12 Week Challenge

*FIRST OF ALL- I remember following quite a few weight loss blogs before I started really being serious about a life style change and I would think to myself "Wow, those girls are really going for it, good for them *and shrug it off". Inside though I was mad at myself for letting myself get to a weight I NEVER wanted and in reality DEFEATED instantly! It was a bad cycle of reading the blogs and then feeling sorry for myself. *

I had every excuse KNOW to mankind....ready.....

I'm too tired, I have 3 small children, I can't make it to the gym with Ryan's hectic schedule, I hate running, I have no workout clothes that fit, I have to work out at a certain time in the day, I hate last minute exercise, I can't do it, I have no will power, its to hard, I hate being the fat one....and on and on I went. It was brutal and this was a constant BATTLE everyday!

When I was pregnant with Hope I'd hear about all these ladies working out/doing boot camp and getting in the best shape of their lives. I was SOO envious and it KILLED me. I made a decision to stop feeling sorry for myself and when this kid was born I was going to GO FOR IT!

I could NOT wait to start working out once I was in the clear. This was my 3rd c-section so because I'm not the BEST at taking it easy..lol...I decided I'd wait for the full 8 weeks before I started. Just to be safe. I started 2nd week in December. Hope was just over 2 months old.

THANKFULLY, I'm blessed to lose all my baby weight really quickly without even an effort. BUT its the body changes that are what takes it toll! Weight for my body type isn't that significant its how my clothes fit. I may have lost all the weight but my clothes told a different story. I'm VERY reluctant to post my weight but I find on other blogs that I'm following when they post their weight I feel a sense of relief that I'm not the only one struggling :) ok...here goes.....BREATHE......BREATHE.....9 months preggo with Hope 225lbs (remember I'm fully norweigen and have massive bones. No joke, I can't wear bracelets because they don't fit my man wrists....lol.....Yep, I'm a viking :) meant to work in fields all day and have babies ;)...bahhahah!! I've NEVER in all my life been the skinny one. I've always been the bigger one which I hated!

2 months later 214lbs, and the start of my JOURNEY! 214lbs is what I weighed in at the 1st weigh in of the weight loss challenge. Myself and 7? I think? ladies all put in $50 and whoever wins %of weigh loss wins the POT OF CASH!! oh man, I want it, I want it bad. I'm a very competitive person and I really need new clothes.

I'm now on week 5 and I'm 198lbs currently. When I was at my fittest and felt the best I was around 160-170! So I think I'll aim there as a goal and just see how I feel :) and I'm also 5'7 and a bit...so I carry my weight differently.

Here is my before picture and week 5 picture

214lbs

198lbs Truthfully I've surpassed my own expectations and am very proud of what I've accomplished. I generally used to workout and do well for a few weeks then I give up, fall off the wagon and go to McDonald's :) I find once I start eating like crap I just keep doing it because its to hard to START eating well AGAIN for the 900th bazillion time. Dumb.....just dumb I tell ya!.

It's hard working out in the only hour I have ALONE with peace and quiet in the day. Some days I just wanna lay on the couch and do/think about NOTHING...but...I need to do this first and foremost for myself and 2nd of all I have 3 girls to raise and I'd really love them to have a good body image of themselves.

Its funny because as I've been doing this I've had mixed reactions from people. Some root me on and are so supportive and others kinda in a roundabout way are treating me different? I think how I used to treat others doing the same life change?...."OH, good for you *roll eyes*"....Its showing me some sides of people that are "interesting". Doesn't change how I feel about them and I still love them....just an interesting dynamic!

SOOOO YEAH!, I'm pretty pumped and excited to see what the next 7 weeks looks like

Oh and last night I ran with a friend guess how long?? ....guess? Little miss "Hi, I HATE running?"................7km....................It felt fantastic and I surprise myself how strong I actually am.

Have a wonderful day everyone! I'm heading out with some amazing women tonight! Can't wait

LOVE LOVE

Jen