I made it!

Two and a bit years ago, I was pregnant and craving roast potatoes and chocolate cake and caramel donuts.  Me being me gave in to my cravings and turned into a whale.  I always said I would worry about weight later, but it never really worried me, as I knew I could and would lose it sensibly and slowly.

It was a far cry from my pregnancy with Bubba, in which I craved beetroot and had no bump until 6 months.  I was one of those annoying people who got no stretch marks and was back in my pre-pregnancy clothes the same day.  Don't worry, I made up for it with Gremlin.  I was covered in stretch marks, but not until around the 36 week mark, but they appeared on my arms, legs, hips and under my bump.  Again, this didn't bother me as without them, I couldn't have kept Gremlin nice and safe inside.

Me at 42 weeks exactly

It seemed that every day I went over 40 weeks more stretch marks appeared.  this was the only thing making me want her out as soon as possible.  I had her at 42 weeks and 2 day.

After I had her, my body wasn't mine.  It didn't look like me, it didn't feel like me, but breastfeeding and just having some common sense meant I wouldn't go on a crash diet.  So I ate as much as I needed and no more.  I wasn't fussy about what I hate, I never cut anything out.  

I walked more, I carried her on my front and then on my back wherever we went.  A month after having her, I was a UK 18.  Having never wavered from a 12 and at most a 14 this was quite the shock.

Since then, I have remained steadfast in my resolve to not diet.  I refuse to diet.  I have never and hopefully will never diet or cut out calories.  I have continued eating chocolate and cake and crisps and biscuits and roast dinners and chips and everything else bad for you.  Instead, I exercised.  

I already walked a fair bit and lost the bulk of my weight in the first 9 months or so just by walking to the shops and back with Rose wrapped on me.  The last year has been slower and steadier, but circumstances in the last 8 months (Bubba starting pre-school) have meant I have gone from walking a couple of miles every couple of days to walking 5 or 6 miles, 3 or 4 days a week, and I notice it.  I don't particularly enjoy walking, but it is exercise, and I will usually always choose to walk somewhere now than drive/be driven.

I feel healthier, and I can see areas of my body toning up.  I always knew the last few lbs would be the hardest, and toning up the flab would be a real test.  I am not saying I don't flap in the wind, but it's lessened.  My mummy tummy is still there, but that's fine - I have bore two beautiful and healthy children.  My boobs are like ski-slopes, but that's ok - I breastfed two children, one of whom is still breastfeeding.  My thighs are pretty humongous, but they always were.  I have bingo-wings, which does bother me, but not enough to actually do anything about it right now.

I don't own scales, so have no idea how much I weigh.  I do know I now fit into clothes that I wouldn't have fit in before Bubba.  Jeans I wore between children are now too big.  I am not skinny by any stretch of the imagination, but I am not overweight.  I look and feel like I fit my frame now.  I have been blessed with hips, and you can see them now.  I feel like I belong in my body now.

Slow and steady wins the race, every time!  Now I just need to invent a machine that shrinks clothes!