The Weight is Over... Yet Again

Oh baby weight.

It feels like for the last 4 years of my life I've done nothing but gain weight, try not to gain weight, then try to lose weight.

It is a ride that I'd like to get off now, thank you.

I still have 15lbs of weight from Owen on me. This has frustrated me to no end for the following reasons:

- I only gained 32lbs total with Owen. I was totally (stupidly) thinking the whole time "hey! This is what you are SUPPOSED to gain with a baby!! I gained the right amount! That means it's going to be easy to lose it, because I only gained what I was SUPPOSED to!!"

- Even though I gained 60lbs with Austin (almost double!!!) I was stuck forever at the same 15lbs of leftover weight. So the fact that I gained way less with Owen, my weight got stuck at the same place.

- The weight is ALL in my stomach and I look pregnant still. No, spanx don't even suck all this in, there is SO MUCH BELLY still that it is impossible to hide. Clothes don't fit, clothes don't look right, this is not my normal body, and I feel horrible about myself.

Don't believe me that I look pregnant? Trust me...

Here I am at 17 weeks pregnant with Owen:

Here I am just a few weeks ago:

I look the SAME, if not worse.

I kept thinking the weight was going to come off... it had to come off, right?? I breast-fed for 5 months exclusively, and for almost 7 months total. When was this "fat burning, weight melting, 800-calories-a-day" results you read about over and over and over???

For 5 months that kid was on my boob almost constantly. Eating, eating, eating... I was making over 40-50oz of milk a day... that's a lot of production... Why the heck was my body NOT using these fat stores???

I was so frustrated. To have a baby and step on a scale and somehow only 4lbs came off you (despite a 6lb baby and all the fluids and such) made me cry. Many times I cried.

Over my maternity leave only 10 more pounds came off. I walked everyday. I ate small healthy meals frequently. Smoothies, fruits, nuts, quinoa, protein.

I didn't want Neal to look at me, let alone touch me. I didn't want anyone to look at me. I tried so hard to suck my stomach in every time I stood up and walked around, usually in vain. There is so much of it that it won't get sucked in.

I know this may sound vain, but I think everyone can relate when they are not feeling their best, not feeling "normal" and not feeling like themselves.

It took me 14 months to lose those last 15lbs with Austin. I changed how I was eating, and chased an active baby around.

This time though, I don't think that is going to work. I've been actively parenting a 3 year old and an infant, I eat my same diet everyday... and nothing. I haven't had an ounce budge off me in almost 3 months.

So let's be honest here...

I have a desk job. I don't get the chance to move around for almost 9 hours of the day, and I'm 34 years old... naturally losing weight is going to just get harder and harder.

I need to DO something. And that finally hit me yesterday. I am not a huge exerciser. I never have been. I've tried, many times over the last several years...

-the gym at work (too awkward... naked co-workers and showering and going back to work slightly damp with your hair nasty)

-walking at night (it rains a lot, and when I get home it's too easy to just say "oh maybe tomorrow" and get busy making dinner or whatever)

-walking at lunch (again, there's that getting-sweaty-and-going-back-to-work factor I don't like. And it rains a lot. And I have a lot of days where I get really busy and can't pull myself away for a lunchtime power walk.

-"circuit" workouts at home.. running the stairs, push ups, squats... same issue with going walking in the evenings. It's too easy to get distracted by life.

So I looked into something Kenzie noticed at a local gym in our little town.. classes.

I LOVE taking classes. I like showing up for something, being accounted for, following the instructor... if I just go to a gym I wander around, try and figure out machines and then half-heartedly work out for about 10 mins and call it good. I'm not to be trusted on my own.

So I am going to buy a month "class-pass" and start going 2-3 days a week. They offer Zumba and Yoga. Two workouts I actually like doing. The more I thought about this, the more I figured this was perfect:

-. It's an excuse to get out of the house a few days a week.

- It's the perfect "me" time

- The classes are at 6:15pm. I don't have to rush home... I can get home at my normal time, start dinner, go to the class, and be home in time to help put the kids to bed.

