I want to keep this thread going because it helps me to keep focused on the task of getting back into shape, and plus being in good shape is good for our sex lives!
Update: I can finally see my old body coming back. Welcome back, old friend, I want to shout! I didn't really notice it but the last 3 times we've ML, my husband has made comments about the change and the last time he said (while cupping the squeezy bit/backside area) "you are feeling like your old self again!!" I was curious so I took a good look at myself the other day, as I stepped out of the shower and, sure enough, I am looking sorta like myself. I still have lots of weight to take off, but the general shape is getting back to normal. This is the motivation I needed. This time of year is hard with all the food and liquor but I am now inspired to keep going.
Seeing and hearing my H's enthusiasm for my dwindling body reminded me that it has been almost a year since he's been physically attracted to me. That gave me a twinge of resentfulness, wondering why he couldn't have found it in himself to be turned on despite the extra poundage, but I am proud to say that I was successful at stopping those thoughts and replaced them with happiness that he is able to give voice to those thoughts--not too long ago, he would have kept such things locked up inside.
MORE compliments from my H last night, almost as soon as he walked through the door!
Then, throughout the night, comments and grabs on directed at my shrinking arse! What a motivator he can be!
WW really works for those of you who are wondering. Well, actually WW isn't doing a darn thing--I am. But their plan (eat right and exercise) is so sensible that it is easily something anyone can learn and implement into their daily lives.
I need to add that this is quite out of character for my husband to be verbally effusive over my body. My personality? Sure. My mothering abilities? You betcha.
When I lost weight after D2 was born, he was excited and that (temporarily) resulted in more enthusiastic sex, but he still felt uncomfortable putting that enthusiasm into words or actions outside the realm of having sex. I don't know if this is that Early Excitement and it will die out, but I am excited to see him making such efforts at any rate! Go h! Last night I undressed in front of him for the first time in a long time. He enjoyed it and called me 'skinny'...now ladies is that not the sweetest pillow talk ever, ha haaaaaaa. Nope no nookie but I am enjoying his attention nonetheless.
I am also fighting the "after baby" fight. My goal right now is to ramp up the exercise until the tummy area is tight enough to pierce for Valentine's Day. Crazy, I know (no I do not have any tatoos, nor live in a trailer) but I think belly jewelry is sexy and I know that my H does too. My clothes are fitting better and I have lost another couple of pounds.
I think that after I wean baby things it will be easier to get where I want to be. I plan to wean around 1yr. How about you?
BTW - I have noticed on this thread that many of the women have more than just a couple of children. Clearly, we are all somewhat insane.
I do have a tattoo though. It is unfortunately on my stomach and every time I get pregnant it gets HUGE.
My H would not find belly jewelry sexy so be glad that yours does. In fact, your H overall seems to have a more 'normal' view of what sexy is. My H does not like ANYTHING overtly sexy.
I plan on weaning sometime after a year. My first two were weaned at 14 and 16 mos, respectively. So I have a looong way to go. For me, nursing never prevented me from losing weight but I have to cut down drastically on the amount of food I eat. It sucks but it only lasts for a short time. I cut way back, my body is jumpstarted and lose the lbs, and then I can slowly incorporate the food back in my life. Right now, this is the Honeypot eating plan: Eat a huge fiber-filled bowl of cereal for breakfast. Coffee with creamer at mid-morn. Lunch is SLIM PICKENS! I usually eat a carrot and a handful of pretzel rods. Dinner is whatever I am fixing for my family. I refuse to make two meals and, besides, there has to be one meal out of the day in which I enjoy myself!
Portion control is a big one for me, also. I have to remember to chill on the amount of food I eat..during pregnancy I got quite used to eating whatever and whenever I wanted! (which is why I gained 40 lbs! )
So tell me about your stomach exercises. I detest my stomach. Absolute worst feature.
Honeypot
P.S. Here is the depths of my insanity: I had already decided that I was stopping at 3 kids and now that Baby is here, I am not sure that I am finished! My H is horrified at the thought of enduring another pregnancy with me, tho. Plus, he will be 38 soon and thinks that we need to stop with the having babies. He is young at heart though and he'd be fine! We are probably finished but it is a hard thing to shut that door permanently, huh. And YES we are insane. Certifiably.
