Losing the Baby Weight

Seriously, this lady must have just had a baby.

When I was pregnant, I did what a lot of pregnant women do.  I completely overindulged... to the tune of gaining 50 pounds.  I read the articles that promoted only gaining between 25 and 35 pounds (at six months pregnant, I hit the over).  Rather than heed the advice given, I ate pizza and GiGi's cupcakes my entire first trimester.  My second trimester I ate donuts...daily.  And they weren't the plain kind.  My favorite were cream filled, chocolate covered with sprinkles.  I also didn't stop at one.  Davis and I ate Sonic every other night.  I had cheeseburgers and tater tots.  Then I discovered a love for Little Debby oatmeal cream pies during my third trimester.  Oh, and lest I forget consuming copious amounts of ice cream.  Did I mention I didn't work out?  Like at all?  Because I didn't.

In a recent interview, famous momma Jessica Simpson told USA Today "I let myself indulge in everything I wanted because it was the first time I was pregnant, and I wanted to enjoy it."  I can definitely relate to that statement.  That's really how I felt.  The only problem is no one is paying me three million bucks to lose my baby weight, and Davis isn't footing the bill for a personal trainer, a nanny to watch Tripp while I work out for hours at a time, or a chef to cook my every meal.  It is really difficult to look at postpartum celebs who lose their baby weight in three weeks and not have the same expectations for myself, even after knowing they have access to resources that I will never have.  Not to mention the fact that I can't imagine spending my baby's first months in the gym, rather than with him.  The whole "nine months on, nine months off" (which has been quoted to me over and over for the past two months) mantra is unacceptable in my mind, so I've started the arduous journey of getting back to my pre-preggo size (even if I never return to my pre-preggo body).  

I've started trying to eat healthier and have begun the Couch to 5K training program.  No one tells you that getting back into running after a year off is super hard and that you really and truly have to start back from scratch.  Because I'm breastfeeding, I can't diet, but I have been making healthier choices in the food department. 

When we brought Tripp home from the NICU, I had lost nearly half of the weight I had piled on.  But since then, I haven't lost a pound.  You read that right.  Not one pound.  I did go shopping at Old Navy because I didn't want to wear maternity jeans another day.  The size I bought was three sizes bigger than my old size. I never thought I'd see the day when shopping wasn't fun - at all.  

I'm going to continue to exercise and eat healthier because I genuinely enjoy being healthy - even if it never gets me back to where I was before.  And when I begin to feel disheartened, I am going to look at my precious, precious baby boy.  Because at the end of the day, he was worth every. single. pound.