Week 2

It has been not yet two weeks since I started my weight loss plan. Week 1 was tough; hiking up that hill after not exercising for 10 months almost ended my life. But I realized how great I felt afterwards; that was my motivation (besides wanting to hear comments like, "wow..you don't look like you've just had a baby..") to keep going, as tough as it may be.

Right after Abigail was born, just to be funny, I tried to pull up my regular jeans. That experience was a disaster; and it wasn't funny at all. I really sat down and cried. Although I knew it was crazy to want to walk out of the hospital with my size 2 jeans on (ok, I was never a size 2,) I thought it shouldn't take too long.

Of course, being a mom, I'd have to put my children first. Despite the fact that I wanted to look like Nichole Richie, I wasn't born (or, made,) like Nichole Richie. I am about a foot taller and 30 lbs. heavier. But everyone who just had a baby wants to look like Nichole Richie. I had to constantly remind myself that Abigail needs me. Caleb needs me. I need to set a good example for them, even when they are so young. I need to take care of my body so Abigail would receive the best quality of food possible. I am not Nichole Richie and I will never be Nichole Richie. I need to swallow the fact that I am who I am; I am who God made me to be.

Still, I wasn't about to sit on the couch all day and finish every bag of Lay's there is in the supermarket. I didn't want to "accept" that this is the way my body is postpartum; I should just let it be. Since we only have one car and live on the 2nd floor, I get to hike up a hill (about a mile up and a mile back) every day Benny is home, so he can do it with me. It was a difficult decision; that meant I had to give up sitting on my couch in a nice, air-conditioned room and get out and sweat. Sweat so much that my shirt is drenched when we walked home. Pushing those strollers made it harder; hiking up that hill required constant movement. Going against gravity with those strollers is not exactly easy, but it's not killing us, either (at least not yet.)

Week 1 started with no big result. This week was week 2. This morning, I decided to be funny again and tried to pull up my regular jeans. To my amazement, not only I was able to pull them up pass my knees, I was able to buckle the jeans. I could still breathe. I felt like I could see a light at the end of the tunnel; I stepped on the scale (without crying,) and found the numbers have dropped. No big deal, I still have another 8 lbs. or so to go, but it is going somewhere. It felt good.

Until next time, go out and sweat.