~Under the Big Oak Tree~: Weight Loss (2012)

Hi, friends!

Today I am beginning a new weight loss journey. I thought I should provide some background information for anyone that wants to follow along and read about my progress (I'm sure I'll have my share of stumbles too, but I'm thinking positive right now!) in the next couple of months.

Mini Me...oops I mean Skinny Me, Hawaii 1988

For most of my life I've been thin. Extremely thin. Size ZERO thin. At that time, I wasn't even aware of how skinny I was. I just knew I had a tough time finding clothes in my size. Now, I've gained so much weight that I'm having trouble finding clothes in my size. I've been struggling with my weight for just about 10 years (maybe 12).

I lost a bunch of weight before our wedding (8 years ago)without even really trying. I think there was just so much going on that I didn't think about snacking all of the time. I wasn't as thin as I would have liked, but it was a weight I was happy with. I felt comfortable having photos taken, wearing fun summer/beachy clothes on our honeymoon, etc.

That same year, I slipped and fell on a patch of ice and broke my leg in several places. Healing seemed to take forever. We lived in a second floor apartment and I felt trapped. Joe worked long hours to compensate for the time I was out of work. My parents lived over an hour away. I felt trapped, bored and alone. Needless to say, I was really feeling sorry for myself and ate and ate. What else was there to do, right? I gained it all back...and then some!

It took about a year (maybe a bit longer) to get down to a weight that I was pleased with. I'm pretty sure I weighed less than I did on our wedding day. I joined Weight Watchers Online. I journaled my food, water and exercise using their online tracking program. They also had a great recipe builder that I loved! I also participated in the Weight Watchers message boards. I found great support from a bunch of regulars. Although I haven't been dieting for years, I still keep in touch with one of my WW buddies (hi, Traci!). I can't find any pictures from this time frame.

I gained it all back. All of it! Plus a whole lot extra! I'm not sure how long it took, but I know it took less time to put the weight on than it was to lose it in the first place! Sigh. So depressing. And because I was depressed, I just kept eating.

August 2008 (not pregnant)

When we started to talk about starting a family, I had hoped to lose weight before getting pregnant. I knew it would be healthier for both me and the baby we were planning, but I just couldn't get motivated. I kept saying "I'll start tomorrow" and when tomorrow arrived, I'd say it again.

about 6 weeks before Grace was born

In the beginning of my pregnancy with Grace, I lost some weight. For 2-3 months, I couldn't eat anything. Well, eating it wasn't the problem. Keeping it down was the issue. I didn't weigh myself, so I'm not sure what my starting weight was or how much I lost. My Mom took me to lunch in the beginning of November and then when I saw her for Thanksgiving, she was alarmed at how thin my face was in such a short amount of time. But, by Christmas, I was gaining weight again (as expected when pregnant).

8 days after Grace was born

October 2010, hiding behind Grace (17 months old)

2 years after Grace was born (May, 2011)

So, how's that for unflattering?!
I had no idea someone would have snapped a picture from this angle!
(Thanks a lot, Mary!)

And after Grace was born, I just continued to gain and gain and gain. There aren't many photos of me since I'm usually the one taking the pictures. But as you can see, I try to hide myself on the few occasions I'm in the photos.

That last photo was taken a year ago. I'll have to look through some photos to see if there are any new ones I can share with you.

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January 2nd, 2012 marks day one of my newest weight loss journey. With the help of the other Chicks participating in the 2012 Spring "Chick" Challenge, I will be on my way to succeeding in achieving my weight loss goals!

2012 Spring Chick Challenge:

Guidelines and Goals
January 2nd: Official Introduction and Weigh-In
January 10th: Let's try this again! (0.2 loss)
January 12th: Mid Week Update

There are no more entries for the above challenge. I dropped out part way through. But I've decided to regroup and focus on getting myself in shape! Continue reading to see how how I'm doing on a new challenge ~ Summer Sizzle Slimdown Challenge!

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Here you can follow along as I begin a new weight-loss journey:

Summer Sizzle Slimdown Challenge ~ 2012