Getting into Shape

So who knew that getting into shape would be so dang hard?! Kidding! I've never really had any problems with the food part of dieting and getting into shape. I don't try to make huge drastic changes all at once because it seems like your only setting yourself up for failure. I make small changes so that I can adjust. I haven't completely cut anything out of my diet. I still have chips but I only put a handful on my plate instead of taking the whole bag to the table with me. I still have "junk" like candy bars, ice cream, and other snacks I just eat smaller amounts less often. I've started getting really good at grabbing an apple, banana, or some cut up fruit when I want something sweet. I've found that naturally sweet things work just as good for a sweet craving as chocolate or candy.

I'm still trying to adjust to no more pop. I drink Sprite now and then-still has some of the calories but not the caffiene. But I've been trying harder to drink water by adding crystal light packets. I know that those aren't always the best alternative either, but I'm trying! I do allow myself one can of pop every few days, just because it is ok to satisfy thatcraving now and then. But I only buy one can. I can't control myself when it comes to pop, which is really odd because up until college all I drank was water. In high school I even carried a jug of ice water around with me to my classes. I used to be a water nut, so I'm trying to get back to that.

In the last two weeks I've lost three pounds. For me that is huge. With my hypothyroidism it's been so difficult to continually gain weight even though I've been trying so hard to lose it the last year. I have to go in and get my thyroid levels checked again sometime in the next week to see if my meds have to be adjusted yet again. Since I started taking meds in May my dosage has changed twice...I started at 50mg and am now at 100mg. I've been feeling really good the last few months and have finally started seeing weight loss so I don't know that it'll need to be adjusted much more.

I hate to admit it...but when I first found out about my thyroid and taking meds I weighed 212 pounds. Never in my life did I think I'd ever weigh that much. Right now I'm currently at 205. 7 pounds lost in 8 months probably doesn't seem like a lot. But I can't even explain how extremely hard it can be to lose weight when you have absolutely no energy or motivation to do it! It goes beyond being lazy, because while I can occasionally be a lazy bum when the mood strikes me I'm not traditionally a couch potato. I chase my kids around almost all day and I take care of the house...not exactly things that can be done sitting down. But after I had Andrew I just had no drive, energy, or motivation to do anything! January 2010 I decided I was tired of gaining weight and I started working out every morning, I changed my diet, and was hoping to see the results that I usually do when I make those changes. In the month of January I gained 7 or 8 pounds. All I could think was...WTF???? How could I have possibly gained weight while dieting and working out?! AND...I was still breastfeeding Andrew multiple times a day since he was only 4-5 months old.

A few months later I finally started doing some research and found I had a lot of the symptoms of hypothyroidism. A quick trip to the dr. for a blood draw confirmed it. And now after doing even more research on it, I've come to find out that it is not uncommon at all for women to develop hypothyroidism after being pregnant. In some women the pregnancy hormones affect the thyroid and actually cause it to swell and either over or under produce the hormones that affect your metabolism. Which completely falls in line with what I dealt with in both pregnancies. Due to morning sickness and a huge increase in my metabolism, I lost 20-25 pounds in the first four months of both pregnancies. Once the morning sickness stage passed, the increased metabolic rate made it difficult for me to actually put on weight. Even though I had a difficult pregnancy with Evan (4 weeks of bedrest and lots of tests and appointments and a premature delivery) I started the pregnancy at 180 and weighed 170 the day I went into labor. My lowest weight with Evan was 160 which I maintained from months 4-6, it drove my OB's nurse crazy. I think she thought I was starving myself. With Andrew I started the pregnancy at 185-just 8 months after having Evan-and weighed 173 the day I went into labor. My lowest weight with Andrew was also about 160, which I maintained from about 4-5.5 months.

Look at the photos below and see if you can actually believe that even with the huge belly, I actually weighed less than before I'd been pregnant! It still shocks me!

Here I am just 36 weeks and 1 day pregnant with Evan...my water broke-at home-just an hour or two after taking this.

I love this picture because it compares my pregnancies. The one on the left is Andrew at just 28 weeks. The one on the right is Evan at 34 weeks and 3 days. Notice the one on the left is BIGGER!

And finally...38 weeks pregnant with Andrew, the day before I went into labor.

I looked like a watermelon smuggler! Lol!

Anyways...back on track. Due to the crazy hormones, the odds are pretty good that I will be stuck taking thyroid medication for the rest of my life. Sometimes in rare cases medication can help get the thyroid working again but in most cases the thyroid has actually been damaged and can't be repaired. However, my family doctor has been so great at helping me with my meds and never gets frustrated when I call the office to ask questions. And once this darn Iowa winter weather is over with, you can bet that I'll be taking the boys on lots of walks to start getting back down to a healthier weight! I am trying and I am very determined to be back down to a more normal size for me, which is usually about 160...I know, I've got a ways to go! But my goal is to be back in shape before we start working on Jacobson #3. And before any crazy rumors start, we haven't decided for sure if/when that will be, it's still in the discussion stage lol!