Leaving Fatville

The baby "bump".

2012-02-22T09:33:00.001-05:00

Okay, so it's more like a baby mountain range that a bump. We picked out O's coming home outfit last night. What do you think? Will it fit?

Time keeps ticking away.

2012-02-02T11:59:00.003-05:00

Oh man, I am a bad blogger. I can't believe it's been a month since my last post. I'd apologize, but knowing me, I'll just do it again. My poor head is just filled with so many things and none of them are complete sentences. I'll hit the highlights and then you can all tell me I'm nuts and to back away from the computer slowly. I won't be offended. I promise.

Baby Stuff
I did the tacky thing and created a registry for the second kid. I know Emily Post has some strong views on it, but dammit if anything, it's a shopping list for me later. And goodness knows, I'll need all the help I can get remembering what it is I need.

Baby O's room is cleared out and ready for stuff. I can't quite bring myself to put much stuff in there yet. Feels like putting the cart before the horse a little. Other days, I'm ready to have it all done so I can close the door and forget about it until it's time.

I'm scared to death of my maternity leave. It's almost completely unpaid and I'm terrified we're not going to survive it financially. I know we'll have lots of help from family with the baby, but this last move just killed our savings. We're flying blind this time and I have to admit it keeps me up at night.

I tried to qualify for WIC in our new county and I miss the requirements by 60 flipping dollars a month. 60 bucks. I was so heartbroken, because it helped so much with my first child. When I returned to work my milk all but dried up and their coupons for formula saved our tushies. I'm hoping I can produce enough milk to feed this poor kid, otherwise, I have no earthly idea what to do.

E is getting excited about being a big brother. He kisses baby O goodnight every night, which he did completely without prompting. I'm hoping by making him a big part of the pregnancy, he feels like he's a part of baby O's life, too. So far, he's been a good helper. I hope the trend continues!

And the best part is for last! Turns out, I've only gained a whopping EIGHT pounds throughout this pregnancy! Not to shabby for someone in their 8th month, I'd say. All those healthy eating habits came in handy. No gestational diabetes and even my iron levels are doing well. You couldn't wipe the smile off my face for a week when the nurse told me that. Fat girl pregnancy for the win!

It's almost time to make the birth plan and I'm still moving full steam ahead on VBAC. In fact, I'm even thinking of holding off on the epidural for as long as possible. I'm not sure I want to be numbed. I missed so much with the C-Section for E, I want to experience this labor as much as I can. I know it sounds crazy, but I don't want to miss anything.

Life Stuff
I am absolutely ITCHING to get back to exercising. I feel so frustrated that I can't move like I want to, or need to. I feel so slow and lumbering. I've been keeping up with stretching and making sure to chase the kid around as much as I can, but it's not enough. I'm dying to get on my sneaks, put baby O in the stroller and hit the walking trails. It's so funny, I never thought I'd miss something like exercise. It's funny how those healthy habits can get ingrained into you.

I've been the coupon mama lately when it comes to grocery shopping. My second time out, I had a great return, spent 29 bucks, and saved 29 bucks! I finally hit the 50% mark. I was over the moon. Unfortunately, the third time out did not net me as good of savings. I only saved about 30% and spent a little over my weekly budget on food. I'm hoping I can stretch the meals a bit to a week and a half to cover the overspending. I'm going to try for some better deals and stock up on regular items this weekend. Perhaps I can get my saving streak back.

I spent a week in bad with a nasty nasty cold and I'm here to tell you one thing. Coughing around a big ol' baby belly = not fun. Never in my life have I hurt in so many weird places than when I coughed. I won't go into details, but let's just say sitting up was not possible for nearly a week. A week!

I think that sums up the crazy for now. I wish I had more to share that was healthy and uplifting. I'm just waddling my way through the all the worries that have been occupying my brain. Maybe next week I can pull it together a little better!

The couponing begins.

2012-01-09T11:02:00.000-05:00

photo courtesy of gettyimages.com

I'm pretty sure all of you have seen how this economy is shaping up for the new year. It's as crappy as it was for 2011. With gas prices topping out in my area at 3.35 a gallon for the cheap stuff, the necessity to save money is becoming more and more evident.

I know I stated this before, but this time... it's time to coupon. I have a subscription to the paper and everything. I joined a local group of coupon enthusiasts and I'm just about ready to go. I'll have to stockpile a little bit before the coupons really start to stack in my favor, but I'm prepared to shop the sales and meal plan according to the circulars. Here's a few tips on what I've started at my own home to save some cash.

Every Thursday the new sales flyers go out. I'm a partial shopper to Publix, so I look up what's on sale through their website or I peruse a site like www.southernsavers.com to see what the weekly sales stack against the coupons. (A handy Google search of coupon matching sites with your zip/area plugged in should net you the same results. Please note, the ones that ask for subscription fees or "signup" are usually bogus. Go with the free ones.)

This week didn't net me any great deals on the coupons, so I started making my list according to what's on sale. Here's how it looked:

Meat
Chicken breast, on sale for 1.99/lb, got nearly 2.5 lbs for three large breasts
Lean ground beef on sale for 3.99/lb, got approx 1lb of ground meat
Eye Round Steaks on sale for 4.79/lb, got approx 1 lb of steaks
Deli Sliced Smoked Chicken breast for 7.99/lb, I got half a pound for chicken roll ups

Produce
Tomatoes, 1.49/lb
3lb bag of Gala Apples, 2.99
Bananas, .69/lb
Blueberries and Strawberries, 2 for $5

Dry Goods
Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta, Buy One, Get One (saves 1.89)
Kellogg's Special K cereals, all varieties, 2 for $5

Dairy
Chobani was 10 for $10

I got a few extra things not on the sales circular, which happened to be two cans of Hunt's diced tomatoes for two different meals that week.