-I don't have to get sweaty in the middle of my work day, change clothes and change back again, see any co-workers naked, or cut into my lunch time which I'd rather spend reading in the sun, seeing Owen, running errands.. etc.

So here is to new beginnings... hopefully a healthier me, clothes that fit a bit better, and feeling normal and not like I have a baby belly anymore.

Baby Yeah- 27 weeks

Size of baby: 

A bunch of bananas.. 2.5lbs-ish

My total weight gain: 

20lbs. My phone app and my Dr. are in cahoots... both say "too much!!" to this gain. I've gained 9lbs in the last 6 weeks, which didn't go over too well with my Dr. and I had to try and explain how I've been walking, and eating quinoa salads and green smoothies and actually TRYING this time, as opposed to with Austin where I basically said "what the hell" and had more Dairy Queen. Yet I still just pile on the weight. Sigh.

I also got my first "wow, you look done! HOW much longer do you have???" (coupled with the elevator eyes disapproving look) comment, and my first "oh you are going to get a BIG BELLY by the end!!" comment. Awesome. Thanks a lot people.

I will never be that tiny girl who barely gains 20lbs the whole pregnancy and looks like I do now, only when she is 9 months along. I just won't. My body isn't built like that. Yet, people expect you to stay ultra tiny when you are pregnant and are quick to tell you how big you are. And no Neal, this is NOT their way of saying "oh, look at you all pregnant and being wonderful growing a human!!" These comments mean "you are big and I want to make you aware of that." End of story. Period. Ask any woman.

Ok, end of rant.

Stretch marks: 

no

Movement: 

My theory last week was wrong, I don't think Owen is head-down. I think he is still sideways, since that is how I'm feeling movement still.  

Sleep: 

Not great. I had a cold or something that caused my lungs to be congested and for me to lose my voice for a few days, so there were a lot of nights filled with coughing and restless sleep. 

What I miss: 

Random people not talking about my body, or looking at me when I walk into a room. I forgot how much I don't like being looked at by EVERYONE when I walk anywhere.  

Food cravings: 

Seltzer water! Just plain old water with bubbles. Can't get enough!!

Symptoms: 

I had some really painful muscle tightening last week... just one strip, across the top of my belly. Doctor said it's probably my abs separating. Ouch

I'm Excited About:

Passed my glucose test! I had it yesterday. The drink affected me much more this time than it did with Austin. I got the shakes right afterward and a pretty upset stomach. Thankfully I kept it down and didn't have to re-drink it!

So if I don't have complications this time (fingers crossed for no repeat on the hypertension!!) this was my last blood draw. Always a reason to celebrate for me!!

Austin is: 

Starting to announce to people that "Baby Owen is inna Mommy's tummy!!!" Thankfully the lady at the playground thought he was adorable. He's also putting things together.. he saw me topless and asked what my boobs were. I told him they make milk for babies and that Owen will drink milk from them when he is here. Austin now likes to also announce that "Baby Owen drink milk from Mommy's boos!!" He's only announced this to Neal and I.... so far. Can't wait for that to come up at a playground as well! 

The Weight is Over- Update

**disclaimer: I’m writing this down not because I think anyone cares, but because I want it recorded for myself.**

My baby weight is gone.

Finally.

It only took 14 months to get there, but I got there.

I don’t like the gym (it’s about #94 out of 100 on the list of places I like to be), and with a full time job, a hubby who has a demanding job and a toddler, I don’t have much “me” time so working out just hasn’t worked its way into my life.

Yes, it took me 14 months, and no I do not believe (or appreciate) all the celebs out there that are “shockingly slim” 5 weeks after baby and coo in interviews about “how it just seemed to fall off. Breastfeeding is amazing!”

Screw them.

Granted, I do have a couple of friends who are naturally small, thin girls. Who did have their babies and went back to naturally small thin girls quite quickly. So that is just some people’s body types. But I think that is more exception than norm. And me… I am not small, I am not thin and I don’t have a flat belly (except for that one time in high school… sigh). Anyways…

I struggled. I hated my body for months and months and months. I’d get depressed trying on clothes. I’d avoid shopping because nothing looked good. I’d have anxiety about going to events and practiced sucking in my tummy in the mirror to see how bad I’d look to other people.

