I'm baaaack!

I took a leave of absence, after becoming pregnant, giving birth, and here I am 5 months post partum. I tried very hard to eat healthy during pregnancy and keep my weight down, but after my second trimester and still gaining more weight than I should have, I went nuts and ate whatever I wanted. And so here I am, 20 weeks later, and overweight again, repeating my journey to eat healthy and be fit. This journey to self realization hasn't been easy. I was hoping to be one of those pregnant ladies who walk out of the hospital in their pre pregnancy jeans. I know it happens to some ladies, but they are in a small minority and I'm not in that group. So once again, it's time to stop making excuses, stop feeling sorry for myself, and to work hard.

But bad habits remain from my pregnancy. Having really bad heartburn, soda was a temporary cure for the burning razor blades that would rise up in my throat. So I started drinking soda, then eating sweets (because what pregnant girl DOESNT want to indulge every now and then? Make that every day). Now I have come to the realization that I am addicted to soda and sugar. So I took a hard look at my eating habits and I knew what I needed to change. Less processed carbs, no soda, portion control, and more raw foods. I am not going to starve myself, I am going to be healthy. So my husband and I decided to embark on this quest.

I am now on day 2 of eating "clean". We swapped out dairy milk for almond milk, because it has half the fat, a third of the calories, and MORE calcium, without the antibiotics and hormones you get with cows milk. We fill our plate up with more raw or steamed veggies (boiled veggies lose their nutritional value), some meat and smaller or nonexistent amount of starch (primarily potatoes). So I really want to journal this experience. From my initial research, I am hoping the benefit is more energy, better mental clarity, and of course, lose weight. Now there is some criticism in my diet in that fruits have sugar. Yes, they do, but they have natural sugars with vitamins and minerals. The sugar from an apple (which is loaded in vitamins and fiber), is much better than a Mountain Dew (which I love, by the way). You will see some processed carbohydrates in my diet, but the key is to keep it in smaller amounts. Baby steps to dramatic, healthy lifestyle changes need to be done in order to make a lasting change.

Breakfast: 1.5 cups of Special K with 1 cup of Almond Milk
Breakfast snack: Fiber One Oats and Peanut Butter bar
Lunch: Healthy Choice Spaghetti and Meatballs with veggies (I choose Healthy Choice because they have  less preservatives and sodium than Lean Cuisine. And their food is actually good). Two stalks of celery with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Afternoon snack: Veggie sticks and 1 cup of grapes
Dinner: Lisa's homemade meatloaf with asparagus and a small yukon gold potato
Dessert: 1/2 cup of trail mix

So that puts me at 1900 calories for the day. I know there are modifications I can make to improve, but like I said, baby steps. The main thing is that this stuff is much healthier for my body, and I am full.

As far as cravings go, the craving for sugar hit me pretty hard this afternoon after lunch. I think its due to getting tired by the time 2 pm rolls around, and then my body just craving something sugary to get my energy up. I abstained, and drank a bottle of water instead. I'm prepared for the cravings to get stronger in the next few days, but I'll be ready for it.

If anyone uses myfitnesspal, my username is lfred12. Friend me!