The Normal Tuesday Stuff

So I have been lazy. I have not gone out on my wikes for a while--and I keep giving myself excuses. The weather has not been as warm, the kids have been sick--besides that I am just feeling lazy, I just want to stay at home, in my small but cozy home, staring at my constant-lit Christmas tree.

Then I forced myself to get out, not only because the sun was out today, but also because I did not want to just sit around and collect more poundage...yeah. Contrary to what people may think, I was not born small, and no, I cannot just eat whatever I want and not gain weight. I was not fortunate enough to inherit that gene from my mother. I really have to watch what I eat. All the time.

That said, as I wiked up the hill today, I saw some home-grown clementines and decided to take some--as illegal as it may appear--and enjoy them while they last.

"As long as it is on public property, it is all fair game."--As I have heard.



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When we came home, while Abigail enjoyed her banana-and-watered-down-baby cereal (yuck,) I noticed one tooth is sprouting from her bottom gum! It is such a milestone for us parents.

We even celebrated by wearing a special hat!

It's moving, but.. -- Week 12--

On my way back. LA is beautiful, but I'd rather have it minus the smog.

Ok, the last five pounds are hard to shed. Not that they are really hard to shed, but it's because I feel like I have the rights to devour bars of chocolate and ten loaves of bread everyday now.

I am so proud of my accomplishment for the past few weeks. It feels good to be able to fit into my old jeans, laugh at my maternity shirts, and buying fitted wardrobe again. It feels good when my husband tells me that I looked thinner, and when I can actually look at myself in pictures and have genuine smiles again. It has been a battle for me; I love food, and I hate exercising. But it was when I saw my postpartum photos and a friend who looked amazingly fit after only 3 months of having her baby--that I've really decided it was time. If I didn't do anything about it and just let it be, I would let go. Really, really let go.

After 12 weeks of wiking (walking and hiking) on a 6-days-a-week basis (yes, I've really pushed myself,) I am happy to say I've "bounced" back to my pre-baby weight. It hasn't always been easy; I've had my struggles. Now I know not to be bitter at those celebrity moms who went back to their normal selves after having babies; if it was hard for me, and I took my time, I can't imagine how challenging it must have been for them that they feel they need to look good after only 2 weeks. I would, however, never want to be in their shoes.

In the end, the train is still moving, but it's finally coming to a stop. Though a slow, very slow stop.

Hanging by a Thread--Week 10

It's finally getting to the final phase. I couldn't believe it has been 12 weeks (since the first thought of shedding pounds.) 12 weeks sounds like a long time, yet they flew by.

Finally. 10 weeks of actual work. I'm in between two numbers, where the smaller one represents a totally different category; once I am officially in that category, I can smile that much brighter.

5 more lbs. That's all that's left.

hitting the plateau-- ~week 8~

For those of you who have tried to, are currently, or are going to do this thing called "try to lose weight," one of the biggest challenges is when you hit a plateau--when you are staying in one place and everything stops. Well, I am there. The first few days, or weeks are hard, because you don't see any results. After a few days, the numbers on the scale started to go down, sometimes fast, like when you are going down hill on a sled. And somewhere before you reach your goal, the sled stops on a leveled ground. You will have to push again to start the momentum. I absolutely hate that stage.

It has been 8 weeks since this whole journey began. During this not-so-long period of time, I've hit some high points, and some low points. Right now I'm at that stage where I will have to push in order to start going down hill again. It's hard because it makes me feel like I've failed (although I know I haven't.) It's hard because it means my regular work out routine needs to be modified. It's also hard because I feel like I've not worked as I should.

On the brighter side, hitting the plateau means I am reaching my goal fairly soon. I'm not sure how much further on this road I'll have to go, I just know that being at this stage is like when you are driving to a destination that is three-digit miles away from your starting point, and it has finally become one digit. The last stretch.

it's a simple math equation. Really. ~week 6~

Well. The past two weeks were good. Not great, but good. I know I have to stop weighing myself 47 times a day, and I have to stop this obsession. Yes, it has slowly become an obsession. No, it has not taken over my life yet; the last time I checked, my kids were still more important than my weight. When I started, I've planned to do the wike (walk+hike) about 3-4 times a week. 45 minutes, 2 miles each session, I figured it was good. Somehow I did a 6-day wike one week, and ever since then, I can't seem to stop myself. It's slowly becoming like an addition; can you believe it? Rosina addicted to exercising is like seeing a cow jumping over the moon. No, that was even more likely to happen. But it feels good.

