Pregnancy was good to me. Outside of the horrible nausea in the first four months, I felt fantastic. I gained a grand total of nine pounds. I walked all the time, several kilometres a day and stayed in great shape.
I'm pretty sure my taste buds went into hibernation. Chocolate tasted awful as did most sweets. Anything greasy triggered my gag reflex. Food was just there for survival, and I had superhero strength to maintain a healthy diet. This meant great things for me and postpartum weight loss - I was down 20 lbs lighter at Ember's two week check up. Woo hoo! Let the streamers and confetti fly!! I fit into all my clothes and felt freaking fantastic.
Pregnancy was the best diet I ever want on. Breastfeeding, on the other hand, the worst.
At three and a half months post-partum, I lost control of things. Out of nowhere came an insatiable appetite and re-awakened taste buds. Food tasted fantastic and I couldn't get enough. That coupled with the fact that daily exercise wasn't always an option equals a 20 pound head start down the drain.
Okay, I haven't gained 20 pounds but I know my clothes are beginning to look like sausage casing. I feel dreadful and my self esteem is taking a nose dive. Now that summer and reliable weather are here, I've vowed to get back in shape. We have a family reunion in August and I will be back in fighting form by then. I'm running again which isn't the most comfortable thing right now considering the life bags strapped to my chest. But it's worth it, as are the beautiful clothes hanging in my closet.
I really wasn't expecting this hormone roller coaster to go on for so long. Oh mummyhood.
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Funny timing because I was just thinking about the same thing. For me breastfeeding was the best for my overall weight loss and weight control. The pounds literally flew off of me and and my weight was so stable while I was BF. I ate extra treats and extra snacks and maintained a weight I was so happy to be at....then I stopped nursing. BAM. All those extra treats and calories that I got used to eating over the last year added up with each bite. No breastfeeding to counteract them and now I am at least 10 pounds over what I want to be. 10 pounds over my weight that I was for my whole year of breastfeeding.
ReplyDeleteI'm STILL breastfeeding! I guess I'm eating more calories than the BF is burning. My appetite just took off around 3 mos postpartum and has just now began to taper off. Not too sure what happened but my jeans are punishing me.
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