The total at Publix for approximately one week's worth of food: 49.00

Then we hit Aldi. If you haven't heard of Aldi, you're missing out. No brand names here, but the quality is amazing. All the things you love, the taste the same and a fraction of the cost. Here's what we got at Aldi.

Milk, 2 gallons at 2.99 each
Whipped Cream Cheese at 1.49
Trail mix bags, 2 at 1.49 each
Mixed Nuts, 2.49
Large chocolate bar (husband's sweet tooth) 1.29
Loaf of bread with no HFCS, .89
Cinnamon Raisin bagels, 1.49
Package of whole mushrooms, 1.29
18 rolls of toilet paper, 5.99
String Cheese, 3.49
Honey Nut Cheerios, 1.49
Paper plates, 1.49

Total at Aldi: 33.00, that means I spent 82.00 on food that was either on sale or at Aldi.

That will net me at least three meals with meat for the week and one without (aka Spaghetti night). That keeps us stocked for breakfast, lunch/snacks for the kiddo (all fruit, vege or string cheese for him) and leftovers for the nights I'm too tired to cook. Not too bad, sans the coupons.

Here's another cost saving method that's been introduced to my house: a list on the fridge. Not a grocery list, but a list of what's in there. You know that thing that husband's do, where they say they can't find it, or we're out and you buy more only to find that you still had like, 3 left? Yeah. Now there's a list. Unless it's been crossed off, it's in there. It lets me know what runs out first, what I need to add to the grocery list and what we have left to cook with for the week. I even added a column for freezer foods. When I make a big batch of something like chili or soup, I freeze half and leftover the rest in the fridge. That way I have in between meals for work, or for nights that I'm too tired to stand at the stove. It's a great way to reduce waste and make sure you're not throwing hard-earned money down the trash tube. (Not to mention stockpiling for the two months when this baby gets here and cooking will not be top priority!)

What's your favorite cost saving measure for your house? Do you meal plan? Freeze? Once a week cook?

Damn you Progresso.

2011-12-28T20:09:00.000-05:00

Damn you. Damn you straight to hell.

I mean it, I really do.

And damn me, too.

I got suckered into your stupid commercial. The Loaded Potato Soup commercial. I really did, it looked good. It looked like something I'd want to eat when it was a comfort food night. It looked perfect.

The soup... was a lie.

In fact, it was disgusting. Granted, my standards are a little high, but I was willing to slum it a little for you, Progresso. (And basically any soup with bacon in it.)

You lied. Your commercial lied. Your soup lied.

It was tasteless. No seasoning, no salt, even. I wasn't expecting a miracle, really I wasn't. I was just looking forward to a night not standing at the stove. Warming myself up on a cool night with a little comfort food and a good, hearty soup.

That soup was not hearty, nor good. I wasn't even halfway done with it when the cream base started to separate from the oil. BP looked like they'd had a hack at my bowl. The oil slick now covering the top of the soup turned my stomach.

The rest ended up in the trash. Yeah, that's right. I threw away food. Frugal, penny pinching me threw away food. I won't be buying Progresso again, and I certainly won't be falling for any more of their commercials.

The soup aisle is dead to me now, and it's all your fault Progresso.

Thank you Fitbloggin.

2011-12-22T10:00:00.002-05:00

The amazing group at Fitbloggin '11.
Photo courtesy of fitbloggin.com.

With all the new excitement that's been bubbling for Fitbloggin '12, I can't help but think back on my experience with Fitbloggin last year. I owe a lot to Roni Noone and her incredible conference and all the attendees. I'm not sure they know how much my life changed from that short weekend.

It was the first time away from my husband and my son overnight. I had to learn how to say goodnight to my son without being there to hug and kiss him. I had to learn how to function as a mom from a distance. It was hard, it was heart-wrenching to hear my son ask me when I'm coming home over and over. I dissolved into tears over my wine more than a few times. But they didn't turn out any worse for wear when I came home. The house was intact, my kid was okay and my husband was happy to see me. I learned that I can be a mom and wife on my own just as much as I could right next to them.

Fitbloggin gave me something else that was so very special. If you're not into mushy moments, I would skip the next few paragraphs. No offense taken, really. Fitbloggin gave me the courage to realize that I don't have to be scared of losing weight. I was paralyzed by fear of failure so often, I gave up before trying. I know this is a common theme with weight loss. I know it's a common realization about halfway through the journey, which is where I'm firmly stuck for a bit.

I was terrified of having another kid. I got up to 300 lbs (and probably past it) after my son. The thought of gaining weight again, even on purpose kept me up at night. I knew how easy it would be to let it all go back on me. I knew all the excuses I'd tell myself to make it okay. I didn't want to get pregnant because I wasn't sure I could succeed at losing again. It was so hard to start. I got lost on the way, I forgot who I was as a person, I would guilt myself into not taking time for me and as a result I got unhappy. So unhappy I sincerely thought my marriage would end in divorce.

Fitbloggin gave me what I needed to remember who I was. It gave me the courage to see that it's okay to be me. It gave me my name back. A friend once told me, "You are responsible for your own happiness." That sentence never did make sense to me until the flight home from Baltimore. I understood it, then. I understood that my life is what I make of it. I can make myself happy, no guilt necessary.

I came home a different woman than when I left. I came home strong and secure in who I was, and that made all the difference in my marriage and my family. I came home happy.

