Ding! Lightbulb!

2 weeks from now, we'll be doing the LuRong Living Paleo challenge again this year. Last year, it was a great way to restart my nutrition after eating what I wanted while I was pregnant.  I lost lots of inches and weight! It was awesome to fit into size 8 jeans just 5 months after having a baby.  Considering I haven't been that size since before I got pregnant with my first baby... who is now 7 years old.

All through winter and spring, we ate well and kept up with our Crossfit schedule. But this summer, honestly, we had been really, really (REALLY) lax with our nutrition. Starting with the girls' birthday parties, then more birthday parties, festivals and fairs and cookouts... Work and church and busy-ness... and all the junk food and convenience food that can along with it.

Before I know those jeans that I was able to fit in May no longer fit in August. Last Friday, we got measured to prep up for this year challenge.  I gained almost to where I was at 3 months post-baby... What the heck happened? How can one undo all that work in just 3 months??  DING! Lightbulb! It dawned on me yesterday that Baby E slowly weaned from breastfeeding starting in May. We went to full time breastfeeding/pumping to breastfeeding evenings only (dropping pumping during the day) from May to June. In July when she started sleeping through the night we dropped to just bedtime nursing... then she completely weaned in August.  DUH!!! Milk production burns about 500 calories a day. So when I stopped nursing, I didn't stop eating whatever... and ate more junk on top of that. 

Well, now I know what happened. I need to reset my body from all the fried food, pizza and tiramisu. This LuRong challenge will be great. Reduce those cravings for restaurant takeout and start cooking meals at home again. 

So this is where I am. Back to square one, but I'm looking forward to the discipline ahead.