For those of you who know me, you probably know that I have been losing weight since last August. If you don't know me, well, I have been losing weight since last August : ) I came to a point in my brain where weight loss wasn't something to be avoided anymore. It just clicked in there and stuck. I completely changed my eating habits, like I have done a million times before with a million different diet ideas, but this time it worked. I started eating 5-6 small 200 calorie meals, mostly protein. I completely cut out wheat products from my diet and stuck to rice and potatoes as my starches. I started losing weight! I ate my yogurts, homemade crab salad on rice cakes, turkey rolls with cheese inside, and vegetables. Not only did I lose weight steadily, I actually kept it off. I have had moments of insanity, especially around Christmas. My daughter makes this fabulous fudge and we made alot of it and we ate alot of it! Mmmmm, so tasty! I have good days and bad days and I let myself cheat so that I don't completely blow it. I weigh myself as often as I can on one scale. I'm sure the school nurse knows all about me as I have chosen the elementary school scale as my "standard". Every time I'm there, I weigh myself so she gets all my news first, whether good or bad. I love seeing that little hangy thing go lower and lower on the scale. First, it was 10 lbs. Then 15. Then 20. Then 25. The last time I weighed, I was down 27 pounds since last August. Some months I don't lose anything and every once in a while, I gain. Usually because I have started eating badly again.
I didn't start losing weight because my Spouse didn't love me for me. I didn't start because of any comments or anything. I did it for me. I didn't like looking at pictures of myself, I looked so pasty and smooth. Not that smooth is bad, but an angle here and there isn't so bad, especially around the jawline. I felt uncomfortable in my clothes and I was noticing that I had gotten past size 16's and was creeping into 18's. My extra large shirts were looking rather sausagy and my airway was constricted every time I bent over. Turning red while tying your shoes is just ridiculous.
Now, I'm in a happy size 14 and continuing to lose slowly. I am trying to lose 7 more pounds so I can be in the next "10's" down. I can go into a store and try on stuff and not only does it fit, it actually looks good! I feel much prettier in my clothes and am fitting into stuff that I wore years ago! I feel healthy and energized. I am taking the weight loss a day at a time and a goal at a time. I am not looking to be skinny or teenageresque or anything, just happy and comfortable. I like walking around with my kids and they're not embarassed to be seen with me.
What about you? Are you losing weight? Are you happy with where you are? Are you on the other spectrum: too skinny? Are you the chubby sibling or the skinny sibling? (I'm the chubby one, I outgrew my sister by age 11) (dang it, I hate being the chubby sister!)(blog for another day)(don't you just love parentheses?)
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Breastfeeding in Public: Pro or Anti?
I made a new friend at school this year and she is from Argentina. We have discussed how our countries are different when it comes to how the human body is viewed. Americans in general tend to be a little more uptight about what can be displayed publicly and Argentinians are a little more relaxed. We got into quite a discussion one day about whether or not people should breastfeed in public so I thought I would blog about it. Please post your opinion at the bottom because I really am curious.
My friend thinks that breastfeeding is a natural thing and should be openly accepted. She feels like breasts were made for feeding as well as pleasure and if a woman is feeding a baby, boobs should be viewed like a bottle. She doesn't understand why Americans don't see it the way she does, which is understandable. She also doesn't understand why we don't all wear thong bikinis but that is another blog : )
I have nursed 6 babies in public with very mixed emotions. With my first baby, I was very self-conscious and would leave the room to nurse the baby. That got old real fast. With my second baby, I got a nursing cover and breastfeeding shirts which allowed me more freedom. By the 6th baby, I really just didn't care anymore and was expert at keeping myself covered with my clothes and feeding pretty much anywhere. I love to see women breastfeeding their babies but I admit, it does make me uncomfortable when a woman is very open about it. I saw a lady once at Aldi's openly feeding with a boob just hanging out, putting her groceries on the conveyer, keeping an eye on her other children, and chatting up people in line. She acted like it was nothing and people just accepted it. I had to give her credit, I would have been blushing up a storm if that had been me!
I also like when a group of women are together and we can openly nurse without embarassment. Nursing a baby is natural and a gift. I loved looking down on their sweet little faces and knowing I was doing something for them that no one else could do. I have to admit, I also liked switching them to bottles so I could sleep through the night : ) and watch my husband bond with them as well.
But what about in public? Should women cover up? Should ladies be forced to cover up for the sake of someone else's discomfort or opinion? Nursing under a cover is hot and bothersome but does give privacy for everyone involved. What do ya'll think? Personally I think discretion is the way to go in America but more power to you if you want to hang it all out there.
My friend thinks that breastfeeding is a natural thing and should be openly accepted. She feels like breasts were made for feeding as well as pleasure and if a woman is feeding a baby, boobs should be viewed like a bottle. She doesn't understand why Americans don't see it the way she does, which is understandable. She also doesn't understand why we don't all wear thong bikinis but that is another blog : )
I have nursed 6 babies in public with very mixed emotions. With my first baby, I was very self-conscious and would leave the room to nurse the baby. That got old real fast. With my second baby, I got a nursing cover and breastfeeding shirts which allowed me more freedom. By the 6th baby, I really just didn't care anymore and was expert at keeping myself covered with my clothes and feeding pretty much anywhere. I love to see women breastfeeding their babies but I admit, it does make me uncomfortable when a woman is very open about it. I saw a lady once at Aldi's openly feeding with a boob just hanging out, putting her groceries on the conveyer, keeping an eye on her other children, and chatting up people in line. She acted like it was nothing and people just accepted it. I had to give her credit, I would have been blushing up a storm if that had been me!
I also like when a group of women are together and we can openly nurse without embarassment. Nursing a baby is natural and a gift. I loved looking down on their sweet little faces and knowing I was doing something for them that no one else could do. I have to admit, I also liked switching them to bottles so I could sleep through the night : ) and watch my husband bond with them as well.
But what about in public? Should women cover up? Should ladies be forced to cover up for the sake of someone else's discomfort or opinion? Nursing under a cover is hot and bothersome but does give privacy for everyone involved. What do ya'll think? Personally I think discretion is the way to go in America but more power to you if you want to hang it all out there.
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