A Timeline of My Weight Ups and Downs
I wrote this post in conjunction with The Weight of My World so I would highly suggest reading that before jumping into this and thinking I’m an unhealthy weight obsessed gal with unrealistic goals 🙂
This post is basically just the details of how my weight and body has changed over the last 4 years. I apologize if you find it confusing or hard to follow, but although I’m developing a better sense of body awareness, I have not yet reached the point where I post my weight online for the whole world to see.
Timeline:
In December 2012 we got engaged. We had just moved into a townhouse together and were going to be celebrating our first Christmas living together. In January 2013 we were both unhappy with our weight and had started thinking about wedding plans. When I stepped on the scale it showed the highest number I had ever seen (up to that point). We decided to try a program called Isagenix, which included shakes and cleanses. It did as claimed and by the end of March I had lost 25 lbs. After a few rounds and having great results we stopped with the cleansing, slowed down on the shakes and tried to get back to a normal eating routine. That summer I had my Mirena IUD insertion. We were engaged, not ready for children and needed something reliable.
By January 2014 I was back up my highest weight plus an additional 5 lbs. Our wedding was coming up in 6 months so I needed to do something. I hired a personal trainer, started going to the gym and attending bootcamp classes. By May 2014 I still wasn’t were I wanted to be and so I did the extreme and signed up for the Dr. Bernstein diet. This this program is extremely extremely calorie restricted, so exercise is not recommended. I was too focused though and wouldn’t give it up, so I had to include extra protein on top of the basic program. I think I was probably experiencing a form of anorexia at this time. By my wedding I was down about 18 lbs from January and bought some super cute bathing suits for our honeymoon. After that I stopped Dr. Bernstein and my personal training was over. Slowly but surely things started creeping back up. By the end of the summer I had got right back up to my previous high weight plus another 5 lbs. What a waste.
I stayed there for the rest of the year and then in January 2015 I joined a fitness studio across from my house. This studio was more expensive than a gym membership, but the convenience factor could not be ignored. Even in the dead of winter I was making my way over. I started with Zumba classes once or twice a week and then moved on to try out all of the different types of classes they had to offer. By April I had dropped 5 lbs and was back to my original high weight. We went to Mexico for a wedding and my honeymoon swimsuits were a bit too tight, but I wore them anyways. We were dancing to All About That Bass at the wedding and someone commented that I was a “skinny girl” – it made my day, year and decade to be called that. By this time it was becoming apparent that this is probably the weight my body wanted to be at since I kept returning there. For the rest of the year I hovered within a 5-10 lbs loss or gain here and there, but never dipping below my start weight. By the end of 2015 I was back up to my high weight plus 5 lbs, but I felt great. I was up to 4 classes per week at the studio and my confidence was soaring. Looking back on the photos I really wish I had measurements for this time. Yes my weight was up on the scale, but I looked good and healthy.
I tend to measure time in regards to vacation so next check is in March 2016 when we went to another Mexico wedding. This time there was no way I would fit in my honeymoon swimsuits. I went and bought new ones, along with cover-ups and lose fitting tank tops. I got some compliments on my bikinis (I had gone for some bright and outrageous prints) but I felt super self-conscious at the same time. I had been working out extra hard to prepare for the trip, but my self-esteem maybe decided to stay home. Overall the year 2016 was another big one for us. In the late spring we started house shopping. Our lives were consumed with real estate listing, viewings, mortgage appointments and money talks. In July we found the house we wanted and bought it. All exercise and healthy eating came to a screeching halt. Workout classes were expensive, so I didn’t re-register. We were stressed out and focused on moving and finalizing things and so we ate for convenience. We moved into the house in September but we remained on the convenience train. By November I had gained another 13 lbs and so when Boxing Day sales came around I dipped into my spending account and I bought an elliptical for our home gym. I named the elliptical Norm and told myself he wouldn’t get lonely, but like many home gym additions that didn’t last.
