, so this is the home stretch before "summer." I say it like that because there's still snow on the ground and below freezing temps, so who knows when of if summer will get here this year.  My goal was to be under 140lbs by then and I am confident that I can do that now that my mind is in the right place.  I would need less than 0.5lb per week to reach that goal.  I've been stocking up on clothes for the kids and Andy for the trip and am dying to dive in and splurge on new clothes for me since I have almost none for me at this size and the ones I do still have tags on them.  Summer is by far my favorite for clothes and I'm going to have a blast!  I finally look like I always thought I did in my head and I'm going to enjoy it :)

Weigh-in for 2/28/2014 ~ Starting a Household Challenge

Last weigh-in (2/1/2014) : 141.0 lb

This weigh-in (2/28/2014) : 144.2 lb

Change : 3.2 lb gained
 

Total weight loss since Izzie : 56.2 lb


It's been a rough month.  Historically, February is a rough month for me and weight loss.  There has only been one of the eight Februarys I've been on Weight Watchers that I've lost instead of gained.  I don't know what it is, maybe that winter starts to get to me at that point, combined with Valentine's Day and the past four years, Brady's birthday.  The only February I lost weight, we were living in South Carolina and it was so warm I was sunbathing daily, so there seems to be a correlation with weather and weight loss (something I've noticed from past patterns as well).  It is harder for me to maintain or lose in February than it over Christmas.  

This February, I had gym access, but of course, Izzie has had a runny nose for three straight weeks and can't go to the day care like that.  That means I only make it on the weekends, so in addition to the eating which hasn't been the greatest, I didn't have the workouts to help battle it and keep it in check a little more than I did.  I tend to get to a point once I'm off track, where I let go and start eating things I normally wouldn't because I know I won't eat them when I get back on track.  That only makes it worse.  We had Brady's party, Valentine's Day, and a trip out of town in the span of two weeks and the eating out got to me as well as the cake.

In terms of upswings, it's not that bad.  4lbs gained in the course of 6 weeks.  I've had upswings that have lasted several months and been as much as 15-20lbs.  I am choosing to kick myself out of it immediately.  Even if I can't go to the gym during the day, I will make myself go when Andy gets home from work.  I have to start tracking religiously again (something I haven't done in months, maybe before Thanksgiving).  This will become very important now that I'm weaning Izzie and will be completely done breastfeeding by the end of March.

Andy and I are both unhappy, so we decided to buckle down together.  Andy is in a wedding in early May, and we leave for our 11 day California vacation in mid-May.  We want to look and feel good when we get there.  We have committed to weekly weigh-ins (going into WW for me every week to keep me honest and on track, rather than once a month).  We have 11 weeks until Cali and have set goals.  Andy wants to lose 20lbs (putting him at 200lbs) and I want to get under 140lbs (4.4lbs away).  We have both laid out rewards for if we reach our goals and I think we'll have to consider a punishment if we don't so we have even more incentive.  Wish us luck!

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.

Weigh-in for 1/18/2014

Last weigh-in (1/11/2014) : 142.0 lb

This weigh-in (1/18/2014) : 140.2 lb

Change : 1.8 lb lost

Total weight loss since Izzie : 60.2 lbs



Well it was certainly back to business this week.  Brady was back in school all week, we were all over our sickness from the week prior, I was able to go to a full week in the gym (first time since before Christmas), and I was eating most of my meals at home.  The grocery stores are now stocked full again after the people going crazy trying to stock up for major snowfalls and the roads are clear to get to the store without worrying about endangering your life.

The gyms are still packed, but I'm hoping that will ease up a bit in the next two months.  We joined last year in April and it was pretty dead during the daytime when I normally go.  My Christmas candy was almost gone this week and I started having a bit of withdrawal, so I got some bargain Valentine's candy.  Nothing major, just some Dove dark chocolate mini hearts. One or two a day is enough to make me feel not deprived and doesn't impact my weight loss.  Next week I hope to break into the 130s!

Weigh-in for 1/11/2014

Last weigh-in (12/13/2013) : 142.2 lb

This weigh-in (1/11/2014) : 142.0 lb

Change : 0.2 lb lost

Total weight loss since Izzie : 58.4 lbs



Well, we are back from all our traveling from Christmas and back into our routine.  I think I can count the number of home cook meals we had on one hand.  We were constantly running places and meeting people for meals, so it was not the healthiest of eating.  Add in the countless cookies, candy, and big holiday meals and I didn't even want to think about the damage.

