Progress not Perfection.

I have had a good amount of questions about this 90 day challenge I am participating in, and I am sorry I have not had a chance to answer these questions. My intention was to write a blog post about it, but alas I am RARELY on my computer anymore because I have a rambunctious 13 month old running around. Between playing, dancing, trying to workout, and trying to WORK while being a stay at home  mom, I haven't had a chance to blog. But that's okay. "You can do anything but not EVERYTHING." So I choose to scoop my dear little one up, take walks when we can, attempt an art class (haha- "Rebekah DON'T EAT THE TISSUE PAPER!") - or heck, since I get up many mornings at 5am, take a nap.

So what exactly is the 90 day challenge?

Simple answer: It's a weight-loss/ transformation challenge my gym LIFETIME FITNESS hosts twice a year.

Long answer: It was my challenge to myself to lose the last of my baby-weight and to improve my body fat, by eating clean and also getting my BUTT KICKED at the 6am bootcamp I started to attend at the end of January.

So some of you may have read about my weight-loss journey on my blog before. I like to talk about it here because I KNOW how hard it is after you have a baby to feel good about your body. I was in great shape before I had my daughter, and I didn't expect to feel so horrible about my body. Looking back I realize I was borderline depressed because of the SHOCK of how my body looked. It was the only thing I had an issue with. I felt HOPELESS. I started at a healthy weight and I only gained 35 lbs, and yet after I had my daughter it didn't just fall off for me.

I found myself constantly comparing myself to these Mom's who had lost the weight in 3 months, 6 months, 9 months. And who not only lost the weight but had six packs to boot! Sometimes it motivated me - sometimes it was a depression obsession.

But things are different now. So here is an update! I was up to 159 after the holidays, (I had got down to 151 but stayed there for MONTHS - like 4 or 5 months!!!!!) So with the INSANE plateau, the stress of training for a half marathon (November) I was DONE. I had kind of given up, but also knew I just needed a mental break. I knew after the holidays, and weaning my daughter I could begin again.

And so I did.

I am now down to 147 after A LOT of hard work. Not perfect eating. Not perfect routines. But also NOT finished. Just consistently putting one foot in front of the other. My new year resolution wasn't about weight loss but instead bodyfat and also how many times I work out a week. Being someone who was already working out, my goal is to work out 5 times a week at minimum. I am finally starting to feel like myself again. I can see some definition in my arms, and legs again. My clothes are getting loose, and I can fit my pre-preger jeans over my hips and butt (they don't fasten just yet but I can see that happening in the next couple weeks).

As much as I would like to say I have done it all on my own, that would be a lie. I have to give credit to my trainer Bryan at Lifetime, and my FitFam (6 am bootcampers at Lifetime). I joined the 6 am bootcamp class mid January (with my amazing sister in law) to start the new year off right. I had two "free" weeks of bootcamp, and I honestly told myself I was just going to do the two weeks because 1.) It was at SIX IN THE MORNING and that meant waking up at 5!!! 2.) I didn't want to pay for it, but it would be a great jump start. No I am not cheap, but I don't have an endless budget like a lot of people who work out at our gym. But alas, I did the two weeks, almost passed out and puked the first class, but now I am addicted. I love getting up, getting my workout it, sitting in the steam room at 7:15am and getting showered, home and ready for the day by 8:30. It's a great feeling. I am getting stronger and stronger. I am doing things I NEVER thought I could do nor did I even know existed.

The energy of our bootcamp class is amazing. We are truly a little family. Competitive but encouraging. We push each other, we show up and we work. And it's something that I didn't really know existed for adults - it's the same feeling you have when you are part of a sports team - your teammates depend on you, and you grow a fondness for each other, realizing one another's strengths and weaknesses. I know a lot of people don't think they need or can't afford these types of things, I was one of those people. But it isn't even a matter of cost anymore. I have basically cut out my clothing budget, and some other things, to pay for the additional expense of the class. Why would I want to by more clothes that I don't really feel like my best self in? That's a small example but my point is... it's worth the investment and the sacrifice.

