Being transparent for a little bit, I have been in a serious body funk lately. It doesn't matter how frequent I try to reassure myself that it takes time (6 months with both Grace & David Michael), self doubt and criticism slowly creeps in and engulfs my thoughts. I'm not enough: not skinny enough, not dressed well enough, not pretty enough, not enough.
I am not one of those women who gain minimal weight during pregnancy. It doesn't matter how strict my diet is or how much I exercise while pregnant... I gain weight. I am not one of those women who can breastfeed and all the weight will melt off. I exclusively nursed Grace for 12 months and David Michael for 9, so I know from experience it takes more than that. I am not one of those women who can just work out and fit back in my jeans. It takes discipline.
So as I look down at the scale almost four months post-partum with 14 more pounds to go...
Then I am reminded that this body and all of its lumps, marks, cellulite and all; has housed three beautiful babies. Only God can make my children so perfect, in each and every way.
Negative body image is something I have struggled with my entire life. This is not new to me. Thankfully the Lord has pulled in out of the self doubt. "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." I am so grateful for a God who doesn't see me from the outside but from my heart within. "For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." You and I have been created in the image of our God. Our purpose is to reflect His image to a lost world.
The worst part of struggling with body image issues is the pull it has on me to be self-focused. I was not created to focus on myself. I am here on this earth to bring Glory, NOT to myself, but to my Savior. Thankfully there is hope! There is freedom in our Lord Jesus Christ! Yes, I will always struggle with the flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12) of this world, but I am thankful for the Gospel that has given me the tools to fight and overcome.
Showing posts with label Weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weight loss. Show all posts
Momma 6 Week Update
6 weeks postpartum is a difficult place and time for me. Each pregnancy I tell myself that I am not going to gain too much weight and stick to around a 25 pound gain. Well... each time I have well exceeded that number. Pregnancy #1 I gained 50 lbs, pregnancy #2 I gained 38 lbs and then pregnancy #3 I gained 41 lbs. With pregnancy #1 it took me 5 1/2 months to loose the weight, pregnancy #2 it took 6 months (I had been my original weight for only a couple weeks before finding out that Emma was coming), so now statistically I know that it is going to take me months before I will be able to wear my clothes again, but it still is a difficult time for me.
Currently I have 17 more pounds to loose, but that does mean I have lost 24 lbs. I know that the weight will not just fall off like I desire, but it will take hard work and discipline. I sometimes forget what I currently look like until I look in a mirror and am reminded that I need to put in the work.
The last two weeks I have walked on the treadmill for four days out of seven. I really do feel a lot better when I am able to exercise. I would love to be able to walk every day, but with three kiddos around I do the best I can. The last three week I have lost a pound a week. I wish this trend would keep up, but I'm not going to get my hopes up.
Thankfully I was cleared yesterday to begin running again slowly!
Here is to hard work and discipline!
Thankfully I was cleared yesterday to begin running again slowly!
Here is to hard work and discipline!
Emma is 3 Weeks Old!!!
These past three weeks have flown by! I can not believe that she is almost a month old!?!? She really has been a good baby so far! I keep waiting for things to change, but they haven't! She likes to eat about every two hours day and night. She has slept a few four hours straight, but only a couple times. She is still wearing newborn diapers, but as soon as we finish up what we have she will be moving on to size 1. She has been wearing some newborn clothes, but also some 0-3 month clothes because of her skinny little legs are so long. She loves to take naps on her belly.
Momma is feeling pretty good. The exhaustion of feeding a little one every two hours has definitely hit full force these last few days, but no rest for the weary around here with big sister and big brother around. I was able to take the kids out for a walk all by myself yesterday.
I am anxious to start exercising, but really feel that all my spare/ free time needs to be spent on school. (only 2 more weeks!!) I still have 24 pounds to drop. I know all the extra fluids etc are gone, so these last 24 lbs have to be dropped with hard work and self control.
Check out David Michael at 3 weeks old here.
Emma is 1 Week Old!