My husband is annoyed right now reading this.. I know he is, because he is in the camp of “you look fine, who cares what others think.” Well, I’m a girl. ‘Nuff said. I care. :-)

So.. here's how gym-and-exercise-hating-me finally dropped my baby weight:

No Moo-Cow Stuff

I’ve mentioned before about how I decided to cut out dairy because I realized after having Austin that I had a pretty bad lactose intolerance. Dairy made me HURT. My intestines would feel like they had cement in them for days afterward and ache. So some people ask how I don’t eat dairy because cheese is so good.. and I answer back that it’s easy for me because of how I physically feel afterwards.

If I gave up dairy just to try and lose weight and had no intolerance for it.. I would have fallen off the wagon long, long ago.

I admit I cheat sometimes, but not often. If I’m at someone’s house and there is something served that has dairy in it, I will eat it. Momma didn’t raise no rude houseguest. And I don’t expect others to cater to my dietary needs.

May 2012- about 1 month before I really committed to no dairy. About 178 lbs.

 Slurping Smoothies

The other change I made is that I started drinking smoothies for breakfast one month ago. Normally, breakfast is the worst meal for me. I hardly ever crave it, and I’ll by starving and still not eat simply because I don’t “want” to. I don’t know how to explain it. My Mom BATTLED with me to eat breakfast as a kid because I would absolutely refuse. My body doesn’t like eating in the morning. So I’d starve until after noon then eat lunch.

No bueno, not healthy.

So the idea to do smoothies popped in my head  and it has made a huge difference in my life already. I don’t know if it’s the mix of what is in my smoothies (lots of spinach!!!), or just the fact that I’m eating in the mornings now and helping my metabolism, but it has helped me drop a few more pounds and deflate my belly a little bit more.

1 month into Operation Smoothie, almost 1 year into Operation No Dairy- about 155 lbs.

I’ve had one every morning for a solid month and I’m surprised that its faster and easier than I thought, keeps me full until late morning when I have a snack, and its making my pants fit just a little bit better.

I finally feel ok about my body. I don't think I'm hot, nor do I think I've got a banging body.. but that is ok. As long as I can keep up with Mr. Climbs Everything, then that's all that matters. 

Well, that and being able to fit into my underwear again. Phew. :-)

The Me Diet....

I got a lot of great comments from my friends about my weight issues post the other day, including some good tips on how to change my diet to help me with my weight loss.

I’ve actually been researching different “diets” and ways of eating to see if any of these are for me.

So far, I haven’t found anything because of one major hitch- I stopped eating dairy.

<Ok, ok.. truth- I cheat sometimes. There was a baby shower and some fondue that needed to be consumed… so.. let me rephrase:>

I eat dairy-free 95% of the time.

The story goes like this…

For my whole life I’ve had what I always classified as a “sensitive stomach.” It seemed like almost everything I ate would give me indigestion, gas and bloating. I battled my whole adult life with this… trying probiotics, medicine, antacids, herbs… everything I could think of and anything I could find out there that was supposed to help align your digestion.

Nothing worked. NOTHING.

So then I get knocked up… and milk and dairy becomes one of my BIGGEST cravings… and I felt amazing everytime I consumed it. Especially Oreo Blizzards.. mmmmm…

Then after I had Austin I continued eating pretty much how I was eating when I was pregnant.. and the stomach pains started coming back.

When I was nursing we started to experience the whole “fussy baby who acts like he has gas” thing and of course the first thing Lactation Nurses will tell you to do if you are nursing is to cut out dairy and see if that helps your baby’s gas.

So I did.

And lo and behold… no more stomach pains. NONE!

The things that I thought used to give me gas, like peppers and beans, no longer did. Why ? because before I was eating those things as a Mexican feast with cheese and sour cream. On their own, they didn’t bother me a lick.