Seriously... "Love your body it's all you have".

That's what I am trying to do. Love my body. Take care of myself because no one else will. YES people will love you, and care ABOUT you. But you must make the most of this life by treating your vessel with the care it deserves. It won't change overnight. I have a long long way to go, but I am on the road. I am in the way of going. I am walking. And I encourage you to just keep walking. I was reminded today after an awesome workout, that tested my confidence and also my strength, that failure is okay... it is PART of becoming successful. Perfection is not a requirement. In fact it can't be. We have to fall, and fail so we can learn, get stronger and be better.

Cheers! Have a great rest of the weekend! Hope this encouraged you! 

Nursing, Weight-loss, & Weight-Watchers.

The response to my last post was so overwhelming. Thank you to everyone for all your encouragement and kind words. I am glad that I could inspire some of you and relate to others. This post is a sort of part two to my last entry, as I am still on my journey to lose the baby weight. I hope this will help those of you also on the post-baby weight-loss track or who will one day be on that path.

Baby girl will be 5 months old on July 6th, and I am still not at my pre-pregnancy weight. WHICH IS IS OKAY!!!!! Ladies - some of us don't lose it in the first month or even first three months! After my last post I was SO close to my goal, but then two weeks after I was on a little mini-vacation and I just ate whatever I wanted. I lost so much motivation (to eat well) and my usual "look at pinterest to keep going" wasn't doing what it use to. Along the way I have looked to other Mom's in the blogesphere to help me keep going. Here are a few of my favorites:

http://www.lindsaybrin.com/2012/01/i-think-im-there.html

http://www.simplysadiejane.com/2013/02/60-pounds-gone-peace-out-baby-weight.html


Something kind of scary (ugh I hate that word) happened just as I was making headway and gaining momentum. As I was trying to count my calories (which I have ALWAYS done in the past to lose weight and been very successful with)  I was A.) exhausted by it mentally B.) physically exhausted. A BIG halt came in this journey when I woke up one morning with the shakes. I was dizzy, lightheaded and could barely lift my daughter. After nursing and changing her I put her in her pack & play and immediately ate some high carb food for instant energy. It took about three hours for me to feel "normal" again. Though my calories from the day before were on target - my carb count was NOT. I use Bodymedia.com for tracking and so I could see my fat, carb & protein (and much more) percentages for the day. I felt very discouraged and frustrated - not sure if I was getting enough calories in general and also not really sure how to balance WHAT I was eating while nursing.

The one thing I found is that YES nursing can be a miracle worker - i.e. I literally ate half a pan of brownies over a 24 hour period and did not gain a single ounce. NEVER in my life could I do that, but I have taken advantage of this in my weakest moments (clearly). Some Mom's also express, that while nursing, it is hard for them to lose weight and they hang on to those "last 5 to 10 lbs". I could totally relate to this. Not because nursing wasn't burning calories, but because I didn't know how to eat while nursing - you truly do need MORE calories, and more of certain kind of calories. Pre-pregnancy I could do low-calorie, high protein eating, but now I can feel my body has different needs. I also noticed that some of the women I looked to for weight-loss inspiration STOPPED nursing around 4 months, and so I couldn't necessarily relate to them and their weight-loss experience. Nursing IS more important to me than getting back into my skinny jeans.

After a breakdown, feeling frustrated, tired and annoyed. I did something I thought I would NEVER EVER EVER EVER do.... I joined weight-watchers. I have been doing WW for almost two weeks and I love it. The reason I joined is because they have a program for nursing Moms and they were having a huge summer promotion. It has been great for me because I am used to measuring and counting calories - so the transition to points worked, and it in fact it is easier. I am not starving, I can have the food I enjoy and it's all on my iphone too since I am doing the online version. If you are a nursing Mom who is having trouble with loosing the pounds try it! I will keep you all updated with how it's going.

