Day 19

Better on the scale this morning but still not the rate with which I had hoped to be losing. I was talking to Josh about it last night. I think I am most frustrated because I never gained when I did this before. But I was following the program formula to a T. I just need to do that. But then we have days like today-- extra trip the the doctor and to get an X-ray, but a car, find paperwork, drive kids all over town in tow while we do those things, clean up two epic little baby pukes, etc!  So sometimes, eating goes out the window. I guess I can say, maybe tomorrow I'll stick to it like a T, but I don't want to disappoint myself if I can't. We'll see what I can do. We'll also see if I can get a workout in before 10:00pm. No promises. 

September 30- 163.3

Breakfast- oatmeal

Lunch- quinoa taco, tortilla chips and strawberries

Dinner- salad and chili

Exercise- no exercise today (other than carrying around a 37lb 2 year old who hurt his foot last night which did a number on my back).  I'm feeling a little guilty about it. But as long as I do something tomorrow, I'll be okay with it. I just don't want to fall out of the habit so quickly. 

Day 18

This weight loss journey thing is always such an emotional roller coaster. Waking up this morning and being up 2 pounds is really beating me up emotionally. I knew that I went off course a little bit yesterday but not that much!  I guess I just need to learn from it and move on. Dwelling in it will just make it hard to find the motivation to keep going. At least I fit into my old clothes. I just like my new clothes a lot more ;)

September 29- 164.4

Breakfast- oatmeal and half a banana

Snack- tea with almond milk

Lunch- taco soup with quinoa and grapes

Snack- apple

Dinner- chicken and tomato sauce with quinoa, veggies and salad

Post workout- pink smoothie

Exercise- day 7 of level 1 30 day shred (I did not want to do this today--AT ALL!  But it actually felt good and it didn't hurt as much and I did more than ever. I think I will be ready for level 2 in a couple days. I also though looked up the food plan that went along with the program. I'm actually not too far off. I don't think she offers anything other than the protein during lunch and dinner which I can't do, but I'm close.)

Day 17

Well, maybe yesterday's revelations would be better suited for today. I think the part about not eating enough is really true. I really didn't eat that much yesterday. I need to stick to the pink formula better, but unfortunately I've all ready blown that in attempting to get 6 of us out the door in time for 9 o'clock soccer games when we all wake up at 8:00. Oh well. I have the rest of the day to make it happen. And maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised in the morning. 

September 28- 162.4

Breakfast- 2 oatmeal banana muffins and chia tea with almond milk

Lunch- quinoa taco leftovers with tortilla chips and grapes

Snack- watermelon

Dinner- taco soup with quinoa and strawberries and tortilla chips

Dessert/post workout- pink smoothie

Exercise- day 6 of level 1 of 30 day shred (still some hard parts but some are getting easier and I'm not as sore). 

Day 16

Even though I'm not down any pound this morning, I can see and tell that I am down inches already. I'm wondering if I actually am not eating enough. But I also know that I am building up muscle and that it weighs more than fat. My other thought is that I really need to increased water intake. I have been really bad about that. I might take the water jug from my car and fill it like I used to. That way I can keep track of how much I've actually drank. We'll see if eating more and more water helps. 

Updated: after I used the restroom, I am actually down. I made sure that this was right a little while later once I got home from dropping off the boys. Glad to see it but I'm glad I had the thoughts that I did this morning. They are true and I need to keep them in mind. 

September 27- 162.2

Breakfast- oatmeal with apples and raisins

Snack- banana oatmeal muffin

Lunch- side salad and chili from Wendy's

Dinner- salad with salad veggies and chicken, craisins, almonds

Post workout- pink smoothie

Exercise- day 5 level 1 of 30 day shred (some was easier and some was harder today but it seemed to go so fast!)

Day 15

Still feeling the positive and negative effects of 30 day shred. I am seeing the scale go down but I am not over the hump of feeling sore. My arms and legs are the worst!  I can also certainly feel it in my abs. It will have to be later today that I get to working out because of a couple meetings I have today. But it's a priority I've made and I'm thankful to have a supportive husband who will help me to find the time. 

