the beginning

I really can't say when the journey first began. I remember I weighed a hefty 166 in January of 2007, but by March I was pregnant and there was no time to get that perfect pre-pregnancy body that would be easy to bounce back to. I saw pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever I wanted and in no time I was ready to POP at about 205 pounds.

I dropped about 20 pounds in the hospital and felt much lighter when I came home. But it didn't take long before my 186 pounds of blubber was slopping over my jeans, and the old "I just had a baby" excuse was about the only thing wearing thing.

Picture below: January 5 2008, 186 lbs.And by October 2008 I still had not lost a pound of my baby fat. I was beginning to feel sad and discouraged that even breastfeeding hadn't done a thing for me. I realized it was time to get serious and try to at least get back to my 166 pre-pregnancy weight.

Picture below: October 2008 at the beginning of my official "journey", 186 lbs.

By Christmas I had already dropped about 10 pounds and was really beginning to feel better about myself. My clothes were fitting better and people were noticing that I was thinner. But about the only thing I had changed was my caloric intake. I still had not made a habit of working out (which I would later find to be a crucial part of the equation). Still, those 10 pounds came off fast and I was okay with eating an orange for date night while Greg had a bag of chips.

Picture below: Christmas 2008, 177 pounds
Then school and life hit again and I only managed to lost another 5 pounds between January and August of 2009. These last 8 months of stagnant weight loss have gotten me itching for some serious changes.

Picture below: Last day of school, August 2009, 172 pounds



So Today I begin this blog. I hope to inspire others, record my ups and downs, and give myself a place to journal in order to hopefully have some accountability. I'm searching for any way to stir the pot and keep myself motivated enough to get out of this slump and back on track. I'm not looking to be super Audrey, weighing 122 with abs of steal. I'm just looking to feel good about myself again, and to achieve something that I really want to achieve. I want my family to be healthy and I want to look good in a bathing suit because dang it, I deserve it.


Pictures below: September 16, 2009, 172 pounds.