Weight Loss/ BEFORE & AFTER

As of today I have officially lost a total of 17 lbs. It's hard to believe because I have NEVER in my life had to worry about weight. I have always been pretty thin. Like most people weight is gradual. For me it was with pregnancy. Like they say, "9 months to put it on, 9 months to take it off". Well as of next week I will have a 9 month old. I am already back down to my pre preggy weight, however I have a lot of adjusting I am wanting to do with my body through weight training & intense exercises. My body changed immensely throughout my pregnancy. Not only has my chest changed from breastfeeding, (sorry TMI), but my hips & legs got bigger because I gained a lot of water weight. Luckily through time that has slimmed back down. It isn't really about a number to me it's more about how I look & how my clothes fit. Skinny isn't my goal, but FIT!

I am so excited to share that I am getting certified to teach a Body Pump class at my gym. I have been going for 8 weeks now & see a HUGE difference in my body thanks to my girlfriend & instructor, Dina. She is going to be my mentor & will be training me here & there before I have my boot camp day which is an all day event where they will test my abilities. This will determine if I pass or not. We have to memorize routines with music & perform it in front of people & also be able to hold a certain amount of weight. I am so nervous but I have never been more excited in my life at the same time.

I have truly used the gym to my full potential since the New Year. I was in a rut. Alot of you mommies out there know what I am talking about. I am home with my daughter all day. While it is the BEST job in the world, it's also the most intense job in the world. I need a break for myself, so what better than the gym. I'm able to put Avery in a daycare class for 2 hours a day. So now I will be able to teach a class & get paid for it, while having her watched for free, with a free membership, all while getting my body in shape. Can't get much better than that! Plus, a healthier mommy is a happy mommy. I want to instill good eating into my children's lives & be a good example.

I have a had a lot of people e-mail me saying they can see a huge difference & want to know what I am up to & how I am doing it. Basically I cut out diet cokes, sweets, limited my carbs, & added water. Diet Coke you ask? I was craving more food while drinking it so had to stop. Ever since I stopped I don't eat 1/2 as much!
...If I am cooking with meat it's Turkey. If I HAVE to have a pasta it's wheat. Anything else is always low in calorie or low in sugar/fat. I always look at the back of labels now. As far as workouts I do a Body Pump class 3 days a week. The other 2 days I do a Boot Camp class. I always do 40 minutes a cardio nomatter what before my classes. I love workout classes because it's like having a personal trainer. You have fun music, friends, & a teacher so you are guaranteed to do it right!

I didn't realize how huge my thighs had gotten, how chubby my face was, & how many pounds extra I had gained with Avery that was going to seem close to impossible to melt away, until I compared these before & after pics I was in shock! I still have a ways to go to get this body tight, but until then I hope this will serve as some inspiration!