Update on me!! ;-)

Recently was looking back at some pictures and thought wow...

Then I thought:

1) I look pretty good now
2) How did I get like I was before (insert chocolate chip cookies here)
3) I'm sad I did that to myself
4) I'm sad that I've had to spend the time and effort to get healthy
5) I'm so glad I have had so much support the past 7 months
6) 26# is a lot of weight!!
7) I'm at my lowest weight since beginning college
8) Only 7.5 more # until my high school weight!!
9) I can do it!!
10) I am worth it!!!

One day I just decided I was going to start working out and eating better- I had, had it and I wanted to look and feel better- and something just clicked. I was at the weight I had been when I got pregnant but I didn't feel good, I had a weird crease in my back (yes- back fat...) and it was uncomfortable to sleep on my side. I didn't fit into any clothes I wanted to wear and I was beginning to not be able to shop at the "regular" stores I liked anymore. It made me sad- I was a new mom (ok so I had a 13 month old... But I had just stopped nursing) I should be cute and go out with my baby and feel good about meeting new mom friends! But instead I could barely find something to wear...

With the help of the Lose It! app for my first 11 pounds and My Fitness Pal for the next 15, as well as all my friends and family I did it!! Slowly but steadily. I've ranged about 1 pound a week loss (the holidays were hard but totally worth it) I still go out and eat, go to happy hours, and drink- I just make sure not to do that everyday. I keep a close eye on my calories- I try to keep close to 1500 a day but usually hover around 1700. I workout about 5-6 days a week at my AWESOME gym! This is a lifestyle change- I'm not trying to drop a lot of weight quick (which really sounds awesome), but instead I'm trying to slowly drop the weight while building muscle to help burn more calories over time.

My pool workouts are awesome! I'm using swimming splits I used in high school and having no problem meeting them!! I'm upping my step mill workout ever so slightly- I started at 75 flights of stairs in 30 minutes, now I'm at 115!!!! And my ultimate goal is 200 flights in 45 min (the best I've done is 185). I leg press 300# easily now, and I am working on increase reps. I hope to just keep going to get stronger and slimmer, and to be healthy an active for my baby girl. So, today I am 26 pounds lighter then when I got pregnant. I hope to never see that weight again- ever (even if I ever get pregnant).

Here is my "before" from July 2012 and my "after" from February 2013. It's not a staged before and after photo. I never thought if myself as a "before" person, but now I am totally an "after" ;-) Maybe I should take a picture now just to see what happens in the next 6 months!