Emma has really slept this week away. She initially lost 10 oz before leaving the hospital. Today at the doctor's office she had gained all of it back minus 1 oz! Needless to say she is a good eater! She really is a fast eater, I was getting concerned that she wasn't getting enough. This week I have been letting her eat whenever she wants. She has gone from about 1 hr to 4 hrs. She has been sleeping in our room at night and napping some in her crib while her brother and sister play downstairs.
Momma is actually feeling really good! I am so grateful that I did not break my tailbone this time around! I knew it was a 50/50 chance. I have had to attend class three days this week already which has really left me feeling weak and sore. Thankfully the lack of sleep has not really hit me too bad YET. Unfortunately Emma being baby number three sleeping when she sleeps is not an option; nighttime is the only chance I get to sleep when she sleeps. I have lost 18 lbs so far, but sadly still have 27 more to go! I did not do so well this time not gaining weight. I tried to keep it down, but it kept sneaking up on me. Hopefully in the days to come I will be able to get some exercise in.
Check out Grace at week 1 here.
Check out David Michael at week 1 here.
Check out Grace at week 1 here.
Check out David Michael at week 1 here.
Breastfeeding Ups & Downs
Let me start by saying that I am so grateful that I was able to breastfeed Grace. I know some women try very hard and are unable and others choose not to and use formula. Whichever you choose I know is best for you and your little one.
Here are a few reasons why we chose to breastfeed:
1. FREE- Yall know I am all about saving money and especially when it is free!
2. We were made to nurse- God made nursing for mom and baby. It is healthier for baby and it helps mom lose the baby weight.
3. Not as Messy- I am so glad that I did not constantly have to clean bottles, mix formula and boil nipples.
The reasons I did not enjoy breastfeeding: (which sadly are all VERY selfish)
1. No one could help in the middle of the night or any other time for that matter.
2. I could not run first time in the morning (or most times) because I was too engorged.
3. I could only be separated from Grace for a couple hours at a time because she needed to be fed so frequent. Sometimes I just need alone time.
Let me just brag for a minute. (Since it is my blog after-all) I am proud to say Grace is 11 months old and she has never even tasted formula. She has survived this long just from her momma's milk. I feel very fortunate and grateful! Now that we are weaning she is doing great and I am sad and glad at the same time!
Post Baby Weight
I am sad to admit that I was very nervous about being able to lose weight postpregnancy. Mainly because I love running and the heavier you are the harder it is to run that way I want to. Running is "my time", my escape, my stress reliever and something that just makes me happy!
Thankfully I have been able to lose all the weight I gained during pregnancy! (All 49 pounds!!!)
- Stopped eating sugar. Meaning I still eat things that have sugar in them, like yogurt and such, but no desserts. (ice cream)
- No sugary drinks and lots and lots of water! Which if you are breastfeeding I don't know how you can make it if you are not constantly drinking water!
- Eat when I am hungry. I tried to eat when my body needed it and not just because it was time to eat. Which ended up meaning that I eat several meals a day.
- Breast Feed.They say this takes off pounds and I believe it does, along with all the added benefits to you and your baby!
- Exercise at least four days a week. Since Grace broke my tailbone during delivery I was unable to not only exercise, but move for weeks! When I was able to begin walking I did. I started walking as much as I could. Eventually I was walking an hour with pushing a stroller. Our neighborhood is pretty hilly too so it does make it a lot more challenging. When it began getting too cold to take my little one out or it was raining I would do an exercise video. Now if you are wondering which video I have been using... well you are going to laugh. You see my mom used to do a video (and I mean VHS) when I was growing up and I have been borrowing it from her. I really do love it! They sing praise songs, I have it memorized, it is split into three twenty minute sections, so I can workout for an hour or less depending on Grace, and I do not have to go and try to find another one that works. The video is Stormie Omartian Exercise for Life. I am sure there are other great ones out there, but this one did it for me! I really get at it too, I don't just go through the motions. If you want to lose weight you have to sweat!
This is Grace's face when she watches her momma do such funny exercise moves.
- Play with your baby. We will dance around the house, play on the floor, tummy time pushups.
I Hope this encourages some new moms. It can be done!
