It’s been a long time since I’ve written a post. A lot has happened in the 3+ years. I am happy to say I am now a proud mommy of a beautiful almost 8 month old baby girl! It took us 3 years, 2 miscarriages, 3 chemical pregnancies, a year of infertility appointments, tests, waiting, consults and then finally HELP. I had already figured out what the issue was [I had to have a ovary removed and ended up low on progesterone], but the doctor wouldn’t just write a Rx for what I knew I needed, I had to go through all the hoops, the tests – some painful, some horrible on the hormones – but even after all that, I’d do it all over again to have the same result!
Though, we are very blessed and grateful, the 3 years of ups and downs, pregnancies, losses, hormones and then an almost full term pregnancy [our baby girl decided she wanted out almost 6 weeks early!] and all the exhaustion and emotional “rollercoastering,” it took a toll on me and my body. I gained 15-20lbs before finally getting pregnant with her, and then gained another 40lbs while pregnant – most in the first trimester when I was exhausted and queasy and the only thing that made it go away was Twix bars. I kid you not. I was horrified, but when you feel that crappy 24/7, it’s easy to give in – and I did. UGH…
Needless to say, I have another uphill journey just to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, which was 15-20lbs above my ideal weight… which I never did get to before all this began. So, from where I am today, I have another 52lbs to go to get to my goal weight based on my body fat percentage [BFP] right now and where I want it to be. For me, 22% BF means 170lbs. I have a high lean body mass I guess. That’s fine. I don’t really care what my weight actually is. I’m more concerned with health, longevity and having the best body I can have.
Having a baby at 42 puts things into perspective, too. I need to stay physically and mentally healthy for as long as I can so I’m around for her until she’s well on her own journey as a well-adjusted and healthy woman. And hopefully we’ll be blessed with grandkids while we can still have fun with them… but, one thing at a time.
I’ve stuck to living low carb high fat [LCHF] for the most part since I stopped writing in 2014, but definitely was not strict about it until my 3rd trimester in pregnancy, when I started to feel much better and had the energy to do meal planning again. But after having her, I let things slip as exhaustion got me again, and then the stress of cramming full time work into 5 hours a day while also being a full time mom.
I’m finally in a better place. She is taking regular naps twice a day and work stress isn’t as bad, so I decided the day after Christmas it was time to recommit and get this done. I got myself a fitbit Charge 2 with a $100 credit from work for participating in a company fitness challenge. I really like it, especially because I can wear it like a watch with a nice leather band that’s more comfortable than the silicon band that came with it, and also got a bluetooth scale that syncs with my fitbit app, so I know my weight, muscle mass, body fat percentage, water weight, and bone density. I love having all that information to judge my progress. Since December 28th, when I got the scale, I’ve lost 10.4lbs and 2 % body fat, which has really helped to motivate me.
Once I lost that initial bloat, my weight already plateaued for a couple of weeks and I know it’s because I wasn’t getting any activity to speak of, and wasn’t getting enough sleep – my own fault. I can’t blame the baby. She has slept through the night since August [we are very lucky – she’s a very happy, easy baby]! I think because I went back to work 8 weeks after she was born [and 2 weeks were spent in the NICU – a story for another post], and because I have been breastfeeding [after a 6 week saga of trying to get my bottle-fed NICU baby to latch and nurse… yet another story for another post], I sit all day long.
I work from home an average of 5 hours a day while she sleeps. She eats 5 times a day, which takes about a hour [she’s a slow eater like her dad]… so that’s 10 HOURS ON MY ASS every weekday! Yikes! Well, this week I decided enough was enough and I need to do whatever I can to get moving, even if it means getting up from my desk and jogging in place, doing modified pushups, squats, lunges or just DANCING. It doesn’t matter as long as I get in some activity.
I have my step goal set to just 5,000 steps a day – which is easy if I get in a short cardio workout at night after the baby goes down, but it doesn’t happen that often. Neither does getting out for a walk during this New England winter. Too cold, or raining, or it’s dark out when she wakes up from her afternoon nap… BUT, I do love putting on some oldies while she’s in her Jolly Jumper with this inexpensive bluetooth speaker and dancing with her while she bounces around – so, that’s my new workout right now.
And now that I’m finally putting some effort back into myself, I decided I need to start writing about the journey again, making notes of favorite keto-friendly recipes, resources, books I’ve read or are reading, and gear I’ve tried and loved. I am determined to get this weight off once and for all before we start trying for another baby in a couple of years. And I’d like some time to be at my happy weight and enjoy life with my baby girl in the meantime!
Cheers to a healthy, happy New Year!
Exercise[The]Demons 