Post Partum Shape Issues

So, this is a post I've wanted to write for a while. I just wasn't sure how to go about doing it or where to begin. Pregnancy... changes your body (this fact brought to you by the Captain Obvious Research Foundation). I guess I thought that I was young and thin and things would automatically go back to the way they were? At least after a few months? I know, I know. Naive.

When I was younger (10-15 years ago), I was super active. I did ballet and dance team about 15 hours a week. That and a lovely autoimmune disease that affects my metabolism (Graves Disease) meant I could pretty much eat whatever the hell I wanted and stay thin. Then in college I walked EVERYWHERE and actually went to the gym with friends on campus, etc. So any residual shape I was in since graduating was the result of a mixture of good genes, being active when I was younger, and, oh yeah, and that pesky autoimmune issue.

Fast forward to today. I have a sedentary job where I sit at a desk for 45 hours a week and a 5 month old. I don't exactly find the motivation to get out and be active. I still eat whatever I want (see: all my "On the Menu" posts), and I have since had my thyroid ablated with radioactive iodine (oh that's a fun story for another time). This means that my body is definitely not what it used to be, and I'm having trouble knowing where to begin to change things.

It's not about being a certain weight or wanting to lose a certain number of pounds. For me, those numbers aren't really an indication of health and wellness. It's more about feeling comfortable in the new body I've been given (wider hips, ok I can deal with that). And don't get me wrong. I wouldn't trade the best body in the world for the prize I got at the end of pregnancy - my beautiful son.

I know a lifestyle change doesn't happen overnight. So for me it's going to be all about baby steps. When I was staying home with Judah in those early weeks of motherhood, I had to make weekly challenges for myself. The would be simple things like, "Get out of the house once a day, " which you don't know how difficult that can be with a newborn!

So my challenge for this week: DON'T DRINK YOUR CALORIES. This is a hard one for me. I love my sweet tea and starbucks, and even diet sodas can make you bloat. So, I'm going to try a week of nothing but water to drink. Some people will laugh, but this is actually a big challenge for me. Wish me luck on my first week of healthy new steps! And feel free to add your tips to staying healthy if you wish to share...