Eh What's Cookin Doc?

In light of a recent discovery that even nursing mothers can gain weight, I have started to take what I said about eating healthier to heart.  When I go to my OB for my routine well woman exam next month I will get a proper weight.  Then I will give myself until Mothers Day next year to get back to my pre pregnancy weight.  On Mothers Day 2013 I will run the Mothers Day 5K with Amelia, my friend Carolyn, and her incoming baby girl.  This gives me about 12 months for about 24 pounds which should be pretty doable without going overboard since I plan to nurse until around Amelia's first birthday in December. 

So.  My body is working hard to make milk to feed my baby.  For anyone who hasn't nursed before, it makes you hungry.  Ravished really.  Top that off with the fact that you don't get much time to sit and eat in the day, and it becomes very easy to eat a bunch of crap, simply because it is easier and the sugar rush is satisfying because by the time you get to eat your blood sugar is low and all you crave (or at least all I crave) is carbs and sugar.  I first realized I have a problem when I was at work and tasted a tiny bit of sugar to make sure it wasn't salt before making a batch of simple syrup.  I knew it wasn't salt, but it didn't taste like it should.  It didn't taste like sugar at all.  It tasted like crunchy air.  I've been doing this simple taste test for 9 years now and the sugar always tastes like sugar.  Now it's like I'm immune to it, and I think it is a combo of lactating and also just eating way too much friggin sugar. 

So starting this past Saturday I am writing everything I eat into a notebook. I am going to monitor what goes in and see what comes out on the scale, aiming to lose 2 pounds a month.  It is important for nursing moms to get in enough calories for your body when it is making milk, because if you don't than your body knows it and starts going into protective mode so the milk will keep coming.  We are amazing creatures.  Our body will start storing fat and keeping it in reserve, and in return start burning muscle.  Our metabolism will go to basically a complete halt and everything we do eat turns to fat.  No one wants that.  So I am shooting to eat a lot of food.  Every 2-3 hours I will eat something.  I'm trying to just make healthy decisions.  Rather than brownies for dinner, I am having turkey chili tonight.  Rather than a cinnamon bun for breakfast I had a bowl of Cheerios with non fat milk and a banana.  Instead of potato chips for a crunch with my lunch, I had raw sugar snap peas.  For ice cream I substitute Greek yogurt.  For cookies I substitute an apple with peanut butter or an orange with a handful of almonds, blueberries with a handful of walnuts, a low fat mozzarella cheese stick with a bowl of chickpeas and balsamic vinegar. 

This is not to say I won't enjoy my deserts on occasion.  Tuesday night at work someone accidentally rang in a Nutty Marshmallow Chocolate Milkshake.  Well please don't think I would let that monstrosity go down the drain.  No sir.  There were almonds in that milkshake, and almonds are healthy!  Last night I enjoyed the heck out of a piece of Tiramisu also.  But tonight I will be good and have yogurt again, and maybe some popcorn, and I will drink another gallon of water by days end.  Moderation.  And I will not deprive myself.  It's just better for everyone that way. 

Tonight's dinner is

Guilt-Free Turkey Chili 

This is a great source of protein and very low fat, disguised by tasty flavor and a beautiful colorful appearance.  Plus it makes a huge batch so you will have an easy snack and lunch from the leftovers. 

In a large pot mix the following...

20 ounces ground turkey breast, cooked

large can diced tomatoes, with juice

2 cans black beans drained and rinsed

1 can corn drained

1 sweet onion, chopped and sauteed with EVOO until slightly crunchy 

1 large zucchini, chopped and broiled

lots of cumin, chili powder and red pepper to taste.

Simmer for an hour to let tastes blend, and serve over brown rice

You can use whatever vegetables you want to get more veggie servings, and you don't need the rice.  I usually have chili with Saltine crackers, but now I'm going for the brown rice for a serving of grains. 





My baby is 4 months!

Well actually she was 4 months on the 27th so technically she is 4 months, 1 week and 5 days.  But she had her 4 month checkup yesterday.  Her Dr is great, the best actually, and if we ever have to leave the state I think we will fly back here for our pediatrician appointments because I can't imagine seeing someone else.
Amelia's growth is perfectly in line with where it should be.  She is thriving and is very very strong.  If I didn't already know (which I do), he told me so.   We talked about food and decided that she is ready to try cereal and then some veggies.   She did rice cereal today and there is loves it and then there is LOVES it and that was my girl!  Just like her mama!!

I've got a couple things to do so forgive me if I'm scattered and rushed.  I want to get this blogged anyway though so her ya go, some pics of my sweet girl!!!

Yesterday after her well visit with her Dr her new toy was waiting for her in the mail.  So my sweety and her 2 Scooby Doo band aids played with her new toy for a little while.

Then her dad and I put her and Stifler in the car and drove to Westchase so we could take a nice walk and go to Starbucks and sit outside and drink our Frappacinos because it was Frappicino happy hour, half price at participating Starbucks this week from 3-5pm.  We came home after and took a fantastic 2 hour nap then had dinner at the Ale House.  (by the way, when I worked there 11 years ago that would have been a much more edible meal then it was last night, but the company was good).

Today I decided was the day we would start our rice cereal.  I broke the soft tipped spoons out of their package and got them clean and ready.  I mixed a little rice cereal with some pumped breast milk and put her in her high chair wearing just her diaper.  I started eating my apple and got her interested in eating and wanting to put something in her mouth.  Then she got her first bite.  She wasn't too sure at first but by the end she was licking her spoon!! and chewing at it, and talking to it.

Here's my sweety on YouTube

We did a nice warm bath after

and now while I blog about it between loads of laundry, dishes and general cleaning, she takes a nice nap in her swing.  We are going to go for an awesome walk later.  I plan to blog about our new exercise initiative one of these days but today the cuteness of the cereal victory won!