That happiness is still with me. While my life hasn't been easy recently, it has never wavered when it comes to my marriage and my family. In fact, Fitbloggin gave me the courage to expand our family. I have no regrets about getting pregnant, or even the weight I'm gaining on this part of the journey. I know that I will find me throughout it all. For that, Fitbloggin was a huge factor in that. One that I'll never be able to say thank you enough.

Healthy holidays.

2011-12-12T14:47:00.000-05:00

Photo courtesy of getty images.

The holidays are getting closer. Stressing yet? Trying to find the perfect gift for the hardest person on the planet to shop for? (Which is totally my husband. He sends email wish lists for motorcycle parts. Nothing says Merry Christmas like motor oil.) Worried about what kind of healthy stuff you'll be able to find amid the holiday treats, presents and office parties?

Have no fear! Leaving Fatville has her tips for holiday eating on Diets in Review this week!

And don't forget the most important tip at the bottom of the article. Seriously, it saved me from the Annual Great Pants Re-Buy (or pray for elastic) in January last year.

Check it out and de-stress your holiday eating. You won't regret it!

The importance of being lost.

2011-12-06T15:17:00.001-05:00

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

A while back a friend called me. She was having trouble finding a place for herself within her family. It's so easy for women to get lost in there. Between being mom, wife, housecleaner, house budgeter, grocery shopper we can lose our way. It's hard to remember we were people before all of this family stuff. We had our own name and it wasn't attached to someone else. You weren't always so-and-so's wife, mother, troop leader.

When she called me, I knew exactly what she was going through. I had gotten lost on more than one occasion. And the guilt that comes with it. You don't want to separate yourself from your family, but you NEED to get away. You need your sanity. You need one hour every couple of days to just not think.

I gave her the advice I had been given. Find something that keeps you so busy, keeps you concentrating so hard on just getting through it that you forget everything but that moment.

For me, it was boot camp. I'm not going to lie, that was one the hardest experiences I had ever gone through. (Yes, I'm counting birth in that.) It was all I could do to get through the hour to the cool down. I literally could not think of anything but counting out my reps, and praying I survived to the end of the hour.

It was the single best thing I had ever done for myself.

I'm not saying that simply because it's exercise and you should do it for your health. I did it for my mental health. It left me with no room to worry about bills, about freelance checks, or what work I had waiting for me when I got home. I didn't think about what mess I'd be greeted with, or what to make for dinner or even what my kid was getting into now. I thought only about getting through that hour and not falling flat on my face. My muscles burned. My chest ached. My legs were on fire. I kept praying for the hour to be up, even though I pushed through it no matter what.

At the end of that hour… Pure bliss.

I had been me for a whole hour. Pretty soon I started looking forward to those hours during the week with no guilt. That was something that was SOLELY me. I was Anda. Not mom. Not wife. Not employee. My kid survived during that hour with his dad. The house didn't catch on fire. Work didn't come after me.

I'm happy to say my friend found herself. I'm even happier she found it through exercise.

It's too easy to get lost in everything going around us. Remember you. Remember how to BE you. Even if it's just for an hour.

Juicy Roast Chicken Recipe

2011-11-29T20:17:00.001-05:00

Photo courtesy Yahoo Shine, Chow Ciao.

Whole chickens are the bane of my cooking existence. I just can't make them juicy. I can't. They dry out, taste funny or bland. I can't get them to work no matter what recipe I try.

Now there's one all defrosted and staring me down in the fridge. It was downright taunting me. I needed help. Strange enough, Yahoo Shine came to the rescue in the form of Fabio Viviani and his Perfect Roast Chicken recipe. (Hello hot stuff!)

(First, let me preclude this by saying, when I watched Top Chef, I LIVED for Fabio. I did. I thought he was amazing and I wanted to eat anything that man made. I'm glad to say that I can, thanks to his section on Yahoo Shine. )

Knowing what you now know about me and roast chickens, you'd think I'd found a way to mess this up. I'm so stinking happy to say that this roast chicken did not best me. That sucker was juicy. It was downright moist. Even the kid ate it without complaints. (Okay, yes, with ketchup, but seriously, he's 3. Underdeveloped palate.)

In case you haven't seen Fabio in his Chow Ciao section on Yahoo Shine, I'm reposting his fantastic recipe here and adding my modifications for an electric non-convection oven.

Here's the original:

Perfect Roast Chicken
Recipe by Fabio Viviani
Yield: 2 - 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, fryer 2-4 pounds
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs sage
2 sprigs rosemary
1 lemon, sliced
5-6 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 450F.
Remove the organs, gizzards and neck from chicken.
Rinse chicken inside and out with cold water.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels so that the oil and seasoning will stick.
Rub oil all over chicken and season heavily with salt and pepper.
Stuff the cavity with garlic, lemon and herbs.
Place chicken on pan, breast side up, and put into preheated oven.
Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes until the skin is crispy and brown.
Put a meat thermometer in the breast, and turn the chicken over, breast side down and turn the oven down to 350F.
Leave in the oven until the thermometer reads 150F approximately.
Remove from the oven and let rest for approx. 10 min or until the thermometer reads 160-165F.
Cut the chicken into legs, drums, wings, breasts and platter.
Drizzle with EVOO and garnish with fresh herbs.

Sounds delish, right?

Here's my small modification, on an electric stove, keep it at 450 the whole time. It won't dry out, I promise. But there's no real way to get that skin to sizzle and brown without a convection oven. Gas stoves may have different results, so of course, YMMV.

Ads on Leaving Fatville.

2011-11-29T19:05:00.001-05:00

It's been nearly 2 years that this blog has been around, and up until today, you'll have noticed the ads are few and mostly relegated to the bottom of the side bar. Or done in exchange for a giveaway.