September 26- 163

Breakfast- fiber one and almond milk

Snack- sugar free chai tea with almond milk

Lunch- salad with grilled chicken and grapes

Snack- banana oatmeal muffin

Dinner- grilled chicken and veggies

Post workout- pink smoothie

Exercise- level 1 of 30 day shred (not as bad but still hard. I am really sore still in my arms and quads mostly)

Day 14

Here we go again!  Thankfully the weight is going down instead of up this time. I think that the exercise is going to be the key to getting the weight and inches off quickly. I am eager to fit into my old clothes. I am at that weird stage where maternity clothes are too big but my old clothes still don't fit. I actually put on a pair of size 6 jeans yesterday just to see how far I have to go. The legs fit well, but there is a few inches to getting them snapped. It will come-- in time!

September 25- 163.4

Breakfast- fiber one and almond milk

Snack- sugar free chai tea latte with almond milk

Lunch- salad with chicken, almonds, craisins, salad veggies and carrots 

Snack- apple

Post workout- pink smoothie

Dinner- turkey burger patty, roasted vegetables, grapes

Exercise- level 1 of 30 day shred (ouch!!) and 2-20 minute walks pushing the extremely heavy 2 year old and carrying the 9 pound baby in the k'tan. 

Day 13

Ouch!  I woke up this morning feeling really sore. But it's a good sore. Thankfully I know that means that I worked out hard yesterday. I'm actually looking forward to doing it again today. I just need to figure out when I'm going to fit it in. Hopefully I can do it while the little boys sleep and get my middle guy to be entertained on his own for a little while. I just need to make sure I eat like I did yesterday. I didn't start with a pink smoothie this morning because I will have one after I workout and I was really hungry quickly after. I'm hoping that the cereal lasts longer. 

September 24- 164.2

Breakfast- fiber one and almond milk

Mid-morning- sugar free chai tea latte with almond milk

Lunch- salad with grilled chicken and apple

Snack- celery and carrots

Post workout- pink smoothie

Dinner- quinoa taco

Exercise- 30 day shred level 1 (so much harder today but it's relatively short so it's doable. Really excited to see the results in combination with the eating.)

Day 12

Frustrated!!  Not sure how I managed to gain a pound!  This actually means that I am up a couple pounds in a couple days. I haven't been eating bad food but I have been eating portions that are too big. I also think that my dinner last night was very high in sodium. I'm hoping that is the reason behind the higher weight today. 

So, today I am going to do a reset as well as start the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. I've heard great things about it and am hoping that I see the same kind of results. I am going to post my current measurements so I can see the hard numbers. I don't think I'll be able to do the program the way it was intended because I am so out of shape and my stomach muscles are still recovering. But we'll see what happens. Hoping to get the workouts in during the boys nap today. 

September 22- 165.4

Breakfast-pink smoothie

Lunch- chicken breast, salad with salad veggies and carrots, 6 cubes of watermelon

Snack/post workout- pink smoothie and apple

Dinner- quinoa taco, carrots and a couple strawberries. 

Exercise- level 1 of 30 day shred

Day 11

It was bound to happen sooner or later. But it's always disappointing when the scale goes back up. Especially when I know how to fix it. Tomorrow I will start a reset phase and get things really jump started and follow the pink program more closely. I tried to stick to it pretty closely and that didn't work the way I thought. So we'll go with what works. I will also then add in workouts towards the end of the week once the reset is done. 

September 22- 164.4

Breakfast- fiber one cereal with almond milk and sugar free chia tea with skim milk

Lunch-salad with chicken and grapes

Snack- peanuts

Dinner- chicken and veggie stir fry (take out-- not the best choice)

Day 10

Success!  Thankful that I made a mental plan and stuck to it last night. Even after having a girls night with some yummy treats, I didn't eat anything. And it paid off!!  I went to bed last night contemplating doing an actual reset for the next few days. But I don't think it will be necessary right now. I'm just going to keep going like I am right now. I have ten weeks until I go back to work. In order to get back to where I was, I only have to lose 2.5 pounds a week. That feels really doable. It's also supposed to be really comfortable weather so I'm hoping to get out and walk. Here's to another great day!

