I knew that traveling with my husband to his childhood stomping grounds would mean a weekend that REVOLVED around food, but I think I underestimated just how strong those childhood memories and food associations were! Fresh made fudge at The Fudgery (where his grandma used to take him as a kid and he actually recognized the worker who was there 20+ years ago!), amazing St. Louis BBQ at Pappy’s Smokehouse, a lunch time meal with his closest childhood friends at Bailey’s Range (after having breakfast at the sister restaurant, Rooster, where we had the most fantastic crepes and bloody marys)… I mean, the food went on and on! Even at Ann’s wedding, they didn’t do a traditional sit down meal (it was a 7pm wedding), but the appetizers and desserts went on for days! From fried raviolis (a big STL thing) to Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, they had the food bases more than covered. It was awesome!
Suffice it to say, I might have overindulged on food (and drinks) on this trip.
#soworthit
On the upside, we also walked a TON. We spent half of Friday in cars and planes, and I still ended up with over 12, 500 steps for the day. We even walked to the wedding ceremony at WOW, and Ann’s local friends thought we were nuts. We figured it was a 10 minute walk during daylight hours, so why not? Granted we might have seen a crack deal go down (something along the lines of “put THAT shit in your pipe, man”)…but ya know, it was exciting. 😉
On Saturday we walked and walked and walked. Thanks to me pumping every 2.5-3 hrs, our entire weekend revolved around me pumping during the day, and I think it was eye opening to Charlie to realize how often that happens on a daily basis in my life. Our Saturday looked like this. Pump/walk to breakfast/pump/walk to lunch/pump/nap/pump/walk to dinner/pump/walk to drinks/pump/bed. Thanks to all of our trips back to the hotel, we broke 17,500 that day!
Sunday was more low key – more airport travel and car travel, and other than a quick trip to the grocery store on our way home, there was no way a traditional workout was going to happen, so I only got 7,700 steps on Sunday.
Overall, I’m pretty happy with my food choices. I definitely ate more than I would normally, but because of how active we were being, I didn’t feel too badly about it, and Charlie had SO much fun eating all of these old nostalgic foods.
Last Friday morning before we left for the trip I weighed in at 157.5#. On Monday morning I weighed 161.6#. Ouch. Granted quite a bit of that was bloat & water weight from air travel & beer, but still! Then I was sick the last two days (literally couldn’t get out of bed until about 9pm last night), so I haven’t done a workout since last Thursday, but at least I was back in the 150s this morning at 159.6#. Even though I haven’t gotten to my goal of 150 yet, I have to say I am pleased with my progress, especially while still breastfeeding, and I’m so much happier with how I look in pictures already. So much better than when I was 10# higher than this and not working out.
A girlfriend of mine wrote this post in August about what she did to get in the best shape of her life finally, and I just had to literally laugh out loud as I nodded my head and read along:
STOP DENYING IT STUPID! I used to look at every picture anyone posted of me and pick it the fuck apart. The lighting was bad, the angle was bad, my shirt made me look fat, I didn’t turn my head/body/shoulders the right way. I looked fat in every. single. picture. And one day, I finally realized it was because I WAS FAT. Is reverse body dysmorphia a thing? Because I swear I had it. I would look in the mirror and see a super model and look at photos and wonder why the fucking geniuses at Apple couldn’t get their cameras to stop making me look fat.
I know it sounds conceited, but I’ve always been a photogenic person thanks to having a photographer for a Mom, and when I kept looking fat in pictures, it TRULY took me awhile to figure out it wasn’t just because of the lighting or the angle – it was because I had gained weight, even if I was in denial about it. It sure is a good feeling to be coming out on the other side of that journey and not feel the need to pick every picture apart. All of this health and fitness stuff is so worth it. 🙂
Ha ha! Thanks for that! I think you look awesome. ❤️ Now if the geniuses at Apple could figure out why their cameras are giving me wrinkles…
LOL about your friends post. I think that about myself a LOT. I look in the mirror and still think I’m HOT, but then I see pics and realize how much weight I’ve gained….I need to get it together, I used to think of myself as so photogenic too…and I really miss my slim face! You look great in all of your pics from your trip, looks like you had a great trip!
That is a lot of walking! Sorry you’ve been sick 🙁
The part about the crack deal reminded me of when my mom and I saw a hooker get picked up while we watched from our table at a restaurant across the street in a shady part of London. I was 15. Hahaha.
That’s funny about the pictures. I do the same thing.
If you had a clogged duct, then got super sick, you should call you dr about possibly taking antibiotics for mastitis. I waited too long once with Lyla (I get it all the time) and had to go in for an hour-long IV of meds three days in a row. Obv I have no idea if that’s what’s really going on, but you should seriously call and check in.
I just thought of that last night finally when I was nursing Harvey before bed and realized I’d had crazy nipple pain for 2 days while nursing as well. *DOH*
Feeling better today so I’m going to hold off on the abx, but I definitely think I had a mild case of it at least.
Mmmm vacation food and drinks!! Yum! 😉 Well you are certainly right about being photogenic.. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bad photo of you! You look great.. and these ones are no exception. Love that dress on you! You are doing great!!
Ha, well the last few years I’d have to pick and choose what to post more than usual. 😉 But I honestly liked all the pics we took in STL!
Going with the short dress was a good idea. I love it!
You look fantastic! You always do really, you are very photogenic, but I definitely notice a difference in you! I wonder if I’ll be able to bounce back after my second like I did with my first. It seems you are certainly doing it well, so hopefully I can emulate what you are doing!
I totally, totally have reverse body dismorphia syndrome. And my mirror has been angled down which makes me look way longer and leaner than I am and I choose to believe it’s the truth but some recent pics reminded me maybe I should right that bathroom fill length mirror. Or not. 🙂
I’m trying to figure out how to start running again post 2nd baby! Do I get a used double bob? Sell my single? Everleigh has really short patience for beig strapped in these days now that she’s on the go. I will miss the days of running like Forrest Gump with my sleeping newborn baby. 🙂
I would NOT recommend selling the single BOB. If you can swing it, buy the double (I got mine on Craig’s List for $200!), but keep the single. When Harv was little I often had him in the carrier and Stella in the stroller for walking around town, and now often I put him in the stroller and Stella insists on walking. I really am thankful to have both options. I run with the double sometimes, but it’s definitely harder than the single. Good luck with that!
You look amazing!! You have 2 beautiful kids and a great hubby! Looks like you had a great time, now send some of that beer and food my way LOL
Thanks for sharing.
HS
[…] 7.2# in 7 weeks. I weighed 157.5# last September at my friend’s wedding in St. Louis and I felt pretty darn good. As I said back then, “I’m so much happier with how I look in […]
[…] blog friends, and Charlie and I took our first grown-up trip together in 6 years when we went to St. Louis in September of 2014 for the weekend for a different blog friend’s […]