Today, that is changing in a very small way. You'll notice some small Google ads on the bottom of my posts and in my feeds. I don't expect a ton of revenue, or really any, but I would like to see how it impacts you, my readers. I've tried to make them as unobtrusive as possible, but I don't ever want it interfering with the content you read here.

What do you think? Ads? No ads? Ads are okay if they aren't in your face?

Waging war on my body image.

2011-11-07T09:47:00.000-05:00

Ceiling cat lurks in my shopping bags,
whispering mean things to me.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Shopping at 300 lbs was one of the things I used to dread more than going to the doctor. I hated how nothing fit, nothing made sense and being short just made things worse. I was not a willowy tall fat person. No, I was short and squat with infuriatingly short arms. Throw boobs into that mix and a set a hips that could body check a wrestler and it made shopping nearly impossible for me.

As I lost weight, shopping got to be more interesting. I still dreaded it, but when I walked out I had the pleasant surprise of not being as bad as I remembered. Even at the beginning of this pregnancy when I was shopping, I was surprised that I wasn't still a 2X. I hovered in between an XL and a 1X in plus size. When I had to start buying bigger stuff to accomodate the belly even 2X was still too big.

Today... today is different. I had to buy new underwear. I had to buy 3X lounge pants. I hate seeing the label. I hate seeing how huge these underwear and pants are and I hate that I'm having to wear them again. I know it's temporary, but I still despise seeing it. It's depressing. I know I have a good reason for my body changing, but I can't reconcile that with what's in the mirror. I feel fat all the time. My arms feel two inches shorter because my baby belly gets in the way of the counters. I feel disadvantaged. I feel like I did when I was 300 lbs.

I know I should be happy my body is changing. I know I should be happy that I'm growing this wonderful baby boy. I just can't seem to make my brain realize this. I don't want to be upset that I'm getting bigger. I've seen the sizes go down for so long, it's disconcerting to see them go back up.

In the back of my head, I hear this whisper. It's a mean little whisper, too. In a quiet room, or right before bed, I hear it. It preys on my fears. It tells me I only have a matter of time before I hit 300 lbs again. Those new bigger clothes are the new way of life. All my pre-pregnancy clothes will be in those space bags forever. I'll never get back to where I was. I'm always going to be tired. I won't have time or energy to walk or exercise again. My life won't be my own again for a very long time.

That voice scares the ever living snot out of me. What if it's right? What if it's going to take me 2 more years to get this weight off?

It's a...

2011-11-02T10:11:00.003-04:00

BOY!!

That's right, I'm growing a set of my very own. Well, for another 5 months I am. He gave us a great shot of what he's packing right here.

Not even a shred of baby modesty there. Strangely enough, I remember my first son doing the exact same thing.

Since booger was facing my spine, we didn't get a great mess of shots of his face. We did get this one, which has me itching to turn it green and put "Believe" across the middle. (For a second we did even consider the name Scully after this came up on the screen.)

One last one... we got a cute little shot of the growing baby feets right here.

There it is. Another little boy to add to our family. I am now completely and utterly outnumbered in testosterone! I foresee a lot of Little League and soccer/basketball/anythingthatinvolvesrunningaroundandbeingexhaustedafterwards.

Boy or Girl? and other updates.

2011-10-28T09:42:00.001-04:00

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

It's coming. The day we find out what we're having and unlike last time, I haven't the foggiest clue what that ultrasound is going to show us. We thought for a second that we might like a surprise. And then common sense kicked in and we remembered we are planners. We like to plan. To not know would drive me and my husband insane. I also like the idea of calling the bump by its name. (Which will not be released to the public. We've only told the grandmothers and we plan on keeping it that way for a little while.)

November 1st, at 1pm is the big day. It'll be our first visit to the new hospital and we'll find out what we're having, providing a certain tiny someone cooperates. I'm seriously considering drinking coffee prior to the visit to make sure the booger's moving around in there.

The good news is, the move is over. We're fully into our new place with the in-laws and all is well. I'm finally cooking again, so it's be much easier to eat better and pay attention to portion sizes. It's very odd to have to make sure I'm eating enough vs eating over my calories. I know my poor nutrition in the beginning of the pregnancy was showing with my iron levels. I'm hoping by next month's visit some of that will be fixed. And I really hope the little booger doesn't have any lasting damage thanks to eating out for a month straight.

On the other hand, the boy child is having some adjustment issues, but I can't blame the kid. He had a lot of change in a little amount of time. No more daycare, staying home with daddy, packing, moving and now a new room and bathroom to get used to, not to mention two extra people to move around. He's acting out by being defiant and stubborn. I'm hoping he moves out of this phase soon. It's very hard to remember he's just retaliating for all the change when I keep having to send him to the time-out spot in his room. We're hoping to get him in some classes for socialization and activity will get him back to his normal, polite self. (Cross your fingers for me!)

There it is, dear readers. I sure hope you're still sticking with me. I know my updates and blog posts have been erratic at best. There's just not enough hours in the day or energy in my body to keep up with it all. I'm hoping with the move out of the way, I'll have some time to get back into the blogosphere and twitter again.

Let's have a little fun to end with, shall we? Cast your vote: BOY or GIRL? (I'll post the ultrasound results Nov. 2nd! I promise!)

Small boxes, big boxes and that little voice.

2011-10-12T09:31:00.002-04:00

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

I keep staring at this blank page, and nothing is coming to me. I have no real wisdom to impart, no rants to get off my chest and really, not much to say. I don't want to keep doing preggo updates, because it doesn't apply to everyone and quite frankly, they're kind of boring. My eating/exercise habits have not only fallen by the wayside, but they are non-existent.

