Weight Loss #4 Week 3

Unfortunately, I have to put my weight loss on a break. I have been "swimming upstream" for the past week and I NOW know why.

I am on Domperidone. One of its side effects is WEIGHT GAIN. Yup.

During Christmas my family and I suffered a horrific cold. My milk took a dip and I tried everything to get it going again. I fortunately have a wonderful support group on FB called the 'Crunchy Families' and got several tips on how to increase my milk supply. 

I did as much as skin to skin as possible with baby, including drinking dark ale, mother's milk teas, eating oatmeal after oatmeal, drinking enough fluids, pumping... you name it and without success. I met up with a La Leche League trainer and fb friend who pointed out some "anatomy issues" regarding my struggle to feed baby well.

Now wiser and smarter I went to see my Dr. and she prescribed Domperidone 2 pills 4 x a day. Within like 4 days I filled out! I was carrying stones.... ouch! I went down to 2 pills 2-3 x a day and I feel better. Yesterday, I upped my placenta capsules too, to 2 capsules 2x a day. I'm hoping for a good balance.

So, because of the silly vanity I still seem to have within me I "Dr.Googled" weight loss with Domperidone, thinking that since it was producing milk on "overdrive", I must be losing weight faster, I hoped... BUT to my disappointment, it is the exact OPPOSITE!! 

Apparently hundreds of women suffer weight gain while nursing on Domperidone. Bummer.

Well, so until I stop taking Domperidone, I will stop weighing myself, I will accept that I probably won't lose any and might even pile some pounds on and will just focus on loving me the way I am right now. I will eat healthy, I will keep hydrated, I will do Pilates and Yoga... I will enjoy every day that's been given to me. 

I will keep posting recipes and my thoughts. Stay tuned!

As I type I have a 

Greek Yoghurt & Honey Mask on...

Ingredients

1T Greek Yoghurt

1t honey

Mix well, and spread avoiding your eyes, let it soothe for 15minutes + and wash.

Have you been on Domperidone? What was your experience like?

My 30

Last month I turned 30. I was reading through one of my weekly reads, Imperfect Homemaking blog, where I got inspired to write 30 things I have learned over the years. So here it is, my 30 things, I have learned.

1. Everyone has an opinion on child care and how to raise kids. You can let 85% of that flow out the other ear.
2. Food matters. You are either working for or against your body and, you are responsible for what goes in your kids' mouths too.
3. Children are a blessing from the Lord. Psalm 127
4. "We spend our lives dreaming of the future, not realizing that a little of it slips away every day" -B.J
5. God created each plant for a purpose. Gen.1:29
6. Fast food and seedless fruit/vegg are, in fact, from the devil! Ha ha
7. I can't keep my home constantly tidy with 3 kids, 7 and under, without missing out on life.
8. Cooking takes a lot of time away from family. Our meals are a combination of fresh and quickly cooked food. No fuss.
9. Exercise is so important. Our bodies yearn for movement and fresh air.
10. STOTT Pilates is a really great form of daily physical activity.
11. My scrapbooking might have to wait. And, my other projects too.
12. My style, "Jane Austen meets Bollywood" in fact is, simply, "bohemian".
13. His Grace is New Every Single Day.
14. Divorce is not an option and by believing that, makes us work harder towards a stronger marriage.
15. Taking loans and borrowing money, is not biblical and does more harm than good. We can live a debt and loan free life and we are! It's so liberating!
16. Refined sugar is bad, if not, evil.
17. There are thousands of things to be grateful for, as corny as it sounds, there are. Truly.
18. When God's behind it, it is possible.
19. Most things we own are baggage.
20. I love minimalism. Hard to imagine, with a bohemian like.
21. While traveling, it's not detrimental if a child doesn't stick to a certain rhythm.
22. There is great freedom in letting go and not trying to be in control of everything.
23. It is far more important to be godly than goodly.
24. I am a TCK (Third Culture Kid) and my kids are too. I have peace with that.
25. It takes two to tango. 
26. I love growing my own vegetables and I see it as an act of worship and a way to meditate.
27. I love to homeschool and it feels the most natural way.
28. With God's help, I could overcome my biggest fear of moving away from my parents. Not just down the street, but across continents!
29. Simplicity of life is something I value, i.e writing hand written letters rather than emails.
30. The old educational system was wrong. I am not stupid. I'm a Swiss Army Knife. 'Nuff said.  

Weight Loss #3 Part 1

Before I begin writing about my weight loss #3, let me fill the new readers in a bit.

I am going through my 3rd major weight loss. I gain 50-70lbs (25-35kg) during my pregnancies. No doctor has ever found out why, even putting me through the same monitoring and tests each time. I don't eat any different, less maybe since I suffer from Hyper Emesis during pregnancies.

After each pregnancy I am faced with the hard work to shed the pounds. I also fall into the "unlucky" category where I don't lose pounds while nursing, quite the opposite, I lose them once I stop.

The best weight loss advice I can give, is to move more and eat less clean. Pretty old school, I know.

This time around I am doing things a bit different. After my 1st pregnancy, I lost my weight from 102kg to 80kg (-22kg!!), by moving more and jogging. My diet didn't change much. So I shall add,

"If you kinda sorta eat right, you kinda sorta get results"

After my second pregnancy, I lost the weight from 106kg to 73 (-33kg!!) by jogging, lifting weights and eating VERY clean. My weight loss compared to the first, worked way better and faster.

This time around, 9months after my baby's birth, my weight has not really shifted, since I am still nursing. I have left some feedings out and given her solids, so I feel comfortable starting a different method. I have actually been on it for a week and a half and have lost 8lbs so far. What is it you may wonder?

