baby lose weight during growth spurt | Before After Success Story Jenna of Small Fry Blog

baby lose weight during growth spurt

Ive been pestering my friend Jenna (of Small Fry Blog) to allow me to post about her weight loss and fit-lifestyle gain for awhile now and she finally gave in!  Shes a mom to two precious boys and looks younger than ever.  Im so proud of her and thrilled that she is allowing me to share her story with you all here.

Not only does she look amazing, Jenna feels better than ever after making some serious changes to her diet and embracing a lifestyle of exercise.  I think there is nothing better than REAL LIFE examples of regular women who are committed to changing their health for the better and then get to show off their results as a testimony to the sweat and hard work it took to get there.

Im motivated and encouraged by her and I hope you will be too.

Here are Jennas BEFORE & AFTER photos and her story in her own words below.  

Ive always been "fit." As in, Ive always worked out at the gym & felt guilty when I ate a whole plate of brownies. I never would have considered myself overweight but just your average size 8-10 girl, 55, 145 pounds. 

I got pregnant with my first son Quinn, and after a miscarriage and some bed rest issues, I found I had gained a solid 45 pounds. No worries though because nursing will FOR SURE take it all off! Lies! (At least for me.) I discovered that my body more easily wanted to hang on to the weight than lose it while I was nursing. I was ravenously hungry and filling myself with anything I could find to stay full and happy! I worked out occasionally, tormented myself with P90X, and wished to be skinnier. I lost everything but 10 pounds by the time another baby was to come two years later.

Pregnant with my second boy Jude, with a bit more experience under my belt, I tried a little bit harder. I definitely was more conscious, and knew that the weight wouldnt just miraculously fall off after his birth. I only gained 30 lbs but with the additional 10 I had held on to previously, I was sitting on a lot of extra weight, and a lot of bad habits. The second he was born I knew it was time to change. 

Initially I signed up for Weight Watchers because they have a nursing program and I actually REALLY loved this program. It was perfect for me, and I got enough food to keep my supply up for my baby but at the same time was conscious of portion control. It was the beginning for me, at the age of 27, of finally being conscious and present in what Im eating. I had never known before this program how much of my eating was out of boredom. At this time I was also working out at the gym quite regularly, doing pump classes or running. 

At four months post partum I weighed 153 lbs and was 26% body fat. At this point I was introduced to the world & culture of Crossfit. As much as it is a trend now, when I started I was one of the only women I knew of my friends who did it, and it was terrifying. I had never put any weight (literally) in strength training & all the olympic style heavy lifts were very intimidating for me. I remember sitting in my car before class, and giving myself a pep talk to go inside. Which is so not like me as Im a very social person, but like I said this atmosphere was so foreign and new to me at first - and completely terrifying! It took one week for me to fall in love with Crossfit, one month to become obsessed, and a couple months to see the difference in my body. Id lost 12 additional pounds and weighed 141 & was comfortably a size 6. I ran a half marathon, excelled in crossfit and generally just felt alive again! 

It was ineviteble for me to be introduced to the world of Paleo shortly after the world of Crossfitting. But of course I was working out harder than I ever had in my life so surely I did not need to adjust my eating :) I was definitely making better choices; oatmeal, whole grain toast and salads but there was something about this challenge I wanted to take on. So I started. The withdrawals were outrageous, and I found myself declining lunch dates with friends because I knew full well I couldnt control myself there. It was a whole new world of lean meats, sweet potatoes, fish, and considering pineapple a dessert. This was when the most change happened, in my opinion. While I only lost 10 pounds in 60 days of being 100% paleo, I lost 5% more body fat taking me down to 16% and lost over 10 inches taking me down to a size 4. I learned to take my focus off the scale, its results could never compare to the leaps and bounds I was making in body fat and inches. Ive never felt better than when Im following the guidelines of Paleo. Its not for everyone, and I now follow the 85/15 rule to allow for some fun every now and then. To me living 85% paleo isnt so much a diet as it is a lifestyle. 

