Kaz will be one month old tomorrow, and so far I’ve lost 26 of the 35 pounds I gained during pregnancy.
That almost sounds impressive, but let’s not forget I brought nearly 9 of those 26 lbs home with me in an infant car seat. Good thing those pounds are super cute, they can stay.
I’m not going to let myself get all nutso obsessive about it, but getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight is definitely on my mind. For now my plan is sensible eating with sensible exercise. How sensible.
And if that doesn’t work, I’ll go on the Cabbage and Grapefruit Soup Diet. Or maybe the Iceburg Lettuce and Water Only Meal Plan? Skinny jeans or bust!
Just kidding. But I have been reminding myself that true weight loss boils down to cutting calories and burning some extra calories with exercise. Cutting calories is not fun though, it’s way more fun to just eat. Here comes the part where salad saves the day and my sanity too.
We were really lucky to have many friends and family help stock our fridge with awesome things to eat before and after the baby was born. In fact, whenever anyone asked if we needed anything, I would screech “Food! BRING FOOOOOD!” Having a new baby is kind of like being stranded on a desert island. A desert island that looks a lot like your house, but you can’t leave because your infant screams like a banshee during the car ride to Wegmans.
Just kidding. Except no, not kidding.
So when Zak’s aunt brought over this fabulous homemade pizza, I was able to keep myself from devouring the entire thing in one sitting by:
1. reminding myself that I was supposed to share it with my husband
2. making a salad to go with it
So you’ve heard this before, yes? Eat your vegetables? Shocking!
I ate my salad LAST though, because by the time I was done, I was feeling full and satisfied. I didn’t need to go back and snatch another piece and then craft some tale about wolves with opposable thumbs opening the fridge and eating Zak’s share of homemade pizza awesomeness. Wolves who didn’t even offer load the dishwasher before they left. Stupid wolves.
But the other fun trick that comes with eating your salad as the last part of your meal is that the lettuce and other salad veggies are slightly sweet, so they can save you/The Wolves from eating all the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies in your freezer because you’ve got a hankering for dessert. Your salad took care of that!
Just kidding. Those cookies are long gone. And I think I ate Zak’s share of pizza the next day anyway. Full disclosure.
Okay, 26/35 IS impressive. Heck, 35 alone is impressive (sheepishly says the 70# gain lady). I always go back for seconds on salad. And I think about what Michael Pollan says, “If you aren’t hungry enough to eat an apple, you aren’t hungry.” Only apple = salad. Cause, dude, salad >apples.
Sounds like you are doing well! So happy to hear it
Love it! I grew up in a house where we always had salad last! But that doesn’t really happen anymore–I guess the masses won out. But you are right that the *eating it first to slow you down at dinner* works less well than the *I’ll eat less dinner and then have my salad* strategy! Maybe I need to go back to my old not so evil ways…
Disclaimer: Just a note to clarify that the Wolves mentioned in your story are NOT the same lovely Wolves that live down the street from you. Because those Wolves, in fact, received NO homemade pizza OR oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from any Spath on aforementioned day, stolen or otherwise. (In case there was any question about the identity of these so called “stupid”, slovenly Wolves and get libelous thoughts into their furry little heads.)
Oh no, the Wolf Pack down the street is quite lovely indeed! (Thanks for the Carrot Apple Muffin yesterday!)