I started 2019 with the huge goal of losing weight. Last summer, at 1 year postpartum after my second pregnancy, I was focused on facing the emotions and choices I made each day that lead to over eating and emotional eating. I was losing weight slowly, but weight loss was not my focus at the time.
Over the holidays, I gained some weight. Not a lot, but enough that I started the new year feeling pretty blah in the body weight category. Knowing I was almost 2 years from my second child’s birth, I started the year determined to lose all of the weight I had gained during that pregnancy (53 pounds).
On January 21, 2019 I started weight loss challenge through OrangeTheory and lost 8.5 pounds in 8 weeks. I was so proud of all that I achieved during those 8 weeks, especially as I was traveling for work quite a big. I worked out at OrangeTheory 3 times a week 7/8 weeks and focused on eating similarly to the WW CORE program (although I am not a WW member anymore).
As the OrangeTheory Challenge came to a close, I thought a lot about what had made my weight loss a success and in what areas I wanted to improve. I felt really good about my workouts, but I wasn’t sleeping great during the work week. I also felt pretty good about my diet, but I was missing a community. I was super impressed with my results and knew I needed to stay focused on the little changes. I took some time to really think about losing weight for summer and made some decisions on my keys to success.
Working Out
1. After ending the OrangeTheory Challenge, which required 3 workouts a week, I returned to working out twice a week a OrangeTheory. The biggest change I made was deciding to test out only working out at OrangeTheory on weekends. I’m proud of myself for getting up by 4AM during the work week these past 2.5 years, but wanted to test out only working out at OrangeTheory on Saturday and Sunday at 7AM.
2. During the work week, my plan was to workout on my Peloton Bike. Whether early in the morning, after work, or before bed, I wanted to get more rides in during the week.
Diet
1. One thing I learned quickly this year was that I feel best on a weight loss plan/diet that DOES NOT REQUIRE TRACKING! I need to be able to listen to my body, trust what I’ve learned about myself and overeating, and not be consumed with food.
2. I also realize that I need a community. Since WW CORE isn’t a thing anymore, I hated not having a group of women to talk to about weight loss and diet. Sure, I could do it on my own, but when you’re making a lot of sacrifices, its a lot easier when you have friends to talk to.
3. I made the decision to follow the 21 Day Meal Plan for 21 days. I just ended my first round of the diet today and holy crap, I CAN NOT WAIT TO SHOW Y’ALL MY RESULTS TOMORROW!!!
4. I feel really good, and proud, of the sacrifices I’m making to lose the excess weight I’ve carried the past few years. Weight loss is happening slow and steady, but I am not starving myself, I am not binging, and I am not looking for a quick fix. It’s the first time in years I’m seeing real results, results I’m really proud of!
Self Care
1. The first two months of the year revealed that I’m not getting enough sleep. A few weeks ago I decided to get to bed earlier and to stop getting up so early to work out. Let me tell y’all, I feel SO much better.
2. Drink. More. Water…. I love water, but I realized through the OrangeTheory Challenge that I just wasn’t drinking enough. It’s toughest for me during the work day when I’m in back to back meetings.
3. I also realized that I watch too much TV. Sure, I love watching March Madness and Survivor, but making my evenings all about TV left me with little to no time to decompress without technology. I have decided to really reduce how much TV I’m watching.
While it’s ambitious, my goal is to reach not only my pre-pregnancy weight from before I had my son (252), but also my pre-pregnancy weight form before I had my daughter (234). I’m chipping away, but I have a lot to lose over the next 3 months. The adjustments I’ve made post OrangeTheory Challenge are going really, really well! I’m excited for what the next few months will hold!