September 21- 163

Breakfast- fiber one cereal with almond milk and sugar free chai tea latte with almond milk

Lunch- surprise lunch date with hubby!  Qdoba chicken and rice bowl with lettuce, cheese, peppers and onions and chips (just enjoyed the company and conversation with him and tried not to worry about the food)

Snack-apple

Dinner- salad and veggie soup

Dessert- pink smoothie

Day 9

I am hungry today!  I don't really know why, but I'm doing all that I can to fight off the urge to eat all the junk in this house. I've had a lot of weird food today, but I'm okay with it. 

I was also up a little bit today. Not a lot and it could be just because I felt bloated this morning. I may have had too much salt yesterday. We'll see what happens as the week and weekend progresses. 

September 20-164

Breakfast- oatmeal

Snack- watermelon

Lunch- salad, potatoes and green beans (weird-- I know!)

Snack- peanuts (too many), raisins and pear

Dinner- taco quinoa with lettuce and cheese and rice crackers

Exercise- does vacuuming while carrying the baby count? ;)

I'm going to post this now with the hopes that I don't have to edit it later. I'm having some friends over tonight who are bringing snacks. I may have a cup of tea while we do our crafts but I'm hoping that I don't eat anything else. 

Day 8

I knew I would be up this morning and I was happy to see that it was only a few tenths. I ate a lot yesterday. Again, it was all good food choices but my portions were a little big. Oh well- new day!

September 19- 163.8

Breakfast- pink smoothie

Lunch- grilled chicken Caesar salad and apple 

Snack- peanuts and raisins

Dinner- rice bowl from Moe's (chicken, rice, black beans, lettuce, cheese, peppers and onions) and a couple tortilla chips. 

Dessert- pink smoothie

Exercise- a few laps around the block. 

Sometimes at night, I have a hard time resisting the sweets urge. Tonight I chose to indulge in a smoothie. It could have been worse, that's for sure. But I certainly should have done without. I also am struggling with the motivation to make dinners. We still have quite a few leftovers from people but they are not healthy choices. I need to find some good recipes to make that everyone will eat. It's a hard task, but there has to be something. 

Day 7

A week in the books. I meant to measure myself this morning, but all the boys were awake early and it got a little crazy around here. I was able to get on the scale and got a pleasant surprise!  I had a hunch it would happen. That means I lost 5 pounds in one week. I'll take those results for sure!  But I am hoping to get a walk in today even if it means walking to get my son from school and pushing the two littles. It will all depend on what happens this afternoon. If I can't, I hopefully will get it in later this evening. 

September 18- 163.4

Breakfast-oatmeal and chia tea with almond milk

Lunch- quinoa taco (again!  But it's so yummy) with lettuce and cheese and rice chips and grapes

Snack-peanuts and raisins

Dinner- turkey burger, roasted veggies, and couscous

Dessert- yonanas

Exercise- 1 mile walk while pushing the little boys (about 20 minutes)

**I am feeling like I ate a lot today. While they were all good food choices, I'm anxious to see what happens on the scale tomorrow. 

Day 6

Tomorrow is a week!  I can't believe it. The first week always seems to be one of the hardest. And this was no exception!  Although I lost a good amount for one week, it has slowed down and now we are back to reality a little bit. I know that I could jump start it again and do reset, but for now I am going to be happy with no gain and not worry about a loss today. I also have indulged on carbs more than I should have (albeit that they are "good carbs) and have downed a few too many diet cokes. I think I'm going to set some goals for next week and see where that gets me. 

