Saturday, January 17, 2009

It's not baby fat if the baby is 6

You can’t call it baby fat anymore when the baby is turning 6. I’m not talking about the baby (see previous entry’s photo). I’m talking about me and my hips.

Before we got married, Paul and I discussed all the major decisions we thought we would have to make in our married life. It was a long process, but it has served us well over the years. We don’t always hold to what we decided over 15 years ago but we have a nice framework to base our decisions on because we have such a good idea where the other person is coming from.

One thing we discussed is how many children we wanted to have. Given our ages (we were both 27 when we married) and temperaments we thought 4 would suit us well and that’s what we did. If we had met and married younger, I would have lobbied for 5 or 6, but 4 is working out very well for us.

So, when you’re having a baby every 2 years, and nursing the youngest one until you are pregnant with the next one it’s hard to loose weight and get back your girlish figure. At least it was for me. Nursing made me hungry in a not always rational way. If I was hungry I started to worry about the baby, even when he (or she) was also eating solid foods so I would eat, and I would relax, because it felt like everything was all right now. See, not rational.

I knew this was going on and I knew my weight wasn’t going down as much as I had wanted it to, but of all the things I had to worry about, my weight was very low on the list.

Well, the youngest hasn’t nursed in almost 5 years now and I’ve definitely taken steps in the right direction but these hips aren’t going to shrink themselves.

So now I’m exercising and eating right. I think I’m not drinking enough water yet, but I’m getting there. I love lifting weights. Even though I am not lifting heavy weights I feel strong and powerful and capable of anything when I do. I like to run as well, but I broke my toe in December (because I accidentally kicked something on the floor during a power outage) and I’m giving it all the time it needs to feel completely better. I use the elliptical machine we have at home instead. And, it’s not like I can run far or fast, but I like the feeling of me and my favorite music blasting on the iPod, just ticking away at the tenths of miles.

And this brings me to my gym, Hampstead Health and Fitness. I love my gym. I love that it isn’t full of skinny, already fit people (although there are some there). I love that they have a child care option for all of my children so I don’t have to worry about them or leave the oldest ones at home. I love that they are open early in the morning and late at night and at least a few hours on most holidays. We don’t get there often enough but that’s a failing in my homeschool schedule more than anything else.

I am hopeful now that Zach has caught up (and then some!) on his Math that we will be able to get there more often.

4 comments:

isolada. by design said...

Hi! Thank you so much for stopping by my little space and your kind comments. Children and middle age can certainly mean hips that need a little more time and care. You're not alone in your endeavor to be fit and healthy!

I enjoyed the post about your scouting activities. I adored my own days as a Brownie and Junior Girl Scout. And I couldn't agree more...I think children - girls AND boys...love sewing. And imagine the hand/eye coordination skills you would help them further develop! I hope to take my love of sewing, a new passion, for the service of charitable causes. The pillowcases are something that would never have crossed my mind. Thank you for the inspiration!

Philigry said...

oh, wow! four kids. Good for you for taking some time for yourself. it is hard though, you have been pregnant, nursing, pregnant nursing etc. and i think your body is kind of waiting to be pregnant again. With each child it was harder and harder for me to lose the weight. My last one I gained 65 pounds! My mid-wife stopped weighing me.
This a subject that effects so many women! thanks for sharing your story.

La Cabeza Grande said...

Lisa, I'm sure you can do whatever you set your mind to do. It's pretty cool that the gym has childcare facilities. That's got to be a big help.

BTW, thanks for you comments on my blog. I know it's been a while since I posted :o)

Jackie said...

Way to go lady ! U r great, Lisa ! It's not easy to have 4 kids !!