The 2 Pound Challenge- Update!!!

I thought I’d give you all an update on how I did on my 2 lb. challenge.

Remember? I was in danger of becoming a beached whale and gaining way more weight (like 70-80lbs) than what was good for me and Bambino if I continued on the path I was on?

That was two weeks ago and my Doctor “challenged” me to make some dietary changes so that by my next appointment (which was yesterday) I would only have a 2lb. gain. Two pounds every two weeks is what you are supposed to gain… that’s all baby growth. My thighs apparently felt left out though and wanted to gain right alongside Bambino.

Selfish, needy thighs!!!

Anyways, I took that challenge and I kicked it’s butt!

I almost didn’t want to look on the scale yesterday… all I could think about was Christmas dinner last weekend… chocolate peppermint pie, Mom’s amazing gingerbread cookies, a painful hip that didn’t let me walk or workout for a few days…

But the heavens opened up and shined golden light down upon me as I stood on that scale in the Dr’s office..

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh-leeeeeeee-luuuuuuuu-yaaaaaaaaaaaa”

I LOST ONE POUND FROM MY APPOINTMENT TWO WEEKS AGO!

That’s right! Despite the holidays, the cookies, and the lack of exercise, I managed to conquer my Dr’s challenge and even lose a teeny bit!! Don’t worry; losing a bit of weight is not a bad thing. Bambino is still growing how he should; it just means that my body is not putting on additional weight.

Here is how I tweaked my diet.. and I’m amazed at the changes!

Old “Pre-Breakfast”- eaten on my way to work:

-16oz chocolate almond milk

-2 pieces of toast w/ almond butter or peanut butter

Total carbs= 90+

New “Pre-Breakfast”-

-large spoonful of peanut butter

-12oz of skim milk

-apple or tangerines

Total carbs= 12

Old morning snack-

-2 Fruit Leathers and 1 Tillamook yogurt with Grape Nuts

Total carbs= 74

New morning snack-

-Greek yogurt with handful of lowfat nutty granola

Or

-1 serving of lowfat cottage cheese with tomatoes and cucumbers

-handful of almonds

Total carbs= 25

Old lunch-

-any leftovers, or a beans/rice bowl, or sometimes bean burritos

Total carbs= quite a bit.. probably around 40

New lunch-

-chicken curry salad… shredded chicken, celery, dried cherries, cashews

Total carbs= I have no idea, but probably less than 20

I’m still peppering my diet with fresh fruit, fresh veggies and the occasional cookie or piece of chocolate (hey, I’m human after all!) but I feel better about the little splurges since I’ve very easily cut out over 100 grams of carbs from my daily diet that I honestly didn’t even know I was consuming. Neal and I also are looking to more “low carb” dinners like avocado turkey burgers with no buns, or if we do have carbs like pasta, we make sure they are whole wheat.

And what’s crazy… is that it was easy. I don’t feel hungry or deprived with constant thoughts of “oh man, I can’t eat that and I really wannnnnttttt to!!!!!!!” I was just obviously not a good label reader so I had no idea that what I thought was good and healthy was loaded with carbs and sugar. I got a big lesson in label reading from this experience.

Nutrition labels.

They actually have a purpose.

Who’d have thunk??