Move more, eat less

Those four little words are my husbands oh-so-brief directions for weight loss.  He many times has joked he could write a book and it would have only two chapters.  One about moving more and one about eating less.

If only it were that simple right?

This coming from a man who has weighed the same for 12 years since the day he graduated from high school.

This spoken to the wife who has borne his four children in 6 years and seen fluctuations in weight that make her head spin.  And her knees hurt.  And her skin permanently marred with stretch-mark-scars. And her energy wane when she needs it more than ever.  And her moods far too susceptible to the woes of sugar highs (and lows!).

I had an epiphany in late January.

No one was going to make time for me to exercise, but me.

No one was going to learn self control and hold back from eating sweets every single day, except me.

No one else was responsible for how crummy I felt.

Sure I had a list a mile long of why I couldn’t do those things.  But in the end, it was just excuses.  Excuses for eating poorly, even while feeding my children (relatively) healthy food most days.  Excuses for napping instead of exercising even though I knew getting moving would bring more energy.  I could find no one to blame it on but myself.

I didn’t have a pity party or anything.  Just pulled up my bootstraps and moved on.  I had done weight watchers in the past and knew the basic guidelines and practiced them.  Writing down all my foods took just a few minutes a day but made me far more aware of what was going in.

I also quit eating seconds for the most part.  I was amazed that I didn’t really need as much food as I wanted.  If I take more of anything, it’s broccoli instead of pasta and bread is no long a staple at our table.  Instead of feeling deprived and cheated, I just feel like I’m in control.  And I haven’t felt that way in my relationship with food for….ever?  If I choose poorly, I feel crummy.  If I choose well, the reward isn’t a box of cookies.  It is that I feel better inside, like things are working better.  I am certain they are.

After s-l-o-w-l-y losing a few pounds just changing that, and joking with my husband about his ‘move more’ theory, I added in the moving.  I tried to get to the gym but it is nearly impossible with our lifestyle.  Remember my review of the infomercial exercise DVD that (hilariously) remains my most read post ever?

Since I’d paid a pretty penny for that DVD back in September, I thought I ought to bust it out again…and this time actually use it.   Use it I did and though there is still a great deal of ‘firming up’ to be had, after a few weeks I felt so different.  So much stronger.  More limber.  And the best part for sure was that I found myself chasing my kids around the park without feeling like passing out.  The scale is moving in the right direction even if there are still nearly 25 pounds to find a new home for.

And while I can’t fit (nor am I crazy enough to even possess) any jeans from high school like my hubby still can, I have enjoyed fitting into my old Lucky Jeans from a couple years back that I adored too much to toss even when they couldn’t get buttoned.

This month of 5 family birthdays (mine included), Mother’s Day and our anniversary is certainly slowing down progress.  But at least I know what to do to keep on track…move more, eat less.

I guess it is kind of simple after all.

A final (real) Slim in 6 review

In perusing old posts and comments, I was reminded that I did indeed promise a ‘real’ review of Slim in 6, the spendy infomercial workout program I bought in September.  First let me say that every day I am amused to see that someone finds our blog by searching for these two things:

“I can’t fit my jeans” or “Will my jeans fit after pregnancy?” or “My jeans are too tight” or “Too tight jeans, can’t breathe”

AND

“Slim in 6 review”

I can’t count the times I’ve laughed out loud about the tight jeans comments.  While I have googled many random things I’m pretty sure I’ve never googled about that. 🙂

Anyways, after my oh-so-in-depth review back in October, I vowed to give it a real try and open the package it came in.  And try I did.  The first two weeks I did the DVD maybe 4 days in 7.  The second two weeks maybe 3 days in 7.  By this point you are supposed to be on the much longer, second DVD but I was still figuring out my way through the first one.

And my knees hurt.  There is a lot of squatting and with that for me came a lot of popping.  Not exactly sure what was popping but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t good.   I persevered and it kept happening.  I was as close to flawless in my form as I could get doing all the moves and still there was popping.

I made it to week 6.

I did not blow out a knee.

I did not make it past the first DVD in the series.  I felt grateful to still be alive at the end of the 30 minute DVD every single time.  Gasping at times and laughing often.  My children loved hanging around watching me and giving me ‘encouragement’ every step of the way.