September 17-164.4

Breakfast- pink drink 

Snack- chia tea latte with almond milk

Lunch- minestrone soup and pear

Dinner- quinoa taco with lettuce and a little cheese and a handful of brown rice crackers

Dessert-yonanas

Day 5

Once again, a loss is a loss. Just a little but down this morning. I really need to figure out how to work some gentle exercise into this program. I'm afraid to really start the PINK workouts because they are pretty intense and I am not close to being healed from my c-section. My upper abs are really sore and I keep over doing it and start bleeding again. If the weather would cooperate, I wouldn't mind just walking more to start to build my stamina back up. But we'll see what this lovely Michigan weather will do. I do have a pregnancy DVD that I could use. It has a postpartum component. But it might be pretty late into the evening before I could get to it. 

September 16- 164.2

Breakfast- oatmeal with apple and raisins, sugar free chai latte with almond milk

Lunch- leftover grilled chicken caesar salad chipati

Snack- peanuts and raisins

Dinner-quinoa taco and baby carrots (I found a yummy recipe thanks to a quick Pinterest search--beef, quinoa, tomatoes, and spices. I even added some black beans to boost the fiber and protein. It would have been super yummy with some tortilla chips or on a tortilla but I opted to have it in a bowl.) 

Day 4

Loss is loss, especially after a drastic water weight loss like I had yesterday. I was actually surprised this morning to see that I was down at all. Even better is that I don't think my milk supply has been hurt at all. In fact, I think I have more. The baby only nursed yesterday afternoon every couple hours and he was really gulping at the start of each feeding. I would guess the oatmeal and water helped that. As well, the protein and healthier food choices just produce more. So, we'll see what happens today. 

September 15- 164.4

Breakfast- high fiber oatmeal and sugar free chia tea made with vanilla almond milk

Lunch- vegetable soup, apple, peanuts and raisins

Dinner- grilled chicken ceasar salad in whole wheat chipati (half)

The chipati bread was a big fail for the day, but it is what it is. I really didn't have too much to eat today but i did drink a bunch of water this morning and I'm about to have more now.  So we'll see what happens in the morning. 

Day 3

Success!!  I'm feeling really good about this progress in just a few days. I now remember why I stuck to this so closely last time. The results are there and they are quick!  Excited to watch it melt off from here on out even though I know it will slow down soon. It's still good motivation.   However, I feel very hungry today. I have to find something to keep around here that can curb the hunger. 

September 14- 164.8lbs

Breakfast- High fiber oatmeal and sugar free chia tea (I should have had another pink drink, but I'm hoping to boost my milk supply with the oatmeal)

Lunch- bowl of vegetable soup, apple, handful of almonds

Snack- 1/4 c peanuts and 1/4c raisins, peach

Dinner- turkey burger, couscous, roasted veggies and yonanas 

I feel like I are more than I should have today, but they were all really good choices. I passed up a couple temptations (tortilla chips with lunch and a brownie after dinner) and I always feel so much better after I am able to do that. But I am really going to need to get to the store soon to get some no carb/low carb snack options. I also want to make some lactation cookies and I need to find a way to do that so that it won't blow this whole thing too. But, still feeling good about the progress even though it's only a couple days in. 

Day 2

I woke up this morning feeling really great about how yesterday went. Thankfully it paid off on the scale too. Looking forward to continuing this journey and seeing it continue to pay off. But I know it's going to get hard soon. There are so many temptations. I know I won't always be perfect, but for the sake of my health and to have a better life for my boys I am going to do all that I can. 

September 13- 167lbs

Breakfast-pink smoothie

Snack- apple

Lunch- Wendy's small chili and Cesar side salad with no dressing

Snack- carrots 

Dinner- turkey burger with no bun, roasted veggies (sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, peppers) and couscous

Dessert- yonanas (technically I shouldn't have dessert, but this is a good compromise. It's only strawberries and bananas)

I'm not really following the PINK program exactly. At this point, I should be on reset. Reset for PINK consists of only proteins and veggies except for the pink drink for breakfast. But I don't think my body is ready for that, especially since I am breastfeeding. And the method technically isn't for women who are breastfeeding. But since I'm not exclusively breastfeeding, I'm doing this in a modified way. We'll see how it goes. 