Right now, the only thing consuming me is moving. My house is completely filled with boxes of our stuff. Boxes for storage, boxes of paintings, boxes of clothes and miscellaneous things off our shelves. Our entire lives are being boxed up in brown cardboard. It's slightly depressing and at the same time, a chance to clean and purge all the clutter from our lives. (Goodwill is raking in the benefits. We've made nearly 5 donations so far, and we have about 3 more to go.)

We've made it to the point in our lives and budgets to realize we need help. With the new baby coming (and no paid maternity leave), we're in a precarious spot. Do we keep living and working to pay the daycare and bills? Do we try to save and scrimp even more out of our daily budget? Every time I get to grocery store, I'm spending more to buy less. (Apparently, even the poor people staple, peanut butter will be hopping up nearly 40% in price by the end of October.) I've made no secret of the fact that we struggle and our food budget is laughable for 3 people. Even with clipping coupons, I've made no real inroads on saving money. It takes time and patience, neither of which I'm in great capacity of owning.

We had to make a tough decision. Stay or go. After nights of talking in circles, we made the decision to go. We're moving in with my in-laws to save money. There's room, an extra pair of hands, a gorgeous and spacious kitchen to cook in and a chance to actually save money. After a while, it became a no-brainer. But I had a hard time coming to terms with losing our independence and privacy. Our house is no longer our house. It's sharing with others, and making adjustments to a completely separate set of people. It's adding our pets to theirs, our habits and shower schedule to what has already existed. I'm pretty sure there's apprehension on both sides about it. We're all reasonable people, and surprisingly enough, I actually enjoy my in-laws company, so I think we can make it. It will be an adjustment, but one worth making to save money.

That is what my brain tells me. The little voice in the back of my head, that one is a pain in the ass. That voice woke me in the middle of the night with horrible whispers and scenarios that I'd rather not repeat. That little voice keeps telling me I'm a 34 year old loser, moving in with my parents and a kid in tow. It whispers that I'm giving up on the American dream. It shouts at 3 am that I failed at living, that I am a adult failure and everyone will know I'm a failure. It yells that I'll be bringing home a baby to house that isn't even mine. That little voice is a son of a bitch.

My brain knows this is slowly becoming the new norm for people with this option. It know that saving money and actually having a nest egg is a better option than being one paycheck away from disaster. I know that E will have a richer life for getting to live with his grandparents. I know that having an extra pair of hands and eyes will make me and Jamie happier and have a happier marriage.

But that little voice, it can't help but make me feel like I'm giving up.

Rant of a Breeder.

2011-10-04T10:24:00.000-04:00

Disclaimer: this is totally NOT my kid.
Photo courtesy of gettyimages.com

When did it become acceptable for people to bash kids, or people with kids? Yes, I chose to spawn. I also like to keep my kid relatively well-behaved in public spaces, but it's not always possible. Do I enjoy the scathing looks I get from other people? No. Do I try to take my kid away from the venue and calm him down or otherwise distract him, yes. But kids aren't going to be compliant 100% of the time. It's their nature, they aren't fully matured. They express themselves with screaming, yelling, and otherwise unruly behavior.

Does any of that give you the right to judge me and my parenting skills? No. Does that give ANY of you the right to complain? Sure. But don't act as if I'm not trying to remedy the situation. I don't enjoy listening to my kid scream any more than you do. Don't sit on your ass and complain that there are kids in public spaces. That's how life works. You don't like it, go find somewhere else to eat, ride the bus, shop or whatever else you think kids shouldn't be allowed to go to.

To this lovely generation of assholes that seem to be plaguing the earth, get off your high horse. You were a kid once, too. You were probably an asshole then, and I'm willing to bet money you screamed in a public place once and embarrassed the hell out of your parents more than once. Stop acting as if you're king of the world. Anywhere people may congregate has the potential to have children. Some of them may be well-behaved, some of them not. Some may have crappy parents that don't care, but some of us do. Don't act all high and mighty and tell us that your experience was just ruined because of the presence of a small child. That you can't shop/eat/whatever in peace because there are children somewhere on this planet that annoy you. Get over it. It's part of dealing with the human race. If you don't like it, stay home and order everything off Amazon and shut the hell up. The rest of us, we have a modicum of common sense and know that dealing with a wide range of people is part of the territory. Have fun in your bubble-wrapped life where you never encounter anything that hasn't been just perfect for you.

Do me a favor and act like a human being, would you? Remember, this generation of children you look so far down upon your nose at, THOSE are the ones that will be managing YOUR retirement funds.

Baby nugget vs. the fat pants.

2011-09-14T10:07:00.002-04:00

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

I can't fit into anything comfortable. My pants are either falling down or too tight to be buttoned. My shirts pull at the tummy. I can't find the right outfit that covers everything and doesn't look like I rolled out of bed and came to work.

I can't seem to be comfortable in my own skin. I know this is a happy occasion. I know the reason my body is expanding, but I can't seem to get it to sit right in my head.

I'm still checking the scale. (I know, I know. It's supposed to be hiding under the armoire.) What's funny is, I've only gained one pound or so from the last doctor's weigh in, but I feel HUGE. Even the "fat" pants are still falling off of me. (Although that might be because I can't button them.) I can't wrap my head around gaining weight through this pregnancy. Or staying the same weight and still expanding. It doesn't compute. I'm sure maternity clothes might help with that overall feeling, and maybe even mask it a little, but it's not in my budget yet.

I'm really scared this time around. I don't want to balloon up like I did with my first child. When I think of how much I let myself go towards the end, and even after he was born... It was scary. I know I won't ever get back to being 300 lbs. but even coming close to it gives me the sweats. I have so much food and nutrition education in my head, it's hard to even eat the "bad" stuff.

