PhillyBaby
Our Wedding
Blogs I Love
My Weight Loss Story
How many of you don’t know my story? I took down my before & after page a long time ago, and I just realized that a lot of you never saw it because you are new! I guess it is time to share.
In case you missed the link in my last post, I have put up an Ask Me Anything! tab on FormSpring so you can anonymously ask me anything you want to know. I will slowly be answering as many of your questions as I feel comfortable answering!
The question I have gotten the most in the last 24 hours is some version of “Have you lost weight?” “What did you eat to lose weight?” “How long did it take?”… so here is my story.
Many of you know that I lost someone close to me a few years ago. I was a freshman in college, and was devastated. Without realizing it I started to gain weight. Looking back on it I think it was a combination of eating whatever was put in front of me- blindly (because I couldn’t even taste anything for months)- and probably some form of emotional eating. By the time I started senior year of college, I tipped the scale around 165 lbs. That was fall of 2004.
By summer of 2007 I had lost 10 lbs and was hovering around 155 lbs. It was a slow loss that happened by eating normal meals. Somehow by eating more (and better) and eating regularly I had lost weight. I have always loved exercise and was always active, so for me the key component was what I ate. I met PhillyBoy in June of 2007 and we started dating. My trip to Greece was only a few weeks after we met, and I remember being unhappy in my clothes.
In the fall of 2007 I was 152 lbs and didn’t know what to do to lose more weight. I knew that my body was still not where it wanted to be and I wasn’t sure how to get there.
I googled around and ended up joining calorieking.com in February 2008. Calorie King is a great online tool for tracking calories (it is not free though). From February to May I worked hard to lose weight. I ate net 1200 calories a day (net means that if I burned 300 calories through exercise I would eat 300 more, equaling 1500 calories of food that day), and lost weight. For me it meant I averaged 1600-1800 calories a day, and while I wasn’t constantly hungry, sometimes I thought I was (it was just thirst- I used Kath’s trick of drinking a glass of water first to see if it was hunger or not).
In May 2008, on the day of our engagement, I weighed in at 140 lbs. I had lost 12 lbs in 3 months, for an average of about 1 lb/week. I didn’t think I could continue to lose weight without wanting to overeat a lot etc, so I decided to just try to maintain my weight for 6 months before losing more. Now and then I tried to lose a few lbs but it didn’t really work. I enjoyed eating whatever I wanted, but by August of that year I had lost 2 more lbs and was around 138 lbs.
From the fall of 2008 until our wedding day on July 25, 2009 I maintained my weight within a 4 lb range easily. I exercised and ate well, but enjoyed treats and didn’t care if I missed a workout. My range was 138-142 lbs, and I was very comfortable with my body. I am 5′ 7″, and I felt strong and lean.
Before and after:
Fall 2004:
Our honeymoon, August 2009:
Then I got married.
(Photo courtesy of LifeFusion Photography)
I never believed my friends when they told me to be careful of gaining weight after our wedding. I should have believed them, because I did. I had been used to eating skimpy dinners (I love big breakfasts and lunches) but all of a sudden I was cooking nice meals for PB, and then eating them too! Even though they were healthy dishes, I just ate too much. Also, I started to work from home. The lack of social interaction led me to sneak into the kitchen a little too much for a bite of chocolate or just a little piece of bread. I had gained real weight. I was PISSED. So for a few weeks I worked on adjusting my diet so that I eat a little less during the day and can enjoy dinner with PhillyBoy at night. The recipes I post here are taken directly from the meals we eat, and I focus on making a healthy dinner every night that PhillyBoy will still enjoy so that we are both satisfied, while not spending too much time in the kitchen. I got back to my comfortable weight range, and I was happy about that.
What comes after love and marriage? Babies of course. For the first time in my life I gained weight happily. Perhaps I gained it a little too happily because at my last weigh in before having the baby I had gained 45 lbs. I’m down 41 lbs as of January 2012, leaving 4 lbs for me to reach my pre-pregnancy weight. My body is very different though. I also started the pregnancy higher than my normal weight by about 10-14 lbs. I’m now on a mission to lose the 4 lbs + the extra 10-14, all while tightening up my body.
