Post baby weight struggles

So I will admit I had this whole delusion that I would lose all the baby weight  and then some from my pregnancy. Pretty much everyone has told me how I would lose pounds like crazy from breastfeeding. That the pounds would drop like magic. And that you can eat anything that you want and lose weight. Well that was completely wrong. I know it is true for maybe for some women. But for me not the case. I will admit that I am slightly (ok, maybe more then slightly) envious of the women who look amazing within 6 months after having a baby. A very popular blog that I follow, which I will remain nameless, makes me extremely envious. (And for those who follow this blog, you may know who I am talking about) I love the blog,it is about a new mother, who also had a baby around the same time as I did. She is stick thin and gorgeous. When she was pregnant, she looked amazing. Her body pretty much looked the same. She didn't inflate like a giant balloon like I did. She just looked like she had a cute little basketball underneath her shirt. She recently posted a blog entry about how she got back her post-baby body back to her pre-baby body. It was sickening, when she posted a picture of a picture of her per-pregnancy abs and her post baby abs exactly a year later (4 months after she had the baby). Ok it wasn't sickening. It's wonderful that she got her body back and actually looked better then even before she had a baby. But sickening to me for the fact that it's almost been a year since I've had Grant and I still feel like a blimp. And don't look remotely the same as I did pre-baby. And of course the blogger contributing losing most of her weight quickly to breastfeeding, eating healthy, and intense exercise. And all I can think, is how in the hell do you find time with a baby, to work out? Between working, and taking care of Grant, I RARELY have the time to work out. Which is maybe part of the problem. I also contribute people who look amazing after giving birth, to good genes. Which I decided I do not have good genes. After-all, I had to get per-elcampsia, which is contributed to my bad genes.

I will admit my eating habits have not been the best. Which is maybe why I have not dropped the weight as quickly as I would have likes to. I'm getting better about it. I've been drinking way more water, and cutting pop and other sugary drinks. That has seemed to help shrink my belly. But I just don't understand why I have nearly breastfed for a year, and have not dropped the pounds like flies. I'm hoping I'll be like the women that I keep hearing about who don't lose the pounds until AFTER they quit breastfeeding. Apparently some women store fat and don't lose weight when breastfeeding. And then when they stop breastfeeding, the weight starts dropping. At this point I hope a pray this is the case. I have become very deflated about my post baby belly. When I was pregnant I gained 55 pounds. Which was ridiculous. I was watching Jessica Simpson on Jay Leno, last night. She is pregnant with baby number two. She was talking about how with the first pregnancy she pretty thought she could eat anything and was a human garbage disposal. Which is one of the reasons why she gained over 50 pounds. She worked hard to lose the baby weight, but then she got pregnant again. Listening to her interview, Matt chimed in and said I thought the same thing, that I could eat as much as I wanted just because I was pregnant. I denied that this was true, but the more I thought about it, I was in denial. It was true. I pretty much ate everything under the sun. I ate a lot of ice cream during my pregnancy, and french fries. Which would account why I have gained so much during pregnancy. And maybe that is why it's been so hard to lose it. I so far have lost 40 pounds since having Grant. But I still need to lose 15 pounds to get back to prepregnancy weight. It's so depressing because I've been stuck at the same weigh since I've was 4 months postpartum. It's like the weight will not dropped anymore.

Luckily my pants fit me again, but my belly is like cellulite,flabby cottage cheese.I hate wearing any of my shirts. I just over analyze them anymore, because I feel like my boob are huge, and they show my belly budge.  I now have quite a bit of muffin top spillage pouring out of my pants. It's really depressing. Shirts that were big on me, and pretty much droopy looking before I got pregnant, now look like a tight belly shirt. It's hideous. I've had to buy a lot of new shirts because of this. I'm not liking my post-pregnancy body. Which is probably why I am having such a hard time accepting, that I may never get my pre-baby body back.

It's funny how these things work, because I remember even before having Grant, how I felt fat, like my belly was flabby, or that I looked like a whale. But now looking at pictures, I realized I wasn't THAT bad, and I would die to look that way again.

The other day I came across this picture from 2006, and didn't even realize I was that skinny. If only I could look like that again!


