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Training for Baby: Hurdling obstacles

Kathy shares some of the big changes she's made to get trim so her body is ready when she and her husband are ready for a baby.

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Kathy Hanrahan
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Kathy Hanrahan

In my first visit with my personal trainer Anthony Harold, we identified my goals and possible obstacles for weight loss.

I have a lot of goals, including being in the best shape of my life when I get pregnant.

I know losing weight won’t help me get pregnant any faster. But, I want to have a plan in place so I can maintain a healthy weight for me and baby. I also want to bounce back quickly.

My husband and I are planning to ditch the birth control by summer. He is a busy sports writer and this is his craziest time of year.

When identifying my weight-loss obstacles, I found that I only face a few food-related obstacles.

I have a sweet tooth. I also crave carbs, especially mac and cheese and biscuits. I am a true Southerner with comfort food taste.

Growing up in south Louisiana, the food was so amazing; you wanted to just eat more of it. Moving to North Carolina put a damper on my deep-fried habits, except for when I hit the State Fair!

My husband is a huge fan of desserts. He didn’t eat too many growing up, so now he always wants to check out the dessert tray. While chocolate cake is good for my emotional well being, it is bad for my butt.

I have been slowly making dietary changes for about six months, so I didn’t need to do too much to get into a healthier way of thinking.

Here are a few of my changes:

  • Changing from white to wheat bread
  • Eating a vegetable with every meal
  • Snacking on yogurt, instead of cookies
  • Drinking about 64 oz of water a day
  • Eating fruit
  • Only one dessert a week
  • Checking out calorie and sodium facts for my favorite foods
  • Cutting out alcohol (no more weekly glass of wine!)
  • Reducing sugar intake

My husband and I eat out a lot, so I have gotten into the habit of checking out the nutritional facts online before we go out. In a later column, I’ll post some tips on losing weight while still eating out. (I’m not a great cook!)

Trainer Anthony suggested that I have six small meals a day. He also suggested that I break up my lunch into two parts, that way my body won’t be so hungry, causing me to eat more.

Here is my daily formula:

  • Breakfast: Special K Protein Meal Bar
  • Snack: Activia strawberry yogurt
  • Lunch: Smart Ones meal, Lean Cuisine, Quiznos or a peanut butter and jelly on a 100 calorie sandwich round
  • Snack: Yogurt or fruit
  • Late afternoon snack (if I am still starving): Fruit or 100 calorie Special K protein snack
  • Dinner: Grilled fish or chicken with broccoli

It has been working so far. I don’t find myself nearly as starving as I used to be. The water is really filling me up. I sip on it all day. I have so much in me that I could basically float my way home.

What are some of your obstacles to losing weight? How are you overcoming them?

Kathy is a web producer, entertainment expert and concert photographer for WRAL.com. She has written a manuscript about her life as an entertainment reporter and pop culture. Learn more about Kathy on her website. On Wednesdays here on Go Ask Mom, she's chronicling her efforts to lose weight before she and her husband start a family.

 

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