5 months ago I had a baby. 5 months ago I weighed 35 more pounds than I do today. 5 months ago I gave birth to a 8 lb. 1 oz. beautiful, healthy baby boy. For almost 10 months my body grew and nourished a precious child I call my son. 5 months later my body is still working to nourish and feed this child God has given me. My body is an amazing machine- I need to give it more credit.
I needed to write those words and I need to read them over and over. This month has been hard. Losing (or in my case, not losing) your baby weight is difficult. Every time I got on the scale I thought to myself, “these people who read my blog are going to think who is this health & fitness blogger who cannot lose all her weight.” And then I remember my purpose: to show the truth, the struggle and the successes. It doesn’t happen over night, it is a journey and it takes time, patience and balance. When I get down on myself I just look down at my sweet boy and it makes it all better… because he is worth every pound I’ve gained.
Little Munchkin, M
Speaking of the little boy who is worth every pound… he is weighing in at almost 15 lbs! I say this every month: he is the sweetest thing. He loves his Mommy and I am absolutely smitten. His laugh warms my heart and his smile can light up a room.
He has discovered his feet and think they are cool. He can roll both ways, but rarely goest from back to belly. He is starting to be able to sit up by himself and can do it for about 2 minutes before losing his balance. He still thinks his big sister is super funny and he observes every move she makes. When Daddy gets home from work his eyes light up with excitement.
With C I waited until she was almost 6 months for any kind of food including cereal, but we decided to try giving him cereal last week and he loves it! He is grabbing the spoon and trying to shove more of it in his mouth. I think I am going to have a good little eater on my hands.
My Weight
My pre-pregnancy weight: 129
My healthy, comfortable weight: 130-133
My weight at 40 & 4 days weeks: 174
My weight 1 week postpartum: 161
My weight 2 weeks postpartum: 155
My weight 1 month postpartum: 149
My weight 2 months postpartum: 146
My weight 3 months postpartum: 142
My weight 4 months postpartum: 139
My weight 5 months postpartum: 139
No weight loss this month. Despite what the scale says, I actually feel really good. I fit into all of my regular clothes and they are just a little snug. I am quite satisfied with what I see in the mirror (hello, confidence). I feel like I have more definition in my arms than I ever have in my life. In fact when J took my class over the weekend (first time in years) he said, “When you were teaching, I couldn’t believe how strong your arms looked!” I was very proud.
My Fitness Level
Strength: This month I got in 5 reps of 105 pounds! I am using thinner bands on my assisted pull-ups too. I was able to knock out 32 consecutive push-ups on my toes- this is 8 more than I did last month!
Running: My last long run was 2 weeks ago and I ran 7 miles at an 8:33 pace. I have been doing speed work on the treadmill and knocking my shorter runs out in about an 8 minute pace and I ran 1 mile as fast as I could in 7:33. I am officially in “half marathon” training mode… well, I should be.
My Food Intake
I am eating 2280 calories per day 5 days a week and then an additional 45 calories two times per week. On those two days per week I carb cycle and eat more carbs than usual. Usually I do this on a day before a long run or a heavy workout day. It keeps my body guessing… or it is supposed to.
I was actually up to 143 pounds a few weeks ago and quite frustrated. I decided to take a different approach and eat when I am hungry, don’t limit myself and then track all my food at the end of the day. I have been doing this for a week and a half now and I lost those 4 pounds. This works better for me. I am still very mindful of what I am eating, but it is not ruling me. Plus, I am learning to hit my macros without having to track everything right that second. This way is much more manageable for me long term.
Review of last month’s goals:
- Limit desserts- FAIL!
- Run 2-3 times per week- Yes, but usually just twice.
- Pre & post workout nutrition timing- got this down!
- 31 push-ups by my 31st birthday- I did 32 and my birthday is still over month away!
- 3 reps of 100 pounds on bench press- CHECK!
- Piyo… did 2 Piyo workouts this month… that is progress.
New goals:
- Desserts & Sweets… no more, I am giving them up for Lent!
- Spring half marathon goal stays and continue to run 2-3 times a week.
- I am also participating in a “Pump & Run” event so I need to continue to work to bench press 70% of my weight and work towards that goal of 110 pounds by summer.
- 31 push-ups on my 31st birthday!
- Continue trying to get Piyo in once a week.
- Workout with my husband once a week.
So there you have it, 5 months later and I still have 9 pounds to go, but I feel great and am comfortable with how I look. I am praising God for the things my body has done and can do today. If you are new or struggling on this fitness journey, be kind to yourself, take it one day at a time, and remember that it doesn’t happen overnight: it is a marathon, not a sprint.
You are so inspiring and look great! I have been struggling with gaining muscle while still trying to lose body fat. I feel really comfortable “losing weight”, but after I have lost the weight I struggle maintaining. I am currently eating 1500 cals/ day and working out 5-6 days/ week . I workout at home with hand weights, treadmill, and my elliptical. I too am thankful for what my body can do and how far I have come. I just hate seeing the scale creep up and then see that my muscle and fat % aren’t reflecting all my work. However, I am just going to keep at it because no matter what fitness and low- glycemic eating are what’s best for me and sometimes it just takes time! Have a great week!
Thank you! Do you have a heart rate monitor? Have you tried wearing it all day long? This helped me learn how many calories I should be eating- I wasn’t eating enough.