Beachy Mommy On My Way

[teachermomof2]

My name is Deb and I am a 38 yr old wife and mother of 2 girls that are 2 1/2 yrs and 7 months. I live on a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada. I so seldom really do something for myself as I am busy running around and taking care of everyone else. I decided in Sept of 2009 to take a stand and do this for me! I have done the SB once before after my first daughter was born and right before I went back to work. I only did P1 and I lost 13 lbs that time so I knew it would work for me again!
This time I had more to lose....since Sept 09 I have lost 31.5 lbs. I have not been exercising this time around and I would like to give that some concerted effort in the new year!! I have gone up a few over the Christmas season and then back down again but I expected that to happen with how I had been eating:0
I have to be honest that it has been easier for me to lose the weight this time than any other time I have ever tried.....I cannot tell you why but it has been! I am 2-3 sizes down (from a 16 to a 10/12) from when I started and 13 1/2" down overall! I am thrilled beyoned belief!! I have lost 5 1/2" on my waist alone which is incredible!! I never dreamed that I would have lost this much this fast but it's true!! Emotionally I feel more like myself than I have in a long time...........I know that may sound strange but I felt like who I was on the inside didn't match who I was on the outside. I would walk by a mirror and just shake my head like who is that?? I am much more emotionally stable right now which is very nice seeing as I have a 2 yr old and a baby that gets up in the night. I'm sure they think it's nice too
I keep meaning to put up my progress photos but I haven't yet. The sad thing is that I didn't actually take before pics and I so wish that I had. If you are reading this and have started SB and haven't taken pics then do it right now!! I was just going through some pics the other day and I can't believe how much I had gained with my daughter (~45lbs) and I was fortunate to have been able to keep 30+ lbs of it I will find a pic of myself shortly after I had my daughter and then maybe I will have my husband take a pic of me tonight to show where I'm at now:) We are going to a friends for supper and the evening and taking the kids with us. I am very excited because I love my kids and my friends and this is where I want to be on New Years Eve - with people that I love and care about....there I go again, sniff.
I have greatly appreciated the support and encouragement that I have received on this forum so far and look forward to meeting more of you and getting to know you. Thanks to all of you that keep me focused and on the beach!! I like the name of this program as well because it makes me think of what I might look like on the beach at this point....lol
Someone asked me the other day what my secret was ....................... all I had to say is that I'm finally doing this for me and there's no giving up on me!! (that brings tears to my eyes, sniff)
Sincerely and wishing all the health, happiness and success to all in the new year,
Deb

SW: 178.5 lbs (Sept 7/09)
Minigoal #1: 150 lbs (prebaby weight)
CW: 147 lbs (Dec 31/09)
Minigoal #2: 140 lbs (wedding day/honeymoon weight)
GW: 130 lbs (March 2010 or sooner)

[teachermomof2]

I am thrilled with how I ate today. I behaved myself at the party tonight and everything!! To make sure that I was able to eat well I brought taco salad and a vege tray to the party with me along with coke zero. It was awesome because outside of what I brought there wasn't a lot of other healthy options. There were a number of snack options there but I wasn't tempted at all! It was a very good day:)

[Sarynit]

Hi there and welcome to the journals! Congrats on your success thus far - what an inspiration! Looks like you and I aren't too far off in our weights currently so we can hopefully make some good strides together. I saw your other post on the Biggest Loser Challenge and I'm thinking I'll probably join in with that. Keep up the good work!

[teachermomof2]

Thank you Sarynit for the kind words - I do appreciate it!! I would love someone in a similar position to encourage each other along the way. I will stop in on your journal as well.

Jan 2 was one of my most difficult days on the beach. My baby was up a few times in the night and my toddler was up twice as well. I was up very early and exhausted! My toddler was a crank monster all day - even the two hour nap didn't help! I managed an hour nap so I was a bit better later in the day. I did think about sweets most of the day. The old me would have eaten half a bag of cookies if not more yesterday! I am proud to say that I didn't do that. I thought about it but that was a s far as it went - thank goodness. My eating was a bit off as I convinced my 2 year old to go back to bed and we never got up until after 9. Then I needed to get her and her baby sister breakfast and started for the day so my first meal was rather late (almost lunch time).