Not only did the no dairy help Austin, but it was immensely helping me too, so I stuck with it even after we were done nursing.

Now that dairy is no longer part of my life, I have started to rely on other foods to fill me up and excite my taste buds… and most of these foods do contain carbs.. we eat mostly protein, veggies, stir fries, currys, rice, pesto pastas, things like that. 

So what is the problem you ask?

Well, the two major “diets” I’ve looked into- Paleo and Eat Right for Your Blood Type- have conflicting info regarding dairy and carbs, so now I’m conflicted.

Paleo says to eat what cavemen would have eaten: berries, nuts, protein… no dairy, no grains.

Ok, well I can do the no dairy thing easily.. but no grains I have a hard time with. I just simply don’t like meat and eggs enough to eat eggs every morning and meat every night. I would get so damn bored. I like my oatmeal for breakfast and my occasional pasta or rice for lunch/dinner…

The blood type diet says that my blood type (A+) should be a vegetarian. So no meat, soy protein only, and…. Plenty of dairy and carbs.

Well, I’m not going to do that because I don’t want to go down the dairy thing again.. and I don’t want to start increasing my carb intake because I cut out meat. 

So what the hell do I do???

Naturally I ask my husband. Being a health teacher and athletic person, he is a huge advocate of the “Just Don’t Eat Crap and Exercise” diet.

In his opinion, grains (good grains) are important, meat is important, dairy is important (if you can stomach it) and exercise if very very important.

So to make living with him easier, I’m following his advice.

All grains I consume will be whole grains, multi-grains, etc.

Dairy is still out (except the occasional fondue)

Fruit and veggies a-plenty.

Meat and eggs and protein when I feel like it.

And I just gotta get off my ass.

He’s skinny. His tummy is flat… maybe the man knows what he’s talking about…

The Weight is Over!!!

Ok, time to get real here.

The baby weight has GOT to go.

I’m 5 ½ months post-pushing-a-human-out-of-me and I’m still holding on to 15lbs with the same ferocity a teenage girl holds on to her Justin Bieber doll.

If I were a celebrity I’d already have my pic splashed all over the tabloids with headlines like “Jessica Glynn can’t lose a pound!!” or “Whoa baby! Jessica Glynn still rockin’ the baby weight!!!!”

I’d have to have a meltdown and claim I was suffering from “exhaustion” and check into some swanky rehab place in Arizona and have secret liposuction.

But I’m not a celeb, and I can’t afford rehab or liposuction… so enter Plan B…. 

Now, I’m not blogging about this to get the sweet responses of “but you look fantastic!!” and “it took a year to gain the weight, it’s going to take a while to lose it!” because I know all that.

But remember? I’m getting real here…

My clothes don’t fit.

I still mostly wear maternity jeans.

My underwear doesn’t fit.

My belly hurts when I sit because so much of it pushes against my clothes.

I feel flabby.

I feel unattractive.

I haven’t barely done a lick of exercise since Austin was born.

So that means.. I need to change my ways and fix this issue that is hanging over me, and hanging over my jeans.... And I need to change it now. My 15lbs of extra weight are not only not healthy for me to be packing around, but my mood, my confidence, my comfort are being effected.

I figured if I blogged about my weight loss journey, I’d be more apt to stick with it.. because I’m putting it out there in the world for whoever to read about, so that means I have to actually take action.

Here is me 4 weeks after Austin was born:

Here is me just a few days ago:

You thinking what I'm thinking? OMG. I LOOK WORSE NOW THEN I DID 4 WEEKS POST-BABY!!!!! GAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So since I’m documenting this process and will need to record how I’m losing…  let’s talk numbers for a second:

Pre-pregnancy weight: 157 lbs (about 7lbs heavier than I’d like to be)

Ending pregnancy weight: 211lbs (I KNOW!!!!! Good lord.)

Weight gained: 54lbs

Current weight: 165lbs

Goal weight: 148lbs

So that is a total of 17lbs I’d like to shed.

Now that I no longer have a fussy newborn attached to me, and Neal is out of school for the summer and can be more available to give me a baby-break, I figured it’s now or never. So I’m starting my new workout and weight loss routine!


