Skip to main content

Taking a Maintenance Break : 185

Today vs 6 Months Ago
So, last week was a tough one. I found myself stuck on the same pound for about 6 weeks. Calories were increased to 1600, protein intake was increased, simple carbs were decreased, fat content is limited; workouts were in the midst of being changed up... Everything that I knew to do was being done.

I must express my immense gratitude for the Half Size Me Community here, because these people have been a key part of my journey up to this point and I will continue to lean on them as long as they allow me to seek their encouragement. I posted about my frustration and they responded by reminding me of all the things that I would say to my friend who may be facing the same challenges.

I had to reflect on how far I have come over the last 6 months. So, I am going to share the fact that I am grateful for what my body has done for me. It has given up 65 pounds in 6 months. It has strengthened enough to enjoy my children so I am able to crawl on the floor and be the jungle gym for my little girls as they grow and learn and figure out how to crawl and walk and climb! It has slimmed down several clothing sizes so that I feel confident in my own skin, this has never been the case.

Making it to size M
At the beginning of this journey, I knew that I wanted to reach 150 for my own lifetime maintenance. Last year, though, when I began working out after my first child, I gave myself grace to say, "I think I am going to shoot for 185 due to the natural 'pouch' I will likely have as a mom." Granted, I know now that I AM able to strengthen my core still, but I need to be content with where my body is now. Six months is a short amount of time for my body to drop over 50 pounds!

I am going to give myself grace for a few months in order for my body to find balance here. Besides, if I am not content with my body just the way that it is, there is no amount of lost weight that will ever be enough. I am going to take care of myself right where I am.

What does maintenance mean to you? For me, it is contentment. What does it look like in terms of your health journey? For me, it means the same thing as weight loss. It means making healthy choices and intentional indulgences that are planned and tracked.


Enjoying Vacation


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Plateaus

I would like to take a moment to talk about plateaus. Most of us begin to feel frustrated when we hit them (and we all hit them). I have decided to take the time to enjoy the maintenance aspect. I was initially taking a maintenance break, now I have began lowering my calorie intake again in order to lose. However, I am still maintaining, and that is okay. Here is why: I am healthy, I have no physical ailments that I cannot deal with which might be impeding on the norms of my life. I am strong, I can carry both of my 25# toddlers in my arms up 3 flights of stairs and into their bedroom (or down and into the car) without pausing several times up/down the steps; I can also carry all of my groceries from several stores up and down the stairs without being too winded to put them away after I bring them up. That is a sufficient amount of strength for my current employment ;) I enjoy my workouts! Many people dread the gym or have to force themselves to get their workout in because th...

Semi-Quarantined and Semi-Healthy

We're now in July and just as it seemed our lives were working themselves back into normal, businesses were ordered to close up again (with the exception of outdoor seating and to-go options in restaurants), with no sight upon salons and the like being able to re-open.  Though life outside has continued to fluctuate, we have been able to continue with schedule adjustments and family time. Praise God we don't have outside commitments, besides church and hubby's work. We have been able to keep life pretty constant here and the ability to continue to fellowship and gather together at church has been such a blessing!  That being said, I am joyful in the ability to create consistency in my fitness and health regimen. Everything I have learned from several sources has given me the ability to continue in a downward weight trend and keep up healthy habits that support the goals I have for becoming healthier and stronger.  That's not to say that I haven't had a lot of strugg...

So Much to Take On

There is an unspoken pressure in our society to have it all together and know how we want to contribute to the world. Here's a little secret: nobody has it all together and and it's actually quite challenging to know what you want out of life and how that life is going to contribute to the rest of the world. When did all the things  become something more than simple? Two of my favorite books that I plan to go back to this Fall are Grace Not Perfection and The Simplified Life  by Emily Ley. She breaks down what it is to truly make room in your life and home for the most important things. The funny part is, those things  aren't "things" at all, they are people. People, family, friends, relationships... those are the most important things  in life. So, when my work, my menu, my workout schedule, my chore list all get in the way of my kids, my husband, my family time, my fellowship at church, my friends... That is a problem.  When I was a kid and people a...