Body after baby

Now that Peanut is 14 months old, I somehow feel I have lost the right to claim my extra weight as “baby weight”. But since it technically IS weight that I gained while pregnant with her, I guess that’s exactly what it is.

As summer quickly approaches, I find myself dreading sleeveless tops, shorts and (cue drum roll)... swimsuits. Just the very phrase “swimsuit season” is enough to have me running for the nearest sarong.

It’s not about looking like I’m 18 again, it’s about not wanting the flab on my arms to flap around like it’s independent from my body. I have no excuses. If I wanted to lose weight badly enough I would have done it already, simple as that.

Thanks to Mama Notes, I’m turning over a new leaf as of tomorrow. I really want to lose about 15 lbs. Instead of focusing on weight loss, I’m going to focus on healthy eating habits and exercise. I’m betting that weight loss will be a nice side effect.

Short Term Goals: This week I'm starting small. I want to focus on getting in 15 minutes of exercise each day in addition to a 1-2 mile daily walk. I'm also going to eat a leafy green salad with at least one meal every day.

Long Term Goals: Increase my overall health and feel more confident in my body. (Translation: lose 15 lbs.)

Plan of Action:

Cut out fast food. I’m still eating out 1-2 times a week on the days I have to work.

Try new healthy recipes. I have a stack of recipes I've been wanting to try, now's my chance!

Cut down on snacking. I know it sounds simple, but that whole “only eat when you’re hungry” thing is harder than it sounds!

Take daily walks. Since Peanut loves the “ahside” so much, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Work on toning my trouble spots. When people tell you having a baby will change you, they ain’t kiddin’.

If you want to join in the self-imposed torture fun, head on over to Mama Notes and get started! I'll be updating this post weekly and linking back to it, so stay tuned.