New Mom Using Blog to Lose 100 Pounds

Stacy Woltmann is a 30-year-old "parental engineer" (aka stay-at-home mom) from Tampa, Fla. Before she got pregnant with her daughter, Amelia, she joined SparkPeople. Though she successfully lost 40 pounds, pregnancy and the (happy) stresses of new motherhood, led her to gain weight. Back in August, she decided to do something about her weight--then over 400 pounds. She has already lost almost 20 pounds, which is on track with her goal of two pounds a week for a year--for a weight loss of 100 pounds.

This time around, Stacy has added another tool to her weight-loss arsenal. In addition to logging on to SparkPeople (as STACYPIE79), she is blogging about her efforts, after being inspired by the movie "Julie and Julia." Her blog, amskinnyjeans.blogspot.com, even landed her a segment on Good Morning America! (Watch the clip here.)

We asked Stacy to share her story with the dailySpark. Read on to find out how this mom is staying on track and holding herself accountable.



Have you always been overweight? I have been overweight most of my life.



Tell us about how and why you arrived at your starting weight? I started out as tall and petite, but once school started, I began to pack on the weight. The nutritional value of school lunch back then definitely left something to be desired, and it was so early in the day that it was more like a second breakfast. Of course, by the time I got home from school, I was starving and had to have a snack. My family was rich in love but lacked the financial resources to have a lot of healthier choices available. I carried those habits into my adult life and became defiant about losing weight. I didn’t feel that it was necessary to conform to society’s standards.



Why did you choose to blog about your experience? I felt that blogging would help be stay accountable. I was inspired to blog after seeing the movie "Julie and Julia." I have always loved writing, so it was a perfect fit.



Why did you decide to lose weight? I originally decided to lose weight before I got pregnant, and I lost 40 pounds with the help of SparkPeople.



How has SparkPeople.com helped you? There are so many great resources on the site--and so many encouraging and motivating people. One person on the site by the name of BOTZZZ has especially inspired me by his weight loss. [Editor's note: BOTZZZ has lost more than 200 pounds with SparkPeople; his story is amazing. Check it out.]



What is your favorite feature on the site? I love the Nutrition Tracker.



To whom do you turn for support along your weight-loss journey? I have a huge support system. I am so fortunate to have such an amazing husband, and my mom is super supportive.



What is the most rewarding aspect of sharing your story online? I feel so blessed to have so many people cheering me on. I also hope to inspire others to lead a healthy lifestyle.



Are there any drawbacks to blogging about your weight loss? The only drawback I can think of is the time factor.

Compare your current diet to your former one. What is a typical day like in terms of food? When my daughter was first born, it was hectic and crazy at my house. We ate a lot of fast food, because my entire day was consumed with trying to feed my daughter. It was such a struggle to breast feed, and because I had my heart set on it, I was devastated when I had so much trouble. I supplemented with formula, and tried to pump, but I felt like such a failure. I am sure that my emotional state was no help. I just wasn’t focused on myself at all.



What is your biggest temptation? The drive thru…It is such a hassle to drag the baby in and out of the car, and I try hard to resist the temptation of the drive thru. It is fast, hot, cheap, and there is no messy cleanup…a mother’s dream. With the exception, of course, of the fat it leaves lying around your mid section.



How do you indulge yourself these days? I love apple slices with peanut butter and low-fat, low-calorie ice cream…ice cream is my weakness!



How important is goal setting in your plan? It is so important for me to set realistic weekly goals (2 pounds a week) so that I can keep myself accountable and gauge my progress.



Do you set small goals each week or month? Yes, I try and hit 2 pounds a week…sometimes I don’t make it, but I feel like that is a realistic goal.



What role does exercise play in your weight-loss plan? What can you do now that you couldn't do before you started to lose weight? I am working with a personal trainer 2 days a week, and I walk/run on most of the other days. I ran and walked my first 5K on Oct. 31. I can run now! I was not able to even think about running before, but it turns out I love it. I can't run for very long yet, but I see plenty of marathons in my future!



How much time do you spend blogging about your weight loss each day? It takes me anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour to produce a blog post depending on my mood. I haven't been blogging every single day, but my blog posts are getting more steady now that I am in the groove.



What advice do you have for others who are considering losing weight and getting healthy? Take it one day at a time. Nobody is perfect, and bad habits are hard to break. If you have an off day, don't give up all together. Tomorrow is another day, and we are allowed do-overs. As far as exercise, I recommend getting a buddy. It helps so much both in the areas of accountability and morale. I don't know where I would be without the support of my buddy (my husband).



Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers? I would like to end with a quote by Vince Lombardi: "We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible."

Best of luck to Stacy on her weight-loss journey. Do you have any tips or questions for her?


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