Besides the fact that I feel great in my clothes, (although Im always wanting and challenging myself for more body change. I dont think Ill ever be an "after", Ill never stop looking for ways to challenge myself and improve my health!), Ive found that a healthy lifestyle has made me a better person, wife, and mother. Im happier, more energetic, excited about life, and confident! All these changes result in a happier, healthier home for our family. 

* * * * * 

It can be scary to share yourself so openly in such a public format.  If her story resonated with or encouraged you, please leave a comment so that she knows she has helped someone. - Megan

If YOU have a BEFORE & AFTER success story you are willing to share, please send it my way.  Id love to feature you here!

You can email me at:  honeywerehealthyblog@gmail.com

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pregnancy after weight loss surgery | Parenting Getting Over My Fear of Water

pregnancy after weight loss surgery

Growing up, I spent a lot of time around water. From swimming in the Pacific Ocean to swimming in pools, lakes and creeks. I taught myself how to swim at a young age and loved every moment.

At some point that love disappeared. Well, thats not entirely true. I still love water, but I hate to be in a swimsuit. Maybe it happened in college when I gained my freshman 15+, but I quit swimming. Daniel and I would take trips to the beach and we would bike, comb the beach or kayak, but we rarely got in the water

Then Jack came along and I felt like a change was needed. It wasnt fair to keep Jack from experiencing the joy of the water just because I dont like to wear swimsuits. 

Another issue is that with kids has come a fear of water that didnt exist before. I read articles about kids drowning or secondary drowning and I want to stay far, far away from water. Then there is the fact that I have fair-skinned kiddos... I think about the sun reflecting off the water and the fear of skin cancer creeps into mind mind and again, I just want to stay far, far away.

But the truth is, being a parent brings its share of fears and I cant let those fears deter me from letting my kids experience life to its fullest. So while last summer we only went to the pool twice, this summer I am determined to take my kids more regularly.

Yesterday our small group from church kicked off the summer with a pool party. Daniel and I have two of the youngest kids in our group. Thankfully Daniel was there to help me juggle Jack and Isaac. He spent the whole time in the pool with Jack and Jack loved it. I got in with Isaac for a bit and he was a bit more ambivalent about the experience.

I got teased for having my kids covered in long-sleeve rash guards and hats – not much skin exposed. But to be fair, I had forgotten our sunblock and even though it was after 4pm, I didnt want my kids to get burnt. 

Daniel and I are pretty laid back parents, but pools are one of the few places I am going to have to work on being more relaxed, while also being super watchful.

Heres to a safe summer spent with more time in the water.

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weight loss guide after pregnancy | Getting Fit in the New Year

weight loss guide after pregnancy

Hi all!  I hope you had a beautiful Christmas and are ready to ring in the new year!  Many of us have set fitness goals for ourselves and theres no time like the new year to start turning your goals into reality and your plans into action.

If you want to get yourself and your family healthier in the new year, this blog is for you. :)  Last year, I wrote about Getting Started Getting Fit, Making Time to Workout, Time Management Routines, and Waking Up Early to Workout, all of which will help get you started and on your way to a more fit lifestyle.  (Click the photo below to read the entire post).

Ive also posted my most current workout routine, the Live Fit 12 Week Trainer.  As the name suggests, its a 3 month program that provides specific details about what to eat and when, the workouts to do, and proper supplementation.  I completed Phase 1 and Phase 2 last year and am starting Phase 3 now.  Ill share that last part of the program with you later this week.

                            

                          

If youre looking for healthy recipes, click on "FOOD" under my blog header.  You can start your morning with Protein Pancakes (my son requests them quite frequently) or a Breakfast Egg Sandwich. 

