It's finally time to lose the baby weight. And it isn't going so well. I have noticed that there are no photos of me with the Baby. I think it has been a subconscious thing on my part. I can't stand to see myself in photos. I started Weight Watchers at work and have lost five pounds which is just a drop in the bucket considering I have 35 pounds to go. I have had success with Weight Watchers before but this time it seems almost impossibly hard. Between caring for my family, working full-time and serving on the Board of a non-profit, keeping track of food points is just one more thing to do.
I went to a working moms conference not long ago and the mom sitting next to me was about a size 2. She told me that I need to take care of myself in order to take better care of my child and that she makes time for the gym every day. Well, here's the thing. I feed the baby and dress him at about 6:30am each day. I leave the house at 7:15am to get to work. I usually get home at around 5pm. IF I don't have a volunteer commitment. If I have a meeting, I get home around 9pm. Between 5pm and Baby's bedtime at 8pm, I focus on feeding him and spending quality time with him. 8-10pm offers a few stolen moments with my husband and then I hit the sack at 10pm. Adding gym time means less sleep and getting up around 5am. Gym time in the evening means giving up precious time with my Baby or my husband. So, what do I do? Ideally, I would be working part-time but that just isn't an option for us financially or in terms of health insurance. So, I have to change my eating habits and steal a few moments of walking around outside during my workday.
I am comfortable at a size 10. (My ideal would be a size 8) I am currently a size 14 and I don't recognize myself. I have always liked having an hourglass figure and I have never wanted to be super-thin. I used to love to go shopping. Now, I dread it. Nothing fits. My boobs are too big (STILL!) and my hips and bum are ginormous. I just wish for clothes that fit. Is that too much to ask?
On a lighter note...
I have discovered pants that fit and it has given me a rosier outlook. Ann Taylor LOFT makes a fit of pant called JULIE that is perfect for curvy girls. They are fantastic! I bought JULIE pants in every style that they have. Now, I just have to cross my fingers that they don't discontinue the fit just when I have discovered it.
Anyone else having weight loss woes? Or tips to share?
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7 comments:
I don't know anything about weight loss, but in terms of using exercise as a healthy lifestyle choice (which could include weight loss), I generally have found the following to hold true:
1. Give yourself permission to be where you are today. I think this is especially true for women who have had children. I remember a scene in Sex in the City when the girls were at a bar and some guy made a terrible comment about Miranda's weight. She said, "I just had a baby - what's your excuse?" Case in point.
2. Find something you enjoy doing. Going to the gym is the most excruciatingly boring way on the planet to exercise. I've always marveled at what people will shell out to subject themselves to that kind of boredom (only my opinion, of course). But I don't know how people can NOT enjoy walking/easy hiking and make them a part of their regular routine (again, only my opinion).
3. Exercise with people you enjoy hanging out with. It's a lot easier to get out the door when you know you can also use it to get in some quality time with your peeps. I know the area around your house isn't really conducive to walking, etc., but with that new bad ass jogging stroller you just got, maybe knowing you can also use that time to also be with A and G, you'll have a more compelling reason to load the stroller into the Subaru and go to the park or greenbelt.
That was a horribly judgmental thing I said in #2. I must have been off my meds last night. My apologies.
Gary--I didn't see anything judgmental in your comment! I think you make some great points. (by the way, the SEX AND THE CITY episode you refer to is the Atlantic City one and it's one of my favorites!)
I'm going to make an effort to go walking with Baby after work no matter how tired I am.
Oh, yeah, I always struggle with my weight. My husband and I joined a program called Marathon Makeover -- a marathon training program -- and I'm not doing so hot. He's looking great, but I've had a lot of trouble motivating myself to bother with workouts. I do best when my husband/running buddy is in town. When he's not, I just get depressed and mope a lot.
I wish you luck. I didn't have trouble losing baby weight, but I think that's pretty unusual. It's the rest of the time that I've fought with my weight.
You can do it, Amy!! I just started a 'get fit' group at work... I'm helping people who don't exercise at all get up to a 5k distance in two months... we started with a brisk walk yesterday. Maybe you can join us vicariously through the wonders of the internet? What do you think? http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
Amy, take a look at the workout DVD called The 30 Day Shred with Jillian Michaels. I think you can get it at Target or on Amazon, and it's pretty inexpensive (though you also have to get some small hand weights). It's a daily 20-minute workout that is pretty intense. Jillian is a trainer on The Biggest Loser, and she's pretty tough. Anyway, there are three levels of intensity, and within each level, there is one person doing the beginner version of each move. My husband and I are doing it together. It's so motivating when you have someone who is doing it with you. Plus, MOST people have 20 minutes to spare, especially if you can spend those 20 minutes at home! I recently did this workout when I was visiting a friend with a baby, who just crawled over and around us while we were working out. It's so short that the baby wasn't really even bothered that we were doing it. I think you can even see a clip of the DVD on Amazon. Anyway, hope you have found something that is helpful for you. Just sharing something that works for me ....
Bookful and K--That is a really good idea. We just got a jogging stroller and the weather is turning nicer so I'm going to make an effort to get outdoors and set a 5k as my goal!!!
AmyT--I have heard that DVD is good. I will look for it. I think DVDs may be a good option for me.
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