The Formula
Here’s my formula to lose the weight: calorie count + workout
For the last week I’ve been using the formula and I feel great! I feel in control and I know that I’ve on the track to success!
Post Baby Body Issues
Ok, so I have a 14 month baby. Can I still call her a baby?
Anyway, I gave birth 14 months ago and after the initial weight loss of baby weight, my weight has remained pretty much constant. I am the same weight that I was when I got pregnant (144 lbs). My goal weight is 133 lbs (my wedding weight). Now, I know things could be much worse. I’m lucky the baby weight came off through a sensible diet and breastfeeding (currently only nursing one time per day and that will likely end soon). However, it’s TIME to make myself a priority.
For much of the last 14 months my focus has been..
- Caroline
- Breastfeeding Caroline and pumping (especially from Jan 2012 to Dec 2012)
- Work
- Home
- Husband
- ME! (exercise, physical appearance maintenance, stress reduction, etc.)
Do you see that?!?! I’m on the BOTTOM of the list. So between being at the bottom of the list, having MAJOR mommy guilt, and a baby who doesn’t sleep well :/ I’ve been tired, stressed, and a non-exerciser. BOO! None of that makes for a BALANCED or Healthy MEre.
To help make myself a priority and get back on the weightless/fitness train, I’m going to use SparkPeople to help me track.
Talking to Myself
I am 99% sure that no one will read this. That’s fine. I use to get very bogged down with blogging and reading and commenting. I’m not interested in going down that road again.
I’m writing this because while reading old posts, I realized my self-talk was more positive when I was recording my ideas here. I need a place to let my ideas and thoughts lose. I tend to think all the time. My mind seems to be ALWAYS going. Writing makes me organize my ideas and make sense of things.
Currently, I’m living the life that I dreamed of. I’m the mother to a beautiful 11 month old baby and I’m the wife to a wonderful husband. I have never been happier than I am now. And yet in that happiness I have moments of feeling inadequate. I feel that the requirements are greater than I am. And yet, I know that I am a hard-working person who is determined and focused. I can do anything if I truly want to.
Today (while on Winter Break), I worked out, went to a doctor’s appointment, cleaned, did laundry, went to the grocery store, sang, talked to my daughter, helped her discover her body and abilities (she loves being held up so she can stand), made supper and rocked and nursed my baby girl to sleep. It was a pretty good day!
I’m going to bed now so I can get up early so I can do it all over again.
30 Years
I am 30 years and 2 days old. I turned 30 on Sunday. It was far from my best birthday but it was a day spent with Husband and (my beautiful, 7.5 month old) Daughter so it was a good day.
Saturday night I said goodbye to my twenties. I enjoyed those years – going to parties, participating in sorority life, meeting Husband, graduating college, attending grad school, getting engaged, teaching, finishing grad school, getting married, setting up a home, running, moving, obtaining National Boards, getting pregnant and having my baby. I’m proud of what I accomplished in that chapter of my life.
What do I want to accomplish in this new decade? I want to get to know me better. I want to know who Meredith is – flaws and all. Lately, it’s easier for me to just focus on my flaws and short-comings. I think being a mommy has made that aspect of my personality stand out more. I try to do so much – workout, work full time, be a good wife, a wonderful mother and keep the household in order. Each day I seem to fall short in every area. I’m letting good be the enemy of great. This decade I want to love myself more. I know I will always be looking for ways to improve or refine my life – that’s just me. But I also need to be happy in the current state of my life — unmade bed, soft body – though the scale says I have lost all the baby weight, slightly less perky boobs (thanks breastfeeding), semi-homemade meal, ungraded papers, lived-in life. I’d also like to (in no particular order) get back into shape, have another baby, run another half-marathon, run a marathon, build our dream home and be the best wife and mommy I can be.
Balance for MOM
I am a mommy!
Tonight as my hot husband holds my crying 11 week old baby I decided to revisit the blog and reread old posts, something I haven’t done since October. Last May I hoped to have a baby and that prayer was answered. Her arrival was dramatic and scary for my health but she arrived.
Her name is Caroline and I am completely in love. Being a mommy is the best! I have felt a deeper love than I have ever known. I love my husband more, my own mother more and my fellow-(wo)man more.
After 4 weeks in the NICU and 7 weeks at home, I have one more week before returning back to school to finish the year. This will be the best test of my ability to balance so many aspects of my life.
My hope is to use this blog to help me lose the last 7 pounds (and more) of pregnancy weight while balancing being a mother, wife, teacher, daughter, sister and healthy person.
2+1=3
So after many weeks of keeping a BIG secret, it is finally time to share the good news! Husband and I are having a baby!
I will share more updates soon! We are so happy!
MY Husband
I think I’ve mentioned it before but have never devoted a post to it. My husband is an inspiration! He has the perfect workout/diet philsophy. He doesn’t stress or count calories. He eats well, balances his choices and workout religiously.
Here’s the backstory:
I met Husband in November 2003 (we were babies then). I thought he was so cute! He was a big guy (which I liked). I am not some small, petite flower so I wanted a guy with some meat on his bones. During college and writing TWO thesis he gained a little weight. It didn’t bother him and it didn’t bother me. In grad school (poor full-time student, saving for a diamond, eating cheaply) Husband put on a little more weight. It was gradual so neither him or I noticed. He still looked so handsome!
Summer 2006
Once he got a job in January 2007 we both began working out to get ready for the wedding. He lost about 40 lbs before the wedding; I lost about 15 lbs.
Pre-Wedding Party, June 2007
Our Wedding, July 2007
Since then he has never looked back. Being healthy has become his life-style. Each morning Husband gets up to run or incline walk for 20-30 minutes. He eats very healthy and packs his lunch daily, even with countless food-choices near by his work. In the evening he stays buy with home-projects. Nate will have a dessert in the evening if he didn’t have too many sweets at work… BALANCE. He will enjoy a beer if he feels like it is a good choices. He doesn’t count calories or stress but makes smart choices EVERY DAY! He is a perfect, boring example of how to be healthy!
Friend's Wedding, November 2011
Yesterday Husband ran another half-marathon! He finished in 2:07 (13 minutes off his October’s half-marathon time). I am so proud of him! My husband is patient, hard-working and so smart. He is a wonderful example of how to be healthy in so many ways. How lucky am I to be married to him? He is my perfect example of health and balance!
My goal is to be more like him. By better-half makes me better!
