Here's to a prettier, chocolatier, healthier me

Anyone notice how different things are around here??
New design AND new name.
Shannon over @ Shannon Page Design literally rocked my little blogs world. She gave me exactly what I asked for and then some. If you are in the market for a new look, check her out. I could not be happier with her work!

So what's with the name? Like I said before, I was in a blog funk. I needed some place to feel like home when I sit down to write. MommaStJ says just wasn't doing it for me. Running on chocolate? Perfection.
Because that is how I survive: chocolate. Some days I find myself dragging my toddler and baby into the grocery store just for a bag of peanut butter M&Ms. And in all honesty one week out of the month I have a 'chocolate meal' each day. As in those 300-400 calories that should be a well balanced plate of health are instead crinkled rolo wrappers strewn across my house.

If we go to a restaurant that has a dessert featuring a brownie, chocolate cake, or, sweet heavens a chocolate LAVA cake? Chances are I'm getting a salad for my appetizer and dessert for dinner. Some days I have to thank chocolate that I am still sane....who am I kidding, every day.

Now that I have made myself out to sound like the most unhealthy person alive, I want to tell you how 6 months ago that may have been true. Now? I am a thinner, healthier, better me.

The day I gave birth to my son I weighed in at a whopping 205lbs.

After a few weeks I was sitting pretty right around 180lbs. Which is where I was at before getting pregnant the first time. I decided to make a few changes that have and will continue to, change my life.

I started to watch my calories.

I downloaded My Fitness Pal, figured out how many calories I should be taking in order to lose 2lbs a week. Roughly 1300 was my number. I am a mother of 2, so even the super handy Iphone+myfitnesspal app couldn't keep me religiously entering what I ate. Instead I just took notice to how many calories were in the foods I was eating. The result? I became aware of how many unneeded calories I was eating a day, and how bad for me the food I was eating was. Each day I started eating roughly 1300-1600 calories, perhaps more or less because, like I said, mother of 2. 

I started to eat everything in moderation.

It's all about portion control, people!! Check out the size of your palm people...THAT is a serving size. I still enjoy a good super cheesy mac'n'cheese- but instead of eating an entire potful, I eat a handful.

I eliminated snacks.

Well, the fried, salty, non-chocolate kind. I replaced chips, pretzels, candy with fruits and veggies. 

I started drinking 90% water.

And the other 10% skim milk.

I started running.

When my reflux baby would let me. I started running the end of August with a goal of running a 5k by the end of October. Mid October I was able to run 5k every other day. 

I realized that losing and maintaining weight doesn't have to be a struggle. 

I started eating better, getting excited about recipes with quinoa, beans, or flax seed. Instead of feeling held down by 'restrictions' in my diet, I dove into the possibilities that a healthy, nutritious diet held. I can still love food and not gain 40lbs in 6 months like I did the year I got married. 

Since July I have lost 30lbs, putting me at 150lbs- only 10-15lbs away from my pre-wedding weight.

My goal is to be at 135-140 and feeling good in a bikini by our family OBX trip in August. Once I get to that goal weight, hopefully way before August, I will write a before and after post....complete with pictures that are carefully hidden deep in my computer until I can look at them and say "HA, look at me now!"