30 by 30 Update

This week I'm down about 2 pounds.  I've lost 11 pounds since I went back to work.  I really want to add in some exercise this week and just keep my eating under control with it being Christmas Break and all.  I am really excited about the changes that I've made in my attitude toward food.  I feel like I have a much healthier relationship with it.  I'm not really following any specific diet, and I think that is the best way to go.  I'm just trying to eat in a balanced way.  If I know I'm going to be eating something fatty or high in carbs, I cut back the rest of the day.  For example, I knew I was going to be eating at Olive Garden on Saturday when we went Christmas shopping.  That morning I ate a super light breakfast and also a lighter dinner.  I chose a pretty reasonable lunch but I didn't really drive myself crazy about what I ate.  Yesterday, I knew I was going to have pizza for dinner so I chose healthier options throughout the day.  I also watched how much pizza I ate.  I'll probably have to start watching what I eat more closely as I lose more and more weight.
I've decided on a few rewards for myself as I lose the weight.  I find that I'm more successful if I bribe myself.  My first goal for 20 pounds lost is going to be a new pair of jeans (7 pounds until that goal!).  My goal for 30 pounds lost will be a new dress from Modcloth.  I have wanted to order from them for SO long.  My goal for reaching my first major goal (40 pounds lost) will be family photos with my favorite photographer.  That's as far as I'm looking for right now.  I really don't want to overwhelm myself.
Finally, I had a major NSV this week.  Friday was the last day of school before the break.  Teachers know that this means one thing:lots of junk food.  I took donuts and cookies for my kids as a reward for good behavior and I didn't eat ANY of it.  In years past I would have made myself sick.  This year they just didn't seem to be worth it.  I know that I can have them at any time so it really doesn't make it worth the calories.  At the end of the day I felt so much better than I have in previous years, so that alone made it worth it.
This week I'm just really hoping to keep making good decisions and NOT get crazy about tracking every single thing I eat.

30 by 30

I'm turning 30 next year.  I'm not really sure how that happened.  I'm surprisingly not that sad about it.  I think that my thirties are going to be my best decade.  I spent my early twenties working at a fast food seafood restaurant and going to school full time.  My mid twenties are a blur of margaritas and espresso shots.  My late twenties have definitely been THE BEST.  I got married, had a baby, got a job I love, and bought a house.  The only thing that I really don't love about my life...my weight.  It slowly crept up through my twenties and has been stuck since around 2010.  I don't hate myself because I'm a little fluffy, but I know I'm not healthy.  I've decided that I want to lose 30 pounds by my thirtieth birthday in May.  I have a daughter now and I want her to see me healthy and happy.  It's not just about how I look either; I really want to get healthy and be a good example for her.
Another goal that I have is to lose the weight without buying anything-no shakes, no pills, no energy drinks, no gym membership.  Full disclosure:  I do currently have a 3 month Weight Watchers membership that I signed up for about a month ago.  I don't go to meetings, but I do track online...once in a while.  I think WW is a great program, but I don't think it's really necessary to lose weight.  I will not be renewing once this three months is up.  I am so sick of "diet culture".  I believe that this culture is a major reason why people are overweight.  I want to be an example, to my students, to my family, to my friends, that you don't have to spend a cent to be healthy.  Is it going to be easy?  Heck no.  Is it going to be worth it?  Hell yes.  I want to be able to have energy when I get off work.  I want to be able to FIND MY MOTHERLOVING SIZE IN A STORE.  There's nothing wrong with being plus sized, but I'm just sick of it.
When I reach my goal in May I'm rewarding myself by scheduling family photos with my favorite photographers.  I'm already planning our outfits.  I can not wait.  My other goal is to wear a bikini on the beach in October.  Hashtag: I got this.

