In August, I decided it was time to take action. It has been a LONG time since I have felt happy about my weight. I would say that before getting pregnant with Jett, I was heavier than I "should" be, and since then: 2 kids and many, MANY thick pieces of banana bread lathered in butter later, I wondered if I would ever be at a place where the idea of stepping on a scale didn't make me want to run away and hide. (Let's be honest, I probably would've stopped for a snack along the way...)
Anyway, I was ready to take action. After having Jett, I mustered up some motivation to get in shape when he was about 8 months old. I saw some success with calorie counting (the website IS very helpful) and faithfully (painfully) doing the 30 day Shred with Jillian Michaels. (It's only $6.99 on Amazon, if you click on this.) I think I lost about 15 pounds? But then Christmas rolled around, followed by the realization that I was pregnant again, and I fell off the wagon. (and rolled far, far away.)
Unfortunately, I am not one of those women who shrink back to their pre-baby sized clothes and size with very little effort shortly after their baby is in the world. I WISH! I have also heard that breastfeeding is a miracle weight loss plan... NOT true in my case. Much of my inability to lose weight has likely been due to the fact that I generally don't like to deny myself the tasty treats I so often crave, but still, I wish the weight would just come off on it's own.
I had been planning on getting back onto the calorie counting/Shred train, but after talking with a friend of mine (Thanks Jamie!) I thought I would give Weight Watchers a try. WW has an online program that you can purchase for considerably cheaper than their regular program (about $20/month) but I lucked out and got in on a promotional deal where I only paid about $5/month for 6 months. I don't go to any meetings, which I am glad for because I wasn't looking for another appointment in my week to commit to. I use the online program to track the food I eat on the WW points system which I find WAY easier to do than calorie counting. WW points are calculated based on the fat, carbs, fibre and protein in a food, but almost all fruits and veggies are completely free of points. There is a handy-dandy WW app for smartphones that makes tracking food super easy. I can even use it while I'm grocery shopping and punch in the fat, carbs, etc. to calculate how many points a product would be.
On the Weight Watchers plan, I have a daily allowance of food points as well as a weekly allowance of points that I am encouraged to eat. The program accounts for the fact that I'm breastfeeding, and also awards additional points when I exercise. It has been fairly easy to follow... although I do miss those thick pieces of banana bread with butter...
I had also planned to start doing the Shred again, but I have found it difficult to find time to exercise in our home. I now have TWO busy kiddos and on the rare occasion that I am able to get them on the same afternoon nap schedule, things like: cleaning, laundry, making dinner often trump that plan. So, I needed a new plan.
Currently, I am enrolled in an hour-long Zumba session two evenings each week. I had never done Zumba before, but I am really enjoying it! Zumba is offered in Dalmeny which makes it easy for me to zip there and back home without taking up too much time. I would definitely not say I am a good dancer, but it's a fun workout and an hour goes by really quickly!
I also try to make it to the Shaw Centre to work out with a friend of mine as much as we can; weekly when possible. They offer several fitness classes and when our timing's off, they have a great gym. Also, I don't think I can say enough about their childcare! I tote my kiddos there and for $4.50/hr, my precious little ones play in a safe facility, being cared for by capable, middle-aged women who are mothers themselves. It is wonderful.
So... now I have a few other "aids" that I have been using on this journey... I expect that some of you who read this will think it's hokey, and that's okay. I'm a girl who likes to employ multiple strategies to get results; some of which MAY be unnecessary, but I AM seeing results!!! :)
A month and a half ago-ish, Groupon gave me a $10 off voucher that I had to use with in three days. I love Groupon, so I HAVE to find a way to use my voucher, right? ;) Anyway, there wasn't much catching my eye on the list of offers they had on during that time, except a Fat Burning Lemonade that piqued my interest. I like lemonade, and I like burning fat. It seemed like we could be well matched. I quickly googled any reviews I could find on the lemonade, and while I wasn't convinced it would be a miracle weightloss product, there was nothing harmful (ephedrine, excess caffeine, etc.) that raised any red flags. With my Groupon voucher, I could get a month's worth for $19, so I thought, what the heck. ;)
While I was perusing the reviews for the lemonade, a different product kept coming up and catching my eye. The Flex Belt had many positive reviews and made claims that it could help to tone your tummy/ strengthen your core in just weeks. Sounds good, right? I thought so. The negative reviews were generally about cost, upkeep (you need to replace gel pads periodically) and breakdowns, but NO ONE said the belt didn't work. I was intrigued. The idea that I could tighten my tummy without doing a bazillion crunches, was appealing. I bought it.
The belt causes your abdominal muscles to contract by sending an electronic pulse. It's an interesting sensation, but I got used to it quickly. You can set the intensity of the pulse, but the higher you set it, the more results you see. I set that sucker high. I LOVE the belt. I've been using it for more than two weeks now, and I can feel and see the difference it's making in my midsection. The Flex Belt is not a weight loss solution, but coupled with eating properly and other exercise, it's provided me with a way to strengthen/tone my core while I am in the kitchen prepping food, folding laundry, chasing kids, you name it. Some may say I'm cheating, but trust me, I've been working hard!!!
As I have been losing belly fat, the stretched skin around my belly button is sagging more and I have a lovely flap over my incision scar from my c-section. So sexy. :( I plan on trying out the IT WORKS wrap to see if it can help tighten up that skin. I'm going to let my belt work it's magic for another week or two and then give it a shot. Their wraps make some pretty big claims and I am going to test them out for myself.
Sooo... you think I have the word "SUCKER" plastered to my forehead? Perhaps, but I like to have a plan of action. So far, I'm happy with the transformation I'm seeing. I still have many evenings where I want to eat a bag of chips so bad, I salivate at the mere thought!
AND... here it is. The big before/after pic. I didn't want to call it an AFTER pic, because I'm not done, but it's milestone and it feels good. :) I put on the same outfit for a good comparison. The August pic was Lena's dedication. I realize that I have a weird expression on my face...
I'm going to keep on keepin' on and hopefully I can drop another 15-20 lbs.
