Before I had children, my body functioned correctly.  I wasn’t really overweight and I was happily able to eat whatever I wanted without really gaining or losing pounds.  I never really gave calorie counting much thought.  Then everything changed after the birth of my daughter.

First of all, pregnancy does UNGODLY things to the female anatomy.  When I was pregnant with my daughter I gained weight in areas that were just unnatural.  I swear I had fat kneecaps.  For 42 weeks I happily ate for two, regularly sitting down with a spoon and a carton of ice cream because the baby needed calcium!  It wasn’t until the scale went over 195 pounds and I got yet another dreadful speech from my OB that I thought, this might be a problem.  By then, it was too late.  I was too big and far along to even waddle properly.

Somehow, I had convinced myself that shortly after delivery, a few weeks – tops, I would be back into my pre-pregnancy attire.  I was certain that I would lose the majority of it during delivery, but to my dismay, my daughter only weighed 8 lbs rather than the 62 lbs I expected.  I also planned to breastfeed which would shed off the excess baby fat that was left over.  I’m still convinced that someone deserves to be hung on a cross upside down for starting that lie.

Six months later, I gave up and succumbed to Weight Watchers and began my own personal battle of the bulge.  Just as soon as I could fit back into my blue jeans – I was pregnant again.  This time I was married to a man who loved ice cream as much as myself and back up to 198 I soared.  I blame him. 

The extra weight lingered for a while longer this time.  It wasn’t really until I began the world’s worst and most effective diet – The Widow Diet – that I lost those last twenty pounds.   It amazes me what stress can do to a body.  In a month I lost over twenty pounds and nearly wound up in the hospital.  Dislclaimer: For you extreme dieters out there – I do not recommend burying a loved one for the sake of weight loss. 

As life began to improve, the pounds slowly crept back on until I finally got a hold of myself, accepted the fact that I am no longer 17, and began to really give a crap about my body.   I began exercising regularly and (most of the time) eating right. 

On the Resources page of this blog and currently on the homepage, you will find a link to the LIVESTRONG website.  They have picked up a beautiful application called The Daily Plate.  Since I no longer have time for groups like Weight Watchers, this little tool has changed my life.  The site gives you an idea of your nutritional needs to help you meet and maintain your weight goals and then calculates your food intake including calories, fat, carbs, sodium, protein, etc.  I have yet to find a food that is not already included in their database – including popular restaurant menu items.    They also provide a fitness tracker so you know how many calories your body burns doing everything from Running to “Family Reunion (sitting, eating, not fighting)” – actual example.    

Unfortunately, Lance Armstrong is not paying me to promote his website – yet.  However, I do highly recommend it.  I will warn you that it is addicting.  If you have any other sites, tools or tips to recommend please feel free to post them here.  I would love to check them out and maybe post them on our resources page!