One Year

Today is my daughter Denali's one year birthday! It's been an entire year since that amazing amazing day when I labored for 15 hours and put my body through hell, for the most amazing outcome. Since this is my fitness blog I won't be sharing much about her, but about my journey over the past year.

I remember when I went out for my first walk postpartum. It was literally around the block and I was totally exhausted. I came home and went right back to bed and was sore for days.  I remember thinking "I have a LONG road in front of me" and it really has been. I never wrote down my goals but I think my one year goals were to weigh the same as  I did before I got pregnant and to have a "hot bod". Well I don't know if you can say I have a hot bod but I think it looks pretty darn good! I have less body fat than I did and I weigh less than I did. I'm actually in better shape than I was before getting pregnant with Denali which I didn't expect. Also during the past year I have accomplished a lifetime goal of completing a half marathon and on top of that have ridden 50 miles on my bike and am still training for a full 100.

Here are my measurements from 6 weeks postpartum vs today:

Weight- 142.5 lbs (I was 165 lbs the day I delivered) 124 lbs (-18 lbs)

Body Fat %  25.7 19% (-6.7 %)
BMI 26  22.7

Measurements in inches (right side of body)
Bicep- 11.5 9.5 (-2)
Chest- 37 34 (-3)
Waist- 35.5  30.5 (-5)
Hips- 40 36 (-4)
Thigh- 23  20.5 (-2.5)
Calf- 13.5  11.5 (-2)
                = -18.5 inches

Wow! I was honestly not expecting such big changes. I feel so incredibly blessed to have the body I have. That it moves the way it's supposed to, that I have all 4 limbs, that I have the ability to do the things I want to do. I'm so grateful as well that Denali and Andrew have really great health.

I think the biggest help for me during the last year is that my husband tells me I'm beautiful everyday. This huge self esteem boost has helped me be okay with who I am and what I look like at any stage. I think it's important that you become friends with yourself or you'll never make it through your weight loss and wellness goals. If you become too obsessed with being the perfect this or the perfect that then you'll lose hope. You have to celebrate the things you've done right, not the things you've done wrong.