To me weight is always just a number, and it doesn’t really matter. I am not emotionally affected by what the scale reads, but I know that my weight is a good indicator of change for me. Like everything else in life, it has its ups and its downs. When I gain a couple of lbs I just reevaluate my diet and make a few adjustments until my clothes feel comfortable again.
I have come so far from who I was 6 years ago. I eat a mostly real food diet. That means old fashioned oats, fresh vegetables, lean protein, seasonal fruits, whole grains, chocolate and more. I don’t feel my day is complete without some form of exercise. Since becoming a mother it’s less than before, but I do my best.
I am happy every day. I love my life.
Thank you for taking the journey into the past with me. Join me for the ride as I get back into shape. As always, thank you for reading.
Have a happy & healthy day,
RhodeyGirl
Sabrina! You are beautiful and you have worked so hard! Thank you for sharing YOUR story! I had no idea when I shared mine with you NYC how many similarities we share! Thank you for your encouragement and inspiration! As you know, my journey is not over either!
Close to my comfortable range! Look forward to trying your recipes!
@CarolinaMama, Hi! Yes, I did not have a chance to really share my story with you, but I have lost weight and have been now maintaining it for a few years!!!! Keep up the good work- you are gorgeous!
sabrina, you are fantastic, it is not easy to do what you have accomplished. you are an inspiration to all of us.
Hey there!
I just started really reading your blog even though I’ve always stopped by when seeing your name on Twitter and other places. Anyways, thank you for your story. It’s another example of another real person and very honest. Also, I like how you said that your journey isn’t over because whose is?
I’m still in my journey and have been forever. Hopefully one day, I will feel a little better about where I am.
I just moved to Lancaster, PA so I’m not too far from Philly! Keep me in mind for Philly blogger meet ups! Have a great day
Julie
Just started reading your blog, and I really enjoy reading it! I love how open and honest you are with all your posts…You have come such a long way and you are absolutely gorgeous. Keep up the great writing : )
Wow, Rhodey Girl, I just stumbled across your blog as I was researching (in a panicky sort of way) the best ways to complete my first half marathon (San Jose Rock & Roll this Sunday!). I’m about the same height and (before) weight as you and have been slowly, slowly trying to get back down to my “fighting” weight. I love your blog! I also believe in eating a wholesome, close to the earth diet (to quote Michael Pollan: Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants). It’s not working so well for me though! lol But I’ll keep at it! Start weight 170, current weight 160, goal weight 145.
@Eline, Thank you so much!!!! Best of luck on the race- you will be fine. Just take your time and have fun!
very cool to read! your wedding date was exactly 4 years after ours. : )
I’m so glad I found your blog!! I will definitely continue to read your posts.
I loved reading your story and have just begun my own journey of getting to that feel great weight, which for me would be about 10-25 pounds less. My question to you is, were you able to avoid stretch marks? If so, what was your secret? I know losing weight gradually will prevent them, but sometimes when the skin is stretched too thin, it’s nearly impossible to do so. I’ve already got some from being heavier in high school and just would like to prevent some more. They’re just so unattractive and makes me self conscious in a bikini.
@trang, Thanks. #1 tip for stretch marks is to buy Bio Oil. Use it everywhere you already have them and everywhere you think you could get them.
I didn’t get any from losing weight as I lost it verrrrry gradually. I did, however, get them from gaining weight in high school and I hate them so much. I am pregnant now and just hoping to avoid them on my belly since I already have some on my hips and thighs.
I still wear a bikini thought!
@RhodeyGirlTests, Best of luck!
Yep, Bio-Oil is the best, make sure to not stop using it, cause once you do, the stretch marks will appear and spread like a wild fire
Personal experience
Fabulous results!!!
Hi there, I enjoy reading through your article
post. I wanted to write a little comment to support you.
Amazing story! Losing weight will give you good shape. Good shape will give you a bit of good mood each time you look in the mirror. In my case it’s a perfect motivation for attaining my further goals in life. What helps me to keep good shape is fitness and right nutrition (no starving!). To support my body with additional nutrients I am taking Military Grade Nutritional supplements, which make me energized and toned. They are perfect for my active lifestyle.
For newest information you have to visit world-wide-web and on the web I
found this web site as a best web page for latest updates.
Hey would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re working with? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different web browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then
most. Can you suggest a good internet hosting provider at
a reasonable price? Kudos, I appreciate it!