I'm not always eating the best choices, but I'm certainly not overeating, or using it as an excuse to eat an entire pie. I just don't have that much room in my stomach. All of these things should be good things, right? So, why do I feel like such a damn failure when all I'm craving is a Publix Philly Cheese steak sandwich? Why am I still beating myself up for food choices when I'm NOT gaining weight? I feel like I'm doing this huge disservice to my unborn baby because I had a crappy food craving.

Part of me can't wait to start my exercise routine. Part of me is scared that I'm going to use it to stave off gaining weight. I want this to be a healthy pregnancy, and I know some weight gain (even at my size) is going to happen. I want to be okay with it, and I'm terrified I'm going to fall back into my old, compulsive ways about exercising and tracking my weight.

How do you go from a "healthy lifestyle" of losing weight, to a healthy lifestyle of gaining it? I don't have a magic solution here. I don't even have any good ideas. I have to get this out of my head.

Fast-Food Food Stamps.

2011-09-08T11:48:00.000-04:00

I was harmlessly cruising my Facebook feed this morning when I saw this from a friend of mine.

Fast Food Chains Getting Into the Food Stamp Act

This has me fucking outraged.

Some of you may know my story already. Shortly after I went back to work from maternity leave, I lost my job. Normally, this wouldn't have been much of an issue, but my husband had just left his job to stay home with the baby. We were suddenly jobless with a 3 month old baby to feed.

Family and friends helped where they could, but it wasn't enough. I sucked up my pride and I got myself to the DHS office and applied for WIC and food stamps. I ground my teeth, I hated myself but I got what I needed to feed my family. I cried for days afterwards. I never wanted to be one of "those" people, but I had to do what I needed to do to keep us fed.

Even though I was chagrined at having to take "government" money for food, I decided that I was going to buy what was best for my family. I'd seen what others on the program bought at my local grocery store. I saw the baskets FULL of top ramen, fritos, soda and junk food snacks. This money wasn't mine to begin with, I saw no reason to abuse it. I decided I would learn how to cook.

I was already an avid watcher of Food Network, but I started looking up the recipes, started writing them down and trying to make the things that previously we'd bought already made/cooked. It was a slow process and there were more than a few missteps, but I learned how to cook a full meal for my husband and myself. As my son learned to eat solid food, he ate less of the pre-made variety and more mashed up food that we were having for dinner. He learned to choose vegetables and fruit as snacks, and not crackers, cookies and chips.

That was one of the beginnings of my healthier lifestyle. As I educated myself about food, ingredients and cooking, I learned about nutrition and healthy food vs pre-packaged food. I learned the fewer ingredients on a label meant it was better. My taste buds changed. My husband's predilection for sugary breakfasts went away. He'd declare desserts too sweet. (This from a chocoholic, no less!) I saw a difference in my energy level, in my husband's demeanor, and even in my child. I literally had my eyes opened to what food is supposed to be while I was on food stamps. Luckily, I found another job and proudly turned down the food stamps when it was time for renewal, but I didn't throw away all that knowledge.

I've long been a supporter of food education. Far too many people don't understand how food, calories or even the basics of the food pyramid work. That was proved with NY's calorie labeling on menus. People don't know that 2,000 calories is plenty for people, or even how to add them up for the day. They see it as a cost benefit ratio. If I'm paying $7 for a meal, I want the most calories possible so I won't be hungry. This isn't education. It's information with no basis to the user. This article just proves there's not even an interest in food education. This is not how we should teach people to eat. This is NOT an alternative to preparing a meal. And frankly, this is not how the food assistance program should be used.

Fast food is not real food. Fast food is mass produced and built to be cost efficient for the suppliers, not the customers. It's random fillers, chemicals, sodium and saturated fat. Most of you know that fast food isn't real nutrition. We buy it sparingly because of that. But what if you're not buying it? Now that's it's essentially become free, who's to say that it's not going to be the go-to for those on food stamps? How are we supposed to educate ourselves, and our children to a healthy lifestyle by telling them it's okay to use food stamps on Taco Bell or KFC? For a family of 3, you'd get about $400 a month to spend on food. How far do you think $400 of groceries would last against $400 of fast food?

Sadly, the fast food option would win in a budget conscious household. Of course, it's cheaper to eat fast food than it is to eat healthy food. But it doesn't have to be done. Food education would last much longer than the wrappers of that fast food junk. Teaching people how to cook, how to feed themselves, how to have leftovers and how to stretch their dollar at the grocery store would serve the recipients of food stamps much more than a drive-thru. I had to teach myself these lessons, but I should not have had to. The government wants us to learn the food pyramid, wants us to buy certain foods (albeit mostly pushed by agriculture lobbyists) and wants us to keep farmer's costs down by buying their foods, but you're giving us a MUCH cheaper alternative by allowing fast food on food stamps. You can tell us it's for the ones not able to cook for themselves due to disability or age, but it's not. It's a way to cash in without having to do the leg work. It's a way to spend taxpayer dollars without having to put in the effort of education.

Think about this, most people receiving food assistance are also receiving medical assistance through the government. What would something like fast-food food stamps cost us in the obesity epidemic? What would that do to our already struggling health care coffers?

What do you think, readers. Should people on food assistance be allowed to buy fast food with their benefits?

WhatIf you did something great today?

2011-09-07T14:29:00.004-04:00

Whatif Monster, courtesy of
Michelle at whatifmonsters.com

Today's post is courtesy of the amazing Michelle. You remember her, don't you? She was my inspiration for losing weight, the artist behind this awesome giveaway and supported me to get to #fitbloggin. She's a pretty amazing human being.

