from goals to success!

2010 was a new year with new goals and resolutions for me. My top goal was "follow through with goals you make this year." Doesn't seem like much of a goal, but I'm sick of making new year's resolutions/goals more like a joke than a reality. Especially since last year and this year I made pretty realistic goals for myself. I decided 2010 would be the year of finishing goals that have been set.

So January 5th'ish rolled around and I went to put on a pair of jeans that were still way.too.tight around my butt/waist. I complained to Jason about it - "I feel like I lost a bunch of weight when Kara was first born; that initial weight that comes off right after baby. Then I hit a plateau and now I've actually started gaining weight!" Jason has always been super low key about my weight gain during & after pregnancies. I've often told him that if he were more on my case about it, I'd probably feel more pressure to lose the weight. But, he's sweet and I can't complain. He also often reminds me that I had 3 babies, back-to-back-to-back and its going to take time for that weight to come off, unless I go at it in unhealthy ways.
I discovered after Ethan's birth, I am NOT one of those blessed women who just sits and nurses her new baby every day and literally watches the weight melt off. I envy those ladies... I really do. And I'm not about to sit here and act like those women are "cheating" in some way, to get it off. Its literally quite natural for some women to have a baby and then lose more weight once baby is born and in record time. But I'm still jealous of them, if we're being honest.
During my pregnancy with Kara, my goal was to stay very healthy. This didn't just include my eating habits, but also working out daily. I don't do any hard core work outs while pregnant {just a personal thing} but I did a ton of walking, swimming, and just being more active with Ethan and Rachel. I kind of had to be more active with them, since they were 3 and 2 when I was pregnant :)
Jason and I felt like the Bradley Method book provided a lot of great ideas. Especially with food. I loved how I was able to keep healthy track of what was feeding me and baby. I actually give a lot of credit to that book, because it was the 1st pregnancy I used it and it was my best pregnancy overall.

After Kara was born, I remember the midwife checking me {doing whatever they do after baby comes out} and she said "My goodness, Stefanie! your tummy is totally flat!" As kind as it was for her to say, I can't say she was 100% right, but I was impressed with how much of my stomach went bye-bye immediately after Kara was born. After E&R I had that big 4 month pregnant looking "pooch" in front. You know, when you're at the store a few weeks after baby has been born and a well meaning stranger congratulates you and asks when you're due?! Yes.
Anyway, I lost all my pregnancy weight with Kara within 6 weeks of her being born. Don't ask, because I have no idea how. I do NOT diet while nursing and I don't begin any type of work out until at least 4-6 months post birth.  For me this time it was natural. However after I lost the pregnancy weight, I was still "overweight" for me. I never did lose Ethan or Rachel's pregnancy weight, so when I got pregnant with Kara, I was already about 15-20 pounds over what I was before babies. But, life got busy, I began making excuses, we realized we'd be moving and before I knew it, I had actually began gaining weight. Blah.
My goal for staying in shape isn't just vanity. I mean, obviously I want to look good and especially for my husband. A huge incentive for me, is knowing he thinks I look great. Its always so that I can enjoy my kids to the fullest extent. I hate being so tired and lethargic all the time. I hate chasing them upstairs and feeling like I can't breath when I get to the top. I can't stand feeling cruddy. I hate it.

So back to me complaining to Jason in the beginning of January... sorry, I go off on tangents when I talk in person too.

He replied to my complaining with "why don't you find a work out program you like and try it out for longer than a week?" Hmmm... sounds simple. Yes, I suppose I could try that! Everyone else told me "join a gym, join weight watchers, join... SOMETHING!" while I know those things work fabulously for some people, for our budget and where we are in life, things like gym memberships, special food, classes to pay for, etc... were not options. So I began looking around at stores I went to, looking for "popular" DVD's that got good reviews. I began using Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred DVD and with the first work out, I was hooked! And I've never been hooked on a DVD work out before, in my life.
Within the first month, working out faithfully once a day {i chose 9pm, after the kids were in bed} I dropped an entire pants size. And this was with zero dieting. We eat very healthy and I do my best to just do portion control, since I'm not a fan of special food diets. So by February 6th {my birthday was my 1st goal to lose 5 pounds} I got on the scale and saw I had lost not 5, but 11 pounds! To say I was excited is such an understatement. I was beyond thrilled. I never experienced needing to lose weight when I was single and so since having babies, its been a struggle for me, to stick with something and see results.
Then came March. I weighed myself again and happily saw 5 more pounds had come off!! By this point, I had dropped down 2 pant sizes! My goal was to lose 25 pounds, or get down to a size 6, since that's a size I think is most healthy for me, by June.
Then came April and I was disappointed to see 3 pounds had been added. Bummer. But, I was reminded by some faithful friends that these are just minor set backs and I needed to stick with it!
It had been a while since I weighed myself and so just last week I was able to weigh for the 4th time since January. I am happy to report that I have lost a grand total of 24 pounds and after going shopping for some new clothes {yes, it was finally a must!} I am officially a size 6.

I can't tell you how proud I am of myself. I'm sure it seems like an odd, bragging post to write, but I think I need this, for future motivation and to keep myself accountable. I also hope this encourages many of you who have told me that you're doing your best to stick with whatever routine you've found works for you.  I love that Jason is faithful to remind me that for 9 months, I am growing another human inside my body. That my body is a temporary home for our children before they're born. Its good to remember what our bodies go through during pregnancy. Its good to remind ourselves of the stress and every day business of life after babies {especially if its not your first!} are born. And, its very good to remind yourself that you just might not be built like the "perfectly skinny mommy to the left of you" might be. We all have different body shapes and its not like every woman is supposed to be a specific size.
When my sister was here visiting last month, we were discussing this stuff and she said "what is your goal size?" when I told her I'd be thrilled to be a size 6, she replied with "oh... I wear like a size 0-2."
I had to LOL and then remind her that she's tiny compared to me! She's 5 feet 2 inches, I'm 5 feet 7 inches :) And some ladies, even the same height, will be built very differently.
So its really good to evaluate yourself, as you know yourself and not compare yourself to other people.
And something I've learned -- never compare yourself to a woman who's never even been pregnant before. Just something to remember ;-)

Anyway, I'm continuing my evening work outs, to stay in shape and because I think its healthiest for me, personally. I just really wanted to encourage all of you out there. We're all at different stages. Pace yourself and congratulate yourselves when you DO make progress! I'm not a pro on working out or eating just right... not at all - but I am happy to have at least accomplished a new year's resolution, by June! This is a first for me.
I teased Jason and told him "probably just in time to get pregnant again!" isn't that always how it seems to work out? :) Its fine with me... I just want to be healthy for each new baby God brings into our lives.
Press on ladies! Keep up the good work. For yourselves, for your families, for the hope of many happy, healthy years here with our families! So many of you have been true inspirations to me; so faithful in your encouragement, pushing me to keep going, do my very best and not to give up! I love you girls so much for that. I often felt like you were my private coaches, even though you were many, many miles away.....Thank you.