Hitting Our Goal

January 1 was so much different this year than every other New Years Day I've had as long as I can remember. In the past, I have faced the new year with mostly excitement but also some trepidation. New Years resolutions are, in a way, setting oneself up for failure. I am a goal-setter, but I set too many goals that I generally cannot accomplish, so resolutions are a problems for me.

I still remember late December of last year when Shaye told me he wanted to start "low carbing" again. I immediately told him I was breast feeding and so it wasn't practical for me. He was supportive but also encouraged me that if I wanted to lose weight, there was still a way even if a breastfed. From that point on, Shaye was a tremendous support/motivator for me. I slipped up sometimes but he rarely did. He was a man on a mission.

Now a whole year later, and we've learned so much along the way. I've cooked with flours that I didn't know existed--coconut flour, almond meal, etc. I've learned how good stevia tastes, and I've learned portion control and calorie counting like nobody's business. We've used MyFitnessPal to track everything and have together lost about 95 pounds. (WHAT?! that's like a whole person.) For me, this was my baby weight, plus 25 lbs. Shaye lost 60! We are both at the weights now that we were at when we got married. It's such a relief. I'm also relieved just to have actually completed a resolution that I've set out to do so many times. Losing weight is hard, and I know that maintaining our weight is going to always be a challenge, but I'm just so grateful to feel so much lighter and healthier. I now run a 5K 3 times a week, something I could never do before. I didn't start running until the weight was almost off, which is an interesting choice, in retrospect. 

I put on my wedding dress to celebrate the occasion...because, why not? Here's to hoping that I can fit into it for awhile. That is, until I get pregnant again and start this whole rollercoaster ride again. Oh well!