She's asked me a thousand times on this journey, "what if?" What if you did something amazing? What if you found your voice? What if THIS is what you are meant to do? What if it makes it special? What if it makes you happy?

Everyone should have this amazing what if voice in their head. Everyone should have that little bright, sunshiny ray of positivity in their life. Mine happens to sound like Michelle. (Which, since you asked, sounds like a cross between Texas and Jersey.)

Michelle asked herself that recently. What if you did something amazing? What if you had a story that everyone needed to hear?

And the Whatif monster was born.

He's cute. He's cuddly, and he's there to remind you that life can turn out to be pretty awesome, if you just ask... what if?

She took a chance and it's been paying off. She's even making little Whatif monsters for you to have and hold for your very own. AND... yes, there's an and. She's even giving one away to one lucky blog commenter. All you have to do is leave a comment on her blog promising to take him everywhere with you for a week, and upload the photos to Facebook. Oh, and of course, tell her one positive thing you'd like to see in the world.

I told you she's a bright, sunshiny ray of light.

If you're not into commenting, or even Facebook. You can order one of the Whatif monsters for your very own for $25. She's running a fundraiser to get these monsters out there in world, spreading some sunshine. (Psssst, just in time for the holidays, too.)

Still on the fence? Hear Michelle read the story of Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster. In fact, plunk the little one down in front of the computer and let them hear it. Then, ask yourself.... What if?

It's finally happened....

2011-08-30T11:34:00.002-04:00

I drank the Kool-Aid. I did.

Photo courtesy
of Getty Images

I am... *gasp* ...couponing.

I got my first Sunday paper in gosh knows how long, and I started clipping away with my orange handled scissors. (The ones the rest of the family is NOT allowed to touch.) I came away with a stack of coupons, just itching to be used.

Now, don't think I'm going completely crazy. I have no illusions on this adventure. I want good food, fresh food. There will be no boxed anything, crazy ingredients, HFCS or using my child's bedroom for additional storage of paper products. This will not be an extreme coupon kind of situation.

The truth of the matter is this, I can't afford to pay $3.99 a gallon of milk anymore. Not with the rest of the groceries going up just as much. $70 a week for food doesn't last long when you have two male counterparts with hollow legs. Not to mention a hungry mama, attempting to eat healthy for two. It's just not there. So, I have to find a way to make the dollar stretch just a little farther and keep my family full and happy. It won't always be easy and I honestly hope I can make this venture work.

I've been armed with some knowledge from the most awesome Coupon Cult group in my Facebook, I have SouthernSavers.com on lockdown, there's also PassionatePennyPincher.com that I just found out about. Oh, and then for the fun stuff and even MORE coupons, there's Hip2Save.com. Oh! And did you know Whole Foods' website has coupons? AND there's Organic Deals, too. My store considers them a competitor, so I can save on some sweet organic stuff when I find manufacturer coupons to group.

See? I'm already talking the lingo. I'm totally ready for this. You all get to hop along for the ride. I'll try to post as much as I can, savings and the hauls. I want to show it's completely possible to save money and eat right.

What secret weapons do you have in your couponing?

Sucking at updates.

2011-08-22T15:18:00.000-04:00

So it's been what, two weeks since I updated. Who knew being knocked up AND chasing a 3.5 year old AND working full time AND cleaning house would be so damn exhausting?? I seriously did not know how good I had it the first time around.

After weeks of nightmares of twins (or worse!), I finally got to the appointment for the first sonogram.

Le Baby Nugget.

See that? ONE. JUST ONE. My poor doctor must have thought I was certifiable when I was almost crying from relief. Thank goodness he's used to seeing crying pregnant women in his office.

I have to tell you, I was pretty scared of this appointment. My last OB experience wasn't the best, and I was expecting flack for being overweight with this one, too. (Albeit, nearly 40 pounds lighter than when I started the first one.) I went in on the defensive, expecting to hear that I was high risk and required more tests than the average middle 30s pregnant lady.

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only was I NOT put into the high risk category, I only heard one thing pertaining to my weight. "Don't go crazy, you're still starting out at over, but if you eat right, you won't have any issues." Wow. And get this. He was even receptive to me being a healthy living blogger on top of it. (We're just not going to mention the junk food this baby is craving for first trimester. Or the pizza. Or the candy bars.) To top it all off, total weight gain this pregnancy so far… 3 lbs. (Whoo hoo!) I loved the office and the doctor. I think this is going to be a great experience. I know that VBAC might not be possible, but I know this doctor won't schedule me out of convenience. He really is going to try to do everything possible before resorting to major abdominal surgery.

This whole visit really sunk in that I am seriously going to have another kid. I keep swinging between thoughts of "oh god, what have I done" and "this is going to be amazing." I really hope I can turn out to be the mom that can swing having two kids. Wait, let me rephrase that. I hope I can be the mom that can handle having two kids well. I want to be a good mom. I want my kids to be happy, and not feel left out or neglected. I hope I can do this well enough to achieve those goals.

I'm finally starting to feel better as I head towards the 10 week mark. I'm thinking that it's just about time to hit up the prenatal yoga DVDs, too. My hips are already starting to ache but I am getting some energy back little by little. I didn't know about this stuff my first time around, so I'm really looking forward to being healthy and active throughout this pregnancy. I can't wait until this hot weather breaks and I can hit the walking trail with the little dude. That is easily my favorite part of fall, walking on our trail next to this awesome creek with my kid.

So there it is. The update, the sonogram results and where I am on this crazy journey. I still feel bad when my body craves a damn candy bar instead of fresh veggies or fruit. It's still a war in my head when I have my cravings, but I know it'll be a short one. Once the nausea subsides completely, it's back to cooking and good, healthy food.