It's funny because even though this was 7 years ago, I really haven't changed pants size. And I'm only about 15 pounds more then I was in this picture. It's amazing how much weight can shift around. This is what I looked like about a couple months before I found out I was pregnant. Unfortunately I can't fit into this dress anymore with my post baby body. Mainly because of my huge boobs. I would love to get back to this look:




I guess I shouldn't be a too tough critic on myself, because I don't look terrible. As long as you don't have to ever see me in a bikini. Which I never really wore one pre-baby anyways. Here is a picture of what I took of myself today. It's not terrible, I will say I look pretty awesome in my green skinny jeans. But I still have work to do in my tummy region.


Recently I have been going to yoga classes, and I will say I am loving yoga. I didn't realize how much yoga can work the body. I've been really feeling more alert doing yoga. Also my back hasn't been hurting as much doing yoga. I'm hoping yoga will help tone me more. So I am hoping to continue with the yoga.

Bottom line, it may not be easy to look good after having a baby. Maybe I'll never get back to the way I looked pre-baby. And I need to accept that and love the skin I'm currently in. I guess it isn't that terrible :)

Comments

  1. Ummm totally know which blog you're talking about and I stared at those pictures for several minutes before delving my face into a bowl of ice cream to sulk.

    I have been pretty upset about my post-baby body, too, and I'm kinda thinking it has to do with breastfeeding. I know a friend of mine who had MULTIPLES just a few months before me and looks absolutely stunning! I look like I'm the one who had several kids rather than just one :| When I was running this summer, I got down to about 5-8 lbs from my prepregnancy weight. I thought running wasn't doing anything for me (and actually thought I looked MORE bloated while my running stint) so I quit and gained about 8-10 lbs back! So now I'm about 15-18 lbs away from prepregnancy.

    Tried to do crunches on a machine at my friends gym tonight... was shocked that I couldn't even LIFT myself up!!!!!! So scary. My stomach looks awful. BLAH. We just gotta get serious about putting work in for our bodies... not gonna be easy but will be worth it!

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  2. I know what blog you are talking about. I love her blog, and do follow her religiously just because her blog is so adorable. I do get envious of those women who only gained 25-30 pounds in their pregnancy because it did not happen to me, LOL. I gained about 50 something pounds. Crazy. I know that every woman is very different when it comes to their pregnancies. Anyway, when I read that she had a work out routine down, and I was like HA!

    I'm a SAHM at this moment, and you would think I would have time to work out. Nope. When my little guy is down for his nap, there is stuff that has to be done, and I'm too tired to get up at wee hours of the morning to work out because I'm up 3-5x a night (thanks sleep regression) and at the night, I'm exhausted, and would rather to snuggle in the bed with my husband if I am lucky.

    I do think you look wonderful, and have a great sense of fashion. I literally live in my yoga pants and t-shirts. Very attractive. ;) I have lost 50 pounds of my pregnancy weight. Before you say oh wow, good for you, LOL...I still have some areas that have completely changed. My pant size went up from 4 to 7/8 due to pelvis separation. My boobs are huge. My butt have changed its shape. My body is flabby now. Ha ha ha. Even if you lose weight, your body still change, you know? I'm not crazy about how I look naked at all. :P

    It is funny that you said you are dong yoga because I am planning on starting Yoga workout (DDP Yoga that my husband ordered online). I don't want to work out and feel like I am working out--that's my problem--it has to be something enjoyable and doesn't feel like working out so I can be motivated.

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  3. I think you look great Megan....I have no idea what blog you speak of...so if someone wants to share with me :) lol

    Losing the baby weight is hard! I didn't gain very much during my pregnancy but I am still 10lbs heavier than I was before I had Cole...and I'm convinced my hips will always be wider since giving birth. I had to buy a whole new pants wardrobe for going back to work since none of mine fit. I do bootcamp 3X a week and I still can't lose the 10lbs lol...like you I've just decided to embrace my new body :)

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  4. I think you look awesome! Having a baby does some crazy things to our bodies but it is soooooo worth a little flab! That being said, I know the blog you're talking about too and I have no idea where she gets the time because I have none. Maybe our babies are just clingy-er, lol.

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  5. Thanks for all the encouragement and positive vibes ladies! Makes me feel better :)

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  6. I think you look fabulous! Unfortunately, I have no idea what blog everyone is referring to. Now I have to look for it! haha. I have enjoyed following your blog and all the new experiences you have as a New Mommy! I have nominated you for the Liebster Award (details can be found here: http://2lovebirdsbuildinganest.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-liebster-award.html )

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