Weight Watchers. Now, how old school is that! But, do note, this comes in second.

The number one biggest impact is working out. I know, reading that sucks, everyone wishes that there would be a far easier ways to do it, but there is not. There is not. 

Also, I'm doing weight watchers with a clean eating twist. I am not using my points by eating muffins or cake or heavy carb meals. I am using them by eating clean, eating vegetables, lean meat, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, pulses etc. I still get to enjoy the sweet side of life, but hey, at least I remember what they taste like and I can eat them later... (after my weight loss). Suck it up princess!

Another method I am adding is daily checking and meditating on why I am wanting to shed this weight. That's important. Are my reasons selfless and good? Are they to benefit my health and to improve quality time with my family? If my weight loss makes me more vain and selfish, I pray that my weight stays above my desires. I never want to go back to what I was and how I lived before I met my husband. It only brought heartache and sorrow into my life and the lives of others. I will meditate on how I will feel and what I want to do when I am thin again. The images that come to mind are, playing with my kids, getting down in the mud, rolling around with ease. I don't want to see my clothes imprinting on my skin after I undress. I don't want to feel my back fat rolls stick together. I want to run 10km races with ease again and aim to run a half marathon. I want to feel light in my husbands arms. And also, Lord willing if and when we have more kids and I do put on that weight again, I don't want to add more weight on top of the left over weight.

My starting point last week was 205lbs. Today I am 196,5lbs. My goal is to be 145lbs (my pre pregnancy weight) and that is if I dont get pregnant before it.

Let me finish this with a very vague and corny quote by Kate Moss:

"Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels"

Time passes, so whether you begin your diet or not, time flies. Better to just do the work and be a little lighter in a few months.

and something to think about : 

 "Most people in the world walk miles to find food. Most Westerners walk miles to digest food"

Let me add that our bodies are holy temples and we are living sacrifices to the Lord. Let us keep good care of our bodies, as best we can. 

Here is the latest picture of (half of) me and what 205lbs looks like.

Does God Bless Your Wardrobe?

God sees the heart, knows our secret wants, our "vanity". I don't speak about it, I am content. Since, that is what the scriptures say,

1 Timothy 6:8  ..."But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that"... 

and that is what a "true Christian" ought to be. All good, I give up my style for the good of my family. Priorities, priorities... Second hand clothes, still used 18 months after I got pregnant. I am not pregnant, but I am wearing the same pregnancy clothes. After all, some people lack clothing, I am blessed with the clothes I have. I can count them with both hands. That's all, yet so much when compared to the ones who lack... yet so little... shouldn't complain. I am content, I am content. 

I feel awful. My pregnancy weight lingers. I am different from most women, I shed the weight AFTER I quit nursing. Would I ever be so vain to quit for the sake of my figure, God no! Would I want to? I am tempted.... guilt builds up for letting it cross my mind. 

I call myself names I would never say to anyone or even think of anybody that way. I am a "läski-paska"...which directly translated means "fat-s**t".. not very flattering at all. I say that to ME. Just writing about it, typing it out is shocking. Lip trembling shocking, how could I be so brutal? What have I done to deserve that title? 

I re-dedicated this ground to the Lord, he sees my heart. I want to live out the scripture, to feel it, to believe it. I am Your property, I was bought with a price, I am Yours... I have more than enough, I am blessed.

Last night I got a call from M, from church. She said that she would really like me and my 3 kids to attend tomorrow's Mom's group clothes swap meeting. She told me that they want to pay for my child care and perhaps H and S would let me have a few items without charge. "Oh sweet! What a wonderful blessing! Thank you!"...

Today I attended the swap meeting. I don't know why I attended. I didn't have the money or the body to even want to go. I am happy that I did though.  Once we got there, I dropped the kids off to the nursery and waited in line for coffee. I was approached by L (who gave us a ride to the swap meeting)- "Are you going to do some shopping?" she asked with a smile. "No, I don't have the money..." I replied, hiding the other side of my reason. As she offered to pay for me, I refused kindly and suddenly broke down in tears, in shock trying to hide my face in my blouse. What on earth? Am I crying?, apologizing for my "weakness" and feeling stupid and guilty for it.  "I'm sorry, I don't know why I am crying.."... We retreat to the ladies bathroom to share. I got a hug. I have not been hugged in my sorrows for so long. The hug felt so sweet. Right afterwards, one of the leaders of the group, asked me if I was ready to shop!?

Oh what sweet blessings. It was more than I ever anticipated. My nursery fee was covered, the clothes I ended up getting were a GIFT and I was styled by someone who really has an eye for it.  I can't match clothes one bit, but she could. And well. I think I tried clothes on for a good hour, and even got into some pretty funky heels!

 I got my eyebrows threaded. This was an accident, I just followed the "line" and didn't even realize it wasn't part of the free fun (like the hairstyling).

 This picture was taken in the midst of my trying on clothes. Although the picture doesn't look like it, I had no idea this shot was taken. 

I am so overwhelmed and grateful. I got home, I looked at my haul, I sobbed. Thank You, God!! Wow, I even got heels... (not anywhere top in my priority list) I went from owning 3 pairs of shoes to 9! 

He sees my heart, he sees where I am at. He blessed my wardrobe.

Have you asked God to bless your wardrobe?

Ruby Slippers - Book Review

Currently reading :  

Ruby Slippers

By Jonalyn Grace Fincher.

I wish I could read it in one go but, with 3 small kids to care for, I am taking small bits at a time. So far, this book is very liberating in many ways. 

This Book Review is written by the President of the Oxford University C. S. Lewis Society.

I hope that you get to read the book for yourself!