“Mom, you can take it easy, she said so.”

“Mom, why can’t you answer when I’m talking to you.”

“What’s popping mom?”

“Can you feel it?  You should feel it now Mama.”

“I can tell you need a water break.”

“Sit ups! (with glee) My favorite part Mom, these are SO EASY!”

While “slim” is not the word that would best describe be at the end of six weeks, I would honestly say that my body worked better, felt better, moved better having been much more deliberately active.  I rarely sit in my day with the kids.  But I also don’t do much that qualifies as plain old exercise.  And were it not for the knee pain that only ended after I quit doing the DVD’s, this program might be great.

I’ve lost more weight being so sick over the past 3 weeks than I did doing the Slim in 6 workouts.  In fact I had a friend a while back who was always quick to encourage me anytime I got sick…..”At least you’ll lose a couple pounds!”.  I wasn’t sure why this bothered me until one day I realized, she was more concerned about it than I was.

Yes, losing some weight would be good for me.  Yes, I would like to fit my clothes a bit better.  Yes, I’d enjoy a bit more energy to keep up with my brood.

But…

Yes, I love cooking and good food.  I love sitting and reading and homeschooling and organizing and playing and sleeping more than I love working out.  I also love being married to someone who makes me feel beautiful.  I recently told him,

I’ve never been quite this ‘lumpy’ in my life – but never, in the 15 years of knowing you, have I felt this loved and lovely to you – doesn’t that seem strange?”

Maybe strange, maybe just the product of time.

And maybe the old adage “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is actually true.

Either way, I’m really thankful….slim or not.

My “Slim in 6” review

Well it’s been six weeks and I have a quick little product review to share tonight.   I was hoping to be able to give you an awe inspiring recap that justified my very first infomercial purchase.   It was supposed to “literally reshape your body in 6 short weeks”.

Yes, six weeks ago my promising DVD came in the mail.  True to form for any infomercial you feel like you are getting more than what you are paying for.  When I purchased it I declined no less than 10 extra offers of product enhancements and add on’s that were sure to guarantee my success but I felt like I was already getting several workouts on DVD and extra stretchy workout bands too and…wait for it…

A tape measure.  My very own.  Perfect for calculating the inches lost in just 6 weeks.  All valued at $375.  Really?

Such value I told myself.  Absolutely totally out of character for me, honest.  This video program would help me get the ball rolling and jump start my goals to lose some post baby weight before I add any more to the mix.  It sounded perfect for me.  I even had aspirations of doing a half-marathon by November with my new, even just a tiny-bit-more-fit self.  It was possible.  And I could do it.

True words I’m sure but I must share with you the truth of the matter six weeks after buying the spendy “Slim in 6” program.  {The one I was going to do while my hubby was working and not tell him so he could be totally wowed as the pounds just vanished into thin air}

I promised a simple, concise review and here you have it:

If you don’t open the plastic wrapper that the DVD comes sealed in and don’t do it even once in 6 weeks, it will not help your weight loss goals one bit. Your tape measure will not lie and in fact might add an inch here or there because, lets be honest those soft pink iced cookies from the grocery store and the ‘occasional’ donut added onto your coffee order have only added to the dilemma.

Goodness, I even bought new exercise shoes for the big new plan.  The other ones had seen four pregnancies in 6 years and definitely had done a good job for me-it was past time they be retired.  But I’m feeling a tad bit guilty that the only action my snazzy new Asics have seen is a fast walk through the neighborhood.

So there you have it.  Slim in 6 may be a great program and may be worth every penny (yes, I noticed I haven’t told you how much it costs) and it may transform some people into ‘slim’ in a few short weeks.

Just not me.

Not yet anyway, I am setting a new goal of starting the workouts next Monday.

What’s that?  Why not tomorrow?  Back in the saddle straight away?

Because people, I’ve never been IN the saddle to begin with.  I’m frankly no where near the horse.

And because I’m sure I have a few sugar binges left in me before I hunker down and work on things in a serious fashion.

I promise to post another (real) review in 6 weeks and let you know how it goes.  If I live through it.  Which is questionable for sure.