A health kick up the butt

When it comes to being overweight there's only so much complaining you can do before you need to get off your butt and do something about it. I've had my time, lazing on the couch eating peppermint chocolate and cheese twisties, whinging about my expanded rear end and flabby arms. I look back, and find it hard to understand how I got here. I used to be incredibly fit, healthy and very active. I would run along the beach in the morning and attend gym classes in the afternoon. I loved cooking fresh, healthy meals and wouldn't dream of filling my trolley with chocolate biscuits and salt and vinegar chips. I rarely ever drank Coke Zero, in fact I never even drank coffee.

So what happened?

My two beautiful little babies is what happened. And I certainly don't say that as if I blame them for being overweight. Nor would I take back a single second of our lives together. I would, however, take back some of the poor dietry decisions I made when I was pregnant, and the excuses I made for regaining an active lifestyle once my babes were born. At the same time I need to be sympathetic to why and how I got here. I was very sick with both my little ones, and survived on a diet of high energy, high calorie foods. Full cream milk was the only thing that stopped the persistant reflux. I was too tired to get out of bed let alone exercise while I was pregnant. And then there were the sugar and salt cravings...

When Oscar was born I attempted to regain an active lifestyle and lose the extra 10 kgs I was carrying. I did manage the odd gym class, and pounded the pavement when I could muster the energy. I tried to cut out all those high calorie foods and introduce more lean protein and vitamin rich salads. But something had changed. I couldn't just go to the gym when I wanted to, nor could I prepare and sit down to enjoy a healthy lunch. Regaining my old lifestyle wasn't as simple as I thought it would be. I started eating on the go and opting for coffee with friends instead of pulling on my gym shoes. This was the life of a new mum, and I was loving every minute of it.

Forward two years and the birth of Mathilda, and I'm facing a slightly steeper uphill battle with the bulge. Again I've tried to shift those extra kilos through diet and exercise, but its been pretty hit and miss. Two babies don't leave a lot of 'me' time, and my eating habits have transformed into a diet of coffee, muesli bars, tiny teddy biscuits and whatever lunch and dinner Oscar refuses to eat. I have the option of either accepting this is life for now and enjoying every minute, or making a concerted effort to change.

So here I am. At the crossroads of being happy with my weight or getting off my butt once and for all and doing something about it. I've decided the latter. With some much appreciated help from hubby I'm going to make more time for healthy eating and exercise, and in the process make a much happier, more confident 'me'. A 'me' that can spend more time laughing and less time complaining. A 'me' that is going to love slipping into her favourite pair of skinny jeans and holding her head high.

I look forward to introducing you to the new 'me' next time we meet.