OK yes, sometimes I take a look at terribly important trashy tabloid magazines and am impressed by some celebrity’s fantastic figure only 3 weeks after they have given birth. What diet are they on? In those first two months I was very involved with 3 huge courses a day and multiple snacks to get me through the day. But now here I am, three months after giving birth to number 2 and I confess I have been talking about losing weight (and so far it seems to be happening) for about the last six weeks. I mean, you can’t really ignore the reality of your physical state for too long. Perhaps I am more conscious than many, but I don’t think so. Summer is coming and while I am not sure I will be jumping into a bikini, I do want to show off something more than my painted toenails…. if I can be bothered.

Recently I mentoned a book I added to my reading list called ‘Outsmarting The Female Fat Cell - After Pregnancy” by Debra Waterhouse, a tell-it-how-it-is dietician who actually makes some sense. The first thing of absolute noteworthy interest in her book is that our bodies are physically unable to go into diet mode for the first six weeks postpartum. Phew! She writes, “other than the natural weight loss that occurs after delivery, there’s really nothing you can do to make your fat cells release fat…. Your overall focus should be on getting the rest you need and eating as well as you did during your pregnancy. A healthy diet will not only give your body the strength to heal, it will also give your breasts a sufficient milk supply to nourish your little one.”

It appears only in the next six weeks do your fat cells actually wake up from their “after-birth rest” enabling you to think about losing weight and then around the three month stage (around where I am now) your body is fully willing and able to give up fat cells and let you truly lose weight. Debra writes, “they are willing to release fat, albeit slowly, as long as they don’t feel threatened. And you will slowly establish an eating and exercise routine that works with the realities of your lifestyle.”

Which brings me to today’s point regarding her wonderful term “portion distortion.” Debra’s book made me realize that eating the same meals as my husband, who has also had to slow down and realize he doesn’t have to eat like his pregnant wife any longer, will not allow me to lose weight. For the last couple of months, eating has literally felt like my lifeline. Without constant grazing, I didn’t feel I could get through the day. So here are a few standard portion sizes just to get you thinking about how much we are all overeating…..

4 - 8 crackers (depending on size)
1/2 of an English muffin
1/2 cup of fruit juice
1/4 cup of cottage cheese
1 egg
10 peanuts
1 slice of bacon
And wait for it…. 1/8 of an avocado!!

Now clearly, none of us have eaten like that, certainly not while we are pregnant, and possibly ever. But it is worth thinking about. She recommends using your hand ie. can you fit it in your hand, as a guideline for portion size. “If it can’t fit into your hand, it can’t fit into your stomach without signaling to your brain that you’re overeating and stimulating fat cells to store the extra calories.” She maintains it doesn’t matter what you eat, it’s the size that matters.

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May 10th, 2007 | Permalink