I Have Finally Done It!

What have I done?

Four kids and nearly nine years later, I now weigh less than I did when I got married.  As of this morning I have lost a total of 70 pounds.  It is not where I need to be by any means, but it still feels good to reach this mark.

Why have I done it?

After Ezrah was born, I knew that I had to get healthy.  I refused to be insulin dependent at the age of 33.  My children deserve a Mom who has the energy to play with them and is healthy enough to be around when they reach high school.

How did I do it?

There really is no magic formula.  I simply practiced portion control and stopped eating when I was full.  I still eat the same foods I used to eat, I just don't eat as much of them anymore.  I have been trying to walk at least three times a week.  My Mom has been walking with me and that is such a big help.  When she can't join me, I let Noah and Jonah ride bikes while I try to keep up with them carrying Ezrah in his sling and pushing Micah in the stroller.  That has to be the best workout ever!

When will I reach my goal?

Never.  I do not have a goal of a certain amount of pounds or a certain size that I want to be.  My goal is to make healthy choices for myself and for my family everyday for the rest of my life.  I would love to hear any tips you may have on what, why, and how you have made healthy choices in your lives.  This is a work in progress and I can use all the advice I can get!

Diets

We did not make a New Year's resolution to loose weight. Maybe we should have, but alas, we did not. We have however had a change in diet for the entire family that has resulted in a few shed pounds.
Jonah's new and very restrictive diet has changed the way that I cook, therefore changing the way that we eat, and helped Noah to lose six pounds in the past few weeks. (Yay Noah!!) Having to eliminate preservatives has forced us to eat at home and forced me to come up with creative ways to use fresh ingredients.
I just wish that the diet was doing Jonah some good as well. Unfortunately, he seems to be getting worse instead of better and we are going to have to see another gastroenterologist to have some more testing done. At this time, his symptoms seem to be pointing to Celiac Disease, but there are a whole host of other things that it could be as well. His pediatrician put him on another round of steroids this past week, and they seem to be helping his skin if nothing else.
Hopefully we will get an appointment with the specialist soon and get Jonah some much needed relief.