Thursday, September 11, 2014

Outward Growth and Back Again

I've always struggled with weight.  Always!  I love food and enjoy eating vast quantities of it.  Learning self-control is an on-going endeavour.
I have been all over the scale all the way from a high of 215 lbs (before I was pregnant with Nate) down to my current weight and I am not embarrassed to tell.  I weigh 151 lbs.
I lost a ton of weight after Nathan was born simply because my focus turned from eating to taking care of Nathan (and we didn't have a second car...had to walk everywhere!). 
My weight has gone up and down over the years since but had generally stayed between 170 and 180lbs.  Several months before our cruise I decided that I wanted to look svelte on our holiday and was a very determined woman with calorie counting (MyFitnessPal app is awesome for that) and brisk walking most days of the week.  It was successful...I lost a good chunk of weight in six months.  Maintaining the weight loss has been mostly easy because my eating habits  changed.  I enjoyed being physically active most days of the week.  I still love food and will never deprive myself of treats!
Recently, Keith and I embarked on a fairly unheard of eating plan called the 5:2 diet.  The basic premise is that by giving your body a rest from food any two days of the week and eating normally the other five you can achieve great health benefits.  And a side effect of that is weight loss.  On the two days you can eat 500 calories.  It wasn't impossible but a challenge and I gave it three months.  It reshaped my body.  My waist whittled down and my legs got leaner...my wedding rings are slipping off but I only lost 5 lbs.  Keith on the other hand has dropped close to 20 lbs and is looking amazing!  He's got a way to go but I am moving toward just maintaining instead of this crazy struggle to achieve more.  I'm not where I want to be but I feel very healthy, consider myself leaner and have a very great awareness of what true hunger is. 
If I lose another few pounds....great.  If I do not....that's okay too.  And the end of the day I want to be healthy and strong and think I am there.
So, if you see me eating a piece of cheesecake....join me :)
 2012
 
2014

6 comments:

villagegirl said...

You look amazing! Very inspiring indeed. I may have to think about the 5:2 thing.

Keri's Collage... said...

You have willpower like nobody else I know! You look great, and I'm glad you feel great too!

Terry said...

You are an inspiration!

Sonya said...

You look great! Your hard work has definitely paid off. Personally, I would rather lose inches than pounds...which is why I haven't stepped on a scale in years.

Trace said...

You look amazing!! :)

QuiltNut Creations said...

You look amazing! You are a real inspiration