Still Getting Slim by the Summer!

Only 5 weeks left for the Slim by the Summer group. I don't know what I was going to do without this group. The core group of us that have been very active on the Facebook page and posting our weekly updates on our blogs have been such an incredible support system for me. Each of them are an inspiration and they push me to give it a little extra "umph" each week, which has been so helpful in keeping me on track. A big thank you to the ladies who organized this: Lanaya at Raising Reagan and Anna at Geek Can Be Chic. The ladies I've met through this group have become friends in fitness and I am grateful to have expanded my circles. It's like I have workout buddies across the country now!

Fortunately, as this group is starting to wind down, Sarah at Mama's Got it Together has started a Facebook group called "Motivated and Dedicated". A new group to help those on the journey to get fit together and keep one another on track. We will share our tips and suggestions with one another, workouts, recipes, etc. If you're interested in joining, you can click here and request to join the group --- Sarah will accept your add request.

This week's Slim by the Summer theme: progress. How much progress have I made since we started in the middle of January? What have I done to get to where I am now?

Well, first and foremost, I've been eating "right". Counting my calories using the My Fitness Pal app on my iPhone and iPad has been crucial. Limiting my calories has been key. The weeks I've been a little more lenient, I've seen less results. Even with exercise. So clearly, this will be a lifelong battle with continuing to stick to eating healthy and staying active.

Exercise. I love it and hate it. Mostly, I just hate that I HAVE to do it. And I have to do it just about every day. I've learned to accept that this is how my body is though and this is what it requires for me to achieve my goals. I feel great when I do it, but some days, I just don't feel like working out (don't we all have days like this?) Then I think about the success I've had so far and the road ahead... if I give up just one day here and there, I will fall back into my old ways. And I am not allowing that to happen!

I followed the Bikini Body Mommy Challenge for the first 60 days. I've incorporated my favorite workout DVDs (which grow by the month it seems). Jillian Michaels (Ripped in 30, Kickbox FastFix, and Killer Abs), Jazzercise (Jazz Cardio, Strength, Stretch), and Zumba Core on Wii.

My progress... since January 18 when I officially weighed in with the group, I have lost 18.3lbs. I'm so proud of that. I weigh less than I did when I got pregnant. I actually have almost made it back down to my wedding weight (0.7lbs to go) --- which was my goal to reach by May 7 (my anniversary). If I keep going, I can totally achieve my first goal by then which is 2lbs less than that (2.7lbs to go) and I am so excited. But I want to go further than that, and feel motivated to do just that. We'll see where the wind takes me!

I made an awesome dinner last night... details to come in this week's Food Frenzy Friday! YUM! :)