Three in Two

This is an update on the last weight loss post, Four in Three.  I’m still eight pounds from goal, but three pounds from my short-term goal. It’s time for pictures.

Me at about 218 pounds. Seriously, this is obviously not all weight gained for pregnancy. I remember that day was the best I’d felt in a month. I’m wearing lipstick and standing up! We were going to dinner with friends. My self-esteem was terrible. My arms look like sausages. I bought this dress at a regular, non-maternity store because most maternity clothes are very cheaply made and I wanted one or two things that didn’t fall apart. Why did I buy a cap-sleeve dress? Who knows. The pattern did do a good job of hiding everything else.

Me two days ago. I think the biggest difference, other than the obvious BABY that’s missing, is my neck. Oh, and my watch now fits. I also stopped wearing makeup, but that’s not so much about my weight, is it?

I noticed that my bicep muscles are more toned. Most moms can attest to the toning that happens from picking up a kid over and over.

The dress was purchased to hide my growing rear, so it’s hard to tell that it’s smaller, but trust me, it is. I can fit into my pre-baby pants. The waistband are still a bit tight but I don’t know if my stomach muscles will ever be that toned again.

Having been thin most of my life made me less appreciative of the struggles of losing weight. I battled 10 pounds that kept wanting to creep onto my frame, but that was it. Now I know that it takes a lot of discipline to stay on plan. My “diet” wasn’t really a “diet” so much as a permanent change to my eating habits. I knew that if I purchased pre-made meals, I’d just go back to old habits after the diet ended. I used to eat, as a snack on a Saturday night:

  • 1/2 to one package of chocolate chip cookie dough- with a spoon
  • An entire bag of sour cream and cheddar potato chips
  • An entire container of sour cream for dipping the chips

A new snack is:

  • A piece of fruit or cheese

A typical old dinner was:

  • A ten- to fourteen- ounce steak or pork roast
  • Homemade macaroni and cheese with extra cheese
  • A dessert of sour cream or icing on a spoon (at least ten spoonsful)

A new dinner is:

  • Beans or lentils
  • Whole grain rice
  • Some sort of green vegetable cooked in canola/olive/flaxseed oil

So there you go. If I can change my diet, anyone can.


6 thoughts on “Three in Two

  1. Hi, I came across your blog looking for Montessori activity ideas for children around 18mos. I am planning to open a Montessori inspired preschool in about 6 months. Anyway, I’ve read a few of your posts and I just wanted to say hello.

    As for the baby weight thing, dont even get me started. But I agree, you do look fabulous!

  2. You almost look like a totally different person–I see a lot of difference in your face and your collar-bone area too.
    Congrats on feeling more like yourself…although you’re right: sometimes after a baby or big weight loss your body doesn’t look the same as it did before. I think the trick is to accept that this is okay–because you’ve done something physically strenuous.
    But also, don’t lose all hope: I swear to you, my mother had 3 kids and had a more kickin’ body when she was in her 40s than I ever did as her (chubby) teenage daughter. It can just take some time for your skin’s elasticity to return.

  3. Thanks to everyone for the encouragement! As for the dress, who knew I’d ever re-wear any of that stuff? Just goes to show that a few good clothes are better than a bunch of junky ones.

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