Post Breastfeeding- 6 Months and 10 Pounds Later
I stopped breastfeeding Saioa in June and I am so discouraged that since then I’ve gained 10 pounds! For me, breastfeeding kept all my excess weight off and it was awesome. I didn’t necessarily eat unhealthy, but there were times when I could eat like a man and see no sign of it on my body.
After breastfeeding, even though I’ve not changed my eating habits…. slowly, slowly…. 10 pounds have crept on. Not only that, but breastfeeding kept my spirits up. I will testify to the fact that it was a natural Prozac because when I stopped, my hormones and emotions went awry. I felt down in the dumps a lot and couldn’t really put my finger on what the problem was. I think that might have been what contributed to my weight gain, because I tried to eat my emotions away. I also felt zero motivation to get off my butt and get to the gym. Bad combination.
I’ve realized that it’s time to get moving and get healthy again- physically and emotionally. I know that exercising helps so I’m trying to make it a point to get some sort of exercise in every day….. whether that’s taking a class at the gym, or walking around the neighborhood. I also am trying to exercise self control when I want to devour a box of cookies for no reason. I take a deep breath, gather my thoughts and I’ve found that when I do that, the urge to eat junk passes rather quickly.
When I need inspiration I think about people I know who are healthy and fit, and just the thought of them alone is usually enough of a boost to get me started. When I start to feel down, I will get out of the house or invite a friend to go out to lunch, something that will give me a change of scenery. Sometimes being at home all the time with a toddler can get depressing, so I will make it a point to get out of the house and do something.
What kind of changes did you have after you stopped breastfeeding?
