I'm back bitches!

33.7 pounds kept off since original journey in 2012.

Hi friends.

It's been awhile. In fact, it's been a long while. Six years to be exact.

A lot has happened. I quit smoking. I had a baby. I'm a stay-at-home-mom now to my now two-year-old. I wrote two novels and I'm working on a third. (third book, not baby, that is.) I'm trying to secure a literary agent and constantly resisting the urge to check my email 872 times a day to see if anyone has requested my manuscript. In that aspect of my life, I'm failing. I checked my email 873 times today even though I promised myself I wouldn't.

But I digress. This was a weight loss blog, and this is the 'where is she now' update. The bottom line is I've kept thirty pounds off of the sixty I lost in 2012-2013. Thus, I'm going with the original success rate listed at the top. Thirty off, thirty to get back to where I was when I got married. I feel like I've been on a never-ending diet since I've had my son with very little success. I've had bouts of tracking my food on MyFitnessPal, month-long flirtations with Keto and at my strongest I tried "The Metabolism Diet," which was essentially starvation I coupled with a thirty day yoga challenge. Successful, yet temporary. We all know that tune. Next, please.

In my heart of hearts, I know this journey was tough last time, but I don't ever recall it being this f*cking hard. Yes, I know I had a baby and I'm pushing forty, but to be on Keto for a month and playing with the same three pounds as the only result made me want to burst into tears every time I stepped on the scale. I was absolutely convinced something was wrong and went to the doctor to have blood work done. Nothing stood out on the results except to be careful with my blood sugar. It's not pre-diabetes, but it was teetering a little too close for comfort. The doctor gave me this advice: being a mother is hard. And to stop gaining weight.

Super helpful visit. Next, please.

Thinking back, the one thing that was missing from my habits six years ago to my habits today is this blog. This online community gave me the support, not to mention, accountability to keep it up.

So, I'm back. Between being a mom and my writing, I willingly acknowledge I may be piling too much on my plate, but I've also made a commitment to myself to make my health my priority right now. That means exercise first, book second. That's in the minutes between taking care of my son, of course. So technically he's first, exercise and diet second, book third.

Unless I get an agent of course, then all bets are off. (Oh, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope! Pick me, pick me, pick me, pick me!)

So here's the next update: I have found something that I started a few weeks ago that seems to be working -- intermittent fasting. I've been doing the 5:2 program where I eat regular calorie restriction of net 1400 calories a day five days a week and two days I do a super-low calorie fast. So, I have a 600 calorie shake late morning two days a week and don't break the fast until the next morning.  So far, five pounds have come off, and I need the support to keep going.

I'll see you next week with another update!

xoxo
Bonnie

p.s. As a fun trip down memory lane, here's my original post at this time in my journey the first time:
https://the-thick-of-it.blogspot.com/2012/09/water-water-everywhere-and-every-drop-i.html