body after bump: month 4

Before I gave birth had MacKenna pulled out of me, people would tell me how I probably wouldn’t have any trouble getting back to my pre-pregnancy shape.  While I doubted them a little, I really thought losing my baby bump weight would be fairly easy.  I mean, the day I gave birth had M pulled out of me, I had no sign of a baby bump at all.  I felt incredibly thin and thought I looked great (I did, for just having a baby).

That was 8 pounds ago.  I’ve lost 8 pounds post pregnancy (23 total if you include what I gained during pregnancy) and I’m damn proud of that.  But let me tell you, it has been SO much harder than I expected.  I thought getting back into running + training seriously would just help the pounds melt off.  Yes, it’s helped, but like I’ve said in the past, it’s the nutrition part that’s killing me.  Going from being very laid back on what I put into my body during pregnancy and giving into cravings to attempting to eat clean 80% of the time is difficult.  And I think it took me 4 months to finally get my eating under control because I had a great month in terms of weight loss!

	1 Week	3 Months	4 Months	Lost
Weight	134.4	128.6	126.2	Month: 2.4 Total: 8.2
Arms	10.5 in	10.5 in	10.25 in	Month: 0.25 in Total: 0.25 in
Chest	32.25 in	31.5 in	28 in	Month: 3.5 in Total: 4.25 in
Waist	31 in	29.75 in	28 in	Month: 1.75 in Total: 3 in
Umbilicus	37.5 in	35 in	33 in	Month: 2 in Total: 4.5 in
Hips	39.25 in	37.5 in	36 in	Month: 1.5 in Total: 3.25 in
Thighs	22.25 in	21.5 in	21.5 in	Month: 0 in Total: 0.75 in

 

After figuring out exactly how many calories I needed to be eating with breastfeeding and running, I’ve found the weight start to come off a little easier.  While I am counting calories, I’m not doing it religiously nor am I doing it every day.  If I know I’m going to be going out to dinner or overindulging in anyway, I let myself have the day off from counting, eat healthy throughout the day (as much as I can), and enjoy my special treat.  While I probably will come home completely stuffed and sick to my stomach and the scale saying I’ve gained 3 pounds overnight, I don’t beat myself up about it.  As long as I get back to my healthy eating the next day, my weight returns back to normal.  No need to beat myself up about it.

While I still have 6 pounds to lose before I’m at my pre-pregnancy weight and am hoping to continue tightening up my core (I still am a little baby bump-ish), I have noticed several changes in my body.  First of all, I fit back into my pre-pregnancy jeans!  While they’re not my “skinny” jeans, they are a size smaller than the jeans I bought post-pregnancy and ones I am proud to wear.  I still muffin-top a bit in them, but they zip and button comfortably and that makes me happy!

In addition to fitting back into my pre-pregnancy jeans, I’m definitely seeing other changes in my body.  I never really felt like I swelled up during pregnancy or put on an “extra layer of fat”, but apparently I have.  My arms have definitely toned up a bit and are fitting better into tight-fitting sleeves.  And my sunglasses that I bought while pregnant are now falling off my face.  Sounds goofy, but apparently my face got wider while pregnant.  I couldn’t wear my glass that I need for driving at night at all during pregnancy because they squeezed my head so much.  But, I can now wear them comfortably.  I think the fact that my sunglasses keep falling off my face while they didn’t during pregnancy definitely tells me that my face has changed.  So strange.

I have to admit, I feel great!  I think the thing I’m most excited about is that my running is going fabulously and I’m still above my pre-pregnancy weight.  I’m back at my pre-pregnancy running speed and still have 6 pounds to lose.  I’m hoping that means my speed will continue to get faster as I lose these last few pounds.  I will eventually write more on why I think pregnancy has made me a better runner, because it definitely has, physically + mentally.

Month 4 is in the books.  Now, excuse me, but I have to go catch up on some sleep.  I might be doing well in the weight loss department, but I am lacking on sleep.  Sleep regression phases/growth spurts/teething (?) are no fun…