pregnancy weight

what do you get when you have a growing pregnant woman, with no exercise routine, no morning sickness and zero food aversions?

this lady right here

total weight gain: 55 lbs

yup, i have decided that i am officially not embarrassed about the amount of weight i gained during pregnancy. it took me a while to be ok with it.  i finally realized that i did not throw up once when pregnancy and EVERYTHING tasted yummy.  in fact, the only thing i couldnt really enjoy was spaghetti because it gave me bad heartburn, and even that only lasted about 2 weeks.  that alone would allow me to gain a few more lbs than your average woman with child.  

i know that a 55 lb weight gain during pregnancy is not unheard of.  my doctor told me several times that it was fine.  i guess i started feeling a little self conscious because of some of the blogs i read and just general comparison to other women i know that were recently pregnant.  some of these women gain only 20 lbs or so (which is also a healthy weight gain).  it wasnt until after i had henry that different parts of these stories stuck out.  they often spent the first trimester queasy and turned off by a lot of different foods.  some of them had an awesome exercise routine and was able to stick with it through most of their pregnancy.  so, while i might wish i had been working out before we found out we were pregnant, i sure am thankful that i didnt spend the first 3 months hugging a toilet.  

the best thing i did to loose weight was breast feeding.  i lost 30 lbs those first 6 weeks.  these past 15 lbs have been a bit more stubborn (5 weeks) but i really didnt start doing anything special until about 3 weeks ago.  since january 1st, husband and i have been doing this workout routine.  i love how it slowly introduces exercises, increases the intensity and the time it takes, at a steady pace.  i have done it before and was able to make it almost all the way through (i even stuck it out during vacation).  when we moved into our new place, i was so tired and overwhelmed and very slack when it came to keeping up with my workouts.  i just started level two and im looking forward to getting my run on (for those of you that know me well, yes, i just said that).

in addition to breast feeding and the new workout plan, i also signed up for the fresh 20.  i mentioned it in my high five for friday post i couple of weeks ago.  they offer meal plans for the week, with 20 ingredients for 5 healthy meals.  each meal is without preservatives, processed foods or frozen ingredients.  i have only been doing this for 2 and a half weeks and i am loving it.  i have never really spent a lot of time in the kitchen, so i am getting used to the time it takes to cook 5 meals a week from scratch.  the plans include a shopping list and prep guide.  on sundays, i cook most of the meat and cut the veggies for the week so dinner only takes about 30 to 45 min to prepare.  i love how these recipes get me out of my comfort zone without being too intimidating.  the best part is that i have only eaten fast food once this year because we always have left overs to eat at lunch.  

i have also been keeping track of my calorie intake using myfitnesspal app.  the daily calories are set at 1800 and i try to have no less than 1500.  the great thing is that my fresh 20 meals are perfect for this plan.  i eat real food that fills me up and offers plenty of nutrients for nursing without going over my calorie intake.  also, its amazing how much less i graze during the day or go back for 2nds since i hold myself accountable.  i usually eat a snack of almonds or greek yogurt and drink a lot of water. 

in conclusion  i have lost a total of 43 lbs in 11 weeks and 4 days.  i am tracking what i eat but i am way more concerned with what type of food i am eating.  i havent bought one item that is "low fat" or "diet."  instead, i am concentrating on eating meals made of real food that comes from a farm instead of a lab.  i feel great and im excited to be serving meals that will improve/maintain the health of my family.  i have started exercise routine that fits my goals and lifestyle.  although i only have about 10 more lbs to loose, i still carry around a belly bump.  i hear this is harder to get rid of after a c-section but im up for a challenge.  

one last thing ... i am setting a goal to run a 5k this year.  my sister is a runner now and i think it would be fun to do one together.  :)

do you have any post baby weight loss secrets?