I am not a fan of different types of "diets." Carbs are welcome, sweets are welcome, fats are welcome, as long as I can get rid of them at the end of each day. Three years ago, when my sister and I went to Germany to visit my mother, I came home with an astounding discovery. Eating three GINORMOUS meals a day, plus snacks in between for 2 1/2 weeks (and they were all in their original forms, fats, carbs and all,) I came home 5 lbs. lighter. All the walks in those German towns and the hikes in the Italian Alps (yeah, it was quite an experience) contributed to the result. Also, I realized their portions were smaller. Ever since that trip, I have in my thick head made up my mind, I will not ever involve myself in any of those fad diets. I'll eat anything and everything (which, was fairly an easy decision to make.)

This past week was week 6. So far, I have seen some amazing results. Nothing feels better than fitting into those jeans I wore before Abigail was born. That's the reason I keep going. I take my kids with me, so they get to see the passing cars and feel the morning dew. I actually enjoy my wikes. Even though I feel more like a tortoise than a hare, at the end of the story, the tortoise wins.

Week 4

Another pound gone. It seems slow, but 1 pound per week is my goal. Now that we've finally got the double jogger, it will help more. Can't get more exciting than this.

Week 3

Week 3 flew by. I have continued to do my hike. If not every day, at least 3 times a week. The fact that it is getting easier tells me I am getting better at it. It also tells me I need to start challenging myself more: either walk faster, or I may start to jog.

We have been looking for a jogging stroller. Once we get it, it would be easier. I actually tried on a pair of shorts the other day, it was so exciting to see that they were loose on the same hips that filled them a few weeks ago.

I'm half way there. Dropped about 7 lbs. Another 7 or 8 to go.

Week 2

It has been not yet two weeks since I started my weight loss plan. Week 1 was tough; hiking up that hill after not exercising for 10 months almost ended my life. But I realized how great I felt afterwards; that was my motivation (besides wanting to hear comments like, "wow..you don't look like you've just had a baby..") to keep going, as tough as it may be.

Right after Abigail was born, just to be funny, I tried to pull up my regular jeans. That experience was a disaster; and it wasn't funny at all. I really sat down and cried. Although I knew it was crazy to want to walk out of the hospital with my size 2 jeans on (ok, I was never a size 2,) I thought it shouldn't take too long.

Of course, being a mom, I'd have to put my children first. Despite the fact that I wanted to look like Nichole Richie, I wasn't born (or, made,) like Nichole Richie. I am about a foot taller and 30 lbs. heavier. But everyone who just had a baby wants to look like Nichole Richie. I had to constantly remind myself that Abigail needs me. Caleb needs me. I need to set a good example for them, even when they are so young. I need to take care of my body so Abigail would receive the best quality of food possible. I am not Nichole Richie and I will never be Nichole Richie. I need to swallow the fact that I am who I am; I am who God made me to be.

Still, I wasn't about to sit on the couch all day and finish every bag of Lay's there is in the supermarket. I didn't want to "accept" that this is the way my body is postpartum; I should just let it be. Since we only have one car and live on the 2nd floor, I get to hike up a hill (about a mile up and a mile back) every day Benny is home, so he can do it with me. It was a difficult decision; that meant I had to give up sitting on my couch in a nice, air-conditioned room and get out and sweat. Sweat so much that my shirt is drenched when we walked home. Pushing those strollers made it harder; hiking up that hill required constant movement. Going against gravity with those strollers is not exactly easy, but it's not killing us, either (at least not yet.)

Week 1 started with no big result. This week was week 2. This morning, I decided to be funny again and tried to pull up my regular jeans. To my amazement, not only I was able to pull them up pass my knees, I was able to buckle the jeans. I could still breathe. I felt like I could see a light at the end of the tunnel; I stepped on the scale (without crying,) and found the numbers have dropped. No big deal, I still have another 8 lbs. or so to go, but it is going somewhere. It felt good.

Until next time, go out and sweat.

The Weight-loss Plan

Ok. So today is the day. I've officially began my work out routine. I am going to lose those stupid, stubborn, lingering 10 lbs.

Because it's depressing looking at myself in the mirror..it's incredibly difficult to be at peace (for now) with what I can put on my body and still smile afterwards; it's even sadder to look at my pictures from years ago and realizing that I no longer look like that anymore.

I went for a hike up the hills by our house with Benny and the two kids (along with their strollers.) It nearly killed me. But I know it's good. As of today, I have 10 lbs. to lose. Let's see.