Zumba 2x a week, and brisk walks for 30 mins to an hour 3 days a week. If I don't see any improvement after 4 weeks I'll amp it up and try something more extreme. But I'd rather start a little slow so I don't keep over and die the first time I try and workout. 


My goal is not to be super skinny, or super cut, or run a marathon.. I just have 6 beautiful pairs of jeans I spent good money on that are currently being laid upon by Olive in my closet because I'm nowhere near wearing them again. Sigh... 


Those are my jeans and I want them back!


I plan on posting updates each Sunday about my progress, and if I can actually shed any of this chub-a-lub-lub. So stay tuned!!!


xo-Jess

One Month of the Great Bambino!

One month down...

Only 216 more months to go until he's 18...

:-)

I meant to post this on Friday, the little dude's actual 1-month birthday, but my darling Nealo took me out for our first post-baby date! His parents watched Austin for a few hours and I was surprised with dinner at a swanky sushi restaurant.. my hubby remembered how much I craved sushi throughout my pregnancy and saw to it that I was filled up with raw salmon!

Anyways... here is a little recap of Austin at 1-month:

-Our little dude weighs a whopping 8lbs, 15.4oz! He is too long for almost all of his newborn sized pajamas and onesies, but still a bit small for 3 month size. He's still in newborn sized pants. We are going to do a picture each month of him next to his cool Cubbies Pillow Pet so we can watch him grow!

-He is still very oral. We had a slight panic last week when we lost two of his favorite binkies and were down to only one. Mad dash to Target to buy more.. must plug baby up so silence can ensue...

- He is awake almost the whole day now... from about 9am to about 2pm he's awake and checking out this crazy world. I usually soothe him to sleep in the late afternoon and he'll take a long 3 hour nap. He sleeps pretty well at night (thankfully), with 3 hour chunks of sleeping.

-Oh, and we've started this new cool thing.. spitting up/puking after each meal. Hence the bib in the picture above. I'm pretty sure we were close to needing an exorcism one day.. I was about to call in an old priest and a young priest.

- Mr. Austin does NOT like the following things one bit:

Having his diaper changed (holy ear-splitting screaming hell!)

Having clothes taken on or off

Being pulled off the boob before he is ready

Being set down if he is in a cuddle mood

- Mr. Austin LOVES the following things a lot:

Riding in the car

Scratching Mom while he nurses

Nursing

Baths

Nursing

Cuddling with us in bed

Nursing

If only car rides could last forever...

-I've tried out the front pack with him and it has become our new favorite thing! Austin will snuggle right down into it and start cooing and fall asleep almost instantly. This has been great for me if I need a break during the day. I'll just wear him around the house while I get something to eat, pick up, clean the house, or whatever. 

- He is starting to smile, and does so a lot while he sleeps or when he's awake sucking on his binky. He's not quite responsive in his smiles yet... even though a few times I've been talking to him and he'll give me a little grin. Love it!!! 

I got you to wake up at 3am Mommy! Isn't that funny??

- Our kiddo is totally noisy and constantly grunts, coos, snorts, fusses or makes these odd Michael Jackson-type "ee-hee" noises. I think he will grow up to be a beat-boxer. 

And here is a little update on Austins slave...oh, uh.. I mean, his Mom:

- I am still down 30 pounds of baby weight... and left with 25 pounds of who knows what (oh yeah... all those trips to Dairy Queen I took while pregnant...) to lose. I am nursing around the clock, but it seems like everything I am going to lose from nursing has already come off and now I have to work at losing the rest. this would be no problem if my child actually let me put him down long enough to do a workout... 

- I am 90% healed from my stitches. No more pain, no more swelling... just a little bit discomfort. I have graduated from feeling like a horse kicked me in the crotch to feeling more like a squirrel kicked me in the crotch. 

- Other than a few bad days where I've broken down in tears of frustration, my mood has been great and I feel like myself... just a bigger, sloppier, more half-naked version of myself. :-)

Newborn Daze... 2 Weeks!

