Today’s post isn’t about furniture… it is about Me.  And there are 7 other “Me’s” that are sharing their story’s in a linky party all about the Blog Buldge!!

 

Julie of Red Head Can Decorate

BJ of  Joy 2 Journey

Tami of Curb Alert

Claire of A Little Claireification

Kristin of 9th & Mayne

Sherry of Pondered Primed Perfected

Amanda of Mommy is Coo Coo

 

I am happy to be in a place again that I admit I need to take hold of my weight.  I have been a girl who has been down this road a time or two before.  I don’t like to diet- it just sends my brain that sense that I am cheating myself of all the things I love and suddenly I am craving all sorts of things I don’t even eat on a regular basis.  Pure and simple it must be a lifestyle change!!  You have to want it, you have to know there will be bad days and you just dust off and start anew tomorrow.

I have never been obese.  {I do understand that!!} I have been unhappy with my weight several times throughout my life and taken charge.  And after the whirlwind of a year or so that this has been, starting Vintage Charm Restored and blogging… I am well, needing to take back my body and lose the buldge again!!  And so I agreed to join in on this little party of gals who want to some accountability and support!! { I may question that later!! heehee}

Julie over at Redhead Can Decorate {amazing site go see!!} has already shared this last week about her Blog Bulge and so I will give you a little back story on me to start out with!! I am sharing it all… no secrets here.  Again, I may regret that later!! 

I grew up in home that was constantly on a diet… sorry mom, but it’s true.  I don’t think it harmed my self esteem, or caused any damage to my inner heart.  But what it did for me, was to show me that diets don’t work!!  Exercise and eating healthy do.  That weight creeps up on you slowly and just as slowly you can take it off.   Just like “get rich quick schemes” don’t work, either does Lose it Tomorrow!!

I think I was 19 or 20, when I had the worst problem with my weight.   We had just moved back from Louisiana to Oklahoma.  My mom hated it down there and coped through cooking Cajun cuisine.  Roux this and a little roux with that.  I had always been tall and really skinny my whole life.  I was now a size 10- and that doesn’t sound all that bad but it wasn’t what society { he } thought.  I couldn’t lose the weight fast enough.   This would begin a spiral of horrible choices I couldn’t get out of.  I didn’t just purge, I was an exercising addict too!! I walked and walked and worked out and worked out… This went on for 4 years and my parents didn’t even know.  It took being 5 months pregnant to make it stop!! I lost 16 pounds, just in the first 5 months I was pregnant with my son.  It was awful.  I had no control.  I know if you have never experienced an eating disorder who likely are shaking your head, but I seriously want only to bring this up because we all have been a teenager or have a friend with a teenager, or have one ourselves.  There are many resources out there for you to educate your self on symptoms and ways to help someone who is dealing with this.  If I had let my mom know sooner or shall I say ever, she could have helped.

It started with drinking extra water and the fingers in the mouth… but then that wasn’t enough and I used Ipecac Syrup to help.  That was easy to buy and so cheap.  So hear I was eating healthy, but completely unable to keep anything down.  When I wanted to stop, my body couldn’t.  I lost weight, I began to have horrible chest pains, I was killing my stomach and still have reflux and IBS to this day from years of abuse to my body!! My dentist that I worked for actually called me out on it when I had a cleaning by him, he noticed the enamel on my front two teeth were very thin.  I of course by that time hadn’t done it in years but the damage doesn’t go away.

I am now 40.  Yes this is 40.  I have 4 children and we are very active.  I have worked very hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle and promote one within our home.  I don’t talk about dieting or being fat in front of my children.  However, when we moved here from WA and I saw a picture of myself- I about died.  I was someone else.  I learned right then and there that I had become a stress eater!! I ate my way through the adoption process of Mia.  It was like being pregnant for almost 5 years and it had taken an ugly toll on my body!! I hurt, I was fat, and I didn’t like me.  I was 5’9″ and I was almost 190 pounds.  I can’t even believe it as I type it!!  I didn’t weigh that with any of my pregnancies!! 

This time,  I didn’t think to purge.   I knew from over the years what I could do & what would work!! I decided to walk and walk- my baby loved being outside and I knew walking was going to help.  I did also join WW… not so I could have 3 Thin Mints and it was only 2 points but so I could start controlling the portions going into my body and having some way to keep track without all the other crazy stuff… plus their app on my phone is all it took to be accountable.  I didn’t go to meetings… I did weigh in.  I started at a size 12 and I lost 40+ pounds bringing me down to size 6.  I hadn’t been there since before my youngest son was born!! And it felt good.  And that was a complete shift in lifestyles and thinking!! Not a diet!!

I honestly can’t believe I am sharing pictures of me… But my dear friends this was me.

Pre Adoption :  Little man was just 15 months old.

2 1/2 years into adoption process: {me with my dad at my brother’s wedding}

After Mia came home another 2 years later…. {man I was so tired…}

 

And taking control over a year later….

 

It was so freeing to get back to Me!! The Healthy way!!

Knowing I was going to be able to have the energy and strength to keep up with my 4 kiddos!!! Extra weight is heavy and draining!!

Instead of a few chips here and there, I had bowls of fruit readily available, I snacked on cherry tomatoes and carrots rather than something that didn’t have any health value at all.  I learned that breakfast WAS really important!! And I gave up diet coke.  Those cherry tomatoes and carrots weren’t a punishment either.  Your body actually craves healthy when you get healthy!!  I started using bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms as fillers in everything… bonus my kids were now eating more veggies than ever before and diced so small they never know but it tricks your stomach into thinking you are full.  I tend to find what really works and stick with it until I know I am  back on track and in a routine again.  So, egg white scrambles it is.  

Now, I am in an 8.  It’s okay but I have began to see the changes in my body and I just don’t have the energy I did when I was a bit less.  I have a little pudge in the tummy and I want it gone!! Not so I can be some supermodel, because that I’ll never be even thin!! I just want to feel good!! I don’t want my knees to hurt.  And I want to be able to chase that little bundle of Joy you see is just 3!! My family and my health are very important to me!! So, I am again cleaning out the fridge and taking the path that isn’t so easy!! I am stopping the fast food runs because life gets too busy!! I am looking to pinterest for those healthy recipes.  And I am not depriving myself of the occasional treat!!

I know I should step back on that scale and give you a number that I am… but I am at the point in my journey that “the last 10 pounds” have grown a bit and they’re kicking my tail end.  So I am not going to weigh, I am going to judge by what feels good inside these pants of mine… and hopefully get back into those 6’s real soon!!   Alright, maybe I should weigh.

So I am back on Pinterest looking for healthy meals now… I love to cook. Rachel Ray and Paula Dean inspire me.. All of Food Network inspires me.  Next to painting, I seriously love playing in the kitchen!! And I am dusting off the workout clothes and using my membership card I pay so dearly for in my wallet… I will even get that stroller back out and start walking.  

No excuses!! I am in control of that calendar and I have to take health as one of those things that is more important!! So are you with me?? Do you want to join in and be inspired or give someone some inspiration?? 

 

So how about you?? Do you have a way to take back control when you lose it for a bit?? What works for you?  If you have a recipe to share or post that talks about your weight loss journey link up!!  I’d love to have you link up!!  Share the button on your sidebar or in the post!!