In February 2017 I started a new job and went from being on my feet all day to a desk job. By March 2017 I hit my new all-time high score on the scale. I was officially 20 lbs heavier than when I thought I was heavy back in 2013. I was in denial as to the meaning of the numbers on the scale until I saw a photo of myself. I was huge. My face was round and puffy, my girth was stretching my shirt in a very unflattering way and I hardly recognized myself. I had a little pity party for myself and then confirmed that it was time for a change. I have done the “quick fix” programs and yes they gave me results, but it wasn’t sustainable and each time I rebounded back (and then some). Those programs aren’t something I can sustain long-term mentally, physically or financially. I think I have probably done some damage to my metabolism with trying all sorts of crash/fad diets and I needed to set things right. I decided to join the gym at work and start tracking my food intake again on MFP. A friend suggested I try a FitBook Journal. I had never used a real paper journal for tracking before and decided to try the FitBook Lite – a 6 week journal full of motivation, schedules and goals. The same friend also challenged me to a 12 week measurement goal that was based on inches and not weight. It was exactly what I needed. I was on my way to a healthier me.
I also decided to switch my diet. And not like a diet diet – I stopped eating so much damn refined sugar, caring so much about fat content and making sure I’m getting enough nutrition for my body to thrive and survive. I am already gluten free due to migraines (another story for another time) so I have to watch what I’m eating. Gluten free items often have more sugar than their gluten containing counterparts, so I mostly stick to making my own food and not buying pre-packaged products. I am also trying to mare sure to eat the right stuff at regular intervals (no meal skipping) so my metabolism can repair itself. I often carry appropriate snacks in my purse in case I need something while out and about. This isn’t a diet for me, it’s a lifestyle change. I don’t need all of the added sugar and now that it’s gone I find my cravings have subsided as well. In April I started going to group classes again 3 times a week and a few weeks ago that increased to 4 per week. I can go on my lunch break and it gives me a break from my desk and also means That I have my evenings free for other things. In the days I don’t have a class I either go for a walk or go and spend some time with Norm in the basement. After I finished my 6 weeks with FitBook I slowed down a bit on logging all of my food. I have become much more aware of what I am putting in my body and gotten back to proper portion control. Since the sugar free switch I have lost 17 lbs and 19 inches. I am now 3 lbs away from my original high weight in 2013.
I had my Mirena removed on Wednesday and today is Sunday. Sunday is my weight and measurement day. I’m not sure what the scale said when I went to the doctor on Wednesday (I’m trying to limit myself to weekly weighing), but my scale loss this week was 2.6 lbs and 1 inch – half of which was my bust. I have been averaging 1.5 – 2 lbs in loss per week since the sugar cut, so this week I’m down a bit more. I don’t know if the Mirena removal has contributed or not, but that’s where I’m at.
This week has really made me stop and look back on the last 5 years of my life. I’ve never really been much to write, but honestly I’m finding it so therapeutic for my soul. As I write this post I’m sitting in my back yard with a cup of coffee and my cats and caught myself looking around and thinking how incredibly lucky I am. This is huge for me. I was so concerned that I could plunge into depression after removing my Mirena, but right now I just feel good. Maybe it will change, but I really hope not.
For the mathematically inclined here is a timeline breakdown.
X = Previous Highest Weight
Y = New Highest Weight (Y = X + 20 lbs)
December 2012: Got Engaged
January 2013: X
March 2013: X – 25 lbs
July 2013: Mirena IUD Insertion
January 2014: X – 5 lbs
June 2014: X – 13 lbs (Wedding)
August 2014: X + 5 lbs
April 2015: X
December 2015: X + 5 lbs
July 2016: X
November 2016: X+ 18 lbs
March 2017: Y (Y = X+ 20 lbs)
May 24, 2017: IUD removal (Y – 14 lbs)
May 28, 2016: Y – 17 lbs (also = X + 3 lbs)
The image below is one I came across on Pinterest. I think many of us can relate
Is Mirena Free the Life for Me? 