16 weeks postpartum

Making progress and I am happy with where I am...especially for less than 4 months out. BUT I still have toning to do and a few pounds to lose to be where I ultimately want to be. Considering how lenient I've been with my eating, I am very happy with my progress here:

	Weight	Body fat %	Waist	Hips	Thigh	Arm	Upper Thigh
4/21/14	135	25	31	38	19	9.5
5/3/14	133	24.2	30	37 ¼	18 ½	9
5/18/14	132	24.2	28 ¼	36 ¾	18 ¼	9 ¼
5/24/14	129	23.3	28	36 ½	18	9 ¼
6/4/14	135	24.2	28 ½	37	18 ¼	9 ½	21
6/13/14	127	23.1	28	36 ¼	18	9 ½	20 ¼
6/28/14	126	22.3	27 ¾	36	18	9 ½	20

I am starting an Advocare 14 day Summer Shape Up tomorrow, so hopefully that will help build muscle. I will be in a swimsuit at some point on our trip to Ruidoso in a couple of weeks and I am not quite completely comfortable yet, so I am excited for more changes before then.

Pardon the sweat...I thought a post run pic would be more beneficial. Ha. Clint already informed me this was cheating! 

Week 14   vs.    Week 16

I am really tired of posting pics of my 1 week postpartum body. Ugh!

1 week     vs.  16 weeks

14 Weeks Postpartum

I feel both very grateful for how quickly I bounced back to looking fairly normal...and like I really took my flat stomach for granted! It's taking work to get it back. But I am happy with my progress. I have reached my pre-pregnancy weight. Yay!!! Do I look the same?? No! I think it will just take time for my skin to tighten up, my muscles to close back up, and all my organs to get back in place. I also read that for a while after pregnancy and breastfeeding, your body is still in "hang onto all the sucrose and fat for the baby" mode. When it goes back to normal, losing weight should be much easier. I feel like my body may have just changed to normal mode. It's feeling a little easier. I think doing Power 3 times a week is the best thing I'm doing though. Lifting burns so many calories, even after the workout. And as muscle builds, that muscle will burn fat. Plus it just makes me feel great.

If I'm going to be honest about my diet, it is not Whole 30. I seriously think I NEED carbs. I have a high metabolism and I really think my body was going into starvation mode and holding onto fat. Plus I would go crazy and then cheat big time! And I really do need carbs to absorb the protein I'm eating and build muscle. I'm still eating mainly protein, fruits, and veggies with one carb a day...usually steel cut oats, whole grain 45 calorie bread, or an energy bar. I'm also having a cheat meal every few days. I feel so much better and I'm still liking how I'm looking and the progress I'm making. And I don't feel so deprived. I am having some diet cokes also :-/ I know it's terrible, but if a zero calorie, zero fat little treat keeps me on track, so be it!

Okay, so here are the results...the chart is updated with where I was last Wednesday when I started my diet again and where I am today. Today I have the lowest numbers of all!! :) I also added "Upper Thigh," which is the part that touches! Ew!

	Weight	Body fat %	Waist	Hips	Thigh	Arm	Upper Thigh
4/21/14	135	25	31	38	19	9.5
5/3/14	133	24.2	30	37 ¼	18 ½	9
5/18/14	132	24.2	28 ¼	36 ¾	18 ¼	9 ¼
5/24/14	129	23.3	28	36 ½	18	9 ¼
6/4/14	135	24.2	28 ½	37	18 ¼	9 ½	21
6/13/14	127	23.1	28	36 ¼	18	9 ½	20 ¼

This week's pictures really don't look much different from the ones 3 weeks ago, but in person, I feel like I looked more toned...especially my legs. You can see slightly less back fat. Ha

Just for fun...

37 weeks pregnant       vs. 14 weeks postpartum 

14 weeks Postpartum

11 weeks postpartum     vs.    14 weeks postpartum 

1 week postpartum       vs.    14 weeks postpartum

Just to note...I do actually get ready and put on make-up most everyday, but it just never seems to happen for pictures because Clint has to take them before he leaves for work ;)

Update

Well, I'm not so sure about the success of my diet. After my last update, I had two cheat meals, and all progress was immediately lost! I was back up to 133. And now after a weekend of eating out out of town, I am still there. I haven't measured, but I'm sure it's worse. So basically I lost about 4 weeks!

I did lose on it, but what good is that if it all comes back the second I eat some actual food?

I'm feeling pretty crappy about myself. I have to get that under control because only I can be in control of that. And my boobs...well they are pretty much As now. That is depressing! I can get skinny and be happy about my body, but then what will happen to them. This is my first Rodeo...maybe they will come back a bit??

I'm on a quest for happiness. Ha. I am happy in every other aspect of life...just not my self image. I think I'll journal and maybe find a good book for that sort of thing...and work out like crazy and diet!

Even with what I said before, I plan to start the Whole 30 up again. I am going to try to do the whole 30 days. That will end July 3, so I can enjoy a little cheat on the 4th. I am planning to stick with it 90% of the time. 100% will be near impossible and if I allow myself one cheat a week, I will be more likely to stick with it. At least I already know that it gives pretty drastic, immediate results, which is what I need to keep me going!

I am pretty close to my pre-pregnancy weight...and SO FAR AWAY from how I looked then and how I want to look! Aside from the weight, I have a lot of toning to do. Cambri and I went and checked out the gym daycare today and I will feel fine leaving her there for an hour 2 days a week. Power, here I come.

Tomorrow is my birthday, so I plan on starting the Whole 30 up on Wednesday. I will update a week from then!