Saturday, January 12, 2008

Wake Up Call

Here's a fun game: Who can guess the number of inches I have added to my waist since my sophomore year of high school (that being the last year I remember measuring my waist)?
No? Not a fun game? Well then, here's the answer. Seven. SEVEN. Good grief. Why does this always happen- as soon as I write about making peace with my body, I get slapped with renewed self loathing after seeing myself in a picture, or getting on a scale, or some other form of COLD HARD FACTS. Bah.
On a more cheerful note, the reason I was torturing myself with the tape measure is that I had to send in my measurements for my pretty BRIDESMAID DRESS for the WEDDING I'm going to be in come September! Yay! AND Addy is going to be the flower girl!
But seriously, folks. I need to whip this body back into shape, and I don't think two hours of aerobics a week is going to cut it. My first plan is to stop buying all the #%$^#ing chocolate just because it is on a major sale. The calories are not seventy-five percent off, Sarah. But I think it will take more than that. My love handles are stubborn little buggers. I need dieting ideas that are both nutritionally acceptable (so no cabbage soup only diets) and okay to implement while breastfeeding. How do I get the pounds to melt away while still providing good milk for baby and also keeping up my energy for toddler chasing (my method for keeping up energy heretofore having been to alternate doses of caffeine and sugar)?

10 comments:

Swistle said...

Well, according to celebrity moms, all you have to do is chase around after a toddler, and you too will have a celebrity body! They always claim not to be dieting or exercising, "just chasing my kids around all day!"

Anonymous said...

I think the biggest thing that helped me was eating steel cut oats for breakfast every morning. I would put a dash of cinnamon, some slivered almonds and dried cranberries on top. Everyone says eating breakfast is one of the best things you can do when trying to lose weight (or inches in your case) and the oatmeal kept me full all morning, the fiber helped curb my afternoon snack desire and oatmeal is great for breast milk production. Win, win, in my opinion. I actually got down to pre-wedding weight eating it. Now I'll step off my Dr. Oz/You on a Diet soapbox.

Mommy Daisy said...

Ugh, I hate those reality checks. I've had plenty. And I don't want to THINK about how MY measurements compare to my sophomore year in high school.

For good diet advice, go see Sara's blog. She recently asked for some and got great ideas. Here's the link: http://www.suburbanoblivion.com/2008/01/05/20lbs-in-25-dayscan-it-be-done/. There was a lot of good advice there. I'll let you read the comments instead of repeating it all there. Then I'll take some myself and start working on it. Matt and I have set a goal for some weightloss before trying to get pregnany again.

Mommy Daisy said...

*pregnant* not *pregnany*

d e v a n said...

Swistle = haha. That's the "truth"...

Sarah - have you read "YOU on A Diet"
It's a great book! I know, I know, but it's not really a diet. It's fabulous and helped me lose 40 lbs before, well, you know...

mamashine said...

Hm. I am no help. I'm fairly sure it's more like ELEVEN inches for me. But I think high school is longer ago for me than it is for you, so I'm using that as an excuse.

Drink lots and lots of water. That's all I got.

Jess said...

I know that by now I sound like I work for Weight Watchers or something, but seriously--if you want a more structured plan, they do have a plan designed for nursing moms. It's worked really well for me. I mean, not the nursing mom plan, but WW in general.

Good luck! And have fun being a bridesmaid, regardless of how many inches your waist is!

Clueless But Hopeful said...

Those wake up calls can be brutal.

I just read Sara's blog from Mommy Daisy's comment. Lots of good comments over there.

I personally use several strategies when I know I've gained a bit.

1. Drink lots of water. Lots and lots. No caloric beverages.

2. Eat a handful of almonds as a mid-morning snack and an apple as a mid afternoon snack. Then eat 1/2 the amount of a normal lunch and dinner. Using smaller plates helps.

3. Exercise whenever and however I can. If the babe wakes up early from a nap interrupting a workout video, I put on some dance music and dance around her (which she thinks is hysterical). Take walks with the babe or without. Try to do something physical every day (even a 15 minute walk or a couple of sets of push ups counts!)

Also, as a Pilates instructor, I should just add that by toning your deepest abdominal muscle (your tranversus abdominus), you can narrow your waistline. If you only do crunches, you may strengthen your most superficial abdominal muscles which can actually make your waistline bigger. Things like elbow planks (basically holding a full push up position but on your elbows instead of on your hands) can do wonders for your abs.

Okay, sorry. Got a bit carried away!

Lisa said...

I'm a huge sweet tooth and I always do best when I pre plan my sweets - like a few chocolate covered almonds, or a fruit and yogurt parfait...rather than wait until I'm ravenous and binge on a 1/2 bag of mini snikers or a pint of Ben and Jerry's.
I know I need the sweets/snacks so I try to plan ahead and only buy healthier snack-y food.

I agree with drinking a lot of h2o.

Also, set realistic goals,it's difficult to fit a regular exercise routine in with two little ones, you may have to get creative.

Good luck, I'm still trying to get back to my feel good body and James Ryan is 16 months now.

I was giving myself a 'pass' for awhile, but I think I need to let go of that, it's time:)

Penny said...

The calories are not seventy-five percent off, Sarah

I love this line, but also I kind of believe it, so Ssssssh.