Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Bye bye, big appetite. I miss you!

I'm a twin, and my mom has told me, "When I nursed you and Becki, I could eat whatever I wanted! And as soon as I weaned you I gained five pounds."

Well, I was pregnant and/or breastfeeding for 4 1/2 years straight, and I looooved having an increased appetite for so long! I relished having a genuinely good reason to eat all those calories. As Zoodle's nursing slowed and then stopped, though, I did gradually put on a few pounds.

All my life, I've had a tiny appetite. My sister and I used to share half a hamburger when we were little--that's 1/4 hamburger each! And it wasn't because my parents didn't have enough food to go around; it was because we just didn't naturally eat a lot. I realized recently that I'd gotten in the habit of giving myself larger portions, because for over four years I actually needed those calories. I don't need them anymore.

It's an adjustment--and a bummer of an adjustment--but I'm learning to once again put less on my plate, since I'm no longer using my body to grow a kid or two. Now, mind you, I'm not talking about starving myself. I'm a big fan of eating and really not a big fan of being hungry! I'm just having to re-learn what my ideal portion sizes are. And I like eating "treats"--foods that aren't particularly healthy. I just try to somewhat balance that with plenty of genuinely good stuff, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Some days and weeks are less balanced than others, of course!

And I guess (along with the running and working out), it's working! Today I grabbed two pairs of jeans from my closet that had been rendered recently unwearable due to my not-so-tasty muffin top...and they both fit.

I'm in the post-infant phase of my parenting (a.k.a. the lower metabolism phase); and I'll probably be in this phase the rest of my life. But even if I'm not hungry enough to eat a whole burger, I can still enjoy every bite I take!

9 comments:

Call Me Cate said...

Maybe that's the answer. I need to have a couple of kids and breastfeed them until I reach my goal weight. Or maybe it doesn't work like that.

Portions are my downside as well. I generally eat healthy, I just eat too MUCH. I'm going to start cooking and freezing meals ahead of time so there's more portion control.

Shana said...

I totally know how you feel! I breastfed Ella till she was 15.5 months old and now I am disgusted with the way I look. Unfortunately, I love to "snack" as well but don't work out...AT ALL.

Mellodee said...

All things in moderation is sort of my motto (not really, but I'll borrow it from time to time!) Balance is the goal. A little bit of this and a little bit of that never hurt as long as you balance it with a little bit of something else (like exercise). That's my philosophy and I'm sticking to it!

Kara said...

I'm hoping I'm one of those women who discover that their body was holding onto weight while they breastfed, and that when I wean Lizzy weight will magically disappear :-) Not that making cupcakes just for fun is helping my cause... :-p

Unknown said...

Congrats on fitting into those jeans! I know quite a few women who said they lost weight while breastfeeding. I was never one of those!! It's hard learning (re-learning) about portion size though...especially when it's something you're super fond of!

Autumn said...

I think I miss that too, the whole "eat pretty much what you want because you burn or pass on the calories super easily" thing. My best friend and I joke that if we ever have another kid we'll pump breast milk till we die for two reasons: 1) big boobs - we miss those.
and 2) higher metabolism, we miss that too.

Haha!!

Elaine's Semi-Homemade Life said...

Totally understand what you're saying, Beth! With G-man, I couldn't have dairy of any kind (caseins, lectins, etc!) so my diet was restricted.. but I could eat qty! I'd make these dairy free choc chip cookies and eat a few EVERYDAY! AAhh... miss that! :)

Eternal Lizdom said...

I gained weight while breastfeeding. And then gained more when Zach weaned. Wasn't happy about that. It was a major stumbling block for me and my "get healthy" desires.

I would love to be cursed with a small appetite!!

Traci said...

Great job getting back into those jeans!! That's a major adjustment.