I gave birth to my darling baby girl on 8/31/22. Ready to get back on the healthy eating/exercise bandwagon.

Weight:
Started at 147 lbs (slightly higher than my set point of 143-145)
Highest Pregnancy Weight - 168 lbs.
Lost 10 lbs down immediately
Current weight around 150 lbs.
Goal Weight = 143

Right now, I’m exclusively breastfeeding. It’s SUPER intense, because I’m the only one that can feed the baby … and she eats every two hours… but I’m trying to tough it out until my flow is established and I can pump enough to make bottles. Breastfeeding is definitely helping the weight come off. HOWEVER, I am SUPER hungry aallll the time and I’m also finding that I’m turning to food out of exhaustion, boredom, and frustration.

I’d like to feel a bit more in control of my eating and exercise better coping mechanisms. For example, if I’m exhausted I turn to food to help myself feel more awake. If I’m frustrated about an issue with my maternity leave compensation (so frustrating!) I eat to make myself feel better.

Alternative coping behavior:

• DEEEP BREATHS
• Meditation
• Drink water
• STRETCH!
• Journal - pencil to paper
• Spray some essential oils

PS - If anyone wants to join me, I'd love the company!

Had a weird night with the babe, coupled with a drowsy morning. She nursed on one side for close to an hour and a half! Still, aiming to remain focused on healthy food behaviors.

Weight - 147.7

Thursday, 9/15/22 - Recap:
Nutrition - 5/10 - (Food = Oatmeal, cottage cheese, carrots, salted pumpkin seeds, low sugar yogurt, pork stew, homemade meatballs, veggie bake w fry bread, entire bag of lifesaver gummy sweets, graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 slice of cheesecake)

Exercise - 30 min walk in the park w hubby and the baby

Friday, 9/16/22:
Not sure... lost this day to feeding the baby

Saturday, 9/17/22:
Weight - 147
Breakfast - Oatmeal w buckwheat, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, low sugar preserves, cinnamon, graham cracker crumbs w heavy cream (I'm cleaning out the pantry and found graham cracker crumbs leftover from holiday baking... My cravings for sweet carbs is vicious!)
Lunch - (everything!) chili, stuffing
Dinner - Charles' pan fried chicken - turkey, lima beans, collard greens, yams
Snacks - Starbucks blueberry scone (290), Starbucks egg bites (300), chocolate covered almonds, Nerds the candy, corn bread, grits, red velvet cake
Exercise - stretches on the yoga mat.

Sunday, 9/18/22:
Weight - 150
Breakfast - Oatmeal, low sugar yogurt, 2 scrambled eggs, lima beans, yams, corn bread
Lunch - TBD
Dinner - TBD
Snacks - TBD
Exercise -

Babe is 6 weeks old. Still exhausted, but really trying to make better food choices.
My eating method of choice used to be intermittent fasting, or just not eating after 8PM. (I was doing it before it was cool and called "intermittent fasting" (ha!)) I gave it up when I first got pregnant because I got super nauseous whenever my stomach was empty. Now that I am no longer pregnant, I'm trying to get back to the IF schedule.

Weight is still hovering around the 149/150 mark.

Congratulations! Looking forward to reading more.