Get Healthy: The First Months

If you've ready my previous getting healthy posts, you know I've promised to share my progress along the way so here goes!  Since setting my goals back in January, there's been ups and downs but overall I'm proud of my progress thus far.  I've lost a total of 12 pounds and 2.5 inches off my waist!  I've had more energy and I feel better than I have in years, I really do wonder why I ignored my bad habits for so long.

At the beginning, the loss seemed to slip right off and I was dropping two pounds a week fairly consistently.  Eventually things slowed down, but I know I've been adding muscle mass through my five day a week workout regimen and of course muscle weighs more than fat.  Despite that fact, I initially felt slightly discouraged and there were days that I had to force myself to do my workout.  Discouragement met flat out frustration when I went nearly two weeks without a single measurable change earlier in February.  I was sure my body was hanging onto fat for nostalgic reasons.  Now I'm currently losing about a pound a week, which is still respectable and healthy.

When I first started, I was a little worried that the initial enthusiasm over my new healthier lifestyle would crash and burn like what happens to so many weight loss goals.  Thankfully I was wrong!  I no longer crave sweet and other carb loaded foods such as pizza nearly as much as I thought I would.  Also, since I know how great I feel from keeping active, I feel plenty of motivation to keep working out, even if I'm not dropping pounds left and right.  I've even found that many healthier alternatives to my favorite "bad" foods are actually tastier (mind=blown).  One website that I strongly suggest you check out is skinnytaste.com.  There are soooooo many yummy and healthy meal ideas on there and I've pinned oodles of them onto my Pinterest food board.  I still eat the occasional "bad" food, but I've found that I'm quite content with eating one or two cookies instead of half a dozen.  I never thought I'd see that day!

Spinach Crust Pizza, actually super yummy

With seeing my progress so far, I'm quite sure I'll meet my first goal of dropping on pant size by summer.  Technically I can already get into a size smaller but I also need to breathe on occasion.  However, all of my current jeans and several sweaters (some that two months ago had been almost too tight) had to be shrunk in the dryer because they were getting rather baggy and I'm pretty thrilled about that!

One thing that I still need to work on is consistently drinking more water each day.  I should be drinking eight glasses at least and I know it really helps with weight loss and flushing toxins and yadda yadda.  So, that's my next goal!

How's everyone else doing for their goals whatever they may be?