To see how I prepare 10 meals in advance so theyre ready to go for a quick lunch or dinner, you can read Food Preparation Day and then try out my favorite Tex Mex dish (its made with extra lean ground turkey and is delicious!).  Making meals in advance is the only way I can guarantee that I eat real home-cooked (not processed or pre-packaged) food every four hours.  My Protein Brownies are a yummy snack with only about 100 calories.  And Im sure we can all start drinking more clean water.  To make your water more fun, why not keep some Spa Water on hand? 

                            

                               

Finally, Im so thankful to have contributing food writer Jennifer of The Chronicles of Home bringing you healthy recipes every other Thursday.  I especially love her food photography- so pretty!  Check out her Butternut Squash & Lobster Risotto, Black Beans & Rice with Apple Slaw, and Multigrain Buttermilk Pancakes.

                              

To FOLLOW Honey Were Healthy, go HERE.

To FOLLOW me on PINTEREST, go HERE.

   

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weight loss recipes after pregnancy | Flowers Because We Love You

weight loss recipes after pregnancy

When I was in college I lived in an all-girls dorm. One custom of where I lived was that on special occasions (especially Valentines Day) the front desks in the dorm lobbies would be overflowing with special deliveries of flowers from girls boyfriends.

Every special holiday I would trudge by the front desk of my dorm, head down, trying to ignore what I knew wouldnt be there for me. I didnt have a boyfriend for most of my college experience and when Daniel and I started dating, he didnt realize that a show of flowers (at the lobby desk) might be important to me. To be fair, I never told him.

After we were married, one of my aunts told me that one secret to a happy marriage was to let your spouse know your expectations upfront. If flowers or presents are important, you need to communicate that (beforehand). In truth, I dont really care about flowers or gifts – maybe I conditioned myself to not care all of those years ago. In fact, Daniel and I have always had a no gift policy (though I have asked him to give me flowers for special occasions).

Ironically, all of these years later, I finally have a boy in my life who loves to give me flowers just because. Don’t get me wrong, Daniel gives me flowers at special times throughout the year and he is the one that told Jack that they should buy flowers for me because they love me, but Jack loves to give me flowers all of the time regardless of whether or not there is a special occasion to celebrate.

The first time, Jack helped Daniel pick out flowers for me for Easter this year. It was a sweet surprise. He was very excited to tell me that they bought me flowers because they love me. The second time, he picked out flowers with his Nana’s help to give to me when I came home from the hospital with Isaac. Then more recently, while grocery shopping with me he insisted that he pick out flowers for me.

I really do love these little gifts of flowers. Even better are the flowers (weeds) that he picks from our yard. He insists on filling a vase with water and putting the vase on the counter. He is so proud of this accomplishment and it makes my heart feel like it will explode. 

So I didn’t get flowers in the lobby while in college, but I have a husband of almost 13 years who loves me and listens to my request for flowers throughout the year. And on top of that, I have a little boy who loves to give me flowers just because his daddy told him that is one way they can show that they love me.

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post pregnancy weight loss dvd review | Isaac is Four Months Old

post pregnancy weight loss dvd review

I am a day late in posting because we are at the beach. We are crossing off a major parenting milestone of taking a baby and preschooler on vacation. Vacationing with just Jack (and Sophie) has always been relatively easy. Vacationing with one more child in the mix may prove to be more trying. 

At four months old, Isaac weighs 19lbs, is 24.5 inches long and has a head circumference of 45.5cm. This puts him in the 100^th+ percentile for weight and head size and about 50^th percentile for length. So while he may not be tall, he is a big boy. Strangers that see him have told me they think he is at least 6 months.

I don’t know if Isaac will be a thumb sucker, but he has definitely found his thumb and fingers. He is more of a chewer. He won’t suck on a paci, but will chew it if we hold it for him. His hand seems to be of more interest to him though.

Along with his newfound discovery of his hands, he is grasping everything within reach. Including my hair (which is currently falling out by the handful – thank you hormones). He has several toys he will hang on to and really likes to play with his burp cloths. I have also caught him trying to grab food off of my plate if I happen to be holding him during dinner.