Well, we have survived 2 weeks with a newborn.

For anyone who has children, you know why I am feeling a sense of accomplishment at this.

I have come to the conclusion that whenever women of an older generation give you parenting advice or tell you to "enjoy every second" of having a baby, their minds are reverting back to the time when their babies were a few months old, and actually sleeping for chunks of time... not a few weeks old and squalling and screaming every second they are awake.... because I'm here to tell the truth.

And the truth is... the first 2 weeks of having a baby are NOT the most funnest, most stupendous time in your life.

Good thing babies are cute as hell or no one would have children.

Ok, so now that I've vented about my squalling, screaming newborn... here are some tidbits about Austin in his first 2 weeks of life:

-He is VERY oral and talkative. Austin must have something in his mouth at all times, whether its me, a pacifier, his hand, his sleeve, a blanket.. something. And if he isn't in a dead sleep, he is grunting, snorting, jabbering, or screaming. Constantly.

-He is very strong, and when I hold him to my chest he pushes back and holds his head up and can swing his head from side to side. He also uses his super baby strength in our not-so-fun game of "push Mom's boob away 15 times in a row when nursing and make her really frustrated and start to cry." He's such a bully.

-He is a multiple sneezer, which is adorable! If he sneezes we wait for it.. because there is more than one to come. The most he's had in a row so far is six sneezes!

-He LOVES to nurse and has made me a slave to my boobs. He nurses anywhere from 15 mins to 45 mins every 2-3 hours.. so all I do is nurse. Neal commented that I am running a "tittie bar" because I sit around the house topless all day. So if anyone wants to come over and throw some dollar bills my way.....

-He loves to stretch his little legs out while he nurses and spread his toes.

-He absolutely HATES to be changed and diaper changes are possibly the most horrible moments in his little day. Neal and I usually tag team his big diaper changes since one person has to take care of the mess and the other person has to keep his binky plugged into his mouth and convince him that the world is not ending and that everything will be ok, and that if he would just be quiet we'll buy him a puppy one day. He's not falling for it though.

sigh. they want to change my diaper AGAIN???? oh, the injustice!!

-He sleeps very erratically...which I have been told by his Dr. and a lactation specialist, is very normal for a newborn. He'll sleep anywhere from 20 min stretches to 3 1/2 hours... with no rhyme or reason as to what causes the long sleep periods and what causes the short sleep periods. All we've been able to conclude from our extensive research is that if it is dark out and past midnight, 20 mins is usually all we get.

We don't see this often...

-He prefers to be held while sleeping, but we are in training to get him used to sleeping on his own.. so poor Mommy and Daddy can actually get a bit of shut eye and not get stuck holding him in the armchair at 3am.. trying to doze off while he's happily in dreamland. So how is this training going, you ask?

Austin- 12    Parents- 0

-He makes the funniest "stink face" when he is mad... one eye will scrunch up, and he'll sneer with his mouth on that same side. He looks like a pirate. Yar.... 

-He loves to have his arms up near his face, but is still in that phase where his arms will startle him awake... "oh god! what the???? whhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" Unfortunately, he doesn't really like to be swaddled, so his arms just flail about causing all kinds of ruckus. 

Living the thug life already...

And just because I'm vain... here is how poor ol' Mommy is doing, 2 weeks in:

-I am down 30lbs! I'm at 175, down from 207 (whoa). I have 25 more pounds to lose... 20 from the pregnancy, and 5 additional, since I was a bit heavier when I got pregnant then I'd like to be.

-I have no stretch marks on my belly, but I have patches of stretch marks on both my upper thighs. I got so swollen, so quickly in my 3rd trimester that my thighs exploded. 

-My stitches are dissolving and I'm healing well from my tears... even though some days it still feels like I got kicked in the crotch by a horse. Who ever said women were the weaker sex??? Obviously no one who ever pushed a baby out, that's who...

Well, that is how our first 2 weeks have gone... Neal is now back to work and I am on my own... so excuse me, I must go take my top off again...

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??

