Body after Baby: Weeks 11 and 12

I'm way behind on these posts but as I sit here making my grocery list and reviewing recipes for Thursday, I wanted to make sure to get this update out there before the season of gluttony begins and my weight loss efforts get derailed (maybe? maybe not?)

Since my last post, I have officially reached my "pre-Hudson-pregnancy" weight. Yippee! I am now just 16 lbs from my goal weight (which is my "pre-ALL-pregnancy" weight). In other words, I'm currently holding steady at 161 and I want to get down to 145.

I feel great and I've noticed that my habits have changed quite a bit. For instance, I no longer CRAVE candy as I once did. Sure I might snag a piece here or there, but I'm not stocking up on all my favorites to have on hand whenever I decide I need a fix (Sour Patch Kids, Mike and Ikes, Nerds...to name a few).

Horrible-for-you foods also don't sound as good as they used to. When my kids wanted McDonald's, I'd happily oblige and use it as an excuse to grab myself a hamburger and fry. Now, I offer alternate choices to them like Sandella's or Subway so I can eat something healthier. And you know what? They request these places now too! I love it :)

Those will-power tests that I started at the beginning? They served their purpose and I'm happy to report that it is MUCH easier for me to pass up the random chocolate in the candy dish at the doctor's office, birthday cake at the party or my kids leftover corn dog. Will power is in tact.

BUT here are my concerns going forward...

1) Thanksgiving

We are doing Thanksgiving here on our own this year. Which means I will be cooking my first Thanksgiving meal by myself. While I don't care to cook, I am excited about this feat. I'm NOT going to "healthify" the recipes...I'm using the good stuff. Butter. Cream. Full-fat dinner rolls. Because anything else would just be wrong.

2) I'm weaning Hudson

There goes that extra 500 calories burned a day doing pretty much nothing. Looks like I better pick up my exercise efforts a bit.

3) Christmas

The ultimate will-power test. And one I repeatedly fail every year. First there's Christmas Eve at Ricky's parent's house: spinach and artichoke dip with King Hawaiian bread, cheese ball, meat and cheese trays, chips and ranch dip, desserts, etc. Then, Christmas morning brunch at my parents with sausage and egg casserole, Irish soda bread, fruit, and more. And shortly after brunch is cleared from the table, snack stuff replaces it on the counter. More cheese ball, mini quiches, cheese and crackers. This is followed by a traditional dinner of ham and/or turkey, potatoes, veggies, rolls...

Diet. Fail.

4) Traveling

Because something about stepping foot in an airport says "It's okay to eat crap and not care". Add to it the fact that while you are staying at someone else's house your usual food routine is just thrown out the window, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

5) Alcoholic beverages

Since I couldn't really partake in them when breastfeeding, I *might* be looking forward to the occasional bottle glass of wine. Or spiced rum and apple cider. Or whatever holiday cocktail I find on Pinterest and create an excuse to make (ugly Christmas sweater party last year was entirely planned around the fact that I wanted to entertain and make "Jingle Juice"). True story.

So, while I'd really like to get below 160 before my trip back home at the end of December, I am not making any guarantees. I'm not going to just give up and let loose for the next month or two. But at the same time I'm not going to stress out about all things weight-loss either.

I may not write a Body after Baby blog post each week due to our crazy busy holiday schedules and traveling, but I am going to hold myself accountable and at the very least will still post my weekly weigh-in on the More Skees Please Facebook page.