BR- coffee, mushroom and sausage omlet
S - Yogurt and water
D - taco salad, beef stroganoff (with a bit of pasta), peas and water
S - veges and dip

I have a hard time with the exercise - I have 2 little kids at home with me and that makes it difficult. I also have a bad lower back, which seems to happen after I have a child Just carrying them around, feeding and carrying the car seat does my back in. I am currently seeing a chiropractor and massage thaerapist to try and get my back in better shape. I have a few strenghtening exercises I do in between as well. I need something that I can do that doesn't tax my lower back. I have a dance video that I tried the other day and that seems to be ok. I don't think I could manage it more than a few times a week but I guess that would be more than I'm doing now

I know that isn't enough (what I ate really filled me up though) but I had a rough day I will try to do better tomorrow.

[loving.me!]

Hi There! I noticed your journal and would love to have another mom friend along the way! I have just begun my sb diet journey--I'm on my 3rd day of phase 1, my first time. I have about 30 pounds to lose, so we're different in that way. But I have two kids as well, one of them 18 mos, one 7 yrs. So I relate in that way and how good it feels to be doing something for ME! I'm loving that part of the diet.

So you're on phase 2 now? I'm looking forward to that and to losing my baby weight.
Thanks for the inspiration!

[Sarynit]

Good job on avoiding those cookies! Its triumphs like that can make all the difference! I have the greatest respect for all you mothers out there. I don't have any kids myself and couldn't imagine having that, plus work, plus everything else life throws at you. I get tired just thinking about it! I posted a question to you back in my journal about what exercises you do for your back - I'm looking for ideas.

Also, what dance video do you have? I have one sitting in my living room I haven't tried yet. I'm thinking about bringing it along on my business trip.

Hope you have a great day!

[teachermomof2]

Welcome loving.me to SB and to my journal. Thanks for stopping in. It's good to have the support of other moms that understand the juggling act we all go through I overall am tring to lose just under 50 lbs and have done 32 so far. 18 more to go! I am living proof that it works if you stick with it!! Phase 1 is more challenging because of the food restictions but worth it all in the end!! Good luck to you and jkeep me posted on your progress

Sarynit - Thank you about the encouragement regarding the cookies..I don't know if I have ever wanted them so much!! lol

Also the is very sweet of you to make that comment about mothers - it brought a tear to my eye.......yes, it is very tiring but you do what it takes for your kids!!

The dance video is made by prevention and is called Dance It Off and it seems ok so far. I have only done it once so I need to do it a few more times to really decide if I like it or not. It has a warm-up, cool down and about 5 different styles of dances you can do in between - jazz, hiphop, ballet, latin and something else?? so you can do it for as long or short of time as you have available. Now for the back stretches - this will be hard to explain well. My massage therapist gave me one that works well for me - she said to sit on a chair that fits you well and bend over from the waist hanging your head between your legs, breathe through it and take it down a bit lower if possible. Repeat 5-10x. I do this one repeatedly throughout the day. Aslo bringing one knee at a time up to your chest a holding and then both knees together (make sure you hold your legs att the back of your knee as to not injure your knees. I also do one more right now - i just sit on the foor with my legs out in front of me (not straight) and bend from the waist to wherever I can get. These stretches have been good for my back and I hope you find something that works for you!!