The Great Bambino- Week 33

Bambino’s Size: A honeydew melon… he’s almost 5 lbs (he’s going to surpass Henry in size soon!) and about 18” long… I have nothing to prove this other than a *gut* feeling.. but I think he’s bigger than this… I just really think I’m going to have a hefty baby.

Food Loves: Well, everything I WANT to eat I can’t really. I’m still jonesing for Dairy Queen soft serve, but I won’t let myself have it. I also have developed a craving for really awful greasy cheeseburgers. Again, I’m not going to eat one, but the fast food commercials make me moan with longing a bit. So instead of all the “good” stuff in life (ha!) I’ve been filling up on Greek yogurt, oatmeal with almonds and apples, curry chicken salad (no bread-all protein), veggies, eggs and skim milk. Sadly, I still think I gained more than 2lbs since my last Dr. appointment two weeks ago, so I’m dreading my appointment on Wednesday a bit.. I’m sure I’ll leave feeling like a fat failure again.

Food that’s Gagging me: The usual. Pork and shrimp.

Sleep: has become hard. Real hard. The heartburn is back with a vengeance… even taking the Dr’s advice and popping a Zantac before I go to sleep didn’t prevent me from waking up with acid in my throat so bad I actually threw up (sorry, TMI… ). This happened at my parent’s house over the weekend and I went to go sleep on the living room couch after that just for a change of scenery and surprised my Dad the next morning when he got up and came out into the living room. J Thankfully, Bambino sleeps when I sleep at night so I’m never kept awake by his movements…. He’s pretty awesome that way!

Best Moment of the Week: Two words- Compression Socks. Best known as the tight-fitting, not-so-attractive long stockings one must wear in the hospital after surgery, or when one moves down to Florida to retire… these babies have become the new Love of My Life!!! My legs and ankles were swelling so badly, even with my new motorized desk; that they felt stiff and uncomfortable constantly and I was totally miserable. So I gave in. Neal bought me the stockings. And helped me put them on. And then told me they were like the socks old people wear with shorts and sandals. Then I glared at him. Then I vowed never to take them off because Holy Guacamole! I can see my ankles again! Like, my actual ankle bones! OMG!!!

Worst Moment of the Week:  My weight struggles. Ok, and this sounds bad.. but I had a pre-conceived notion in my head about what I’d be like as a pregnant woman. I figured because I was tall, had a long torso and was relatively slim, I’d be one of those amazingly cute “just a basketball belly and 25 lbs gained” types of preggos. Well, my reality is far exceeding my fantasy… by about 20lbs at least. Over the weekend I had six people within a 24-hour period tell me the following things: “you are so huge! Look how big you are! You have SIX WEEKS TO GO??? Oh honey, there is no way you’re gonna make it, you are HOW far along? You look so much bigger than that! You are about ready to pop, aren’t you???” Um. Ya. THANKS everyone… NOT!!!!!!! As much as I’m trying my damndest, I am just gaining, gaining, gaining weight like a mad-woman, and I’m still swelling, and still growing in the belly region. Where is the cute tummy of my fantasies???? And because I’ve always carried my belly down low, it looks like I’ve “dropped” so apparently that just gives the strangers of the world free reign to comment on how huge I am and how about to pop I am. At this rate I’m going to be a 50-60lb gainer for this pregnancy, and that has been hard on me to accept and not feel like a total failure about.
What’s Up with My Body: Pain. That is what is up. You know how I had an easy breezy 1^st Trimester? No sickness, no troubles, hardly any symptoms…while my pregnant friends couldn’t tear their heads away from the toilet? Well ladies, redemption has arrived!!!! While you are breezing through your 3^rd trimesters, I am in constant pain. Not to be a major whiner, but I’ve gone from “oh look- how funny! Jessica is hobbling a bit like an old lady because her hips are sore!” to a pain in my left hip that leaves me gasping, holding onto counters and walls, limping, and crying. Like the “I can’t-put-weight-on-my-left-leg-at-all-let-alone-be-mobile” kind of pain. I absolutely cannot walk normally, or on my own without holding on to something or someone (thank you Neal for getting up at 4am with me to help me walk to the bathroom!). So, what did we learn? Oh yeah. KARMA IS A BITCH. Lesson learned. I think next time I’ll take a few weeks of the puking instead.

