Sometimes maintaining weight is the greatest success a person can have. If you've struggled with your weight throughout your life like I have, you know that reaching your goal and staying near it can be the most rewarding experience.
After yo-yo dieting throughout my childhood, I didn't know how important it was to simply maintain weight. Loosing weight was my only focus, and gaining it was my continual battle.
When I was about 20 yrs old I lost over 40 lbs by starving myself and overexercising. Surprise, surprise, I gained much of it back. Fortunately I was about 22 when I learned the importance of eating real food and small balanced meals. When I began to do this, I didn't lose a bunch of weight, but I maintained the weight I was...a feat that I under-appreciated at the time (I just wanted to be skinny).
Exercise and healthy eating were my hobbies, and over time I became more lean, I felt good in my clothes, and the weight became secondary. I maintained a healthy weight for a long time, and I was in the best shape of my life when I got pregnant. Although losing the baby weight took longer than I wanted (about 13 months), I still lost it all and then some.
Here is my confession: I've gained 15 pounds in the past 3 weeks. (It looks a lot less here than it does on the scale--or my waist).
As a mom, I was not prepared to make the time to think through my meals, exercise 6 days a week, and pay attention to everything that enters my mouth. I find myself eating impulsively, consuming crackers, bars, left-over lunches, and toast.
I'm tired, and it's easy. But I have taken the easy path for a few too many months! I am making a commitment to myself, my family, and my skinny jeans to meal plan, exercise every day, and cut out the empty calories.
You can do it!! We're here for you, whenever you need to borrow tahini, be talked out of eating something that is tempting you, or just change the subject in your head :-)
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