Let me introduce myself..

I'm Amanda. I'm a Stay-at-Home Mom to two little girls. Mackenzie (2 years old) and Riley (9 months) I'm married to my high school sweetheart, Brian. We're celebrating our 4 year  wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks. I love to be outdoors (putting my double jogger to good use) or spending weekends at Nantasket Beach! I love to be in the kitchen. Cooking or baking.. I love it all! They say we eat with our eyes first so I love to make food look pretty and of course snap a picture of it! (Be sure to follow me on Instagram! @myjourneytofitmama) I'm a shopaholic (Ask my husband!) I'm a lover of all things chocolate. I could eat pizza for the rest of my life. I have a fitbit and to say i'm obsessed with my steps would be putting it lightly. I certainly have a competitive spirit when it comes to challenges. It's all fun and games until someone forgets to charge their fitbit! Ugh, been there! I track on myfitnesspal and worship skinnytaste.com. I suppose that's a brief summary of me. I'm even learning to get to know me better as I'm on this journey. We'll learn more about the new me, together!

I used to blog a few years ago and honestly, I let it slip away. My reason? I was talking the talk but I couldn't walk the walk. I wasn't committed and it just wasn't right to pretend like I had a grasp on things when I didn't. I was seeing a personal trainer and doing weight watchers, I felt like I had a pretty good rhythm going then I got pregnant with my daughter Mackenzie. I was pleased with my weight gain (it wasn't an easy pill to swallow) but I knew I had to stay in control as much as I could. Once I hit my pre-pregnancy weight after she was born, I told myself it would be my turning point. I would finally take control of my weight and I'd reach my goal I had been dreaming of since high school. I celebrated Mackenzie's 1st birthday weighing 194 lbs. (That's the lowest I have been since I graduated high school at 187.) I got comfortable and hovered right around there until I got pregnant with Riley two months later weighing 206. We wanted our kids to be close and age but obviously I was a little discouraged that I couldn't drop more weight, knowing it would be beneficial to my health. 

Getting the baby weight off the second time around is no joke. I had people telling me "just you wait, it's much harder to lose the second time around!" I would playfully roll my eyes and nod. They weren't kidding. I am currently in "ONEderland" again. Finally! When people ask "How much weight have you lost?" It's hard to answer. It's all about how you look at it. On the day I delivered Riley I weighed 234 lbs. That number dwindled down a little over the next couple weeks but not as much as it did with Mackenzie. Ugh! What a tease! Anyways, I considered my starting weight to be 218.. which is how much I weighed at 6 weeks postpartum when I was cleared to workout again. I started slowly but surely working out again (barely) just trying to get better about cleaning up my eating. It wasn't until early March that a switch was flipped. I decided I was ready to finally work for it. I'm tired of saying "when I lose the weight.." or "someday.." or "I'll start on Monday" Screw that. This isn't a diet. I have changed my life. I am so incredibly blessed to have two daughters that take killer naps. That's quality time for Mama to workout! I get downstairs on the treadmill and work for it. What I love about working out lately is that I don't feel like I'm being forced to work out. I WANT to work out. I want to sweat. I want to change. I want to be happy in my skin. I'm getting there. I can't wait to see what the future holds me. Today I am 197 pounds. My goal weight is 160 lbs. I haven't set a deadline. It's not coming off overnight. I'm doing my best every single day. That's all anyone can do. I'm working hard and learning to love myself again.   

That's enough rambling for now! Sorry if that was overwhelming. Hah. I need to work on that!

Xo

 A

           April 2010                  April 2015