[Rabbitt]

Hello there. I've been lurking for a week or two, and thought maybe I would de-lurk today and join the fray.

I'm due with my first child on August 8th, and will be (hopefully) using the "breastfeeding effect" to help me jump start my weight loss. I've been working out the whole time, and my trainer has been gleefully telling me of all the evil stuff she has planned for me once we don't have to worry about, in her words, "cooking little boo boo" by getting my heart rate up too much. I love to exercise, so it should be fun. Depending on how much whoosh I get with the birth, I will have 100-120 pounds to lose.

The last few weeks as I gear up for this, I've really been doing some work in my head in regards to what I've done in the past, and what has been good or not so good about it. So the changes I've settled on so far are these:

1. I will not make up time goals for myself. I will not spend hours figuring out how much I would weigh on my birthday if I lost a) 1 pound per week; b) two pounds per week; c) X pounds per week.

2. I will focus on process, not outcome. This is difficult for me. I'm a golfer, and I struggle with it there, too. There is a book called Fearless Golf which talks about being process oriented rather than goal oriented. You have to have goals, but then you have to let them go and just "be in the process." That is my goal (doh! ) - focus on how much better I feel physically and emotionally and not worry about the numbers on the scale.

3. I've been intrigued by the Super Foods thread, and I have both books on reserve at the library. I have really been wanting to change the content of my diet, and this may give me the structure and guidance I need. I'm also going to check out the Sonoma diet, just to see some of the similar principles in action.

4. I purchased a journal, and I'm using it to help tone down what I call the "chaos in my head." This came about because I realized that I have certain thought patterns that I go through when I'm leading up to a period of poor food choices. For me, I specifically start wanting to make cookie dough and potato soup. Those may not always be the things I fall down with, but the pattern of wanting them often preceeds the poor choices. So I'm going to work on recognizing patterns like this before they come up, and hopefully find more beneficial ways of dealing with the (usually) emotional causes behind it all. I'm hoping just the act of writing down my feelings and frustrations and happiness will help release them.

Thanks for letting me share. I think it was good for me to write this out. When/if I come up with more of my "pattern breakers" I hope you all don't mind me putting them out there.

-Sara

[DishyFishy]

to you, Sara! Sounds as though you're really setting yourself up for success.

Post away! I love reading about other people's strategies, and what helps them. I've picked up all manner of good ideas from posts here!

[trishn222]

Also good luck with the birth. I have recently been following the super foods "diet" or what I like to call lifestyle and I love it.

[thistoo]

Welcome : ) I, too, was intrigued by the SuperFoods thread, so I'm reading the book right now and it makes a lot of sense. I'm trying to incorporate his tips into my diet and as a result I'm eating much healthier than I have been.

As for goals, I can relate to what you're saying. I'm losing, but it's going very slowly (as it always does with me) and that can get frustrating. So I'm trying to focus on how I feel and the amount of energy I have rather than the number on the scale, and it's helping. I can't say I don't still get frustrated, but not as much as I would have back when I was compulsively weighing myself all the time.

It's a process. Good luck to you, both with the baby and getting in shape afterwards! It's good to have you here.

[MelodyL]

Welcome to the board!! Glad you came out of lurker status. Congrat's on your new arrival, your due date is getting very close. It sounds like you've done a lot of thinking and setting yourself up for success once baby gets here!! I had to do some things differently this time as well, also learned from past experience, and one was getting rid of my scale because I too get so focused on the number and how much it's going down that I get easily discouraged. I still get discouraged at times, but it's been a lot easier to stick with it when I have no choice to weigh myself at home and see the fluctuations. I weigh once a week. I have also been journaling and I write everything down that I eat. I'm sure you will do great and I look forward to sharing your journey and successes with you!!

[Heather]

Sara -- Congrats on the upcoming birth! I'm sure that will be very involving but so enriching!

Sounds like you've thought a lot about this. Such a great first post! In fact, if you start to get down on yourself that the scale isn't moving (and I think we all do), that's a great post to pull out and read over again. You're giving yourself lots of good advice!

Look forward to hearing more from you!

[ssgtswife33]

Welcome Sara!! Congrats on your upcoming birth!! Babies are soooo precious Breastfeeding will help you jump start your weight loss and they say it's so much healthier for the baby. Keep us posted about the birth of your little one and about your weight loss.

[Sandi]

I am so glad you decided to join us!!! Sounds like you have really thought this through. I think you'll have great success!! Look forward to hearing more from you and learning all about you!!!

[jtammy]

Welcome! You've got some great ideas and a good plan lined up. Congratulations on your upcoming birth.

[ChocLabLover]

to the forum!

[BreakingFree]

Welcome, Sara! Sounds like you have some good tools at your disposal. I so agree with not setting time-related weigh loss goals. It always backfires for me. I just want my weight loss to happen in its own time (helped along, of course, by healthy eating and exercise!).

Look forward to getting to know you. And congrats on the impending birth!

[Amany]

Hello!

I too was a lurker until just this past Saturday. Welcome!

[nelie]

Welcome! Feel free to join the super foods thread as well.

[u2girl]

Oh, I think it is great that you are getting things in place prior to birth of your child. Perhaps if I had done a little better with that, I wouldn't have all of this weight to lose now. Well, best wishes to you and welcome to the forum. I am new, but it has been a very encouraging and wonderful group. I have no doubt I will reach my goals and if I fall short, this group will help. Best wishes!

Elycia

[Sheila53]

Glad you're joining us!