Workin' On My Fitness

I have been pretty frustrated lately... I did really well after having Norah Kate with my weight loss.  I gained about 28 pounds during my pregnancy and lost most of it after only two weeks.  Whenever I lost it though, my milk almost dried up!  So I started eating everything in site and trying to maintain a well balanced diet.  I have been trying to maintain this fine line of eating healthy, not gaining a ton of weight back and still providing nutrition for Baby Girl for about four months now.  Whenever I don't get enough calories in, I can definitely tell it nursing wise....  I feel all dried up and flat.

I am about 5 pounds short of my goal weight, but man is it being stubborn!!  I haven't been able to really diet and still breastfeed, and right now breastfeeding is 100x more important than those 5 pounds! 

My main issue lately though has been my body image... Even though I have pratically lost everything, my body most definitely does not look anything close to how it used to!!  Those of you who have had little ones know all to well what I am talking about.  I have more bumps and ridges than an old dirt road!   The part I have been working on the most is this little fat pocket I now have under my belly button.  It is relentless though!  It seems it don't matter how many miles I run or how many crunches I do, I still cringe when I look in the mirror...

Fortunately for me, my sweet hubby has been very supportive! He is always giving me sweet compliments and building up my self esteem.   I feel kinda shallow for even posting about this, but being healthy and fit is important to me.  I don't want to be one of those women who let herself go after having kids, but honestly,  I see how easily it happens!  It's hard to find the time/energy/motivation on most days!

I have been exercising since about 3 or 4 weeks postpartum.  I started out walking at the track and am now running 2 to 3 miles and doing work out videos at the house.   Luckily, Norah Kate loves the stroller and never cries when we are at the track... the work out videos are another story though... I am usually half following the videos and half entertaining her.

I am trying not to get discouraged though. I know it took 9 months for my body to get the way it is now, and its been through a lot (I mean, come on, I grew, cooked, baked, and birth another human being!).  I have read where it is perfectly normal to take a year or more to lose your baby weight... Hopefully by next summer I will be more proud to put on that bikini!