My Fitness Journey: Part 1

Prior to having my son, my weight stayed within a ten pound range. I wore the same sizes as my college days and could fit many outfits from high school. When I found out I was pregnant, I weighed 170 lbs. At that time, that was the most I ever weighed.

Lamesha Junior in Miami (weighing 160-165 lbs)

During my pregnancy, I gained 60 pounds, double the amount that my doctor had recommended. It wasn’t that I thought I could overindulge on a regular basis and eat whatever I wanted. At one of my prenatal visits, I was warned that I was going to eat myself into a C-section (Didn’t happen because I delivered my son vaginally). But I could not explain the weight gain. In my last trimester, I was tired, my legs would swell, and I was in pain.

I was six months postpartum when I dropped the sixty pounds that I gained while pregnant. I credit breastfeeding and portion control with helping me lose the weight.

Once I was back in my size 10 jeans, my goals were to get back to that weight range I had been my entire adult life and to get my flat stomach back. Neither happened. Over a few years, I gained 80 pounds.

When I stepped on the scale and realized that I was 250 lbs, I was shocked. I knew that I had put on some weight, but I didn’t realize that I was nearly 100 pounds heavier than I was when I graduated college. Based on my height of about 5’10”, I had a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 35.87.

Lamesha Junior in 2017 (weighing about 235 lbs)

I felt discouraged when I thought about how long it might take to lose weight. It took me a while to push past those feelings and start making small changes.

I started my weight loss journey with a positive mindset and healthy attitude about my body. Some days I did feel self-conscious about some things. When I look back on my photos at my heaviest weight, I sometimes regret my clothing choices, makeup, and hairstyles. But I love my body and shape, including my tummy.

How did I gain the weight?

Emotional eating. I was mourning along with my husband who lost his parents within a year of each other. He was devastated. I struggled with not being able to help him. During this time, we ate a lot of fried foods, desserts, and heavy meals from his childhood. We did not watch our portions and weren’t conscious of eating healthy foods.

Sedentary Lifestyle. I usually lead an active lifestyle. I dance a lot in my home. During this time, I was not working out or dancing. Music was rarely played in my home. I also was not going for walks.

More to Come

This is the first blog in my series about my weight loss journey. Follow along with the tags fitness journey or weight loss for updates.

xo

Lamesha


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