Before and AFTER

First off, before I start this post, I want you to know I’m not one of those that is timid about sharing my weight or information on losing/gaining weight.  Weight is weight!  I don’t really think it makes you a good or bad person, so I don’t really see the big deal about it, but simply my opinion.  Plus, people can SEE your weight so “not talking” about your weight doesn’t really hide it, but again, just my opinion.

I just realized the thing that makes me the saddest in this world is OBESITY!  So if this post helps anyone, I will feel better!

So for the last 2 months I have really changed my diet and exercise!  Like many of us, you get married and gain that “happy weight.”  I definitely gained that weight and really wasn’t sure how to get rid of it.  I’ve never had to diet or actively workout.  Playing soccer in college allows you to eat 3,000 calories a day because you burn about 1,500 calories a day and more on game days.  All at once I graduated college, started a new job, and started a marriage and I was still consuming my calorie intake, but did not have near the same calorie burn as before.  Unfortunately, that leads to lots of weight gain!  I did not know how to “lose” weight.  In 22 years, I was always trying to gain more weight.  In my constant research on how to lose weight I learned a lot about healthy living.  It actually scares me a little bit with how unhealthy we, Americans, really are.  I LOVE eating and enjoying food so this was extremely hard for me (hence the 3 years it took me to lose it).  I started learning a lot about the chemical side of our body.  Long story short, my friend Brittany was the one who really got me jump started on my journey to healthy living.   I have now lost 10 pounds and still counting.  More importantly, I’ve kept it off!  Some things that I have done or are currently doing consist of:
1. Supplements (this is what got me started)
2. Eating really healthy 80% of my week.  Allowing myself to eat out 1-2 times a week.
3. Weighing myself daily – let’s me know when I’m slipping.  Make sure to also measure yourself before.  If you’re working out you will gain weight in muscle. I have a scale that shows my water percentage and fat percentage so it’s useful, but if you have a scale that is pounds only it may not tell all.
4. Working out – about 1 hour of weights and 45 minutes of cardio.  If time is short, 30-45 minutes of weights and 15-20 minutes cardio.  Or if time is really short, a workout from http://www.bodyrock.tv/  You can do these workouts at home too.  It will get addictive!
5. Having people’s physique as a physical role model.  I love Zuzana’s from the website above.  Post their pics up on your mirror or at work.  People at the gym are motivating as well. 
6. Getting my significant other on board – thanks Ryan!
7.  PREP your food for the week.  Plan your meals and write down some ideas for breakfast and lunch so you don’t have to “think” about it…that’s when I snack 🙂  Research healthy recipes.  I get A LOT of recipes from http://danispies.com/
8.  PRAYER – You can’t do it alone!

And 2 things that have helped me keep it off:
1. Buy new clothes so you don’t really have a choice to go back to being “fat.”  It’s a great feeling and slightly addictive!
2. Take before and after photos – I recommend taking it once a month so you can see gradual progress.

Speaking of, I took pictures and they are very telling.  I still have work to do, but it shows me that the hard work I put into it actually paid off.  Below is one of my before/after pictures, but if you want to see all of them, email me.  I have bikini pictures and not sure if they should go up on my blog for all to see 🙂