I want my body back

Here is a short recap of my weight gain/weight loss over the last two years

• April 2009 120 lbs
• December 2009 182 lbs
• May 2010 124 lbs
• September 2010 140 lbs
• December 2010 129 lbs
• February 2011 138 lbs
• Today 133 lbs

It's been 2 years since I felt good in my skin. Like, really felt good. Two years ago this April I found out I was pregnant with Little PB&J Bud. After the shock of a BFP wore off I swore I was going to remain healthy and fit throughout my pregnancy. I was already working out regularly and eating a healthy, well balanced diet. So it wouldn't have be an adjustment to maintain that lifestyle for the next 40 weeks. Ha. That mentality lasted for about 5 minutes. Morning sickness set in and there wasn't much I could eat. And if I could stomach it, chances are it wasn't healthy. And by the time my first trimester (and morning sickness) was over, I had embraced my less than ideal diet and lack of exercise. Unfortunately this lifestyle continued well after Little PB&J Bud was born. But even with my poor eating habits, I did manage to get within 4 lbs of my pre-pregnancy weight while BFing. It was great! I dropped the 60 lbs I gained during my pregnancy without having to adjust my lifestyle!

However, once I stopped BFing in May of 2010 (and continued eating bad and not exercising) the weight crept back on. By September I weighed an all time high of 140 lbs. I had gained 16 lbs! And my boobs went from a size D back to an A. I had an enormous ass and small boobs. WTF. I was in such a rut, that I began to accept my new body. I had always been a skinny girl and very active, but I had just kinda given up, ya know? I felt uncomfortable in anything other than an oversize t-shirt and yoga pants. I loathed having to get dressed and leave the house. Often I would have a mini break down (complete with tears and all) trying to find an outfit that didn't make me feel like a stuffed sausage. It sucked. Finally I had enough, and about 10 months after Little PB&J Bud was born I decided to give the South Beach Diet a go. It was great. I dropped lbs fast, slimmed down, felt better about myself and I had finally found the motivation to get the weight off. I dropped about 11 lbs! And then I got pregnant! Something we had been trying for for so long! And then I lost the baby. Sigh. And that motivation I had found was lost too. I fell right back into my old habits and over the next three months I gained 9 lbs. I ate bad, didn't exercise and didn't much care about the cellulite that had now moved to the fronts of my thighs. Yes, you read that right, the fronts of my thighs.

About three weeks ago I came to the realization that I CAN feel good about my body again. No, it probably won't be what it once was, prior to Little PB&J. But that doesn't mean I can't have a positive body image. And then I came to another conclusion. I shouldn't be so critical of my body. My body IS an amazing thing. It carried and nurtured Little PB&J Bud for 40 weeks and it did a pretty darn good job, if I do say so myself. My body has allowed me to get this far in life and still remain relatively healthy, even if I didn't always take the best care of it. So what if I don't look like Gisele Bundchen with my clothes off? And so what if I will never been a size 0 again? But I can (and I should) take better care of my body. Sometimes I still hard on myself, and this new mentality is not always easy to embrace. But I am trying to be less critical.

I have gotten back on the South Beach Diet and I have been working out 4 to 5 times a week. It's wonderful to get my motivation back! But I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared that I will fall back into my old habits when I get my BFP. I am afraid that I will let my diet get out of control and I will pack the weight back on. It's especially a concern since I have PCOS making weight loss exceptionally hard. And I feel a little guilty to admit that I am looking forward to not having to share my body with a fetus in my ute. While I welcome pregnancy and it still is my ultimate goal, I want to be done with it. I want to put the chapter of growing babies behind me. I am ready to get my body back. Both in the sense of getting fit and in the sense that my body belongs to me and only me.

Oh and screw you Gisele for being such a freak of nature.

pic credit

PB&J Bud :)

Remember Me?

Let me reintroduce myself, I am PB&J Bud and I am a blogger for Bloomin' Babies. Ok, I know it hasn't been that long but I feel like it has been an eternity since I last posted. I am in the middle of a three week vacation in FL (well I don't know if vacation is the right word. I am visiting family), Little PB&J is sick for the first time EVER and I have had internet service issues. Those are my excuses, will you please accept my apology for my lack of posting? :)

Anyway, since I don't have the possibility of getting pregnant this cycle (remember, I am on a three week "vacation" and away from Mr. PB&J......and his sperm) I decided that I would still be proactive in working toward my goal of getting KTFU. At my last doctor's appointment I was diagnosed with PCOS which basically means my ovaries suck. There is no cure for PCOS, but it is possible to manage PCOS by changes in lifestyle. I have been reading up on the condition and there is evidence that by losing 5% of my body weight some sort of medical magic happens and I can increase my chances getting pregnant. Sounds scientific, huh? I can't remember the exact reasoning why losing weight is good but it has something to do with my blood sugar regulating which in turn helps my ovaries spit out eggs. Typically, people who suffer from PCOS also suffer insulin resistance issues so a GI (gylcemic index) diet is recommended. Meaning I need to cut the cake and cookies. Even the french fries gotta go. And it's recommended that I exercise.

Blah.

Ugh.

Great. This is a recipe for disaster. I hate dieting and exercising. Especially at the same time. Is it me, or am I the only one who turns into a total bitch when they decide to make "lifestyle" changes? I suppose it's for the best. I still need to lose about 10 lbs to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight from Little PB&J. But dang it, I was using my impending pregnancy as my excuse as to why I wasn't getting off my ass and dropping the weight. It's kind of defeating to work toward a goal of weight loss when I know that I will be putting the weight right back on in the near future with my next pregnancy. Well folks, this excuse is why I am still lugging around those extra 10 lbs. I have been TTC for almost 1 year and I could have easily dropped those lbs by now. Easily. So, I have decided to suck it up and get off my ass. And put the cookies down. Anything to help the TTC process. The weight lost will just be an added benefit.

Surprisingly, I have been good about working out. Really good. Even on "vacation". But my eating? Not so much. I have a good day and then someone offers me a piece of cake and I cave (like tonight)........and then I say eff it, I already blew my diet for the day, gimme some of that ice cream too. But tomorrow is a new day and I am praying for self control.

I.must.stay.away.from.cake.and.ice.cream.

Photo Credit