Finally, I Can Breathe a Little Easier

I have been trying to lose my 3rd baby weight for some time now.  I have religiously gone to the gym since November, hired a trainer in March and have actually stuck to it this time. 

In May, Scott and I decided that we were going to go back to Vegas and I was desperate to be able to go and be in a bathing suit and not be totally embarrassed.  I finally added the missing key in weight loss, a dramatic change in my diet.  I would say that I have eaten healthfully for a while or at least healthier than a lot of people I know.  I rarely order french fries, I eat salads without dressing, I take the buns off of sandwiches and I only allow myself one Diet Pepsi a day. 

When I told my trainer, Brandon, that I had 4 weeks to look somewhat decent I think I scared him because he did not want me to fail but that was an awfully tall order.  He put me on a no carbs after 3:00pm diet.  I could eat carbs only if they came from vegetables or fruit.  Do you know how hard that was?  I normally eat a bag of popcorn every night and here I was depriving myself of one of my few pleasures

Well, I lost 5lbs after one week so I was convinced that this was a good diet.  For 4 weeks I ate deli meat, hard-boiled egg whites, salads (no dressing) and every vegetable under the sun.  If I had a sandwich for lunch, I would either wrap it in lettuce or I bought Flat Out bread which is much healthier and lower in calories/carbs/fat than regular bread.  Even on my cheat days I didn't really cheat because I didn't want to ruin my diet.

So Vegas finally came and I trotted myself off to the pool and do you know what?  I felt pretty good about myself.  I definitely am no super model but I realized that I'm not a blimp either.  The best thing, though, is that I had set this goal for myself and while I'm glad I stuck to it, I realized that I was making myself miserable.  That last week before I left I had no desire to go to the gym and I thought I woud cry if I had to eat one more egg white.

When I got back from Vegas and back to the gym, I told Brandon that I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.  I was pushing myself so hard and depriving myself of so much that I started questioning if it was even worth it.  I was miserable!

I think what I have learned, though, is that weight loss is about 85% diet and 15% working out.  Now that I know this, I think that it will be easier for me to continue this lifestyle.  Of course I still have more to lose, tone and shape up but I think that I have finally found a balance and finally know what I need to do to get those last pounds off.