Before I mention the changes I’ve been up to, I’d like to discuss more about where I’ve been and how I got here in the first place.
As you know, I’ve been battling much of 2013 with my weight and plateauing. In the beginning-to-middle of October, I was about 10-15lbs from “goal” weight. I had been struggling, though, for most of 2013 with a plateau of bouncing between 143-151. I couldn’t seem to get my weight down, my measurements weren’t changing, my weight lifting may have been causing this stagnancy, weight-wise, but I at least expected to see changes somewhere, right? Right?
Then came the end of October – Halloween. Halloween signifies the beginning of the real holidays for our family, because of the rat-a-tat-tat of the one-after-the-next endless celebrations the end of the year brings our family. To illustrate, our calendars look like this: Halloween, my birthday, Thanksgiving, holidays, son’s birthday, daughter’s birthday, anniversary, New Year’s. I mean, it’s a solid two months of happy, celebratory, let’s-bake-all-the-yummy-stuff happening in the house. Halloween candy lingers far too long, my birthday cake finally finishes just in time for Thanksgiving’s meal and desserts, followed by all our holiday cooking and cookies, more birthday cakes, anniversary… it seemingly doesn’t end.
But, this time, it was different. This time, for whatever reason, I gave myself permission. I’ve been having a really rough go with Baby V and managing it all, that maybe I didn’t want to fight over simply one. more. thing. (food), so I gave in? I don’t know the reason why I let myself fly (far and fast) off the weight loss reservation. I will say, though, that despite the holiday stresses, it was a nice couple of months of “vacation.” Maybe I needed it? I don’t know.
What I didn’t realize at the time of my permission-giving was how badly the weather would play such an enormous factor on my choice to overindulge. We experienced several cold fronts plus rain which forced us inside way too often. This made me more immobile than I was accustomed to. Couple that with the sweets and overindulging with eating whatever, the weight piled on. It was inevitable.
I promised myself, probably for the first time in a very, very long time, that I’d start fresh January 1st, and I meant it. Not because of the new year and “resolutions,” per se, but because it was finally the (almost) end to the constant celebrations one-after-the-next that the end of the year brings to our family (with the exception of January 3rd, being my daughter’s birthday).
I’d had my fun, but now it was time to stop the nonsense. Now was the time to say, “Alright, Lisa. Enough is enough. You’re not even the hugest sugar eater to begin with, you don’t need this daily like this.”
(Ignore the horrible, ginormous bags under my eyes, my Texas allergies are awful right now)
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No dessert made for New Year’s Eve dinner or New Year’s Day, except for our celebratory cocktail, I’ve been sugar-free and dessert-free, eating cleanly, for almost two weeks now. And here’s what I’ve been doing:
- I’ve been infusing my water with 1-2 drops of lemon essential oil and sometimes a little fresh-ground pink himalayan sea salt and drinking TONS of it, tons!
- I’ve been incorporating chia seeds into everything I can, adding to my daily multivitamin and supplement usage (I normally take a powerful probiotic and digestive enzymes daily) an Omega 3-6-9 supplement and a kelp supplement (for iodine).
- I’ve been diffusing essential oils throughout the house, using them topically, and with a purpose.
- I’ve changed out my personal care products for better, all-natural ones that work. I’m currently using MyChelle facial products for dry skin (affiliate link) and Tom’s of Maine Long Lasting Lavender deodorant (affiliate links).
All of this, combined with eating small meals intuitively, more fresh fruits and veggies with random fitness bursts throughout the day (like the Wii Fit U, when my busy mom schedule permits), I can’t believe it, but I have amazingly already dropped six pounds.
No, I didn’t expect that to happen, especially not THIS fast, especially when I haven’t been able to commit as strongly to the fitness portion 1000% like I’d wanted to (more cold fronts, rain & allergy attacks). No, I don’t see a significant size change in myself, other than my gut being flatter a little. I think I might be gently detoxing the sugar and crud out, I don’t know.. I’ve never detoxed before?
What I can tell you (aside from the allergy cloud) is that I feel ALIVE. I feel magnificent! I wake up so easily in the morning. I feel more focused, more on task, more able and capable and ready to take on anything. I feel calmer, more alert, more aware and eager.
And the best part of this? It’s rubbing off. It’s seemingly contagious!
My husband has been much more positive and upbeat, and so has my children. I am certain the oils applied topically have helped our family individually in different ways, as well as diffusing them in the air as well, but it seems MY attitude has directly affected my family, both negatively and positively, so now that mom seemingly has her sh*t together, the family is getting their sh*t together, too.
It’s like someone came and gave me the golden key that unlocks all the parenting/wifely/personly mojo and said, “Here you go, Lisa, the best present EVER” and BLAM! Everything’s gravy.
And even when it isn’t (like during these horrible allergy attacks, or a particularly moody, bad day at school/work), it’s still okay, because I can handle it all now, better than ever.
2014 is going to rock so damn hard, people. So. Damn. Hard.
In the meantime, momma’s gonna finish this lemon water, switch over the laundry and finish picking up a bit, and get up and go outside! Not only is the weather sunny today, but it isn’t too cold, either! Hooray!
Tell me, are you looking to lose weight and/or get healthier this year? What steps are you taking to achieve this goal? I’d love to team up with you, if you’ll join me for a little motivation 🙂
