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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Losing It!

It has been WAY too long since I really blogged! I've been meaning to write this post for a while now. Every time I would start, something would come up and I would get sidetracked. I've finally decided that I need to get back going on this page, especially since blogging is going to become a much bigger part of my life in the near future, but more on that later!

A little over a year ago, Dena and I made the decision to lose weight. We decided that we needed to be healthier and set a better example for Tucker. We made the commitment to each other, for Tucker, that we would get our eating under control! We decided to try Weight Watchers because they had a free trial going on and it looked simple enough. I have to say that it has not been nearly as hard as we thought it would be. We have both done a very good job and we are both healthier today than we were a year ago!

I must say that if you are considering losing some weight, we would both highly recommend Weight Watchers. We like the fact that you can still eat the things that you want, you just have to do it in moderation. I feel like this method really creates a lasting change in your life that will be easy to maintain after you are off of the plan. Crash diets, quick fixes, and the like can work, but they usually don't last! In my opinion, the faster you lose it, the quicker you will gain it back! We both use the online program and mostly track our points using the iPhone app. Once you get in the habit, it really becomes second nature and if you miss a few days tracking, you can usually tell if you were good or not just by how you feel.

Honestly, our decision to do this together has made all of the difference. If it had just been one of us, we wouldn't have succeeded! If you are married or dating, making a lifestyle change can only happen as a team. We do well together and we are bad together.

I also believe that this has helped Tucker to eat better and to slim down a little bit. While he has grown taller over the last few months, he has also been eating better because of us. His HLHS will be a constant struggle for his health, he doesn't need a weight problem to exacerbate things. Creating a habit of eating well now, will pay off for him in the long run.

So, you are probably curious about our results. I think the proof is in the pictures, which you can see below, but the numbers don't lie either:

-I (Trent) started this journey at a hefty 300 lbs. in August of 2010. Currently, I weigh 231 lbs. This is a total weight loss of 69 lbs. in a year. I have been as low as 227 lbs., but had a little too much fun and food during the summer and am trying to regain my handle on things.
-Dena has had a little tougher time, but this is expected for most women. Regardless, I am very proud to say that she has lost 36 lbs. over this last year. She has worked hard and I am very happy for her!

We are obviously still a work in progress but we have accomplished many of our goals. My original goal was to get down to 220 lbs., but since I have almost reached this goal, I have upped the ante. I now have a goal weight of 200 lbs., which would be a total weight loss of 100 lbs.

I have added some pictures below, so you can see our progress. If you have any questions about losing weight, we would both be glad to help!

Me in the same shirt: Before (left), 6-month progress (right)
Me & Dena, September 2010 (Before)
Me & Dena, September 2011 (After)
Me & Dena, September 2011 (After)

Me & Dena, September 2011 (After)
 
~Trent