WIW 7/4: More red, white & blue for July 4

Another red white and blue outfit for July 4. I was going to wear red sandals but I didn't have time to paint my toes blue, so I went with the red Converse instead. I took the kids to my sister's house and we went swimming. She made brownies served with mochi ice cream for my upcoming birthday. I brought a couple bags of clothes & shoes for my sister. She said she is happy to go "shopping" when I pass things on to her. I know I could get a little money back if I tried to sell stuff but it isn't worth the effort. I've brought stuff to a consignment store before and never get that much, so I'm happy to just hand things down to her. (I gave a bunch of baby clothes to my other sister too.)

Side note, I have to confess I am not feeling that fab about my flab around the waist. I semi tucked my shirt and really watched my posture/sucked it in for the photo, but it feels better to untuck and hide the evidence. I lost 7 lb earlier this year, but it seems to have crept right back on and my pants feel really tight. I know we're not supposed to dwell on negative body image but I'm posting for accountability. I'm just 5-6 lb away from having an "obese" BMI which is shocking, so I need to get my health under control. I need to get serious again and up my game in the healthy eating and exercise habits. My goal is to lose a couple of pounds a month through the end of the year. Don't know if I can do it, but I at least need to try.

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7 years ago

Anonymous

Ohh, Natalie you look fab! I love the festive colours! You always have the best accessories too. I would love to play in your closet.

Your family photo warms my heart too. You kids are adorable!

You know you always look lovely to me, but I understand you wanting to get in better health. All the best xo

pil

Veteran

You are the best theme dresser! I understand the not feeling fab, but you always look fab. And your kids are adorable.

retailgirl

Natalie, you look great, as always. I understand how a few pounds can really get you down. Hang in there, you can lose the weight. Focus on your lovely family and the fact that you look wonderful in your matchy matchy outfits.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You and your kids look as adorable as ever.

It's good to get your health in order Natalie, and also know that you are as lovely right now.

kellygirl

Still looking as gorgeous as ever. Red is definitely your color. Your kids are adorable too!

I like the jeans. And I love the family pic.

Karie

Another great outfit - I love the red Converse! And the family photo is adorable.
My belly is also a trouble spot. Have you heard of Joe Wicks, "The Body Coach"? He has a couple of "Lean in 15" books and I thought I might try some of his suggestions.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Red is such a happy color on you!

Zibbets

You are always gorgeous, Natalie, but especially so in red. I love the way your family piles on and around to celebrate with you. So much love!

Nebraskim

IKWYM about being close to the "obese" BMI because that's where I am. It's not a great feeling. But it does help to remember that BMI is a really bad indicator of fitness and healthiness. So focus on fitness and health and feeling good about that rather than obsessing about a number (so easy for me to dish this advice while trying hard to embrace it myself.) I am technically medically obese (20 percent over ideal body weight. At 5-7, I should weigh 134 and so 20 percent would be 27 pounds over that -- 161 pounds. I have not allowed myself to be weighed in years but I think I weigh about 165.) BUT I can easily run 5-6 miles and regularly lift weights, etc. So I prefer to focus on that level of fitness instead of the fact I wear size 14 pants. But yeah, it's tough to hold onto that thought 100 percent of the time.

Amy

Natalie, you look great, and wow, your kids have grown!

You can lose that weight, just be patient with yourself. I had put on quite a bit of weight after my dad died + my recent divorce, but gradually changing my habits into healthier ones helped. I'm not one of those people who can start a new plan of action overnight. If I can do it (I really have no willpower around potato chips and chocolate), I know you can!

anne

Natalie you look great in these photos.

Can I just ask a technical question? I don't understand how you can be 5-6 pounds away from technically being obese?

Are you using the criteria here?http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/healt.....micalc.htm
This seems pretty standard to me?
And Nebraskim, by that count, if your estimate is correct, you are very slightly into the overweight category and nowhere near being obese - which is where most of the heath risk is, right?
And your definition of what is overweight makes me, and most of us on YLF, overweight too, which by most counts we are not.

Well done on all the fitness achievements, btw. I can't run right now right now because of injury and I sure would like to be able to again.

JAileen

Anne, thank you for your comments. I found it impossible to believe the Golden Pig is a few pounds from "obese". I gained some weight this winter and haven't lost it, and I'm on the borderline between normal and overweight. If you look at sone of my WIWs and hers, it's obvious she's much slimmer than me. I'm not saying we shouldn't think try to improve our health, but we do need to be realistic.

goldenpig

Thanks everyone for your support! And Anne, you are right. I was using the BMI calculator and am BMI 24 but only 5-6 lb from BMI 25. I didn't read carefully and thought I was heading into the obese category, it says BMI 25 is "overweight" not obese. Sorry for the mixup and I didn't mean to make anyone feel bad! Still I've never had to worry about my weight before until the last year or two and with so many people asking me if I'm pregnant (at least six that I can remember in the last year) it is really getting to me. I'm just frustrated because even with starting regular exercise and trying to make healthier changes in my diet the weight doesn't want to come off. It's like I'm getting old and my metabolism is working against me. In my head I'm not fat, but if you go by my measurements on those standard size charts, I'm a size 6-8 bust, 8-10 hips, and size 16+ in the waist/belly! What??!!! Those size charts are not made for apple figures I guess.

I just have to focus on the positives. I've been doing OrangeTheory Fitness once or twice a week (when I can fit it into my schedule) and I can exercise for the whole 1 hr class (half treadmill half row/weights), run a mile in 10:30, lift 20 lb weights and do planks and pushups.

Go Natalie! Those are things to be proud of. I'm not sure I could run a mile right now. I need to dust off my running shoes

Natalie, I'm glad to hear that you read the wrong line of results and I hope that realisation made you less shocked. I know you've been bothered by the "pregnant" comments and I don't want to downplay your feelings. It's funny about the waist measurements and size charts though - I often find things too loose around the waist in actual fact and yet I too am often _by size chart_ a bigger size around the waist.

I'm not sure that I could run a mile now either Amy.

Jaime

Natalie you look fab, your kids look happy and healthy and the bmi standard is imprecise as you know. Focus on fitness because you have a very full plate!

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