I've had enough of narrowing down my wardrobe for the week according to which pants will be most comfortable around my expanding waistline. I love wearing dresses in the summer, but I want to wear them because I want to, not because they hide all manner of flaws in my midsection.
When my weight leveled off after having the girls in April 2009, I was ten pounds lighter than I had been when I got pregnant. Though that was still about fifteen pounds heavier than I was during most of college, I felt okay about it. At this point in my life, I'm not looking for the body I once had. Let's face it--that body is never coming back.
I was pretty happy with where my weight was post-twins, and even though this body is all sorts of rearranged, it was sufficient and there was hope for a little more improvement. Instead, I have somehow managed to go ten pounds in the wrong direction.
I know what I need to do...I just have trouble putting it into action. I have never really struggled with my weight in the past, and I have never worked out consistently, though I used to be a lot more active than I am now. And I always eaten exactly what I wanted to. (I know, I should not be complaining about making it almost 30 years before worrying about any of this!) But I really have had enough, and I want to be comfortable and love my body again.
First goal--get back to this point, from last October:
Starting tomorrow morning (today, actually, by the time this post is up), I am going to get up at 6:00 and walk/jog in my neighborhood for about 30 minutes before I get ready for work. The girls are consistently sleeping until the time I leave for work or after, but I will put a monitor close to Jeremy's sleeping head just in case they wake up while I'm gone. I am going to walk at least four days this week, for a start.
Exercise will help, but the other half of that is to get my diet under control. I even hate that word, "diet", and I'm not thinking of it as a diet, just eating better for my overall health. I did really well managing my weight with a diabetic-style diet when I was pregnant, so back to carb-counting it is. I didn't feel too restricted, because I could fit just about anything I really wanted in my diet, with the right planning and modifications.
I'm feeling a lot better now that there's a game plan for doing something about this little issue, and I hope this motivation sticks around after my first walk tomorrow in the hot and humid morning air.
Tell me something good--what's your motivational technique? Also, I need breakfast tips...what's your favorite quick, easy, and relatively healthy breakfast? I like to eat at work, but toast and peanut butter gets old quickly. Thanks in advance!
Edited to add: Day 1=complete!
Good job, Deanna! You look amazing in that pic, btw :)
ReplyDeletePS the way I motivate myself is either making a BIG announcement in a public space so the people can keep me accountable or I pay someone like a coach/ personal trainer
ReplyDeleteYou gotta get your head right, and just get yourself to do it!!! If your heart is in it (and it sounds like it is) you will succeed! Ive just started Insanity. I was getting bored with Jillian and my body felt stuck and I was bored. But now I'm addicted to the way I feel, the way my body is changing...this after just 2 weeks. You can do it Momma!!! If you need me to yell at ya and get you motivated, I shall to that too. ;)
ReplyDeleteI hate to say this, but I was a little relieved when I read this post! I, too, lost weight after the babies were born and then gained some back! All this time, I've been thinking "who does that?!" I got down 26 pounds BELOW what I was when I got PG (which I didn't think would EVER be possible) by the time they turned 1 yr and have since gained 21 pounds back :( So... I'm going to hop on your wagon and hopefully shed this weight back off!! Good Luck to both of us!!!
ReplyDeleteKristi--You are definitely NOT alone! I'm glad to have someone struggling with me. Wait, that sounds wrong, but you know what I mean. ; )
ReplyDeleteWe can do it!!
You do look great in that pic! Maybe I should think about walking in the morning before I get ready for work too. I think it's the only time of the day it's not sweltering hot.
ReplyDeleteYou do look great in that picture, but I'm pretty sure it's because you're smiling! I like that you're building exercise into your daily routine...I think that helps a lot.
ReplyDeleteFor breakfast, every day (I find that if you eat the same thing every day, you're less likely to stray from your "diet"), I eat a fried egg (olive oil spray and a tiny bit of butter) and fruit. If I'm going to spin class, I'll add a piece of whole wheat toast, but if not, I skip it. I also drink v8 with my vitamins...good luck!
I'm a cereal girl for breakfast...usually Frosted Mini Wheats or Raisin Bran. That, with 1/2 a banana or a couple of strawberries, 1% milk, and a little cup of OJ I find is a pretty filling breakfast. I do count my mini wheats / measure my raisin bran, though...otherwise I am prone to pouring a huge bowl (like when I was in college!)...HA!
ReplyDeleteI hope you come to enjoy that exercise time in the mornings. I had that routine going for a while (until our girls decided that they really like waking up at 6:30, instead of 7:30). It was a fantastic use of "me" time in my book.
Good luck, Mama!!!
yea! yea for you and yea for having a partner in crime :) you know this is something i've been struggluing wtih as well!
ReplyDeletei found it easy to be motivated when my body started changing. i wanted to keep going in that direction :)
for breakfast i will scramble an egg and have some kind of fruit. when i used to need to eat on the run i would try to make it into a breakfast sandwich: i would buy the mini bagels, scramble the egg and put 1/2 of a fat free cheese slice on it and eat it in the car as i drove.
oh. and coffee. breakfast of champs! :)