200+ pounds down, ??? to go!

Mynameisjen22

Hello everyone! I’m Jen. I’m 35 years old, 5’10”, 195 pounds. I have a 14-month-old daughter and I work remotely. This isn’t my first time here. In fact, MFP was absolutely pivotal in getting myself out of what felt like a hopeless situation when I was much heavier. I found so much support from this community and it helped to actually change my life. I’m back, but starting fresh since I don’t feel like the same person.

I don’t talk about weight, diet, or fitness with people in my real life (other than with my husband), so I’m looking for support here! I’m especially interested in connecting with parents of toddlers, fellow wfh people, and those who need to/have lost large amount of weight.

Now, a little bit more about me and my weigh loss if anyone is curious. My highest weight was 400ish pounds (that was as high as my scale went at the time) 10 years ago. I had been “big” and “curvy” my whole life. I actually don’t remember a time when I weighed less than 200 pounds. I hovered around there in high school but I worked out 2+ hours a day to maintain that (because I ate a lot of high-calorie food).

I gained weight in college, then grad school, then hit my max when I started really getting into my career. I tried to lose weight and lost/gained 20-50 pounds a few times trying to figure it out. I didn’t know anything about moderation, a balanced diet, or exercising for fun. I also didn’t love myself or my body at all. But I started trying things.

I did the Whole30 elimination diet and found that I actually can be disciplined. I maintained that loss through counting calories (that was my first time here, although I was too embarrassed to put my real weight down… I pretended to be about the weight I am now). I tried keto with the support of some friends and lost a good chunk of weight (from 380 down to 315). After that, I maintained again and learned moderation.

I tried intermittent fasting at the start of the pandemic and I started walking more. Over the course of a year, I was down to 250 pounds and feeling better than I ever had. I wanted to focus on something other than losing weight, so on a whim, I signed up for a 10-month yoga teacher training program (I had done yoga off and on since high school, so it wasn’t completely out of nowhere). It definitely pushed me in the best way. I felt so active and strong.

For the first time in my life, I didn’t care how much I weighed. I was having fun and just lost weight. I was down to 230 pounds, which was already lower than I ever thought I’d get. I felt good. I was strong, in shape, and pretty happy with how I looked, despite still being obese.

At the end of 2021, my husband and I decided were ready to start our family. To our surprise, I got pregnant right away. Also surprisingly, I had a low-risk pregnancy. I did yoga and walked almost everyday until the last month, when I dropped down to a few times a week because my hips hurt. I gained an expected amount of weight and my doctor was pleased. I had a c-section and my recovery went well. I started going for slow, 1-mile walks with the stroller at two weeks post-partum. Then at 6-weeks, I was cleared to work out. I excitedly headed off for my first yoga class and I didn’t have the strength to do anything. I felt so weak and just not like myself. It was awful. I was also struggling to breastfeed and started gaining weight again. I put on 30 pounds in the 6 months between my daughter being born and realizing that I need to make some changes.

So, this summer, I decided that I need to be a better example to my daughter. I started taking her for stroller walks every evening before bed to teach her healthy habits. I started eating more balanced meals and reasonable portions as she started eating real food. I made it a point to make small changes to my habits and lifestyle. My husband and I set up a home gym in our basement, complete with lots of mood lighting. We go down there to workout, watch reality tv, and enjoy each other’s company as soon as my daughter is in bed every night. We’ve both lost weight, but for the first time ever, I weigh less than him!

And y’all, I remembered once again that I love to be active. In addition to yoga, I started lifting weights, jogging, cycling, and just dancing around! I joined a gym down the street for days I want to lift heavy. I was able to lose my post-baby weight and get to a point where I need to set a new “goal weight” but feel stuck because I don’t remember ever being smaller than this! I genuinely don’t know where I’ll stop losing. I have a tentative goal that gets me out of the overweight category (170 pounds) but I’m wondering if 150 will be good for me. I’m just going to see how I feel.

So I’m back to tracking. I need to eat more protein to maintain as much muscle as I can. I’ve also noticed an increase in snacking the past few weeks so I just want to keep a better eye on my intake. I want to lose the last bit of weight and then actually work to maintain my loss. And maybe putting on a bit of muscle. But most of all, I want my daughter to learn healthy habits and enjoy movement and nutritious foods but to also love and value herself regardless of how her body looks and to be able to enjoy food. So I’m doing to best I can myself!

itisKathy

What an inspiring journey, I am 6 months postpartum, and I can’t seem to get myself started. But reading your post gives me so much hope and motivation.