Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss: 25 pounds!

During the course of my pregnancy, I gained 35 pounds. They say a good typical gain is 25-35, so I felt pretty good about it as I progressed through the pregnancy. I didn't gain anything first trimester, and really only saw significant jumps after 5 months. For me, it was hard to see the scale go up, even though I knew I was eating right and exercising. I have always been conscious of my weight and had to work to stay in shape. (Not like my sister, who got the high metabolism...grrrr). So, once I had the baby, I was eager to see changes and lose the weight.

When I can home from the hospital, 10 pounds were off (8 lb 13 oz was baby) and I lost 4 inches from my waist. I was surprised that it wasn't more though, when I thought about the placenta, amniotic fluid, etc. that I lost during the birth. So that was a little discouraging. The first few days after the birth, my weight stayed pretty much the same. I think that was because I had swelling and extra fluid from my 3 hour stint on the morphine/fluid IV. By the end of the first week though, I started to see the pounds come off. By 9 days after birth, I was down 18 pounds and had lost another inch from my waist. By today, 15 days after birth, I has lost 25 pounds and another inch from my waist (6 total). Only 10 pounds to go to lose the baby weight!YES!

The thing that is so encouraging to me about all this, is that I have just continued to eat healthy, and have not been doing anything different. Well, I think that breastfeeding is a major factor in helping everything return to normal. I'm drinking a ton of water- maybe breastfeeding makes me thirsty or something! The soreness of birth has greatly reduced, and I'm walking about every other day. Nothing big, maybe a mile or so, with Ansel in the carrier. It feels so good to get out and walk!! I really want to be able to run again, but honestly, with nursing, it's just too soon for my breasts to be able to handle it. Even with a really supportive bra. Hopefully the tenderness of breastfeeding reduces soon though; I would really like to be able to run in another few weeks. Not because I want to push myself, but just because I miss running!

So, I have 10 pounds left to go. At this rate, let's hope it's gone in another week. But I have a feeling that it will take a little longer. Also, I really have another 10 on top of that to lose to return to where I would be content. Last spring, before we started trying to get pregnant, my insurance changed and I got a higher hormone dosage of birth control. Bad, bad idea. I gain 10 pounds in three months, and I think it was because of this. Even with training for the half marathon during the summer, and running in the fall, it never came off! This was so frustrating, because that stupid 10 pounds would not budge. I had been the same weight since graduating high school, and was healthy and comfortable there.

All in all, then, I have 20 pounds I would really like to lose. I know that it is going to be tough, but I am committed! It's about being healthy. Justin has a few extra he needs to lose too, and he likes going to the gym. I think we are going to try to get to the gym at least twice a week, and go on walks besides that. Hopefully in a couple of months we get it off!!

I'm excited at what has come off already, and determined to see the rest shed! I hope that I can look back on this post and see a goal met!