High Five for Getting Healthy

Gaining and losing weight has always been something that I have done. It started my sophomore year of high school when I put on 20 pounds from December through May then would lose it over the summer training for the upcoming cross country season. I continued this trend through my freshman year of college then finally broke the cycle when I decided to run my first marathon. 

I was able then to maintain a healthy/steady weight through the remainder of college and beginning my professional career. Into my fourth year of teaching and third year of being married I started the gain/lose weight cycle again and was able to get back on track with training for another marathon.

Then came our Theodore and literally for women that have gone through pregnancy, childbirth, and then breastfeeding your baby for a year or more your body is literally never the same. A woman’s body does amazing things for almost a year and a half of growing a tiny human, giving birth, and then providing all the nutrition that child needs for the first six months of their life. Absolutely amazing in my opinion! Well after Theodore turned a year I knew I had some baby weight to lose and in 2015 I did a 10 week weight lost challenge at my school. In 10 weeks I was able to lose 28.5 pounds 15.7% of my total body weight.

Now after having Brooks I am on this losing the baby weight journey again. When losing the first round of baby weight I kicked it into high gear and began working out six days a week, drastically changing my food intake, and began training for a half marathon. I am a smidge busier now, so I am taking this weight lost journey a little more leisurely. I am currently down 25 pounds since May and have lost 11.9% of my total body weight, but have 35 more pounds to go to get back to pre baby weight. My current goal is 40 pounds lost by Oscar’s and Theodore’s birthdays in November.

You are probably wondering how did Julie lose 25 pounds. Well let me tell you it is definitely different than what I have done in the past.To put it in a nutshell…

• I stopped snacking after dinner/before bed time.
• I am trying to watch my portion size and if I am still hungry I try and eat another helping of veggies instead of carbs.
• I am still drinking lots of water. 
• If I am going to eat desserts/super sugary items I try to do that earlier in the day than later.
• I try to move daily. I have not been able to consistently get into exercising, but if I can throw in a walk or bike ride two or three times a week I do.

That is really it. I think I am going to have to up my game a bit to lose these next 15 pounds, but having a goal to reach is always a good thing. If you have any weight loss accomplishments you have done in 2020 please share them I would love to cheer you on. 

#HighFiveForGettingHealthy

For those of you thinking "Hey Jules what about the baby weight from Oscar?" I guess fortunately or unfortunately for me my body kind of got itself back to pre-baby after less than 6 months. I started exercising 8 weeks postpartum and did a juice cleanse, then returned to the classroom and from there my body physically and mentally just was doing its best to survive that first year without him.