Quote: P.S. Here is the depths of my insanity: I had already decided that I was stopping at 3 kids and now that Baby is here, I am not sure that I am finished! My H is horrified at the thought of enduring another pregnancy with me, tho. Plus, he will be 38 soon and thinks that we need to stop with the having babies. He is young at heart though and he'd be fine! We are probably finished but it is a hard thing to shut that door permanently, huh. And YES we are insane. Certifiably.
Whazzat make the GGB's, crazy old Farts? FWIW, after each pg since #1 words like, "OK, you're cut off", "We're not doing this again", "Time to go see Dr Tyanotti", "WTF were we thinking" etc. have been uttered. Well, it doesn't stick. We're expecting #6 in 6 weeks, and although they all have their moments, we wouldn't trade any of them for the world and have no regrets. W turns 41 in Feb, and I'll be 44 in Mar. Still can't believe we're going to have two of them under a year (#5 was born last Feb), and #1 is in High School.
My H is already talking about getting started on #4 - I am 37, he is 39 (this would only be his second bio kid). Congrats to you GGB - is #6 a boy or girl? HP - maybe we'll do the pregnant crazies together next go around.
As for the stomach exercises I bought the Windsor Pilates dvd's - love them for the belly. There are two 20 minute ones - short enough for me to actually do them. They are available at Target. My Dad (almost 60, washboard abs) swears by the big ball thingie to exercise on - there are exercise dvds for that too.
Don't forget that your body will go into starvation mode and hang on to the fat if you cut calories too much. Your lunch needs to include a little protein. How about half a turkey sandwich or a small chicken breast or something with that carrot and those pretzels? I always hang onto just a couple of pounds (3-5) until around 6/7months into nursing. Baby is now 7months and I am seeing improvement.
Keep on though. Is there something spectacular that you want to fit into? Black lace or the like?
GGB, Yes, you are your W are officially the poster family for the WTF are they thinking campaign. LOL Seriously you are very lucky to have such a big brood of lovely kiddoes! H and I have to use fertility drugs to have another and he has already said, If it happens naturally fine, but no more drugs. So this is probably it for us.
Karen, Oh man, I think the moderators would boot us off the board if we were both pg and posting. Too much hormonal nuttiness in one place!
Thanks for the advice on the videos. I will check out the pilates video from the library and see how it is. My SIL loves this program so I know it works. She also has an exercise ball and loaned it to me but I labored on it for a while and now those things remind me of contractions.
As far as fitting into something spectacular, right now I'd settle for fitting into my CLOTHES. I was a size six before getting pregnant and, well, you don't lose 40 lbs just from squishing the baby out, as you well know! I am wearing 10's now but I have a whole closetful of clothes that it will be nice to fit into again.
I do, however, have one article of clothing I am planning on wearing on a Valentine's date with H: a new pair of cream colored leather pants I bought last year at Christmastime. I never wore them out, only modeled them for H--who deemed them unfit for other people to see me in. Whatever. I'm wearing them this year. After all, it's not like I am wearing black leather pants with a ripped up skull and crossbones tshirt. I am a suburban housewife with 3 kids, for petes sakes! I know how to look sexy and respectable at the same time.
Black lace.....hmmmmmm nice. My H doesn't like lingerie so I have put away anything blatantly sexy and now have only the nighties out. He still doesn't care to see those but at least I can convince myself that I'm actually wearing them for sleeping purposes and not to elicit a response from him.
Ultrasound at 18 wks said it is another boy. That'll make 5 boys + 1 girl that desperately wants to be a boy. I feel bad for W with all the testosterone in the house. Even the dog and cat are males!
W says she feels/looks like a hippo. I can't agree, I think she looks good (and I tell her so frequently). She's only gained about 22 lbs with this PG, although she still has the compounded gains from the last 3 as well. She's carrying this little guy all out in front, so she doesn't see what I see from the sides and back (and won't let me take a picture). She want's to lose the tummy after this one, although we're not sure how much it will recede: #3, who was 10lbs4oz and had a 12+ lb placenta did some damage to the ligaments that hold the guts in, so she's had the 'pendulous abs' Hairdog talked about a while back since then. Dr told her after #3, that she'd probably need surgery to pull her stomach back in and that it wasn't worth doing until she was done with kids because a subsequent pregnancy would undo the surgery. She's been reluctant (understandably so) to try any of the abs exercises. This contributes to a negative self image that really isn't warranted. She says her belly is her worst feature as well.
)
Plus, he will be 38 soon and thinks that we need to stop with the having babies. He is young at heart though and he'd be fine! 