Day 1

Day 1 is underway. I will continue to update this post as I continue to eat throughout the day. But I wanted to post my starting stats before I forgot. 

Starting weight- 168 lbs

Arms 12"

Waist 34.5"

Hips 41.5"

Bust 38.5"

Legs 22"

I also found my old measurements for when I did this after baby #3. It's nice to see where I started and how far I came. At one point I had lost over 14 inches!  Looking forward to seeing that progress again. 

Here is what I ate today:

Breakfast: Pink Smoothie (1 c frozen strawberries and almond milk and 1 scoop vanilla whey powder blended together)

Lunch: Vegatable soup (recipe in the Hungry Hottie cookbook) and a medium pear

Snack: grapes

Dinner: petite sirloin, broccoli and zucchini

Why Am I Here??

Why start another blog??  This is my attempt to hold myself accountable to get back to where I was before this adventure in four boys began.  Well...actually...before the adventure of number 4 began.  Let me go back to the beginning.

In the summer of 2006, my husband and I were so excited to find out that I was expecting our first baby.  We were elated and a little overwhelmed with all that it entailed, especially the idea of being pregnant.  I wasn't really sure what to do other than eat to feel good.  For me, that included a lot of carbs all day long while I was pregnant in order to keep the nausea at bay.  What that also entailed was 45 pounds of weight gain and going to the hospital to have the baby weighing in at 200 pounds!  I couldn't believe it.  Everyone told me that it wouldn't be a big deal because breastfeeding would make it all melt away.  WRONG!  I am one of these fortunate women that gets to hang onto all the baby weight until I am done nursing.  Once I am done, I have an easier time getting the weight to come back off.  I've come to the conclusion that because I don't produce much milk for my babies my body likes to hang onto fat sources in order to provide something for him.  

Thankfully though, after each of the first two boys I was able to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight within a year.  But I ended up pregnant again within a few months of getting back to where I started.  After number 3, I decided to take a different approach.  Over Christmas break of 2011, I happened to have the television on for myself and The Doctors came on.  They were featuring a new program called the PINK Method.  I watched for a few minutes before deciding to research it a little more.  I found their website and was impressed with their meal plans, their philosophy and especially their exercise program.  The exercise was the one component I hadn't really ever integrated into my life when losing the weight before.  

So, I ordered it and got started soon after the new year.  I stuck to the program pretty closely.  I didn't end up doing all of the workout components because it got to be very time consuming as time progressed.  But I stuck to their food formula exactly.  I cut out dairy and sugar and unhealthy carbs and I lost weight...LOTS OF IT!!  For each of the first boys, I always weighed in the 150s when I got pregnant.  The day that I found out I was pregnant with #4, I weighed 135!  I got down from a size 10 to a size 4!  I had never felt better about myself in my life.  

But now, I find myself sitting here holding my precious fourth baby boy and am struggling to get the motivation to do it all again.  As of the morning, I am weighing 167.  I feel horrible, lack energy and feel like I don't even know where to begin.  Well, I know where to begin but I am again in the situation where I don't make enough milk for my little guy and I am afraid that jumping back onto the PINK method will deplete it even more.   But I have set a goal for myself to be back into my old clothes by the time I go back to work which is in 12 weeks.  I don't know that I will get back there completely, but I want to be close.  

So, that's where I find myself.  I hope to use this blog to record what I eat on a daily basis as well as record my measurements.  I did this in a notebook the first time around and it was so rewarding to watch the weight come off and watch the numbers go down on my legs, waist, hips, bust and arms.  I will also record which of the workouts I do (which will be a little modified for a few more weeks until I am technically cleared by my doctor).  So this blog is mostly for me, but if you happen to come across this and want to join me, let me know.  I'd love to have a partner to do this with.  Tomorrow I will post a picture and all the starting stats.  Here we go!