"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a [woman generally perceived to be thin], must [never speak about her weight]." -Jane Austen
I've been thinking about my weight lately. Where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going. It all started when I told my mom I was going off whole milk. She told me that it was probably a good thing, because my metabolism wouldn't be on my side for much longer. Awesome. That's really bad for people like me. See, although I tend to be thin, I also have a real talent at gaining weight. I can put on a lot of pounds, really fast. According to the BMI scale, I have been overweight before. (And no, I wasn't pregnant.) In the past I was lucky enough to be able to lose those pounds almost as quickly as I put them on. But apparently not for much longer.
Well, the start of any weight issue is awareness. So, in classic Janae form, I'm bearing all about my weight history.
Exchange Student in Bolivia (as a High School Senior)
Weight Gain: 40 lbs. We bought a bride's maid gown for my sister's wedding before I left. In the first three months I had gained forty pounds. When I came home in the middle to attend two sibling weddings, my mom's eyes grew huge as she saw me come out of the airport terminal. I knew what she was thinking. There was no way I was gonna fit in that dress. One very tight and uncomfortable corset later, I managed to squeeze into it. But it was bursting at the seams. Literally. When I first got to Bolivia I got tons of cat calls. They called me "Barbie" (remember, I'm tall). After I gained the weight, the calls stopped. When I went out with my friends and heard the cat calls, I'd look over to where they came from, only to have the men say things like, "Not you, fattie!" Ouch.
Mission in Portugal
Weight Gain: 50 lbs. Within the first six months I went up three dress sizes (if you only count with evens; I went up six sizes if you count the odds as well). A year into my mission the outfits I wore to bed reached their maximum stretch: the tops could no longer touch the bottoms over my protruding belly. I tried running a couple times, but it was no fun. So instead my companion and I set a goal to eat a Magnum each time we taught a discussion. I loved those eight-discussion days. Three months before going home I started my 'Trunky Diet':
Breakfast - one bowl of corn flakes and a nectarine.It only sort of worked.
Lunch - 1/4 cabbage and 3 carrots, steamed. Dressed with a can of tuna fish.
Dinner - 10 fiber crackers and a cup of yogurt.
Growing Babies
Weight Gain: 50 lbs Seara, 40 lbs Elijah, 45 lbs Enoch. The day I finally squeezed into my pre-Seara pants, I found out I was pregnant with Elijah. [sigh] After Elijah I started running and did my half marathon, but then I got pregnant with Enoch and, well, you know how that goes. I guess I should just accept that when you're in baby birthing mode (which is a good 10-20 years), your weight is like a yo-yo.
I guess it's only up from here! (That or exercise. Anyone feel like motivating me?)
16 comments:
Hey! We're part of the same club! I gained 50 pounds with each baby too. I don't look too huge, until there's no baby in there. Maybe after several children, we'll figure out how to not gain that much during pregnancy :)
mmmmmm. Magnum bars. I ate way too many of those in Portugal too.
yeah. It was after my fourth that things didn't work the same way anymore. Now I will have to exercise for the rest of my life. I guess I better learn to like it.
That sounds like me--at least the baby gain. And if I lived by you we could exercise together. Otherwise, I have no motivating words for you. I don't even have any for myself if that makes you feel any better!
That's the hard part about having kids. Our bodies never really turn out the same. And even if they do go back down in weight, it's in all the wrong places anyway!!! So it goes, eh?
By the way, thanks for commenting on my personal blog. Go check out our family blog too. You can see pictures of our daughter and such. jakenbec.blogspot.com.
"Not you, fattie!" Ouch.
Hahaha!
I have grown to beastly proportions and am dying to run again. Heck, I'd take walk at a non-waddling pace.
Ah, Magnum bars. With that kind of temptation around, it's no wonder you gained weight!
Jolie & Sam - I'd do it all again for the Magnum bars. You know I would. Eight magnums a day is DEFINITELY worth 50 pounds. :)
People always tell you that when you get older your metabolism slows down and staying skinny isn't as easy as it once was. I always figured those people were just dooms-dayers. I mean, come on, look around. There are still plenty of those adults who are stick figures and don't even have to try. My sister is one of them (well, not stick figure, but still very nice looking). I guess I was always hoping I'd be one of those.