Weekly Goals 12/1

The three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas Break are always nuts.  There are MAP tests to be taken, essays to grade, assemblies, concerts, etc.  I'm making a real effort to stay more organized this year, and to make sure that I really grade authentically (another post on that soon!).  I really find that setting goals for each week, both with my students and my own life, help me stay on top of things.  This week my goals are:

1.) Have all my students' essays graded by Friday-MAP testing should allow me time to do this so I don't have to spend all my free time grading.  

2.) Get a tree topper for the tree- I didn't think my tree was that big until we got it home.  Needless to say, we have to find a bigger one.  You can barely even see the one I bought a couple years ago.

3.) Speaking of trees....I need to put up my classroom tree and set out all my decorations

4.) Finish the bulletin board outside of my room

5.) Clean out my desk!  The sub for my maternity leave made my desk her own, which is totally fine...but my OCD can't handle it.

 

I think that's about all I can handle this week.  Oh, and I want to be sure to track on WW every day.  My big goal is to lose 30 pounds by my 30th birthday in May.  I got this!

The Gimmes

Something about this time of year always gives me the "Gimmes".  As in, gimme all the things; I must spend all the money.  This year it seems to be especially bad because it is Lilly's first Christmas and I feel the need to make my house "perfect", whatever that means.  Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram are not helping.  I see people dressing their kids up in super expensive outfits and I feel like I have to keep up.  People are putting up Pinterest worthy trees and I think I have to as well.  It's maddening.
During my maternity leave I had nothing better to do during the hours-long nursing sessions Lilly required, than fiddle on my phone.  I spent countless hours on Instagram and Pinterest and found so many cute shops to follow.  I felt like I "had" to have that $40 Christmas sweatshirt and Lilly really needed that $25 onesie.  Did we really need any of these things? Absolutely not, but I definitely got caught up in a vicious cycle of Mommy blog envy.  Why hadn't I bought my child a $600 stroller?  Did that make me a bad mom?  Heck no!  Plus, that lady probably didn't pay for that dang stroller.  The company gave it to her to shill to newbs like me.  I realized that I was definitely comparing my behind-the-scences life to someone else's highlight reel.  So what did I do?  I hit the unfollow button on all the shops that had the cute clothes that no one really needs.  I signed off of Pinterest and played with my already cute daughter.  I realized I didn't need the crap that everyone was shilling in order to live a perfectly happy life.
As weird as it sounds, I feel as though a weight has been lifted.  I didn't realized that social media could influence me in such a profound way.  I'm sure postpartum hormones didn't help the situation either.  So if you find yourself making a major list for Santa this year, I encourage you to step back and evaluate the things you "need".  There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting pretty things, but don't let the gimmes ruin your holiday season.

A Day in the Life

5 a.m.: My alarm clock goes off.  I get up and get ready while Lilly sleeps.

5:40ish: I get Lilly up, change her, and she eats

6:15: leave home to take Lilly to my Mom's house.  I'm so lucky that Lilly doesn't have to stay in daycare!

6:30: Drop Lilly off at my mom's and head to work.

7:00: Get to work and pump for the first time while I sit in the dingy closet in my classroom.  I can usually pump around 2 ounces at this session.

7:35-10:47: Teach, fuss at kids, grade papers if I can, teach some more, fuss some more.

11:00: I pump again on my planning period.  I try to pump for at least fifteen to twenty minutes and usually end up with two-four ounce bottles for the next day.

11:30-3:00: I eat lunch, teach, etc.

3:00: leave school to pick Lilly up at my Mom's...or stay at school to finish up one of my 2342542 projects I have going on (that's usually the case)

4 or 5: finally get home to let the dogs out (Matt lets them out on his lunch so they don't have to hold it for 12 hours), clean bottles, pick up the house, and try to start dinner.

6:30: Matt gets home from work

8:00: Lilly gets a bath, eats, and Matt rocks her to sleep.  While she's getting a bath I pack all my crap up for the next day: lunch, school bag, pump bag, diaper bag, etc.

9:00: If we're lucky Lilly goes right to sleep and we are in bed by 10.  Whew!  The days are long but the years are short.