It's been awhile to say the least...

Well, looking back I have not been on here since my first trimester. So the short version of the update is that the rest of my pregnancy went by with no complications and even a speedy labor (4 hours, I have a lot of haters now) and I gave birth to a beautiful little girl that we named Avery! This picture is from when she was 3 months old.

I cannot believe that she is 10 months old already and I have to start planning her first birthday!! She's going to be a very busy toddler, I can tell already. She simply refuses to crawl, she rolls everywhere that she wants to go, it's quite entertaining, but she gets into everything. And she's not even walking yet! As I type she is playing with the leg of my little desk and moving it around. But I can't complain, she's a very happy baby and that makes me happy :)

Onto the weight loss. Earlier last year I decided to try going Gluten-Free as a lot of my problems were also symptoms of a gluten issue. When I first went gluten-free in September I felt a bit better and I noticed that my skin cleared up but I was still getting lots of heartburn and digestive issues. So I completed the 3 months that I had committed to and started eating gluten again. I started with eggs and toast, if I actually had a gluten problem that toast should have thrown me for a loop but I had no issues with it. So obviously gluten is not my problem. I heard excellent things about people losing a ton of weight being gluten-free but in those 3 months I actually gained weight. I was going to the gym and doing 20 minutes of cardio, either the treadmill or elliptical machine, and then weight machines that covered my whole body. I was doing this 2 times a week plus 2 swim lessons a week with Avery. I understand the whole concept of muscle weighing more than fat and all that but after 3 months there should have been some kind of difference. So back to the doctor I went... For a little history, I have been complaining to the doctors for years about not being able to lose weight even when I'm trying super hard. They've done blood work and sent me to an endocrinologist and it's always the same. I have low thyroid and insulin resistance, but both are still technically within the normal range so there's nothing that they can do about it, I should just try to lose some weight. Both of these conditions make it harder to lose weight but we won't help you with it at all. It is very frustrating.

I want to be clear, I am not looking for a miracle pill or a way out. I am willing to do the work involved but I want to be able to see results. I realize that they may not be immediate results but several times throughout my 20's I tried to lose weight for a few months without seeing any results at all. I've tried regular low-fat low-sugar dieting, several different fad diets, supplements, and different styles of working out. So far nothing has worked.

This time I am going to make it different....I'm not totally sure how, but as the joke goes I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I had blood work again on Friday to see if anything is different after my pregnancy. I am seeing a dietitian today, and I plan to start  running as soon as it's warm enough to be outside without the insides of your nostril freezing over. I plan to do yoga and jogging alternately and throw in some hand weight workouts and we had to give up our gym memberships for financial reasons. When my Husband's new benefits kick in I can see if they cover acupuncture, because that is something that I would like to add to my arsenal as well. I already utilize my osteopath and chiropractor as I am still experiencing hip problems. I am hoping that they will go away with losing weight as well.

So my plan for now is to check in on here once per day with a photo journal of what I have been eating. This will be my way of keeping myself accountable. I also plan to make myself daily, weekly, and long term goals. And of course I will include weekly weigh-ins. I don't feel totally comfortable with that part, but I feel this way I am kind of forced to be held accountable.

Monday Weigh-in: 238.2 (ugh, it's worse than I thought)

Daily goals:
Start blog
Keep track of meals
Yoga strength workout

Weekly goals:
Lose 1 pound
At least 5 days of healthy meals
Workout of some kind at least 3 times

Monthly goals:
Get a pedometer
Lose at least 4 pounds
Start the couch-5k program

Long-Term goals:
125 Pounds
Jog for an hour straight
Be a healthy role model for my daughter by creating a healthy life style opposed to fad/yoyo dieting.