Weight Loss and Eating Right

I’m excited to reintroduce our “Full Body Detox” series.  Only not.  Because this time it’s more about developing a healthy lifestyle.

My Facebook encouragement/support group is up and running and we’re getting to know each other (again).  We’d love to have you if you’re interested. 

Just type a little note in the comments and I’ll contact you with info.

Last time we all did the Trader Joe’s Full Body Detox for two weeks.  This time, some of us will be starting with that, but some of us {ahem, like me} will just be taking steps to getting healthier.

My friend Kristan is co-leading this endeavor with me this time and has come up with some “getting-to-know-you” questions.  I’m answering them here for you, today!  (I should add, the group is a place of safety and transparency, we’re all there to help and encourage each other…so nothing discouraging is allowed!)

Tuesday:   What is your weight history? Healthy, unhealthy?

hmm, weight history.  I always felt bigger than most other girls.  I was tall.  I don’t have thin legs.  I do have thin arms.  So there.  We all have something.  That’s what I have.  Thin arms.  Then I started having children.  Now it seems like nothing’s thin!!!  NOT ONE THING!

I started running in high school, and eventually just started living a very active lifestyle (after college, my “job” was guiding backpacking trips…I also did a lot of running). My body bulks up when I’m working out, so I was never super skinny, but I didn’t worry about it because I felt healthy.

After my first son, the weight fell off, then I started having to diet for a bit a year after each child was born. After my fourth, I was working on getting back to pre-baby-weight, (the first detox we did) and I found out I was pregnant!

So here I am, I finally have my fifth baby (who’s seven weeks old and cute as a bug’s ear) and I weigh a lot more than I’d like to. I would love to lose about 30 pounds, and I need to get back to my exercise. I’d also like to be motivated to eat healthier… Something I haven’t done since I got pregnant this time.

Wednesday: What are your food-related goals during this “healthy adventure”?

I would love love love to lose some weight.  I would love to lose about 30 pounds.  But I know better than to try to do that while nursing.  At least for me, that’s never been a fit.  I start stressing out about losing my milk supply and I get discouraged because the weight just doesn’t want to come off yet and it’s altogether unpleasant.

So I’m going to say I’d like to lose some weight, but I’d mostly like to feel better about myself.  Fit into some less large jeans.  Then when I wean the baby I’ll worry about whatever weight is hanging around.  And running harder.

That said, I do have some fairly small goals for now:

1. drink 4 quarts of water each day
2. eat two cups of veggies each day, ideally more, but we’ll start with this

Thursday: What are your exercise goals???

Exercise, sweet exercise.  David is now seven weeks old and I think just yesterday the exercise gene finally kicked back in.  It feels good!  I’ve gone for a few walks.  I’ve jumped on the trampoline with the kids.  And I feel free!

Right now my exercise goal is fairly simple: some form of exercise three days each week.

Friday: What are your plans to stick with these goals??? There will be many obsticals that will come in your way how will you stay on the coarse and reach your goals???

Well, I’ll be relying a lot on my FB support group!

I’m also looking at my schedule and working with my husband so we can both get some form of exercise.  And I’ll probably be using some form of food journal as we progress.

Interested in answering any of these questions?  Even if you’re not doing the group with us, feel free to tell us about you!