This is a word I hate to utter but here it is. I’m on a diet. Not a silly diet or faddy diet but a straightforward eat less fat, eat more good stuff diet.
I’m not a fan of diets generally. I mean diets such as The Cabbage Soup or Atkins. I always think it’s better to just change the way you look at food and eat well and maybe do some kind of exercise jiggery thang.
I’ve been putting it off and putting it off.
But… I feel rubbish about the way I look right now. I know I’m not huge. Not at all. I know that I’ve had two babies in just over 2 years and it doesn’t disappear overnight but I do find it hard when I look at friends or family members who have babies and literally seem to snap back into shape. Yes breastfeeding helped my uterus shrink and to lose the initial pounds but just as it did with Izzy my body seems to want to hold on to the last stone or so until I finish. Yes this happens to about half of breastfeeding women..we don’t all lose every pound ( and more) when feeding.
I know this weight loss will be hard but I know that I will feel happier because of it. I’m not the type of person who will ever be stick thin and I’m ok with that. I like having some curves but I also like to feel comfortable in myself and for me that’s a stone or two lighter.
What I’m finding hardest is that I really want to bake. Baking soothes me. Cakes aren’t really that good for losing weight. I baked chocolate cupcakes with Izzy today and I somehow managed to exercise some restraint but woah it was hard.
Would dieting be easier if I didn’t love to cook so much? Maybe.
I’m going to increase my daily exercise level too although I don’t sit down for more than about 30 minutes on any given day so not sure how much more I can squeeze in but I’m certainly going to try the 30 day shred as it worked so well for me last time.
Above all I’m not going to put any pressure on myself. Weight loss/weight gain and the way we look at ourselves post baby is one of the hardest things to deal with as a woman and it can affect your emotional well being. I know what’s more important.
My wonderful daughters are certainly worth a wobbly belly.
I just wanted to share that breastfeeding isn’t always this magical weight loss trick. Not for everyone.
How did you feel about your weight 6 months post partum? Did breastfeeding zap your pounds away?
I piled it on breast feeding with the view that I needed to eat more – and the MIL kept baking me cakes! Then it crept on more and more until enough was enough. The shred kick started me alongside a cut in calories. I’ve been lazier lately but am happy with myself. Do what makes you happy. Your girls are blooming gorgeous btw ) x
Thanks V, I think as long as you are happy it doesn’t matter what size you are but I’m not happy in my current size so something had to give! X
Did I lose it, dear god no! I was lucky enough to lose weight during pregnancy, I put this down to no alcohol, however I have since put on nearly 2 stone!! I blame an almost insatiable appetite while breastfeeding though I can’t blame feeding for the stuff I chose to eat, this is all my fault. That all said, I wouldn’t change it for the world, breastfeeding is the most amazing thing ever, even when I look back at the dark days I wouldn’t change a thing (except perhaps swapping those cookies with apples 😉 )