Beginning of a journey

It's amazing when I look back at phtos of myself (and Im sure many people have similar feelings). I thought I was so fat back in high school/college/5 years ago. I look back at pictures and would kill to look like hat again. I can only remember a brief stinit of my life and it was my senior year of college in which I didn't think I was fat. I didn't get to that weight in the healthiest of ways.

Good times and small thighs...

I'd be ok with this too:

Our engagement shoot.

But alas, I am the biggest I have ever been right now...aside from when I was pregnant. I did weight watchers and lost 5 pounds pretty quickly and then nothing. And then I kinda forgot about weight watchers. Lost a little more. Then nothing. So, I went back on weight watchers to give it one more try. Gained 3 pounds. Cancelled weight watchers. It works fabulously for some people, but this is the second time I've used it and have lost 5 pounds each time and then nothing.

So, I sat down and made a meal plan. Counting calories doesn't work for me. I get all bogged down in the math and get very mad when the weight loss doesn't equal what it is supposed to. Every day I eat the following:
Oatmeal (any way I want to as long as it's healthy)
Banana
Apple
Peanut butter on whole wheat bread
2 protein shakes
a snack (I keep a drawer of premeasured baggies of almonds, graham crackers, dried fruit, etc)
greek yogurt
a gallon of water

I can eat more than that, but I try to eat what's on that list first and then see how I feel. I also am limiting carbs after 7 PM. That's something my trainer that I worked with after I had Joseph told me.

I know a lot of it is gut mass and water weight but I am down 4 pounds this week! It always feels good to see a lower number on the scale.

Here are some pics I took before church on Sunday for my "before" pictures. I didn't want some sad, slouchy looking pictures. I love how in the second one, it looks like Joseph is mimicking me. Oh and he is in his underwear because I wait to get him dressed until just before we get in the car.