Isaac has become more awake over the course of the last month and enjoys swatting and kicking at the toys on his mobile. He still hasn’t rolled over, but can sit up assisted in my lap or a little chair we have for him. For having such a big head, he has very good head control.

Like his big brother, he is a happy spitter. I get spit up on constantly. Whenever this happens, I tend to jokingly (sarcastically?) say “Thank you for the present.” Jack is very confused by my statements of gratitude. I don’t know how to explain to my 3.5 year old that sometimes I joke to keep from crying.

Isaac has the sweetest little grin. Though often that grin proceeds a big spit up. While nursing, he will look up at me with his big blue eyes, grin really big and then upchuck. The other day Daniel was holding him and he grinned and I told Daniel he was about to spew. Im not sure if Daniel believed me until Isaac proved me right and spit up everywhere. At least I am pretty in tune with when this will happen and can typically catch most of it with a burp cloth.

Over the course of the last month Isaac will snuggle up close to my face and give me a nice open-mouth kiss on the cheek. Im not sure what his intent is, but it is pretty funny.

Our littlest guy has been babbling a ton over the last month. There are several times a day that he really gets going. One of the best parts of our day is when we put Jack to bed. As we read our bed time stories and sing songs and pray with Jack, Isaac talks up a storm. It is almost like he is trying to talk over us. The song "If Youre Happy and You Know It" really gets him grinning as well as talking. It is such a sweet time to spend as a family every day.

Isaac is currently sleeping 6-8 hours at night. Right now he will (thankfully) go back to sleep after his 5:30am feeding so I am getting some rest. I still feel like a bit of a zombie in the mornings, but the longer stretches at night are a much needed change for me.

We continue to be enamored with our little guy. Our Pediatrician says we can start him on solids now... Im not so sure. I think we will still hold out for the six month mark since he is growing so steadily from nursing.

*As with Jack, I will be posting monthly updates of Isaac on a quilt (inherited from my Grandma), next to a yellow Tonka truck (a toy from Daniels childhood). 
Isaac at One Month  |  Isaac at Two Months  |  Isaac at Three Months

A Look Back: 
Jack at One Month  |  Jack at Two Months  |  Jack at Three Months  |   Jack at Four Months
(We used a quilt from Daniels family for the Jack photos, along wit the Tonka truck from Daniels childhood).

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weight loss after pregnancy gastric bypass | Live Fit Phase 3

weight loss after pregnancy gastric bypass

Last year I started the Live Fit 12 Week Trainer and saw really great results after completing Phase 1 and Phase 2 (the first 8 weeks), then I had a leg injury that prevented me from completing the last phase.  Also, I had gotten pretty lean in the first 8 weeks, so I felt okay waiting to finish.

To recap, here are some pics of the first 8 weeks, unfortunately I didnt get pictures of each week so these are the only ones I have to share.  (Isnt it amazing how much better we can look with a tan?) 

Now that Im all healed, Im starting Phase 3, the last 4 weeks of the Live Fit Trainer.  The last phase focuses on high intensity interval training (HIIT) for maximum fat burning while maintaining the muscle youve gained.  Also, there is "carb cycling" to help reduce fat.  Because Im already pretty lean and dont want to get too much leaner, I will probably continue eating the way I did during weeks 1-8, that is, every 3-4 hours, with "cheat meals" on the weekends and maybe a couple pieces of dark chocolate after dinner.  I will reduce my sugar and caffeine intake, so Ill report back on how that goes.

I copied the information below straight from the Live Fit website so you can see an overview of the final phase of the program.  

* * * * * 

*My calorie range was 1230-1530.  Go HERE to calculate your calories.

I use Myfitnesspal.com to track my food (calories, carbs, protein and fat).  

THE WORKOUTS

Are you doing the Live Fit Trainer?  Id love to hear about your experience in the comments below!  If youre doing another program, please let us know about that too.  

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