Be one of those women that kept 10 lbs after every kid, and well, guess what? Here I sit with 60 extra pounds after 6 kids. Was it diet? Stress? No excercise (although I somehow found myself feeling like I ran a marathon everyday by bedtime)? Emotions? Maybe it's a combination of all of that. Regardless, I sit here with at least 30-40 pounds to use and the sad thing is that I have no idea where to start.
Before I had kids I was 108 pounds, and at almost 5'6 that was almost anorexic looking. I almost couldn't get into the military because of my weight. I maintained that until I got pregnant with my first baby. Then I gained almost 60 lbs but managed to loose all but 15. At 125, I felt good and felt like I LOOKED good. I still fit my prepregnancy clothes. No one told me that it's pretty normal to do that after your 1st baby. After 3-6 babies though...your body just doesn't bounce right back or hold it's old familiar, youthful shape. Weight had never been an issue for me. I had always wanted to gain weight but couldn't. Now I can't get rid of it! The unfortunate thing is that my husband is battling a weight issue as well and after 10 years of marriage, no change in diet habits (although I have gotten away from a lot of processed foods), very little exercise, and sympathy pregnancy weight, the weight is not coming off of him either.
Where do we begin?
I have started looking at our portions. I know that plate sizes now at 12 inch diameters are huge compared to the 8-9 inch dinner plates from 50 years ago. I'm trying to watch the portions now and change my thought pattern if the plate looks skimpy.
My husband has a habit of not eating breakfast, sometimes skipping lunch, and binging all evening. While I don't skip a lot of meals, sometimes I don't eat breakfast and I end up binging with him in the evening.
Exercise. This is pretty much non-existant. I can't stand cold weather and I'm shy and insecure so going to the gym is hard for me. Since we recently moved back into town, my husband has started walking to work, which is 1 mile away. I have tried to get out and go for an evening walk with the baby, but it's getting darker earlier and it's soon going to get cold. I'm trying to get enough nerve to just march over to the gym and use it.
Soda consumption. I'm trying to wean myself off of coke. I can't tell if it's the carbonation or sugar or taste, but to be honest, a lot of times the taste is nasty to me. McDonald's did not help with this habit by offering a 32 oz. soda for .90 cents this summer. Thank goodness their deal stopped today.
Menus. I know that eating fast food is not healthy, and most months we do better than others with sticking to a menu, eating at home, and enjoying less processed, fatty foods. I need to plan for healthier snacks though. Graham crackers aren't as satisfying as celery and peanut butter. Soda isn't as satisfying as water or cold herbal tea. I love to bake and sometimes we get a little too overloaded on cookies. I haven't made cookies in a month, but that's not to say I won't sometime in the near future. I think I need to look for healthier versions of our favorite recipes. One more thought on menus. I grew up cooking meals that contained meat, veggie and starch (noodles or potatoes, sometimes rice). As an adult I still cook that way. Dessert was rare. Snacks were popcorn, fruit, chocolate milk or 1 scoop of ice cream. I'm having to learn to readjust my habits: maybe the starch can be another veggie, not a carbohydrate?
This isn't something that you can just wake up and *poof* everything is in place and right. It takes work, but this is work that neither my husband or myself are accustomd to, so it is very difficult to take on this goal of loosing weight.
Lastly: I don't think I have any willpower. Even though I want to be healthier, thinner, and have more energy to keep up with my kids, I don't seem very motivated.
I'll have to think some more on what my motivation really is.
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pinkginghamom at yahoo.com
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