Take care and keep up the good work,
Deb

[teachermomof2]

Today was a much better day! The kids slept better last night! I was a bit restless but slept ok. We were considering booking a trip to Disneyland with my brother and his family but with my kids at the ages they are and the fact that it would cost us ~$3000 to go for a week or less we decided it was not going to happen right now. I think I will sleep better tonight knowing that decision is made. I did not think about cookies much at all today (I was too busy thinking about Disneyland.)
I was determined when I woke up this morning that I would get some kind of exercise in today and I did!! I went on the recumbent bike for 20 minutes and stretched out before and after. Yay!! My back is still sore so I took it easy but I still did it. My back seems to be feeling better since I exercised, which thrills me!! Tomorrow my plan is to do my dancing dvd. My daughter loves it so that makes it easier for me to fit into my day:)

Today I ate:
Br- a bit of yogurt as we ran out the door for church, coffee (bad Debbie )
S- sf yogurt
L- mushroom and sausage omelet, water
S- too many nuts
D- taco salad, peas, leftover beef stroganoff

I had a good day today!! (And I know I didn't get enough veges today)

[loving.me!]

I'm so glad you got better sleep. That just makes all the difference, doesn't it?

Way to go with the exercise as well! You set a goal and did it, that's awesome. I'm inspired by some of your recipe ideas as well, like taco salad. That's so easy! But I hadn't thought of it as an option yet. I haven't gotten any sausage for myself yet because I don't quite trust myself with it. It's just soooo good...

Yay for you!

[JeffInJax]

Hiya there, i told ya id stop by and say hello. Unfortunately after the 15 other posts i made in the last hour its going to be somewhat small. I really appreciate you stopping by my page though and since you said you know about the no veggies i dont have to poke at ya too much =) Keep strong and will continue to walk the beach together!

[mminch]

Hi Beachy Mommy! Keep up the good work!

I have a two year old and trying to get through an exercise video is tough when she is running around.
I found that if I play my video in a portable DVD player and put one of her favorites (Max and Ruby, Dora, or Clifford) on the regular tv she stays preoccupied and I can get my exercise done.

Sometimes I set the tv to a fun music station (Party favorites) and we just dance our tails off together!

[teachermomof2]

Ok, so I just must say, that I have been reading all these posts from all the people in the US complaining about the weather .................I live in Saskatchewan, Canada!! We Had our first snow in October and then it melted and we got it beofre Christmas again............we will be fortunate enough to have it now until............Marchish, maybe April if we are really lucky And as far as the temperature goes, it was -38 Celcius (-36 F)out here a couple weeks ago, yesterday's high was -15 C (5 F)..........yes, I know it's my own fault for living in Saskatchewan...........anyway just remember chances are your weather is better than mine!

mminch - that portable dvd idea sounds great!! We don't currently have one but maybe I need to take care of that situation for us!
Hello Jeff, thanks for stopping in
loving.me - I love to look at other people's journals to see what options there are to eat that I just never thought of too , I hope you find something that is yummy!
Thanks for all the encouragement guys..............I appreciate you all so very much!!

I had a good day but very busy! I felt like I was running all day!! Ok, so I didn't get a chance to do the dancing dvd yesterday but I will do it today

B- cheerios and coffee
S-yogurt
L- taco salad
S-cheese
D-meatballs, a bit of rice, taco salad and beans
S-angel food cake (but just a tiny piece) and snacked on a vege tray.

We had company over tonight and it was great because I got to dictate the menu! (and I did really well except for the miniscule piece of cake )

I weighed in today and ............down 1 more lb.......yay!! I am thrilled!! This makes the grand total 33 lbs down and 15.5 to go!!

I hope you all had a great day and I feel priveleged to be able to join you on the beach for yet another day
Deb

[JeffInJax]

115 pounds to go?! ill be the first to say you'll be the first 30 pound woman ive met Have a great day!

[teachermomof2]

Ok, Jeff so I got a little carried away!! lol I meant 15.5 lbs to go but I am down another 1/2 pound putting me a 15 lbs to go!! Yaaay!!
I had a pretty good day today. I ate well despite the fact that I had both kids up in the night a couple of times. You know it's bad when I wake my hubby up to get them....well I did last night. He's not home from work yet but I'm sure he will be grouchy when he gets home because the poor dear had to get up with the kids............welcome to my world buddy! Anyway, despite all that I had a good day.
Deb

[JeffInJax]

Nice job on the 1/2 pound loss! I was only teasing when i saw that so no worries =) Keep up the good work, you're doing a great job!