Losing Baby Weight

I really do not want to be one of those girls who is constantly obsessed with her weight. But the days are over that I can say "Oh my body looks like this because I just had a baby...7 1/2 months ago!" I have no more excuses and it is time to get back on track. I'm no stranger to calorie restriction and not eating sugar, dairy, or alcohol for months at a time. Though I'm not quite ready to go to that extreme...YET.

Breast feeding officially ended after our trip to San Antonio. Since I didn't bring the pump with me, it just faded away. Now I can officially diet without affecting my milk supply. So a few weeks ago, DG and I started our healthy eating again with a simple 1,700 calorie a day plan. It came in a book with our Bosu ball of all things. So here is what I am currently doing, and it seems to be working as I am losing about a pound a week.

1,700 calories a day which includes the following per day:
10 complex carbs/starch (whole grain breads, bagels, pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, potatoes, corn, beans, etc.)
5+ veggies (one serving = 1C raw green or 1/2C cooked)
5 servings of lean protein (boneless skinless chicken breast, eggs, white meat turkey, salmon, shrimp etc.)
4 servings of fruit and/or sugar
2 servings of dairy (1C skim milk, 1 non-fat yogurt)
2 servings of fat (1 TBL salad dressing, 1 tsp butter, oil, etc.)

In addition to this plan, I am working out 4 days a week. Monday and Wednesday, I run 2.7 miles up around the park and back. I am happy to say that after a month, I can do the entire 2+ miles around the park. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I do a 30 minute sculpting video from On Demand cable. I currently like Jillian Michael's (the Biggest Loser trainer) 30 day shred work outs.

I officially have 15 lbs. to lose before I get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. If the above ends up not working, I will do Slim4Life again.

I even did research on Nutrisystems and Medifast, both of which send you all your meals in the mail. Though I am sure that they both would work if followed, I do not want fake food to replace my meals with shakes and bars (Medifast) and the food on Nutrisystems does not look appetizing. Though I would love to have all of my meals made and sent to me.

HFCS

Yes indeed, another post about the evils of High Fructose Corn Syrup. When we last spoke on the subject I was trying to rid our lives of this ingredient. Let's talk a little about what that's been like.

Products I will no longer buy:
Heinz Ketchup
95% of BBQ Sauces
Rice Krispies and other cereals
Flavored Rice Cakes
Wheat Thins, Saltines, and Graham Crackers
Klondike Ice Cream Sandwiches
All Coke and Pepsi and other soda Products

Trying to live a healthier lifestyle is a long road to haul for sure. These products are only a few off the top of my head that I could think of. It takes time to read labels, but in the end I believe it is worth it. The other day at the grocery store, I had to read 15 bottles of BBQ sauce until I found the one that didn't have HFCS in it. I was suprised that crackers have it as well. And stick to real ice cream like Breyer's that use real milk and sugar. We have switched to only organic cereal, and Italian soda. (Yes, the baby craves these.)

Unfortunately, a few products escape my trained eye and make it home with me. As I am eating them, I peruse the ingredient list to double check them, and find that sneaky HFCS has slipped itself into the list *crap*. I then add the product to my mental list of things I can no longer buy and make DG take the rest of the box/bag to work.

It's so important for me to try to be healthy while I'm pregnant, but also to maintain a healthy lifestyle in which to raise a child. It will be hard in this world of fast food, and sugary treats, but we will try.

What's Up This Week?

Spring is here and I am coming out of my winter cocoon. I am typing up several different posts this week that are not ready yet, but here's the rundown.

Music
I have made several music playlists for running that I am going to upload to iTunes. Should all go well, you will be able to download the playlists for yourself OR pick and choose fun songs to add to your music. So far, my playlists include "Eat My Dust Mo Fo" - for the hardcore metal runner; "I'm Hot in my Pink Velour Jog Suit" - for the club crowd; and "I'm serious about my 3 mile jog" for those who like a steady rock beat. Got some better titles? I am open to suggestions.

Diet
Like many women, I have a daily battle of guilt and consumption over the food I put in my body. I am almost ready to boycott the grocery store for selling aisle upon aisle of processed, preservative ridden food. How many products in your pantry have High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) in them? Go check, I dare you! Even though we eat close to the food chain, I am going to go one step further and eradicate this ingredient from our lives. This and a bunch of other ways to try and eat healthier.

Exercise
Walking, Running, Jogging? How about training for a triathlon? These are all things I am considering. Get your sneakers on and join me as we boost our endurance.