Losing weight is hard, but it’s worth it!

My One Word for this year was HEALTHY.  Out of all the things in life, I find losing weight the hardest!  THE HARDEST!  Especially as I get older.  Being a mommy to three wild kids is exhausting, and making time for me has been thrown to the side for years!

My beautiful grandmother passed away from colon cancer just last year.  She was one of the most endearing people I’ve ever met.  I have so many amazing memories with her and my grandfather (who passed away a few years ago from Lewy Bodies disease).

What is my weight loss goal and why?

At the beginning of this year I knew it was time to make my health a priority!  As I was doing my morning devotions in early January, the Lord gave me an idea!   I would attempt to lose 79 lbs this year in honor of my precious grandmother Beverly.  She passed away at the young age of 79.

The first thing I did was enroll in a gym.  I chose the RAC For Women.  What appealed to me about this place was that it was all women.  No worrying about creepy guys staring.  I could go and do my thing with a bunch of other determined women!

At first it was hard.  It’s still hard.  But it is getting easier!  It’s getting fun!  It’s becoming my addiction!  I would say the first month I didn’t see much of a change on the scale.  I was building a lot of muscle.  My body was adjusting to this new way of life.

I’m the type of person that likes to see the number go down on the scale!   If I don’t, I get discouraged.  But this time, I told myself not to.  I’ve heard that it takes time for your body to adjust and I knew I just needed to stay disciplined and faithful to my gym commitments!

What type of exercise do I do at the gym?

For the most part I do some classes like Zumba, Turbo Kick, and Pilates.  I mix things up with some weight machines and some of the other cardio equipment.   But the thing that is most kicking my butt is my Power 30 classes!  These are 30 minute classes of high impact work.  It’s a 30 minute complete workout of cardio, strength, and core training.  It’s full of circuit training, TRX, HIIT, kettle bells, and more!

My colonoscopy results:

Last month I had to have a colonoscopy due to some bloodwork results and family history of colon cancer.  They found 6 polyps which were removed, 4 of which were adenomatous.    Adenomatous polyps are precancerous growths in the colon that can become malignant.  I’m 37.  I’m so thankful that I listened to my doctor and my body and went for that colonoscopy!

So, just another reason to get my weight down and get myself healthy!

Another thing I’ve been doing is eating healthy!  This is the biggest thing (for me) that causes me to see the scale numbers drop!  I also have an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s disease (hypothyroidism).  It has always been a struggle to lose weight because of my body desiring to attack itself!  The best thing you can do with any autoimmune disease is to keep your sugar levels in check!  Constant sugar spikes and crashes wreak havoc on your body!

What have I been eating?

I like to describe my eating habits as the Keto diet and Paleo having a baby!  You can check out my Pinterest site and Instagram site for more food inspiration!

A few examples of some things I’ve been eating/drinking:

• hard boiled eggs
• bacon
• whole fat Greek yogurt with some sugar free raspberry jam
• Healthy turkey meat in lettuce wraps with provolone cheese and hummus
• carrots or apples dipped in peanut butter or almond butter
• Heavy whipping cream in coffee or tea with coconut oil (google bulletproof coffee)
• Water with apple cider vinegar “with the mother” – 1-2 tablespoons and 2 freshly squeezed lemon juice in my 32 oz water bottle).  I’ve been attempting to drink 100 oz of water per day!
• not eating a big dinner
• not eating after dinner
• roasted veggies- Yum!  (Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower)
• Sweet potatoes, celery, and onion in a crock pot with some chicken stock
• Steak and potatoes
• Chicken Stir-fry over cauliflower rice
• Taco Salad with salsa and sour cream

I hope I can be of some inspiration to you!  Take it from someone that is not a fitness expert!  Put in the work for a few months and you’ll get hooked!  It just might be what your body needs – a wake up call!  It was for me!  The exercise is helping my mind stay healthy as well.  It’s giving me the energy I need to want to eat healthy and stay focused!

I’m down 17 pounds since January!  I’ll update my journey here each month.

What about YOU?

What about you?  What are some of your weight loss and health goals?  How can I keep you accountable?  Leave your comments – I would LOVE to hear from you!