Teaching Myself To Eat Again

My son turns four this month and my daughter will turn two in March.  Basically since the summer of 2008 I've sort of had a license to not have to worry too much about what I ate as I was either pregnant or breastfeeding with just a few months of neither in between.  And yes, I know, pregnancy isn't really an excuse to eat for two, but I think most moms can say that they did indulge at least a little bit more than they otherwise would had they not been pregnant.

Except now its been a year since I stopped breastfeeding but my brain and appetite didn't seem to get the message.  Over the past 4 to 5 years have I really forgotten how to eat for just me?  Yes, I have!  I'll be honest in saying that food has always been a struggle for me.  I remember when I was getting married all my friends said "Don't worry if your dress is a bit tight when you buy it, you'll for sure loose 5lbs due to stress right before the wedding".  Huh?  Apparently most of them eat less when they are stressed.  Not me...I eat more.  And so I gained 5 lbs right before my wedding (not to worry, the dress still fit just fine).

So let's review...pregnant, breastfeeding, pregnant, breastfeeding, 2 young kids to chase (happy stress, but stress), working full time and not sleeping enough has been a recipe for disaster for my waist line!  Or rather, I have let it be a recipe for disaster.  As this popular inspirational quote says -  "If it is important enough to you, you will find a way. If it is not, you will find an excuse."  I can't use all the other things in my life as an excuse any more and I am ready to make a change.

I need to teach myself how to eat again.  I'm not eating to grow another person, I'm not eating to feed another person, I do not want to eat to cope with stress and tiredness any more.  I need to learn to eat to fuel my body so that I have energy and can be healthy and strong.  This means no more mindless eating or eating when I'm not even hungry or eating the same portion size as my 6'5 husband!

Losing weight is always at least a bit of a struggle for pretty much everyone.  I find you have to be in the right frame of mind and be ready to commit and make a change.  For the first time since 2008 I feel ready!  Luckily this coincides with the momstown Oakville fitness challenge we've just started and with a fellow momstown mama who is also on a journey to get healthier this year.

I sit here snacking on an apple and drinking my third 24oz bottle of water for the day.  I've been at this for a few weeks now and feel better already.  The first goal I set is for Valentine's Day - wish me luck!  I'll post again around then to let you know if I made it or not.  Nothing like putting a goal out there in a public forum to keep you motivated!

Tips For Making Positive Changes In The New Year

I'm not going to lie.  I'm feeling a bit of pressure when it comes to my first blog post of 2013!  My brain is being flooded with ideas for new year's resolutions, 2013 bucket lists, getting organized check lists...and the truth is I haven't quite narrowed down any concrete lists just quite yet.  I am working on it though and so I offer up to you the same resources that I have been consulting and reading so that I can make my own top notch plan for 2013.

How to create a stress management plan

A website to help you create a bucket list

A Family inspired bucket list

9 Happiness Strategies

Live Like You Give A Damn

Setting Realistic Resolutions For The New Year

So for those of you who are like me and need to settle into 2013 first before making a self-improvement/to-do list/bucket list/grandiose plans and ideas list, I hope you find some of the information above helpful.  It's been 2 days of living in 2013 and I like the way it feels so far.  I think 2013 and I will get along just fine.