weight check-in

i haven't posted one of these in a while, because i haven't had much to be proud of. for a while i kept getting really frustrated because i was doing what i thought was my best and still watching the scale go up a little or stay the same. then, after insight from a couple of wise women, my habits are starting to adjust a bit, and thankfully my last couple of weigh-ins have been better! i have lost 4 pounds in the last 2 weeks, and i don't remember where i was in the game when i last posted, but overall this puts me at 21 pounds above my ultimate, dream goal. but i'll get to that in a second.
what was the life-changing advice i was given? first of all, my beautiful sister lauren, whose discipline and determination i truly admire (and envy!) gave me a couple of exercise tips. instead of mostly using my elliptical, she recommended using that only for "recovery" days and instead focusing more on the routines available through the nike training club app. which stinks because those things kick my butt! definitely a harder workout than i'd been doing, but so worth the results! she also helped me see that there was indeed a fair amount that i was doing right in the exercise department, which means (ominous music here) i need to focus more on what i eat. my brain is still in pregnancy/nursing mode, where you're supposed to have a significantly higher amount of calories...which to my greedy tummy means "go wild!" but i really don't nurse emmy much anymore, so i probably don't need nearly as many calories as i'd been counting on. plus i'm a total sweets junkie and have gotten a little overindulgent there.
BUT, all that being said, the other wise advice i got was from my sweet best friend, michelle. we were talking about weight loss, and she said something to the effect of "yeah, i could lose another 10-15 pounds, but realistically i just don't have the time or energy to maintain that." that totally resonated with me- i would love to be able to work out 5-6 days a week, but realistically i have a toddler that still doesn't sleep through the night, and some mornings i just want to sleep any extra bit i can. i also used to do a 45-60 minute workout, but again, sleep has become a valuable asset, and i just can't afford to part with more than enough to get 30 minutes of exercise in. and as far as eating goes, yes, i need to be more careful about what i eat, but ultimately, i'd rather be a size or two bigger and still get to treat myself sometimes.
so my new goal, rather than a specific number on the scale (although, yes, that dream number would be nice to see) is finding a balance that allows me to enjoy my life, my food, and yes, my sleep, while also being healthy and in shape!