I treat the first week back from a trip like that as a kind of detox.  It's a shock to your system to go from glutinous eating to clean eating, so you shock your system into dropping some weight fast.  That's why people starting a diet lose the most that first week or so.  It's a great way to jump start and also a good way to get back on track.  We were snowed in almost all week since being back and I was in the house with only a small amount of food and a lot of leftover candy.  I really had to control myself since it wasn't an option to leave the house to hit the gym to balance things out.  We also all got sick earlier this week, so that curbed my appetite quite a bit.  I was happy to step on the scale for the first time in a month and see a slight loss.  I would've understood a gain and probably would've seen one if I wasn't still part-time breastfeeding.

Meeting rooms and gyms are packed with people this time of year and by March they will be back to normal with the regulars still holding down the fort.  I can't tell you how many meetings I have sat in where people complain about how hard it is to lose weight during the summer and they'll be back in the fall.  I completely disagree and feel like I lose way more weight in the summer versus the winter.  In the summer, there is an unlimited variety of fresh fruit in grocery stores.  The weather is beautiful, making you want to be outside.  You have grill-outs.  In the winter, the weather is cold so you don't want to leave your house.  There's snow which makes the roads dangerous, and you don't want to risk your kids' lives just to get to the gym.  Hitting the gym won't matter if you kill yourself getting there.  The food selection isn't that great in stores and you want to hibernate eating higher calorie options.  I'm more than ready for warmer weather.

Weigh-in for 12/13/2013

Last weigh-in (11/24/2013) : 143.2 lb

This weigh-in (12/13/2013) : 142.2 lb

Change : 1 lb lost

Total weight loss since Izzie : 58.2 lbs


It's Friday the 13th and while I am superstitious to an extent, I believe you make your own "luck" when it comes to weight loss, so I wasn't too afraid of getting on the scale this morning.  There was some apprehension as I had spent two whole weeks out of the gym due to the kids getting sick, and then giving it to me.  Also, in addition to a Thanksgiving weekend full of food, the week after wasn't easy either.  There were only two or three days in the last two weeks where I ate both meals at home.  My mental visualization of eating badly is that I balloon up.  I think that my clothes will stop fitting and while it may happen in the course of a month or more, a week here or there wouldn't do that (unless you were carrying some serious water weight or had a thyroid problem).  

Christmas for my kids is tomorrow, hence the Friday weigh-in.  Tonight will involve baking cookies and hanging stocking to be filled with candy and other treats.  I will weigh-in next Friday before heading out of town for two weeks, but I allow myself some treats here and there.  Especially since this coming week means making dozens of cookies.  How could I resist tasting a few?  I'll just make sure I make the most of my last week in the gym before the new year and finish out strong.

Weigh-in for 11/24/2013

Last weigh-in (11/16/2013) : 144.8 lb

This weigh-in (11/24/2013) : 143.2 lb

Change : 1.6 lb lost

Total weight loss since Izzie : 57.2 lbs


I said I was going to buckle down this week and I kept that promise.  I'm happy that I could get a good loss under my belt before Thanksgiving when everyone overeats to some extent.  My family comes to us and we have a full weekend planned of eating our hearts out. I'd be crazy to weigh-in next weekend in the middle of that, so the next weigh-in will be after I've had a week of damage control.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Weigh-in for 11/16/2013

Last weigh-in (11/2/2013) : 144.4 lb

This weigh-in (11/16/2013) : 144.8 lb

Change : 0.4 lb gained

Total weight loss since Izzie : 55.6 lbs


Well, I'm certainly human and the last two weeks I've kinda enjoyed myself eating wise.  I've not had a full week in the gym either week, but went which is the important part.  There was Halloween candy in the house and while I was good leading up to Halloween, you can only walk by it so many times without having some.  We had a trip home and there was lots of eating out.  I usually make good choices at restaurants, but not so much these times.  All I can do is shrug it off and work hard this week so I can have some loss before Thanksgiving week when I know I'll be enjoying some good food.

Weigh-in for 11/2/2013

Last weigh-in (10/26/2013) : 145.2 lb

This weigh-in (11/2/2013) : 144.4 lb

Change : 0.8 lb lost

Total weight loss since Izzie : 56 lbs


The Weight Watchers scale was kind to me this morning, as my own scale didn't have me down so much.  I'll probably pay for it next week, but right now I don't care.  That's a decent loss for a week where I only made it to the gym twice and of course, it was also Halloween week.  I definitely implored my will power this week, as I only allowed myself three pieces of candy in the last two days.  We also went over to a friend's house after Trick-or-Treat and they had pizza.  We had already eaten before the kids went out, so I just enjoyed the company and didn't eat anything.  There were plenty of times in the past where I'd say, "Screw it," and eat the pizza anyway.  That shows how far I've come in the last seven and a half years.  There are certainly times when I allow myself to overindulge, but I have to pick and choose.  I can't do it every time that I might want to.  If I didn't allow myself some things that aren't so great for me, I'd never be able to stay on program and this is something I have to maintain for the rest of my life, so I have to make concessions sometimes.

