This post may bore some of you and it may read like a biggest loser transformation story to others but I just wanted to document something I believe has been a major part of my life in recent months. I'm just going to launch right in....
I have drastically changed my eating and lifestyle habits over the last 9 months and feel better than I ever have before. Even when I was a young, fit 18 year old I wasn't this in shape and clean on the inside.
I really struggled when Will was a tiny baby. I was in a new state, had very few friends and had only extended family on Pete's side. I definitely had the
'baby blues.' One thing that I believe turned things around was when I joined the gym and started associating with people who lived a 'clean eating' and exercise rich lifestyle. There were other things that helped me through this period and I have mentioned these on my blog
before.
Don't get me wrong, I still will indulge in a non-healthy treat and occasionally eat a bigger meal than I should but for the most part our home is a non sugary, non processed healthy haven.
Growing up in the Jones household, we ate a lot! Anyone who knows my mum knows that one of her greatest joys is to fill people up with her yummy food. When I say fill them up, I mean fill them up so much they almost need help getting up from the dining room table and have to be rolled out the door!! I also inherited a love of entertaining people, with food being the point of focus. However, I don't quite have the Italian Nonna vibe going on ;-)
When you grow up eating big meals and indulging in regular treats it just becomes normal. I never felt that I was overweight as a teenager/young adult but always was conscious of my pot belly. I could never wear anything fitted without accentuating my problem area and whilst it didn't cause me to spiral into bad habits/depression, it did bother me. I never really knew what to do about getting rid of the excess either. I was quite active with sports but had such a poor understanding of the term "You are what you eat." When I returned home from my mission I lost a fair bit of weight through sticking to a low GI eating lifestyle, combined with regular walking and Pilates but put all the weight back on after Pete and I got married.
When I was asked to be part of a non-controlled group for a pregnancy study on "overweight and obesity in women during pregnancy" I was shocked. I know I was on the lightest edge of the scale for the group (at 64 kilos) but it was still a major kick in the pants! Working full time right up until I was 35 weeks also limited how much time I could dedicate to exercise etc and I put almost 20 kilos on during my pregnancy. I'm making this sound like I was in serious trouble with my weight (which wasn't really the case) but I guess I'm just painting a picture of the small but significant lifestyle journey I feel I've been on....
Will weighed in at almost 5 kilos (10 pounds 9 ounces) at birth so I know a lot of weight was him and fluid. I was so glad to be free of the excess and because he was a big eater right from the word go I was able to shed kilos quite quickly while I was breastfeeding. When he weaned off breastfeeding at 13 months my weight plateaued at 62.5 kilos and I knew I wanted to get into shape and get more energy. The main thing though was that I enjoyed exercise and knew it would be a great way to spend a bit of time for myself and get positive endorphins pumping.
I had been going to the gym consistently for a few months without seeing visible results but I felt happier, had more energy and was enjoying my new hobby. I actually put on a little weight at first due to the muscles building up. It wasn't until I adopted the mindset of "70% diet, 30% exercise that I really noticed changes. I made the comment to a lady on a
health forum I love that "you can exercise like a demon but until you realise that it's basically 70% diet and 30% exercise you just won't get results." With great advice from the instructors and fellow gym members I started eating 'cleanly.' Basically this means eating wholesome, non processed foods. I still followed the low GI principles and limited SUGAR and portion sizes. I have gone from 63 kilos to a much trimmer 57.5 kilos. It's not a huge loss but it has made a huge difference to my body. What is more important than actual weight loss is that I've shrunk. I have lost 10 cms from my hips, 15cms from my waist and 10 cm from my bust (one of the minor downfalls of exercise I guess ;-)
What is more important than that too, is that I feel clean on the inside and have heaps more energy. When I eat treats now I still often enjoy them at the time I eat them but afterwards my body rejects the bad food. I'll spare you the details but I simply have trouble processing sugary, fatty foods and as I said, my body tries to purge the rubbish from my system.
It would be
remiss if I didn't mention Pete's achievements too. He has lost 10 kilos
and is so much more disciplined with his eating habits. He still has a
lot further to come than I do but long gone are the days when he'd eat a
loaf of white bread in one sitting and have take out 2-3 times a week.
Unfortunately, he's quit his gym but I'm hoping when winter is over
he'll get that motivation for exercise back. I know I am struggling with
my eating now it's getting colder and I just want to have a hot milo
and a bickie after dinner :-)
I
have made a lovely group of friends at my gym and they inspire me every
day. So many of them have undertaken MASSIVE lifestyle changes and it's
so refreshing to be around positive, healthy and just like minded
people.
One thing I'd wished I'd done is taken some
before shots and done a comparison. I do however, have a recent photo of
Will and I swimming that I can compare against an older photo of Will's
first swim lesson. The photos are 6 months apart and I think you can
easily see some differences. Hate the first photo!
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| November 2011 April 2012 |
I just want to list the amazing blessings that I have received through this change of lifestyle
- Constant exercise has given me HEAPS of energy
- Made me happier
- Makes me feel more attractive -
- which leads to greater confidence
- positive attracts positive - I have found that my positivity influences the people around me for good
- all these things have made me a better mum and wife
- generally promotes health - limits colds/viruses and other diseases. I have had one cold since joining the gym in October 2011 and it was gone after 2 days...
