Thursday, January 31, 2008

Breaking a bad habit

Ugh. I might need professional help. I am starting to wean Claire, which means I need to start weaning myself off of a littany of things:
  • regular snacking, often on sweets

  • automatic second helpings of food

  • my 2-a-day dessert habit

  • and blatant disregard for my caloric intake

Claire has been the best weight-watching program I've ever tried. Even when I was pregnant with her, I only gained 29 pounds in 39 weeks. That pregnancy was over the Christmas holiday season, and although I ate many a sugar cookie, I don't think I gained more than 3 pounds in the last trimester. After she was born, I lost all my baby weight by the time she was 4 months old. I lost an additional 10 pounds in subsequent months. I didn't diet. I didn't exercise (minus running a mile here and there while we were in Oregon in July). I just nursed her 4-5 times a day, and fat flew off my thighs and onto hers. Don't hate me, girls. (I say this even though I would have hated me, but it was literally beyond my control.) Which sort of makes me wonder about weight.

With Kate, I gained 38 pounds in 37 weeks. It took me 7 months to lose all but one pound of baby weight, and then I got pregnant again and started gaining weight. With Kate, I exercised. I ate healthy foods every day, and I limited my sugar intake. It makes no sense to me.

One thing I did lose from the first pregnancy to the next, however, is my curls. I used to have curly hair. Now my locks are mostly straight, with some wave. I miss my curls. But, curls or weight? I have a feeling most will say weight. What would you choose: great hair or a thin figure? Now that I have lost the weight, I want the curls back, of course. What? I can't have it both ways?

Curls + 37 pounds, many of which I apparently carried in my face. And my arms. Good-NESS.

Anyway, I now am the not-so-proud owner of some bad eating habits. For instance, it's naptime, and minutes ago I found myself in the kitchen scrounging for a snack. I paused, mentally, to make sure I was actually hungry, and then I wolfed down a couple of mint-mini Three Musketeer bars. *cringe* I looked through the pantry and nothing looked appealing. I opened the fridge and quickly looked away from the Costco birthday cake staring at me. I slammed the door. I settled on a 100-calorie pack of microwave popcorn, of the kettle corn variety. It was okay, and I do like that they finally came up with a size of microwave popcorn that I can consume in one sitting, but it didn't really hit the spot. I'm still debating about having at least a forkful of that cake. Tonight I will wander aimlessly from room to room, restless until I have a bowl of ice cream and/or some cake in front of me...and now you know why I might need professional help. Suggestions? What do you snack on?

8 comments:

Deborah said...

I'm with you... I just scarfed down yet another piece of Neal's birthday cake. (Don't tell him) I figure I'm helping him watch his figure. :)

Jen said...

Totally, Deborah! That's brilliant.

Andrea and Ben said...

Oh geez, I ate a 3 musketeers today for a snack. In my defense I was starving and the crazy people convinience store in the apartment dwellers school neighborhood I work in was my only option. Yum, I love the minty ones! On a serious note, if you are going to eat a sugary snack, pair it with a protein (nuts are a good option without taking away from the sweet) to balance out the filling aspect and you won't want as much.

Katie said...

Oh MAN. I loved the liberation of weaning, but I had forgotten all the EATING you get to do while nursing!

Katie said...

And P.S. I would much rather have a great figure than curly hair! :)

Elizabeth said...

That picture (actually the comment) made me laugh out loud.

I wish the breast feeding diet thing would work for me . . . grrrr.

Anonymous said...

Still jealous about the massive weight loss with baby #2! I'm still grateful for your compliments on where I'm at with #4, but it's a far cry from where you're at and how easy it's been! However, having the flu in the house and being down with it twice in the last week has helped a little bit.
Looks like Isaac will be weaning himself earlier than I'd like. He doesn't want to be down to nurse. He's constantly pulling himself up to a sitting position, so I can barely keep him on. I need all the help I can get so I'd really like to make him drag it out for a couple more months! I'm hoping not nursing will help me be less hungry!!
As far as snacking. I still like Pirate Booty and Pita Chips and I try to do a lot of fruit and water!

Anonymous said...

PS My hair has gone from sick straight to a little wavier with every baby.