Dinners with Mimi

Me in 2009-wow holy face chunkage

My friend Christy point blank asked me the other day while we were out in the field sampling some lakes how I lost my weight.  She kept saying "well what did you do exactly?"  Her partner Ashley has been struggling with her weight and doing the whole gym thing and not seeing any results and Christy thought I had some magical answer.  

Me last weekend in Austin (May 2011)-wow I have cheekbones.......

Sometimes I forget that I must look different to people that don't see me that often.  When I last worked day to day with Christy I was 210 lbs and wearing a size 16, now I am 180 and wear a 12.  I guess if you hadn't seen me over the last year it must seem like BAM! I must have done something like take a pill or get lipo, or become anorexic or something drastic.

Dinner the other night:  Whole Grain Grilled Cheese, Annie's Organice Tomato Bisque and Organic Raspberries

The best way to answer Christy's questions is that I changed my lifestyle and my way of thinking, well and breastfed a baby for 13 months!  After having Mimi I was so sick of being overweight and frumpy (and I was before having her too) that I made a commitment to eat clean and workout.  Really that's it. When I say that's it, I don't mean to say it was simple.  The answer was simple, the process was not really.  No pills, no crash diets, no anorexia.  I stopped drinking my calories (#1 step to cutting excess calories), I ate foods that weren't processed or filled with preservatives, I watched my portions, and I started (and finished) a 5K running program.  Along the way I learned to battle eating issues like compulsive finishing syndrome and eating when you're not hungry.

Today I'm still overweight (UGH).  I weigh 180lbs and I'm 5'10".  My doc told me I should really be 170 or below.  I am aiming for 170 now, but hope to get closer to 160 eventually. Baby steps.  What's funny is even though I'm overweight still I'm the smallest I've been in my entire adult life.  My diet's not perfect, but I give each day my best by making healthy choices.  I weight myself everyday, not because I'm obsessed, but it helps me hold myself accountable and see when I've overdone it a little food wise.

I want Mimi to grow up and feel comfortable in her own body.  I want her to choose an active lifestyle and enjoy food.  I want to be a healthy mom and good role model for her.  I want to stay healthy and fit so I'm around for as long as the ol' body and mind hold out.

I just signed up for a bootcamp training course.  I did a class thursday and I felt amazing.  Well, two days later I can't cough without my abs screaming, but you know what I mean....I need a  cross-training activity to help me past this brick wall in my running and battle this last 10 lbs.  I started running indoors on the treadmill and the AC helps SOOOOO much.  With luck, by the end of summer I'll hit my goal weight and be stronger and leaner!