Skinny Jeans, Baby Weight & Body Image

The journey to "lose the baby weight" has been interesting thus far. My daughter will be 4 months old in one week, and I only have 6-8 lbs to go to my PRE-Prego weight but really want to lose 15 more lbs since I was about 10 lbs heavier than what I wanted to be before I got pregnant. I wanted to write on this topic because I know how hard it is (now) to feel good about yourself in this stage of life. I wanted to offer a realistic view of what it looks like during this time, and so other woman can be encouraged by this post. Whatever you do - don't give up, and remember The Story of the Little Engine That Could - "I think I can, I think I can!"

Me a week or two before giving birth- Jan 2013 (I maxed out at 178 lbs - which was a 34lb gain my entire pregnancy -this is also my first pregnancy) 

I will be doing a couple posts on this topic because it was very difficult for me after I had her to deal with my body image. Luckily Thomas had two weeks off work and my Mom and his Mom were here to help us with the new baby, and that gave me a chance to shower every morning and do my hair and makeup. Even when Thomas went back to work and all the help left, baby girl had a really great morning nap routine and that is when I would still take my shower and do my hair and makeup. It was the ONE thing a day that made me feel somewhat okay about myself. Even though my face was puffier, and rounder than normal - styling my hair and putting on a face made all the difference.

The most challenging thing for me post-baby was how surprised I was by the 6-weeks of no exercise & & how crummy I felt about my body. I am NOT one of those women who started walking, running, exercising pre 6 weeks. NO NO NO. The one thing I heard from all the women in my life, including my doctor was "TAKE IT EASY". My own Mother was nuts about me NOT using the stairs, as was my Grandmother. It has a lot to do with the pelvic floor, and the truth is we just aren't sure how much damage we do to it until we are older, so the recovery time post labor and delivery is incredibly important. That all being said I hated (with a passion) not being able to exercise.

Here are some pictures from my journey thus far, and how I felt at every stage. I will be posting later on how to dress, and style yourself to feel BETTER during these phases.

The day I gave birth - February 6, 2013 - I was on a high. My body was the last thing I was thinking about. I had a 28 hour completely natural vaginal birth using Hypnobirthing. 

Me 4 days after giving birth - you can see my belly still swollen. At this point the water retention was intense, and I remember putting on that tank top and thinking - "this is interesting", but it still didn't phase me at this point. I was still 10 lbs down from when I was full term. 

Me (& my gorgeous sister in law) 7 weeks post baby. My weight was 161lbs at this point, and I felt gross. By the 5/6 post partum mark I was completely over not being able to exercise. Note: I did NOT eat well during those 6 weeks which is something I would totally change with my next post partum recovery period. If I had not had so many DANG Potbelly Sugar Cookies I would have been in the 150's at that point - but hey! I was enjoying the sweets. To make you feel better there was one day where I think I had three sugar cookies from Potbelly - and those things are 550 calories A POP. The fact that I wasn't gaining made me excited - so I took advantage. 

Okay I hate this picture (I am second from the left)- I about died when I saw it but I am posting it for a reason. I want SHOW other women out there that YES your body does change, your belly pouches, and you may feel crummy about yourself but be patient, and be KIND to yourself.  I know you have heard it a thousand times but here is another reminder: You brought a living human being into this world. You carried a miracle. Genesis tells us that both man and woman were created in God's image, and you know what image we reflect of God? The ability to create life! It is an amazing and powerful, and sacred gift, and we need to be kind and loving to our vessel that carries these sweet children. Even if you don't believe it - there are days when I don't, and I was scared - Your body WILL change back. I am not fully there yet, but even in the past 3 weeks (from when this picture was taken) I see a difference, and my body is changing, and the skin is going back to the muscle, and that fat is melting. 

Mothers Day 2013 - I still have about 10 lbs. to lose in this picture to be at my pre-baby weight

13 weeks post-partum. At this point I have been very disciplined about exercise and I am at 153-156 in this picture. I am also a nursing mother, so learning what to eat, and when has been interesting. You can see how and what I am eating in my next post! 

