I wrote earlier about the Johnson Weight-loss Challenge. It was mostly a great experience for me, though it reminded us that we always need to be clear, definite and agreed on the rules of any contest, esp. one where money is at stake.
For the contest, between Christmas and Easter, I lost 15.8 pounds (give or take some breastmilk and water consumption throughout the day). That’s about 1 pound a week, and followed a loss of 25 pounds over the course of the previous 9 weeks (quick loss because I gave birth at the beginning of those 9 weeks, so the ratio there doesn’t really apply).
Since Easter, I’ve lost another 7 pounds. That’s about 2 1/2 pounds a week. How? What’s been different about the past few weeks (besides pining for Dick and stressing over my speeding ticket)? I sweated (literally) over losing those 15.8 pounds for the contest. I was even pretty diligent about “improving” my diet.
Since the contest ended, I haven’t gone running for the Publix white cake and brownies made from Duncan Hines mixes (the best), but I haven’t been as careful, and I haven’t been as good about going to the gym. And I certainly haven’t mustered the will-power to overcome my Mountain Dew/Coke Zero addition.
I did, however, decide not to get my Depo shot when I was due for it two months ago. Now, I’ve never really blamed birth control for my weight gain; I think I’m plenty capable of gaining weight all on my own, thank you very much. But now I think there might be something to it.
Or it could be some strange early-daylight-savings-time fluke and I’ll be 200 pounds next month.
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Well, yesterday I went to the dentist for the first time after giving birth to Zachary and I was sure I would have cavities. Afterall, my very first cavity didn’t happen until after I’d had my first baby, and pregnancy is known to be hard on the teeth. And with 3 busy kids I don’t always brush my teeth in the mornings, hardly ever floss anymore, and I’ve eaten more junk food this past year than probably ever, but guess what? No cavities! I think life is just weird like that sometimes!
dang. i wanted to blame it all on the drugs, and go eat some brownies…
so now what are you going to do? after reading your experience, it sounds like, if you don’t use birth control, and keep having children, you will just keep getting skinnier and skinnier. you have lost 47.8 lbs since Lucy was born. (if I calculated correctly) imagine how much you could lose after your next child.
i mostly decided not to have my next dose of shot because i was having periods with it this time (before when i’ve been on the shot i am period-free), and with my copays, a 3 month shot costs $36–too much if it’s not doing what i really want it to. plus, there’s the concern about artificial hormones and stuff, and i was curious about the weight thing.
tom wrote from his trip that he wants to have a few more kids. a “few”? hello, that’s like 3 or 4, and my absolute limit (i think!) is 5, bec. frankly, that’s all that would fit in my minivan. so we’re using other methods, and if i did get pregnant, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
oh wait–you meant what am i going to do about the weight loss thing?
i gained about 42 pounds with lucy (it’s those pregnancy hormones, i tell you; i ate pretty well, and kept exercising; but i also believe that, if i am pregnant, i darn sure better be able to eat whatever i want!), so right now, i’m only 5 pounds better off than before, and still 10 pounds heavier than before i got pregnant with avery.
no worries that i would ever, ever get more skinny than i should. i don’t have the genes for that.