Whose body is this anyways??
It's been over 22 weeks since I gave birth. And I'm amazed to tell you that in those 22 weeks I have indeed lost all of the 51 lbs. that I gained in my pregnancy. I've been told by many many mothers that it takes a good six months to lose the pregnancy weight, so I feel quite lucky to have shed those pounds one month early. But what really is amazing is that most mothers I've talked to said it took 6 months to lose "normal pregnancy weight gain" which is anywhere from 20-35 lbs...any mother I've talked to who gained as much weight as I did said it could take anywhere from 1 year to 2 years to get back to normal weight and size.
So I'm incredibly lucky or maybe I worked harder than most...I don't know, but right now I'm sitting one pound below my pre-pregnancy weight. (Which still isn't my ideal weight, I could still lose a few, but I'm comfortable at this weight). But if I didn't own a scale, I wouldn't guess that I had returned to this weight. In fact...I'd have no idea whose body stood before me if I didn't know I was looking in a mirror. Everything has changed.
All of my life I've struggled with bulky arms and legs. This is where I have always stored the majority of my weight...until now.
All of my life I've had a smooth and flat tummy even when I was my heaviest...my tummy was always flat...until now.
Now I am simply amazed to find these skinny (for me...we're not talking chicken limbs, in fact they're still bigger than most women's arms...but they are sooo slim for me) arms and legs growing out of a misshaped lumpy torso. I have no idea what to do with this body. No idea how to dress for this body.
I've always bought clothing that hugged my trunk and flared away from my limbs to de-emphasize the bulk in my legs especially. But now what?
I was hoping that with the weight gone the tummy would go with it...but it has lingered. Maybe I should turn my fitness routine to focus on core strengthening and ab crunches. I do think carrying around an infant for the last 5 months is the magic behind the slimming of my arms and legs. So maybe I could work in some routine with Gunnar everyday that could work the same miracle on my belly. Who knows. I'm so grateful that the weight is gone...now I just need a stylist to help me understand my new (but not improved) body.
In other news...I have one day left of my 20's...*sigh*.
And though Gunnar doesn't have any teeth yet...he doesn't seem to be in as much pain today, thank God!
So I'm incredibly lucky or maybe I worked harder than most...I don't know, but right now I'm sitting one pound below my pre-pregnancy weight. (Which still isn't my ideal weight, I could still lose a few, but I'm comfortable at this weight). But if I didn't own a scale, I wouldn't guess that I had returned to this weight. In fact...I'd have no idea whose body stood before me if I didn't know I was looking in a mirror. Everything has changed.
All of my life I've struggled with bulky arms and legs. This is where I have always stored the majority of my weight...until now.
All of my life I've had a smooth and flat tummy even when I was my heaviest...my tummy was always flat...until now.
Now I am simply amazed to find these skinny (for me...we're not talking chicken limbs, in fact they're still bigger than most women's arms...but they are sooo slim for me) arms and legs growing out of a misshaped lumpy torso. I have no idea what to do with this body. No idea how to dress for this body.
I've always bought clothing that hugged my trunk and flared away from my limbs to de-emphasize the bulk in my legs especially. But now what?
I was hoping that with the weight gone the tummy would go with it...but it has lingered. Maybe I should turn my fitness routine to focus on core strengthening and ab crunches. I do think carrying around an infant for the last 5 months is the magic behind the slimming of my arms and legs. So maybe I could work in some routine with Gunnar everyday that could work the same miracle on my belly. Who knows. I'm so grateful that the weight is gone...now I just need a stylist to help me understand my new (but not improved) body.
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| 3 weeks before giving birth... |
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| 2 days after giving birth |
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| Ugh the body...2 days after (I hurt just looking at myself) |
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| 51 lbs later...today... |
In other news...I have one day left of my 20's...*sigh*.
And though Gunnar doesn't have any teeth yet...he doesn't seem to be in as much pain today, thank God!
Oh I HEAR you Kirstin! First off, let me just say I am amazed and so impressed that you took that much weight off at the 5 month mark. Since my post on losing the babyweight I've only lost an additional 1.5 lbs, which still puts me 6 lbs over my pre-baby weight (and that's allowing for 2.5 lbs of breast tissue - otherwise it's 8.5).
ReplyDeleteAs far as the belly, the good news is it DOES get flatter. Just over the past couple weeks my belly went way down even though I only dropped that pound and a half. It's still not what it used to be (I'm exactly your body type - used to be a nice tiny, toned waist) but it's definitely better than it was. While I was home I *did* work out a little including my old crunchie routine, and I think that helped - even though it's been a few weeks since I did that.
Still, my size XS and SP Ann Taylor shirts seem a thing of the past. They hang to my belly button! No clue how I wore those. But I don't think that's my belly; I think I'm still carrying baby weight on my arms and my chest is definitely bigger. Luckily I can still wear a size S in Ann Taylor shirts and a MP, so I'm just up one size. And an 8P in pants instead of 6P (LOFT), also just one size. Though at one point I was a 4P but probably that was super-fleeting, since I think that's a size 2 in non-petite and I've always had junk in the trunk.
Anyway, congratulations and just hang in there. It may not ever be *totally* what it was before but I believe your belly will get better in the next few months.
cardio cardio cardio...it will happen...although I have now had two kids and I am in better shape than I was in my 20's. BUT my torso...yeah Braxton did a number on me and I am just learning to live with it!!
ReplyDeleteyou look great, kirstin! and i'm headed back into the weight :) my tummy never looked the same, but the up side is the great arms you get from carrying around that baby!!!
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