“Just a few more minutes,” that’s all I kept thinking as I was sweating my butt off on the treadmill at the small gym I was at. I am determined to lose the weight I gained after having my children. I had three children and gained a significant amount of weight with everyone one of them. My first child was 9 pounds 2 ounces, my second child was 9 pounds 5 ounces and lastly, my third child was 9 pounds 1 ounce. Needless to say, my husband and I made big babies.
I gained about forty pounds with my first child. I admit I over did it with taking eating for two, literally. Physically, everything went well with the first child. My weight wasn’t anything more than just a number on the scale. My glucose levels were in range so no further actions were required. After having her, I thought the pounds would drop off just as fast as they were put on. Boy was I wrong. I haven’t been even close to my pre- pregnancy weight all these years later. I did sit ups by the hundreds and to my surprise,I barely lost any weight. Going to the gym wasn’t feasible. I had no one to watch my baby so I could go. Eventually, I made peace with my weight and dress size.
My family and I moved into a community that had a small gym setup. It was equipped with two treadmills, an elliptical machine, weight machines and a child’s playroom. It allowed me to work out while she engaged herself in toys and whatever child show was on the TV. I got on a workout schedule and I was doing well with it for awhile until I got pregnant with my second child. After running many miles, the needle on the scale hardly changed. Being pregnant again was a good thing for me but it also made me stop working out. I was nervous to do a lot of strenuous activities because I was pregnant.
My second pregnancy, I was determined to eat properly and healthy. I think I did a decent job but I still gained a lot of weight. This time around, instead of sitting on my pregnant butt, I took a pregnancy yoga class after clearing it with my doctor first. I enjoyed the class and the facility allow me to bring my daughter with me. I had to stop simply because I was too round and uncomfortable to continue.
My health was okay with my second pregnancy. After having my second daughter, my weight was pretty much the same as it was before I was pregnant for the second time. I didn’t really keep the pregnancy weight on but I was still struggling to get the first pregnancy weight off. Whenever possible, I would get myself to the community gym. With two small children going in different directions it was hard to get on a routine for myself when I was trying to get the children on their own routine. Something had to give, so I did as much excessive as I could at home. I’d use an exercise ball, a mini trampoline and free weights to help shed the pounds.
I felt healthier but the scale wasn’t in agreement. It seemed like the scale was stuck on a number and wouldn’t change. I began to get really frustrated. Nothing was working and I was not happy with the way I looked. Admittedly, I was not eating well. Potato chips and ice cream were a part of my weight loss plan which of course is a no no when your trying to lose weight. I knew I needed to change my way of thinking and eating but it truly is harder to do than to say.
My third pregnancy came a short time after my second child. I was ready to fight off all the junk food urges. The two previous pregnancy glucose tests that the doctors make you take when your pregnant, came back within normal range. I tried my best to eat healthy and watched the amount of food I was eating. I ended up on the cusp of having gestational diabetes. It was a long doctors appointment that day.
I had to monitor my blood sugar every few hours and write down what I ate for the doctor. At first I was petrified to stick my finger with the device. Eventually it got easier but I had to stop doing whatever I was doing so I could make a record of the levels. Thankfully it never went any further than having to monitor my levels. I was put on a diet that was easy to follow.
After giving birth, the threat of gestational diabetes went away. I’m surprised that I was only on the cusp for the pregnancy diabetes once, given my size when I was pregnant all three times. It was the unknown that frightened me. Since going through that experience, I’ve learned that maintaining a decent diet goes a long way. You don’t need to short change yourself but you have to make an informed choice equally when you’re eating for two.
Today, I’m far from my pre-pregnancy weight but it’s a goal that I hope to achieve. I understand that eating and exercising is the way to go to lose pounds but with three children all under the age of ten, I don’t always have the time, money or energy to achieve my weight loss goal. I’m going to go to the gym when I can and I’m going to try not to stress about what the scale says. It’s more important that I’m healthy and happy than healthy and cranky for my family.
