Motivation and a Challenge

So I finally got the motivation I needed to start working out and eating healthier. When I was nursing (until Cooper turned one) I hardly ever worked out and I ate whatever I wanted. I was one of those people that nursing helps you lose all of your body weight. I was VERY lucky! I actually was smaller after having Cooper then I was when I got pregnant. But I got so comfortable eating however and whatever I wanted and not working out that when I stopped nursing I started gaining weight. Let me be honest when I say I eat like a little kid or a teenage boy. I love anything junk food, candy, fast food, etc. Since I stopped nursing I have gained about 8 pounds. I know that probably doesn't seem like a lot to some people. But to me it is a ton. When I gain weight I gain it in my face :( A couple of weeks ago it just hit me! I was looking at pictures from even just August and realized how much thinner by face looked then. My clothes have started fitting tighter and I just hate it. I actually wanted to lose weight and get more fit from the weight I was at when I stopped nursing. I need to be more toned....in my arms and legs especially! I want to get at my ideal weight/fit before I get pregnant again. My face got so chubby when I was pregnant with Cooper and I already feel as if it's chubby now. So I need to get going or who knows what it would look like with the next baby. In high school I was swimming/working out twice a day on upwards of like 4 hours. I was in fantastic shape. Of course I didn't see it then :) But since high school I have not had a regular workout routine at all. I am HORRIBLE when it comes to working out. I get lazy and caught up and just never get into a routine that lasts. I ALWAYS can think of a better excuse then to workout. I don't know why though because every time after I am done working out I feel amazing and so energized. I try to workout when Cooper is napping but it is like do I workout or shower or do chores around the house while I can???

I keep complaining to Brad about me gaining weight and the way I am feeling. So I decided to do something about it. I decided I was going to go without junk food for all of January. Brad being the supportive husband he is decided to do it with me. If I were to see Brad eating something I would want it and give in. I have no self control apparently when it comes to food! I came across this No Junk Food Challenge on a blog and thought it would be perfect. I am not one for dieting. Remember this that I tried doing with Brad back in July. Well Brad did awesome but I lasted a whole 2 days. I was starving and all I craved was stuff that I couldn't have! So I am taking a different approach. Here is what we are doing:

No chocolate
No candy
No biscuits or cookies
No cakes, donuts or muffins
No pastries
No white bread
No chips
No fast food
No nutella, peanut butter or other naughty spreads
No ice cream

The challenge was originally for 21 days but we are going to do it for the month. I really am hoping I can stick to this and complete it. I feel like I never can stick to anything when it comes to working out or eating better. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that not eating these foods for a month is going to make me lose all the weight. It is just the jump start I need to get motivated. I am also working out this month. So hopefully both combined will get me headed in the right direction.

It has been one week since we started the challenge. Things are going great! I have really been fine without all the things above. I haven't really craved anything or thought I was dying if I couldn't have something like I did with the 17 day diet. I have had to turn down things in some situations- chips and a Capri Sun at mutual on Wednesday, candy at a friends house, and I haven't gone to McDonalds in over a week that is good work! I noticed how much of Cooper's snacks I was eating too. I would always much on his fruit snacks, fig neutons, gold fish crackers, marshmallows, etc. Really every time I feed him and don't eat it I realize how many munchy things I was eating thru out the day. Even if it was just one or two things of his it has really made a difference. I only worked out twice last week but I am so going to do better this week! I'm so excited that this is going better than I had expected!

Got Milk???

Well it happened a few weeks ago but I am just now getting around to blogging about it. Cooper is weaned and drinking cow's milk now! It was a hard day when I decided to give up nursing. Let me begin by saying I had always planned on nursing (if my body would allow it). But I was weirded out by older babies that nursed. I was sure I would stop nursing when Cooper got teeth, so around 6 months. He had other plans however.

