Category: Weight Loss

mind shift: you are *not* a work in progress.

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I saw this post, Your Body Is Not Your Masterpiece, floating around yesterday on Facebook, via HuffPo.

I had every intention of writing a post and then, well, life happened. It’s probably pretty obvious that I’ve been struggling to maintain my blog lately … and that kills me. I like to produce [what I deem to be] thoughtful content or just share anecdotes of what’s going on or a reaction to something relevant to my blog audience … but I’m just not doing it. I know I should make it a commitment, but right now I feel pulled in 10,000 directions and the most important two directions are not getting any younger; they’re growing up before my eyes. So … I find myself blogging less. Living more. Continue reading “mind shift: you are *not* a work in progress.” →

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shape magazine should be ashamed

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I’m absolutely appalled by this latest body image blunder I got wind of via one of my fave bloggers, Carla, via Facebook.

Blogger Brooke Birmingham lost an incredible amount of weight (170 lbs!) and was supposed to be featured as one of Shape magazine’s upcoming weight loss success stories. Check out what happened when she sent in her photo: which included her rocking a bikini.

Continue reading “shape magazine should be ashamed” →

progress …

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Since recommitting to healthier eating and more exercise on March 31, my pants fit better, I feel stronger and leaner, and I’m down 6.6 pounds. On my frame, that’s pretty nice. Not noticeable to the eye or enough to drop a size, but still noteworthy.

As of my last weigh-in, I’m 0.4 lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight … and that feels great. I gained 34 pounds this time vs. 25 last time. So nine months on; 6.5 months off (whereas last time, four months off). Continue reading “progress …” →

100 Day Challenge

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My friend (and trainer/Zumba instructor!) created a private Facebook group called the 100 Day Challenge: 100 Days to a Healthier Me. We’re encouraged to post recipes, workouts of the day, photos of us in workout gear, motivational phrases, etc. It’s a great idea and I’m 100% behind it. It’s essentially a three-month-commitment to health and wellness.

And the timing is perfect. As you know, I’ve recently recommitted myself to moving a little more and eating a little better. Nothing earth-shattering or monumental: no over-exercising, no restricting … just awareness and and accountability. Continue reading “100 Day Challenge” →

Weighty Matters

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Confession time: I am human.

OK, I know you already know that, but hear me out. Because for all of the acceptance I’ve come to experience in terms of my own body confidence, I am pregnant and therefore, gaining weight. This is fine — it’s what should be happening, and what I am totally grateful for … believe me, I know how lucky I am to be in this position right now!

But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard some days. See, it seems like everyone I know right now (in real life and the blogosphere) is on an intense weight-loss mission. Maybe it’s summer coming … who knows. They’re dieting and/or ramping up their exercise. They are doing awesome and I’m completely proud of their hard work and efforts — their commitment is infectious.

But while their resistance muscles are strong — and mine WAS strong at one point — it is now weak. I am pregnant, and I simply cannot jump on this bandwagon. Continue reading “Weighty Matters” →

Not Down With The Biggest Loser

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I’ve never been a Biggest Loser addict … I get the whole premise of the show and why so many of my friends dig it, but to me, it has always screamed of extreme dieting/restriction, disordered eating (and thinking) and over-exercising. Considering my history, it’s not surprising I’d feel this way. But I know I’m not alone; a lot of other critics have come out and said similar things.

Tonight I happened to flip the channel to NBC and the contestants had apparently gone home for a short time (maybe a weekend? I missed how long). Watching them sitting there with their families at restaurants agonizing over every single calorie and food choice reminded me of my ugly past … and also why I have a problem with the show.

Continue reading “Not Down With The Biggest Loser” →

Journaling for Success

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This weekend I had lunch with a dear friend I met online through Weight Watchers several years ago. Since then, our friendship has extended well beyond the realms of dieting and weight loss, and I’ve come to consider her a really awesome friend.

We got to talking about journaling and, knowing that — weight loss, maintenance, or gain, I’ve been a diligent journaler — she asked if I still kept a food journal/tracked my Points. Continue reading “Journaling for Success” →

Hitting Home

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A friend shared this blog post, “A Different Way to Think About Losing Weight” on Facebook tonight. Though obviously the post speaks of physical weight, I think the same concepts blogger Andie Mitchell speaks about could be applied to any baggage we might be facing at any given time.

I encourage you to read it in full … it’s beautifully written and I could relate to about 100 percent of it. It’s true, weight loss – and, more importantly, maintenance – is hard! And sometimes we need to visualize it as such. The same way we make sacrifices to take a family vacation or buy a new pair of jeans, when it comes to weight loss, it’s not going to be easy or pain-free. It’s going to suck at times, like the author says. And at other times, you’ll feel stronger for experiencing it. Continue reading “Hitting Home” →

Sick to my stomach after reading this headline

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“Vogue writer puts 7-year-old on a diet.”

Please read the BabyCenter.com article in its entirety … it warrants a complete reading and I can’t analyze it piece-by-piece but couldn’t NOT address it.

One of my biggest fears about having a daughter, in particular, is transferring my [past] food issues onto her. While I’m past the years of overexercising and disordered eating, I’ve shared that sentiment before, and now that Maya is eating pretty much everything, I’m very aware that how I eat/what I eat is resonating with her. No, she can’t rationalize food choices yet –but she whimpers “uh uh” for whatever we are eating.

She loves to eat, and she seems to be growing just perfectly within the same curve as she did in the womb — “on the small side of normal.” Continue reading “Sick to my stomach after reading this headline” →

Halo Effect?

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Did you see this NPR article today, “Gain Together, Lose Together: The Weight-Loss ‘Halo’ Effect?”

Per the article:

The so-called “halo effect” has been shown among people who drink alcohol and people who smoke, as well as those who gain weight. But now, Morton showed a positive halo effect — losing weight. Continue reading “Halo Effect?” →