This is me today - down to 151. Still have 7lbs to go to my pre-pregnancy weight but I had a major victory today. These jeans are my "skinny-fat" jeans. Lol - what are "skinny-fat" jeans? They are the Pre-pregnancy jeans I fit into (at 11 weeks) but also my "fat jeans" - I am NOT in my skinny-skinny jeans yet! Back in 2011 I lost 20 lbs and I looked & felt amazing. I got ride of all my "fat" clothes, and as I was losing weight I bought these pair of jeans to transition (since I knew I wanted to lose more). They are Madewell Jeans and so I didn't want to throw them away when I lost all the weight. So I kept them around. I wore them in the first trimester of pregnancy (when I had put on about 8 lbs), and now I fit them! It's still a tight squeeze but they are totally wearable! This picture also shows my tummy - you can still see there is a lot of work to be done, but it is an improvement from three weeks ago, and from all the reading I've done it takes about one full year (ugh) for the skin to return 90% back to the muscle. Don't get me wrong that is not all skin, I have about 10% body fat I also need to lose, but it all ties into each other. 

 If you are a new Mom, or just had a baby and are struggling with your body image I hope by me "putting it all out there" it has been an encouragement. I think all women (as some point in their life) struggle with this - especially after having babies, but take heart and just keep moving forward. Now that I have been through, and am still going through this, I think TIME does more good for our bodies than any amount of exercise or trying to eat perfect. Keep in mind if you are breastfeeding to be cautious with dieting, make sure you are getting plenty of carbs and drinking enough water. This is not the time to "low carb" it - you can do that AFTER you stop nursing. Remember you are beautifully made and say nice things to yourself - change the inner-dialogue. 

Day 1 - 24 Day Chellenge

Monday April 9, 2012	Day 1
Weight*	142 lbs.
Body Fat Percentage	27.0 %
BMI (optional)	24.9 in.
Chest	34 in.
Tricep*	10.5 in.
Waist	27.5 in
Buttox	38 in.
Thigh*	20 in.
Calf*	10 in.

*Measurements & Weight taken first thing in the morning. Thigh, Calf & Tricep measurements all done "half way" between joints (i.e. ankle to knee, knee to hip, elbow to shoulder).

To measure my BF% and BMI I used this Omron Fat Loss Monitor - This is very useful during weight loss because you want to be able to determine if you are losing FAT. That is the problem I have had in the past. Last year I lost 20 lbs but I did not build the lean muscle I wanted and I did not burn enough fat off my body which caused me to gain 10-12 lbs of it back.



I started this entry with all my measurements & weight information. Oy! It is hard to post but I want to help and inspire whoever I can so I am being transparent here. You can read more about the details of the challenge here : http://housewifewithalife.blogspot.com/2012/04/24-day-challenge.html - It tells you about the cleanse and some of the products.

I have to say eating this way (see below) isn't foreign to me. This is a very "clean" way of eating and how I typically eat and cook - however there is far more protein, and the supplements are something I have never done. The Fiber drink this morning tasted fine but it was very thick and hard to stomach - I held my nose and downed it as quickly as I could. I also have added the OmegaPlex (omega3 supplements) into my routine.

This program uses Advocare products to in addition to diet and exercise. Currently in Days 1 - 10 I am using a Cleanse and also beginning to take an Omega - 3 vitamin.

For more about this Challenge check out Lisa Reed Fitness : http://www.lisareedfitness.com/index.html

Meal Plan/ Food Log:

Meal 1 (9:30am)	1/2c.oatmeal
	4 egg white
	1/2 Grapefruit
Meal 2 (12:00 am)	1/2 c Greek Yogurt
	1/2 Grapefruit
Meal 3 (2:00 pm)	4 oz. chicken
	1/2 c quinoa
Meal 4 (5:00 pm)	5 oz fish
	1/4 c brown rice
	asparagus
Meal 5 ( 7:00 pm)	4 oz. Chicken
	spinach
Meal 6 (3:00 pm)	4 oz. Chicken

Day One Meal One