Da Bump: Sorry, no pic this week! Refer to a few paragraphs up. I’m huge and “about to pop”… The End.

The 2 Pound Challenge

I could have easily just not mentioned this and I don’t think anyone would have ever known…..

But since I’m using this blog as a record of what went down while I’m in pregnancy town, I felt compelled to share.

I have become the Girl With the Absurd Weight Gain.

No relation to the much cooler Girl With the Dragon Tattoo… other than we both have issues.

The target amount of weight they want you to gain during pregnancy is 35lbs. That is basically all baby-fetus, fluid, placenta, blood (your blood volume doubles in pregnancy!), larger boobs, etc.

Anything more than that, is just plain old fat.

While I’m being honest here, I’m still a lady at heart… so I’m not going to say how much I’ve gained exactly.

I’ll just say it’s MORE than the total 35lbs you should gain for your entire pregnancy.

Remember- I am 32 weeks pregnant. That means 8 more weeks of growing baby and growing Momma… and already I’ve exceeded the max weight limit.

See the issue here?

I know most people won’t believe me because you all claim that I “look great!” and that I’m “carrying so well! it’s all tummy!” Yeah, yeah, yeah.. whatevs.

Optical illusions aside, the weight is piling on, and piling on FAST.

If I continue gaining weight at the rate I have been, I will seriously be at risk of gaining 70-80lbs total for this pregnancy.

And to that I say “oh HELLLLLLL NO!”

So after a bit of a lecture from my Dr. about hidden calories and carbs, I went home (feeling like a failure and mad at myself) and starting looking through the fridge.

A-ha! I found three very sneaky culprits-

Culprit #1- Chocolate Almond milk

This has been a staple through my entire pregnancy thus far. I have a big to-go cup size glass while I drive to work EVERY morning.

While being delicious and full of calcium, this bad boy packs in 36 grams of carbs per serving, and 32 grams of sugar. I was easily drinking 2 servings a morning.

This will no longer be consumed. My calcium will come from skim milk.

Culprit #2- Yogurt

I was on a real yogurt kick there for weeks.. eating at least (sometimes 2) a day. It’s calcium, it’s healthy bacteria, it’s all good, right?

WRONG!  36 grams of carbs!!! In yogurt!!!!!!!!! Obviously I don’t read labels as much as I should.

Out with the yogurt. No mas…. Which isn’t a big deal since I was losing my craving for it anyways.

Culprit #3- Fruit Leathers

Sigh. And I just bought a huge Costco sized box of these things too. I was eating up to 3 a day… hey, they equaled one serving of fruit, they were yummy and they were sweet! Nom nom nom… all day long.

Yeah.. all at the price of 12 grams of carbs per strip! Good lord. Fruit can be vicious!

So those are out.. anyone want a huge Costco box of these?

So by eliminating those three things from my diet, I will cut out 144 grams of carbs from my daily diet. Holy buckets! I might as well have just gone mad in a bagel shop!

My Dr. wants me to get in protein, protein and more protein… and cut out all the hidden carbs I obviously didn’t know I was consuming. He gave me a challenge to only gain 2lbs by my next appointment, which is in 2 weeks on Dec. 28th.

This is a challenge I’ve absolutely got to rise up against. It’s not good for me or for Bambino for me to keep gaining weight as quickly as I have been.

So… new plan started today! No almond milk, no more yogurt, down with Fruit Leathers!

Oh, and the gym after work. Bleh and grumble and groan… but it must be done! My legs have gotten almost twice their normal size in the last week... with much more cellulite than I had before. I have a feeling this is where a lot of my weight has been collecting.

I plan on walking more... getting up every hour from my desk job to walk around, hit the gym 3 nights a week after work, and dragging Neal along on long walks (2 miles or more) every weekend.

Wish me luck in my 2lb challenge! I will keep you all updated!