Didn't happen. I was underweight all through high school and clear up until I got pregnant with my first. I had stretch marks on my hiney at 4 weeks! That was the end of my eat whatever and don't care phase.
I'm proud to say that I'm generally happy with my weight right now...but you know what really bugs me? When people attack me when I say anything about my weight and they say, "If I was half as skinny as you..." It always just urks me. I have to work HARD to stay looking the way I do! I work out (like dripping sweat) 5-6 days a week. Granted, sometimes I privilege myself to an extra cookie or two or three, but over all I'm a pretty healthy eater.
Seriously, if they want to look as thin as me, then they should adopt my eating styles and exercise regimen...I fairly certain it would do the trick.
Oh by the way, motivation wise...I'd suggest Turbo Jam. It rocks & I love it! Find it at beachbody.com. Plus, I hope you don't find this too dorky but I'm posting my previous comment on my blog...hey, it's good stuff. :)
oh and by the way, (sorry for taking up so much of your comment space) do you mind if I borrow your Jane Austen quote & pic?
Krishele - I don't mind at all if you use the quote & pic, and I don't think it is at all dorky to post your comment on your blog. A lot of my posts are motivated by other people's blogs and my comments to what they said!
Oh the roller coaster...
Never had weight gain pre-kids. Gained 30# w/ Madi. (+26%)
retained 10# of that.
gained 30# with Lia
Only got within 2# of that weight after 3 months of food aversion and nausea with Charlie.
Only gained 24# (+19%) with Charlie. (Lots of weighing myself and graphing my 1#/week gaining goal for the 2nd & 3rd trimesters.)
Yet, here I am: back weighing what I weighed 3 weeks after giving birth.
But I have lost 3# recently. I'm slowly backing away from "overweight"!
Oh, I'm not one to motivate... I just joined weight watcher and lost 4 pounds in two weeks then quit. Sprink break with kids home, interviewing for new job, NOT wanting to sit with old women for an hour straight...excuse, excuse, excuse... so I will continue to say that the BMI measurement tool lies and remain 10-20 pounds above what "skinny" is and work out at the gym when I can. That's how it's been all my life.
I never had a problem with weight gain until I got married. I guess I wasn't dancing as much, or quite as busy. But I have only had a taste of the yo-yo. After I had my little boy I got back to pre-pregnancy weight only after I stopped nursing. Now I am okay because I am running a lot. But I have no self control when it comes to eating. Food is just too good!
I wanted to wait until most people were done commenting... Because your Jane Austen modified quote is so true! And the smaller you are the truer it is.
1. I am scrawny! I should have been born in the 20s when boyish figures were in. My nurse almost threw me a party when I hit 100 pounds during my second trimester. I'm only 5'1" though. I have some clothes I've had since 8th grade that still fit. Embarrassing confession: when I entered in my measurments to see what size bra I should buy it said I didn't need one! No joke! And I was nursing! It is mostly just my build and metabolism because I don't do too much.
2. I exercised a lot when I was pregnant but now I'm lucky if I walk a mile each day around the block and get to the gym once a week. I am a fairly healthy eater (except sweets) but it's mainly portion control. I eat VERY slowly by nature (I'm having to speed up now with a yelling baby). SO I know when I'm full and I stop.
3. I find it hard to believe your weight has fluctuated that much (except pregnancy when you're supposed to gain weight!) I can't imagine you chubby! At least you're taller so 50# doesn't make you chubby I'm sure despite the rude comments! (That was hilarious by the way! Where in the world did you find a corset?!) I love it when people say things like, "Wait until your metabolism turns against you or wait until you have a few more kids!" So negative. I think weight is a touchy subject for many people so they have to make you feel like it's not going to last. Enjoy it while you can is what I say!
As always I love the way you covered the topic. Perfect blend of antedotes and fact.
4. My motivation... compete against myself of course. I keep a chart of how many times I exercise each week or my weight gain on a graph. If I do good I get a treat (counter productive I know)! I love group classes at the gym and a workout buddy is a must. Conversation keeps me from thinking how boring and painful exercising is! Making is a habit is crucial for me too. Sorry this is a tome!
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