The Change- Getting Started

I have been approached on multiple occasions by women I know, asking about Matt and I's weight loss. Matt has had a more dramatic result then i have so far but he has more weight to loose. Most people ask " what diet did you?" We don't do anything special or buy anything expensive or take any pills. Two words.... Hard work! Haha. Working out and eating specific meals that were all planned out ahead of time is what worked for us! We were not interested in quick fixes. People want to be thin NOW but thats not how it works. We wanted to be in shape and maintain it for good! We are currently still in the process of getting to our goal weight. Neither of us are there yet! We both still have a spare tired that we are still trying to get rid of! Haha.

So because of  my friends asking me questions and me never having the time to really sit and explain it all, I thought I'd do a few blog post about it. I really hope it encourages other women who have had kids and are trying to feel good about themselves and healthy again!

Her Past

Growing up I was not a "sports" kinda girl. Ever. I was lanky and skinny and never felt comfortable in anything but a one piece swim suit. When I joined a gym as an adult for the first time, I kinda just floated around, not knowing which machine to use or how to use it. I hated running and still do today. I never was consistent and if I didn't see results quick.....I'd give up. I have coasted my entire adult life as a "skinny fat" person. Always leaning on the good genes both my parents gave me, to get me through not working out and eating whatever I wanted. Well, after two kids and getting older, that eventually catches up to you. You can always hide behind your clothes and no one will know you are out of shape. I want to feel confident in a swim suit when there isn't anything to hide behind. Thats my goal.

Her Heaviest: +40 lbs (week of delivery)

     

 2 weeks Post Partum 

6 Months Post Partum ( 3 lbs away from pre- preggo weight)

His Past

Sports. Sports. Sports. He played every sport known to man. He built up a lot of muscle through out high school. Then, he graduated. He found himself discouraged about finding a career. He didn't like what he was studying and didn't like the school he was at. In the mist of all this, he got married. He tried changing his major. Again and again. That discouragement lead to depression. Stress, loosing sleep over school and eating delicious and fattening casseroles made by his new wife, all lead to major weight gain. Here are a few before pics of matt.

His heaviest weight: 293 lbs 2007 

Over the past few years, Matt has been able to slowly get some of the weight off. It wasn't until this February, that he started loosing enough to weight to make him now weigh LESS then he did in high school!!! This is the thinest he has been since I've known him. Since we were 16 years old! Thats amazing! I'm so proud of him!

After loosing 70 lbs 

Changing Together

The change happened February 6th 2013. We joined a gym. We went through our kitchen/fridge/cupboard and threw out everything that wasn't going to benefit us from the inside out. Well, we left the goldfish so our toddler wouldn't hate us lol but we did throw away her fruit snacks. We did tons of research on specific work-out plans and meals that we should be eating. We calculated how many calories we were burning and started keeping a log of exactly what we were eating and how many total calories we consumed on a daily basis.

Sept 2012
Matts weight: 246, Katie's weight: 178 lbs

January 2013
Matt's weight: 246, Katie's Weight 149 lbs

April 2013 
Matt's Weight: 223, Katie's weight 140 lbs

I was hesitant to post our actual weights cause I don't want people to fixate on an actual number. Everyone is so different, depending on their body type and height. There is no perfect number. Our "goal weights" are just general guesses of where we want to maintain but since muscle weighs more then fat. As long as I look toned I don't care what the scale says.

Technically, we are both at weights now that are "healthy" but neither of us have reached our goal weight yet. I have 15 lbs to go before I weigh what I did on my honeymoon (my goal) and Matt has 20lbs to go before he gets to his goal weight.  It's a long process and definitely not one that is a "quick fix". We are doing this the right way.  Calories in/ Calories out. Get up and move. Thats it. It has taken a lot of planning ahead and extra work but we haven't been happier!

My next post will be on our exercises!