Hi, everyone! I just joined, too. I posted some introductory information in the "Introductions" forum, but I'll paste, here, so you don't have to click around!
I'm 34 years old, mother to a 4-month-old girl, wife to a mad scientist, and caretaker of two, beautiful Shetland Sheepdogs. I currently write grants for a living.
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I am 4 months post partum and I'd like to lose the rest of my baby weight and then some! I was 195 pounds when I got pregnant last December, 248 pounds at the end of my pregnancy, 214 pounds 8 weeks post partum, and now I'm 203 pounds. My goal weight is 170 pounds which would put me at a BMI of 28 and in a US dress size 8 to 10. I feel healthy and slim at that weight, although it may seem like a large number to some.
I've battled my weight all my life. Even when I was thin I never thought I was. I was a cheerleader in high school and I weighed 130 pounds at the time and wore the smallest-waisted uniform of all the girls, yet still weighed the most. Pretty early on in life I learned that I simply weighed more than most people who looked to be about my size. My Mom mercilessly teased and yelled at me about my weight (apparently she wanted a thin daughter), which didn't help, either. Every single doctor I've ever gone to has given me a weight loss lecture. So you could say I'm a bit sensitive when it comes to conversations about weight loss.
In spite of these obstacles, I'd really like to maintain a healthy and happy weight for me.
I'm definitely feeling a bit daunted by the task ahead of me, especially since I know I lose weight so slowly. However, I have lost weight in the past, and I can do it again. This time, however, I want the weight loss to be permanent!
Today marks the first entry on my homemade food diary. I am uploading my .doc template just in case anyone's curious or wants an easy, printable diary. And, of course, if you have any suggestions for how I can improve my diary, let me know! I am thinking that, at some point, I should add in a place for exercise (i.e. I can subtract calories burned from my calories eaten) since I plan to run (jog/gasp my way through) a 5K in a few months and my body will require more than 1500 calories in order to keep up with the training.
I'm not sure my goal, 1500 calories a day or less, is realistic. I'm worried that I actually need to eat fewer calories in order to see any difference on the scale. However, I'm going to start at 1500 and see what happens. Maybe my post-baby body will surprise me?
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