A quick update: I lost three pounds the first week, but then gained it back when I went to visit family over the holiday weekend. I only get to eat my grandmother's cooking once or twice a year, so I was not about to nuke a JC entree when there was real food to be had. My main weight loss stumbling block seems to be exercise right now. It's just too hot (for the baby) to walk much. The early mornings and late evenings are not a good time to get the baby out, so I just take really short walks in the mid-morning. It's just not enough. The other stumbling block in my state of mind. I remember when I started JC the first time, it took about three weeks before I really felt positive about the whole thing. I resented it all at first, and I'm having a repeat of that now. I don't WANT to do this! At my first weigh-in, I wasn't even excited about the three pounds. I felt that three pounds had no business being there in the first place, so it damn well better make itself scarce. There was no feeling of accomplishment--only a feeling of taking a small step out of hole. But I'm still in the hole. I feel that my focus is on Chandler, and there's just not enough left of my personal motivation to devote to weight loss. I"m only doing it out of fear and disgust, not empowerment, you know? I just hope and pray some kind of mental shift occurs . . . soon.
Posted By: ashleyb
Comments to this post:
07/09/2008 12:38
A little motivation...
Since your focus is on your baby, work on losing weight and becoming healthier not just for you, but for the baby. As the baby gets older, the baby is going to need more of your energy and being overweight is going to hinder that. And being healthier and thinner is going to help ensure that you can be there. And you can be a healthy, happy family! Good luck. You can do this!
It's so hard to adjust to life after you have a baby. And of course she is your sole focus. And might I add, she's quite the cutie. Just don't forget that you are worth the effort. You are more than just a mom. Although being a mom is quite important, you are still Ashley. Sometimes that's hard to remember. Especially when you're staying at home.
Do you have any DVDs you can do at home? Is there a gym that has child care? Could you go walking after hubby gets home?
I understand what you mean about resenting everything. I completed my first week back to JC yesterday. And I did the week 1 pre-planned menu. It kind of pissed me off to be eating the food that THEY chose for me. So this week, I just picked my own. I hope it helps.
I have always thought that losing weight takes a lot of emotional reserve, or strength. I also wonder how I will feel about my health post-baby. I mean, just being pregnant is tapping into my healthy emotional empowerment mode and causing me to do some stress eating. I would think that now you are still in a transition phase of learning to be a Mommy AND take care of yourself. Be very patient with yourself and maybe start with a good meditation book every day to get yourself centered on the real you, deep inside. Thanks for sharing!
Oh, how I understand what you're going through! And I wish there was some secret I could pass along to help you out, but unfortunately I am still learning the steps to take to get where I want to be. I thought I knew my body before, and what I needed in order to lose weight, but the body I have now is completely different than what is was before. It has different needs. And that is what I am still working on discovering. Before Kyle was born, I thought that the "baby weight" was going to fall right off so much more easily once I really got focused. But it hasn't. Staying patient and keeping at it is the only advice I have to give. Some weeks will be good. Some won't. Sometimes you'll feel like you aren't making progress at all. But if you stay focused on being healthy, eating better, and being active (when possible) then over time you will see that those goals will have the side benefit of weight loss. It'll happen! Possibly slowly...but surely!!! It's been five months since I had Kyle, and as of this morning I am down 16.5 lbs. since the day after I came home from the hospital (and about 8 of those were gone after my first week home, so...). It doesn't feel like a lot to me, and I do get discouraged, but I'm keeping at it. Plenty of moms lose their baby weight...I know I can too! And so can you! Good luck this week.
I just saw the pic of Chandler for the first time. That baby looks just like you! I had a scroll through your photos to double check. Yep! Spittin image! :)
I don't have the empowerment feeling I used to have either, and I don't even have a baby to focus on! It's soooo hard. Right now I'm sort of pretending. Kinda of the "fake-it-til-ya-make-it" feeling and going through the motions until it (hopefully) hits me. Have you considered getting a little mini trampoline for the house? I've been researching them, and the Needak seems like a good one. I also bought something else on ebay recently to get some non-traditional exercise. I'll have to tell you about that one later. Perhaps I'll blog about it. It's a children's toy! lol.
Is there anything I can do to help? If I didn't keep getting stuck on call, I'd have already come by for a visit. Unfortunately, I'm on-call again tomorrow. Today I had a long job. I need a very short, early morning deposition taht ends quickly, and then I can come by without worrying about work calling me. Let's cross our fingers that it happens soon. I want to come over and meet Chandler!!
I'm with you! i need a lot of encouragement and motivation. One thing I'm committing to doing is keeping this blog, b/c I'm getting married in a few mths and really want to see breakthrough in this area of my life!
Posted By:
07/24/2008 14:44
hello in there
Hey you, where are ya? A few of us memphians are trying to meet up this saturday for lunch. are you up for it? i sent you an email with the details.
