Weight Loss: Before & After

Happy New Years!

It's customary for most of us to set plans on losing weight as a new years resolution.  

Personally, in the last 6 years of my life I've experienced a great roller coaster ride of gaining and losing weight.  I might be able to offer some inspiration for those of you who need it.  Otherwise, this will be a heart to heart episode on my blog.  

I was slim before my pregnancies and it took a lot of effort to be that way for me.  I was really conscientious about my weight so I really watched what I ate and was a complete gym rat.  When I learned of my first pregnancy 4 months into my marriage it was a moment of "Hallelujah!  I can eat!"  I ate to my heart's content and I did not exercise.  I adapted to this lifestyle too easily.  After a painful experience of losing a baby, my priorities had changed.  Looks and weight did not interest me.  In fact, I grew comfortable with my extra weight.  I was content being able to eat as I pleased and not having to dash to the gym to burn calories.  I had two more pregnancies after my first.  I was extremely timid about pregnancies in general so I became literal immobile.  I was afraid to exercise, let alone move, in fear that I would lose the baby or do something wrong.  My weight gain brought on several health concerns like diabetes, high blood pressure, and thyroid problems.  My diabetes spiraled out of control and I had to inject large doses of insulin for 3 years.  

It wasn't until my third pregnancy when I had my great awakening moment. I won't go too much into detail, but I'll tell you I was motivated to get healthy and lose weight and nothing was going to stop me.  

It's been 2 years now since this happened, but I'm still amazed by my transformation as I'm sure you'll be too and pretty darn proud!

So, enough rambling.  Let's get to the fun stuff.....visuals!

Way Before: 

Before pregnancies I was 100-105lb.

Before:

These pictures are at my heaviest ever.... ever.  At this time of my life, no one I ever knew recognized me.  I was 188lbs at the end of my 2nd pregnancy, but 140lbs was my usual weight post pregnancies. That's a lot considering my 5'3 asian frame.

 During:
 Lots of hard work and dedication.  I got my eating under control first and I was dropping weight fast.  No fast food, no soda or juices, and smaller portions. When I noticed a plateau, I kicked it up a notch and worked out hard! My husband bought me a treadmill machine and I ran that thing until I was red in the face, drenched in sweat, and steam was coming out of my head!
I started recording my weight loss at 153lbs.

In the course of 6 months I lost about 50lbs.  I lost a couple more pounds since then. There's a couple things that I found to be really effective.  #1 water!  I drowned myself in water.  I drank so much that I had to pee every half hour.  #2 documentation!  Record your weight daily and keeping a food journal may seem so tedious, but it keeps you on track.  I set a realistic goal weight at the end of every month and wrote it down at the end of my monthly calendar.  My goal became tangible and not just some dream I was wishing for.
 Those are the two most important tips that I can offer.  I believe that most weight loss begins in the mind and attitude.  Something went off in my head and I knew some things had to change.  Once I found that trigger, the rest came instinctively.

After:

 I am now healthy and free from diabetes, high blood pressure, and thyroid problems.
It's been a year and a half now and I've managed to keep the excess weight off successfully.
I try my best to eat clean, but I will admit that I have my days.

Health and fitness is a new found passion for me. I like to attend fitness classes, go for a run, and learn about nutrition.  It's entirely therapeutic and refreshing.  I might head to the gym uptight, stressed out, and irritated, but I will come home all sunshine and rainbows.
 Although I don't have a new years resolution to lose weight, I am establishing a new resolution to tone up and keep up a workout routine.

If you have any questions about my diet and workout I'd love to share with you.
Just leave a comment and let me know!

Meanwhile, here are some health and fitness tumblrs that I find motivating:

http://sweatyfitness.tumblr.com
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/fitness%20motivation
http://alessiashealthblog.tumblr.com/