Cooper supplemented with formula for the first few weeks of his life. He was a big baby (8 lbs 7 oz) and my milk just wasn't doing it for him until it fully came in. I also wanted him to be used to a bottle and formula if for some reason I couldn't be with him or if we were out and about and he got hungry. Besides I HATED pumping it just never worked for me! He only had a bottle here and there but never had a problem taking it. He was awesome at nursing too! Well the bottle worked great for the first 4 months of his life. But the second we started him on cereal/baby food he wanted nothing to do with the bottle. It didn't matter if it had my milk or formula in it. We even tested out a few different formulas, but nothing! He just liked to nurse. This was totally okay with me because I LOVED nursing. I loved that only I could soothe him when he was hungry and that he only wanted me. I loved nursing before bed and in the morning and even those middle of the night feedings that we had for 10 1/2 months!!! Besides formula just stinks and is nasty. And since he was spitting up so much I didn't want the spit up smelling and being even worse. He always ate at least 3 hours apart (from the beginning) and once he stopped taking a bottle he was eating baby food so if he got hungry I could give him that to hold him over until I could nurse. Once he hit about 6 months he wouldn't nurse if there was anything else going on however. The tv, mother's room at church, Indiana, etc. Everything distracted him because he was so curious. But we figured out what worked and he realized that if he would just eat then he could play and be crazy.

When he got teeth I contemplated stopping but since he wouldn't take a bottle it was just too big of a hassle. Biting was never an issue however. I was very lucky! So I just kept nursing. When he hit around 10 1/2 months he started showing interest in other babies bottles. So I figured I would try some milk in a bottle. He loved it!!! His pediatrician said he could start on cow's milk around 11 months. So I held off until 11 months before I really started giving him milk. I would have stopped nursing there (I didn't want to but could have I should say). But we had the family reunion the week of his birthday and I knew that nursing was a comfort to him and that he would probably need it being out of his routine and own environment. So I nursed until he was one. I was leaving for Youth Conference August 4th so I knew I had to be done by then.

I started on July 18th with cutting out his mid day feeding. I started giving him a cup of milk. He hadn't been on the bottle since 4 months so we just skipped over it and started with the sippy cup. No need starting a habit that will just have to be broken in a few months anyways. Then the next week I cut out the morning feeding and just gave him a cup. He hadn't been getting middle of the night feedings anymore because he was sleeping thru the night. Even if he did wake up in the middle of the night he wouldn't get a feeding. So that was nice getting that taken care of before I started weaning. Then the big and final step was when I cut out the before bed feeding. I was so not excited about his one. This one was my favorite. I loved sitting in my glider in his room with the lights out, him all cuddly and ready for bed. He was just so sweet at this time of day. However this kind of happened naturally because I was gone a couple nights in a row when Brad put him to bed so he just got a cup anyways. I still am the one putting him to bed if I am home and I love this. I love being the first thing he sees in the morning and the last thing at night. He is at the stage where you give him his bink and blankey and he just wants to be put in his crib and go to sleep. SO NICE!!!! But on the nights he is beyond tired or not feeling great I love sitting in the glider and just rocking him. Best thing ever that he wants to cuddle now. This stage is so sweet!

It was really sad for me to stop nursing. I knew that it was time. He was getting to rambunctious and wanted to be all over the place when nursing. He would crawl around in the middle and play then want to come back for more. Or would try to nurse while he was standing or just weird things like that. Then he started coming over and try to pull down or lift up my shirt. When this happened I knew we were done!!!! I was surprised at how easy of a transition it was for him to quit nursing. Not only that but for my body. I had heard horror stories about when you wean and let your milk dry up. But I didn't have anything. I didn't have any painful days or discomfort or anything! It was like there was no change at all.

I do miss nursing but it is nice to have a break. I only have so much time before I get pregnant again and it starts all over. No it won't be happening anytime soon! Cooper loves getting milk in his sippy. He watches it in the microwave and lights up when you give it to him. He loves that he can crawl around with it and drink at his own leisure. You watch his face and you can tell he feels so cool and is so proud that he can do it on his own. It is weird to think he is such a big boy doing big boy things. He isn't my tiny little baby anymore. And he LOVES being big. It is funny to see him watch the bigger kids and then try to do what they are doing. Now if we could just get him walking like the big kids :)

Coop's being a big boy with his sippy