Post Baby Body
A lot of people have told me they enjoy reading my blog because I am so honest and therefore they can relate...which is a huge compliment. I love that people can relate and it is always my goal to be REAL!
So on that note here comes a real honest post about post baby body!
But before any one gets defensive let me say my two healthy, beautiful children were worth every stretch mark, pound, and jiggle I acquired. However, I would love to get my old body back at least partially, I felt so much better physically and mentally about myself. By Taegan's first birthday I had lost the 45 pounds plus some I gained while pregnant and felt great! Lucky for me I didn't make any real effort to lose weight after having Taegan, breastfeeding alone did all the work and I continued to eat dessert. I was able to wear clothes that hadn't been touched in years...and some of it was still in style. This go round I am a little older and I wasn't in as good of shape (even though I weighed about the same) when I got pregnant. I am just not convinced breastfeeding alone is going to "do it" this time. I haven't seen much movement on the scale in the last 4 weeks, so it is time to do something! Someone told me while I was pregnant with Taegan not to look in a full length mirror until she was 6 months old, it would just make me depressed. I thought it was hilarious at the time but turns out it's true. Of coarse I looked in a full length mirror and it was a little depressing but now that I am on my second go round I know it is possible to feel good about my body again, which gives me hope. It is just so darn frustrating to have a closet full of cute fall clothes that I can't fit into. Losing weight while breastfeeding can be tricky (unless it happens all by itself), you don't want to cut your calories so much that you effect your milk supply yet you have to cut them enough to lose weight.
I researched several different diets...there are so many options you can go hard core Weston A. Price, hard-core Whole30, eat clean, raw, or 100% organic, you can go Paleo or Primial, or you can just lose your mind trying to figure it all out! Most of these diets would have meant an extreme change in eating habits for me which in my mind (at this time with two small children) would have equalled failure. While I think these diets can be great and work for people, I didn't want to set myself up for failure.
So my plan eat better and workout...the simple old fashion way!
Specifically I am using the My Fitness Pal app to log my meals and exercise. I really like this app because it's easy to use and logging your diet really makes you aware of how you're eating. Plus it doesn't just track your calories, it keeps up with your protein, sugar, fat, sodium, etc so you can see how you need to adjust your diet. I am trying to add more fruits and veggies into my diet and eat less sugar and processed foods.
I also started the Couch to 5K Challenge...yikes! This is the girl who used to try to get out of going to school the night before "Mile Day" and swore if I was running then someone or something must be chasing me. I have so many friends who love to run and promise if I stick to it I'll start to love it too. I'm not so sure about that but it is a full body work-out, it's free, and I know it works...so I'm going to give it an honest effort. This week will be my first full week. You are suppose to run 30 minutes/day, 3 times/week and by the end of nine weeks be able to run a 5K (which is 3.1 miles) without stopping. I have never even ran a mile without stopping so I will keep you posted on my progress. I also love the app Couch to 5K by Active that I downloaded, it maps out your coarse, tells you when to run/walk, tells you your distance, time, and mile per minute speed. After my first run I was impressed I actually did 2 . 12 miles in 30 minutes. However, I also discovered just how much I "jiggle" and the bigger your boobs the more uncomfortable running can be. Maybe with the help of technology I can get fit again!
No cute pictures on this post for a change. I did take a before picture but I will definitely not be posting that bad boy until I have an awesome after picture to post beside it! Wish me luck! I know it took nine months for me to gain this weight so I can't expect to lose it in nine days (that would be amazing though) but I'm hoping to at least make steady progress.
So on that note here comes a real honest post about post baby body!
But before any one gets defensive let me say my two healthy, beautiful children were worth every stretch mark, pound, and jiggle I acquired. However, I would love to get my old body back at least partially, I felt so much better physically and mentally about myself. By Taegan's first birthday I had lost the 45 pounds plus some I gained while pregnant and felt great! Lucky for me I didn't make any real effort to lose weight after having Taegan, breastfeeding alone did all the work and I continued to eat dessert. I was able to wear clothes that hadn't been touched in years...and some of it was still in style. This go round I am a little older and I wasn't in as good of shape (even though I weighed about the same) when I got pregnant. I am just not convinced breastfeeding alone is going to "do it" this time. I haven't seen much movement on the scale in the last 4 weeks, so it is time to do something! Someone told me while I was pregnant with Taegan not to look in a full length mirror until she was 6 months old, it would just make me depressed. I thought it was hilarious at the time but turns out it's true. Of coarse I looked in a full length mirror and it was a little depressing but now that I am on my second go round I know it is possible to feel good about my body again, which gives me hope. It is just so darn frustrating to have a closet full of cute fall clothes that I can't fit into. Losing weight while breastfeeding can be tricky (unless it happens all by itself), you don't want to cut your calories so much that you effect your milk supply yet you have to cut them enough to lose weight.
I researched several different diets...there are so many options you can go hard core Weston A. Price, hard-core Whole30, eat clean, raw, or 100% organic, you can go Paleo or Primial, or you can just lose your mind trying to figure it all out! Most of these diets would have meant an extreme change in eating habits for me which in my mind (at this time with two small children) would have equalled failure. While I think these diets can be great and work for people, I didn't want to set myself up for failure.
So my plan eat better and workout...the simple old fashion way!
Specifically I am using the My Fitness Pal app to log my meals and exercise. I really like this app because it's easy to use and logging your diet really makes you aware of how you're eating. Plus it doesn't just track your calories, it keeps up with your protein, sugar, fat, sodium, etc so you can see how you need to adjust your diet. I am trying to add more fruits and veggies into my diet and eat less sugar and processed foods.
I also started the Couch to 5K Challenge...yikes! This is the girl who used to try to get out of going to school the night before "Mile Day" and swore if I was running then someone or something must be chasing me. I have so many friends who love to run and promise if I stick to it I'll start to love it too. I'm not so sure about that but it is a full body work-out, it's free, and I know it works...so I'm going to give it an honest effort. This week will be my first full week. You are suppose to run 30 minutes/day, 3 times/week and by the end of nine weeks be able to run a 5K (which is 3.1 miles) without stopping. I have never even ran a mile without stopping so I will keep you posted on my progress. I also love the app Couch to 5K by Active that I downloaded, it maps out your coarse, tells you when to run/walk, tells you your distance, time, and mile per minute speed. After my first run I was impressed I actually did 2 . 12 miles in 30 minutes. However, I also discovered just how much I "jiggle" and the bigger your boobs the more uncomfortable running can be. Maybe with the help of technology I can get fit again!
No cute pictures on this post for a change. I did take a before picture but I will definitely not be posting that bad boy until I have an awesome after picture to post beside it! Wish me luck! I know it took nine months for me to gain this weight so I can't expect to lose it in nine days (that would be amazing though) but I'm hoping to at least make steady progress.
{Guilty confession: I also hope that by sharing this post it will make me more accountable. I don't want this to be the first and last post under the "Get Fit" tab!}
Please feel free to share any tips, hints, advice, suggestions...you get point :)
In February we will be running together!!!! Hehe!! Goodluck you will do fine! *stay hydrated so that milk supply doesn't fall :) Miss you!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cfystal! I really need to do better about drinking plenty of water. We will definitely have to run together after you have that sweet baby. Miss you too!
DeleteI am proud of you, your commitment, and your babies! I would love to jog with you my friend...we may not run fast, but I bet I could make you laugh (I think that burns calories too). ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Abbey! I would love to go jogging sometime, I am not fast by any means, and I'm sure you could make me laugh :)
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