Weigh-in for 10/26/2013

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.

Weigh-in for 10/19/2013

Last weigh-in (10/12/2013) : 146.8 lb

This weigh-in (10/19/2013) : 146.2 lb

Change : 0.6 lb lost

Total weight loss since Izzie : 54.2 lbs


A big week followed by a small week is the way it works and I'm more than happy to see any small loss over a gain.  As long as I'm chipping away at the weight to reach that final goal (130lbs), I'm ecstatic about it.  This week had only one day in the gym due to illness (both the kids and me) and other scheduled appointments.  This coming week has me slated for four days to make up for it.  I've got to work hard leading up to Halloween so I can enjoy some candy :)

Weigh-in for 10/12/2013 ~ New Lowest Ever!!!

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.

Weigh-in for 10/5/2013

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.

Weigh-in for 9/27/2013 ~ Back in the 140s!!!

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).

Weigh-in for 9/21/2013

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.

Weigh-in for 9/14/2013

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.

Weigh-in for 9/7/2013

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!

Weigh-in for 8/30/2013 ~ Back at Lifetime Weight!!!

Last weigh-in (8/24/2013) : 155.6 lb

This weigh-in (8/30/2013) : 154.8 lb

Change : 0.8 lb lost

Germany weight loss : 13.2lb of 19.8lb gained

Total weight loss since Izzie : 45.6 lbs


I expected a smaller loss this week due to the huge month I've been having.  It's simply not sustainable to keep losing weight at the rate I have been.  This week is special because I made it back to lifetime weight!  My set goal is 155lbs and I'm finally below that again for the first time since February 2012.  My goal was to get here by the time Izzie was 6 months old and here we are just three days shy of when she turns 6 months.  I wasn't even at 40lbs lost by the time Brady was 6 months old.  I'm so close to pre-Germany weight that I can taste it!

Weigh-in for 8/24/2013

Last weigh-in (8/10/2013) : 159.0 lb

This weigh-in (8/24/2013) : 155.6 lb

Change : 3.4 lb lost

Germany weight loss : 12.4lb of 19.8lb gained

Amount needed to get back to WW lifetime weight : 0.6 lbs


I was so excited when I checked my weight this morning, that I jumped in the shower, got dressed, and ran to Weight Watchers to do an official weigh-in!  I almost couldn't believe it.  It's been two weeks since I last posted a weight, so it's 3.4lbs over those two weeks, but still I am excited!  I was able to get my free etools voucher for the first time since January 2011!  This is huge for me. 

I'm finally starting to get more comfortable and confident in my appearance.  It's a mental game as well as a physical one.  It's unbelievable to think that I spent five and a half years trying to get to goal before I got there, constantly going up and down in an effort to reach it.  Less than six months after having a baby (starting 3lbs up from when I walked in the door in 2006), I am less than a pound from it.  Granted, I had a bigger motivation this time, knowing what I was missing out on.  Hitting the gym on average 2-3 times per week played a huge roll and although I hate it going in, I can't deny that I love the results at the end of the day.

Izzie will start solids two weeks from today, so I have two weeks left of my breastfeeding powers.  I shouldn't really give breastfeeding all the credit.  Whenever I get compliments on my weight loss and Andy is within earshot, he goes, "Well, she loses it all because she breastfeeds."  I get very annoyed when he says that because he gives the breastfeeding sole credit.  I won't say that it doesn't give a very helpful boost, but I want some of the credit for busting my butt in the gym and watching what I eat.  There are plenty of women who breastfeed and have a very hard time losing weight because they don't know how much to eat and how to compensate for exercise.  It's a fine line I walk, and one that has been learned from experience.  I was certainly not down almost 45lbs with Brady at this point.  I've learned from past mistakes and used that to my advantage.  My goal of hitting my pre-Germany weight is so close and attainable that I can almost taste it.  I have 16 weigh-ins before Christmas and 7.4lbs to go, which means if I lose half a pound per weigh-in, I've got it.  I think the best Christmas gift I could give myself would be to get below that weight and push towards a new lowest weight!