A Weighty Matter

I gained 50 pounds when I was pregnant with Andrew. Amazing, isn't it?! I felt huge, but I took comfort in knowing that I would lose the weight. After all, I gained 40 pounds with Jacob and by the time he was 6 months old, I was smaller than when he was conceived. Not the case with Andrew.

3 weeks after having a C section with Andrew, I ran 3 miles on the treadmill. I had a friend's daughter come three days a week to watch the baby while I worked out, and over the summer I lost 37 pounds. I was encouraged. It was going well.

Then came the headaches. My sitter went back to school, I was exhausted and in pain most of the time, and I quit running. I continued to lose weight, though, through diet. In fact, by January, I had lost all of the baby weight. That's great, right? Well, yes and no. It's better than not having lost it, but I omitted the fact that I had put on 7 pounds between when I got married and when I got pregnant with Andrew. So I wanted to lose those 7 pounds.

I went on medication for the headaches, a side effect of which is weight gain. No problem, I thought. I'll up my exercise routine, watch what I eat and it'll be fine. I've never been one to gain weight on medication anyway.

Three months into the medication, the headaches are gone. A huge blessing, but in that time span, I have also increased my workout to 5.5 miles a day, and have been very conscious and healthful about what I am eating. I've even gotten my sweet tooth under control (mostly). As you can see from the picture here, I ran 5.16 miles on the day this was taken - a week ago - and burned 682 calories. This morning I ran 5.48 miles in 52 minutes. I should be well on the way to losing those last stubborn 7 pounds...but no. In fact, I GAINED 3 pounds last month! Unbelievable! I was so discouraged when I stepped on that scale.

The gain can only be attributed to be the medication, because short of being completely psycho, there is no way I be more diligent in my workouts and diet. I don't even remember the last day I missed running. It has to have been more than two months ago. So, I've taken a giant leap of faith (or perhaps stupidity) and decided to go off of the headache medication. I was given a PRN med that seems to alleviate the headaches when they happen, so I plan to just take that for the time being. If the headaches return with a vengeance like before, I will have no choice but to return to the pills, but for now, my weight has gotten the best of me.

Let me add a clarifier here - I know that my weight is fine where it is. I know that I am fit and healthy, and those are the things that really matter. This weight issue is not a matter of vanity either. Aside from Greg, I really don't care much about what other people think I look like. (Anyone who has seen my dress, lack of hairstyle... well, let's face it, anyone who knows me, knows I'm eligible for a slot on "what not to wear" - please feel free to nominate me!!)

Also, I am in no way judging anyone else's weight. It's the same principle as my cleaning neurosis. I am obsessive about my own home, but someone else's mess doesn't bother me. It's just that I miss my old self, and this blog has no other point than for me to indulge myself in some lengthy whining, after running a hell of a long way and wondering why my behind is still jiggling. :(

Thanks for listening!