George, you're such an arsehole.

2011-08-05T10:47:00.000-04:00

George: Psssst. You know you want to step on me. Step. On. Me. Do it. You know you want to.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

That was my scale this morning, taunting to me from beyond the bed. (Yes, his name is George.) I know what it wants. It wants me to see how much weight I've gained. It wants me to feel guilty. It's the end of a two-year downward weight trend. No matter what it says now, I know it'll be going up. Albeit for good reason, but after conditioning myself so long to be jazzed about a loss, it's hard to switch that off.

My eating habits have been erratic, I'll admit. One minute craving key lime pie so badly I can literally taste it on my tongue, the next being grossed out by the texture. There's still 3/4ths left in my fridge. (Stop the presses, there's key lime pie in my fridge and I don't want it. Clearly hell hath frozen.) I can't bring myself to eat it. Just this week I told my husband we are driving to Smyrna to go to Scalini's, I needed chicken parm NOW. (He being a pasta-vore did not object.) Are those the best food choices? Probably not. Should I be eating fruit, veggies and lean meat. You betcha. Can I stand the smell/texture/look? Not a chance.

You want to know what's kept the morning sickness at bay? Eating Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream before bed. Uh huh. I know. I've tried other things, really I have. Nothing else works. Know what I can eat for breakfast? Instant Breakfast. That's it. It's filled with chemicals and gunk, but it's the only thing that tastes right in the morning.

I know this bit it temporary. I do. I know these habits won't stay the entire time. But there's this war… this struggle to do what I'm "supposed" to vs do what my body can handle. I'm wracked with guilt. When I pick up the pizza, or the burger, I KNOW this is not what I should be eating. I know this isn't "healthy choices," but sweet mother, it's what I WANT. I'm having a hard time reconciling the two.

I know I should be exercising right now, too. I have some great prenatal DVDs thanks to the awesome Melissa McNeese, but I haven't even cracked the plastic wrapping. I just can't bring myself to move by the time I get home. I hit the couch, scarf dinner before I feel crappy again and stay put until nearly bedtime. It sucks, and it's not healthy, but it's me right now.

George, the meanie scale, will just have to wait. In fact, I think he's going to live under the armoire for a little while. He's not going to make me feel guilty that the number isn't going down. He's not going to make me feel bad that my body is changing. Whatever happens on this part of the journey, I do know that I have the power to change. I have the power to NOT be 300 lbs. I have the power to be healthy no matter what, pregnant or not.

8 Things You Should Never Say to Your Significant Other.

2011-08-03T11:11:00.001-04:00

Photo Courtesy of Getty Images.

With a title like that, you can't help but click on it, huh? Last night I was cruising the internet with my husband, and he found an article on Yahoo called 8 Things You Should Never Say To Your Husband. (Go on, go read it. I'll wait here.)

He giggled and read them out loud. We were shocked. I mean really, THIS is what it takes to get to the front page of Yahoo? He suggested I rewrite them for the more "practical" relationship. I took the challenge head on. Read below for my version of Things You Ought Not to Say To Your Husband/Wife/Girlfriend/Boyfriend/Significant Other.

My ex boyfriend/husband/lover/girlfriend didn't have a problem with it. Whatever "it" is, it's just never a good idea to outright compare. It just makes them wonder what else you're comparing.
If you don't do X, then you can just leave. Ultimatums never end up the way you want them. Outright threats don't get you very far, especially when it's something stupid, like doing the dishes or taking out the trash.
You never do anything around the house. Chances are they do, but you don't notice until it either isn't done right, or you feel put upon. It's beginning of a kitchen sink fight. You know, the ones where you throw in every infraction ever made during the course of the relationship. Those are not productive and everyone just walks away mad.
Why don't you go to the gym. This hurts way worse than if pants are flattering, this implies you don't look good ALL the time or that you aren't taking care of yourself.
You can't talk/hang out/call to X friend anymore. This rarely works in your favor, it just makes you seem like a controlling bitch. Unless the friend is dragging them to a felony, let it go.
You are so cheap. This one cuts to the bone. Men especially do not like having their significant others keep a monetary tally on them. Providing is one thing, keeping a scorecard is another.
Are you done yet? Seriously, the single most annoying thing you can ask. If they was done with whatever chore you've asked him to do, or task taken on, they'd tell you. Just be patient.
Wow, your hair is getting really thin. Men (and women), they are still vain creatures. Unless it's specifically asked, don't bring it up. Or at least find a tactful way to broach the subject. Men are just as sensitive about their hair as women are to their boobs/butt/doIlookfatinthisdress.

So there's my list, of which I am totally guilty of saying at least #3, #5 and #7.

What's on your list of not to say to your significant other?

Morning sickness lasts how long?

2011-07-26T09:17:00.006-04:00

Oh dear readers, how I had forgotten what crap morning sickness felt like. I can assure you, right now, right this very moment, I remember and it SUCKS. My mornings are now mad dashes to get everything done, ready, set up and out the door before the first wave hits. So far I'm 1 for 3. I don't remember feeling this bad with my son, but I've heard every pregnancy is different.

Which also leaves me with the capacity to go from zero to bitch in about .2 seconds. It's made my work life a little rough and my poor boss has been taking the brunt of it. I've apologized, but I'm not sure she understands that I *really* have no control over it. It's like my brain and mouth don't even belong to me. Maybe I can just work from home for the first trimester so I can actually KEEP my job, eh?

I do have some good news, though. (Amidst all the whining.) I'm hosting #FitBlog chat tonight! (9pm EST) Yay! This is seriously one of my favorite chats to moderate. The people are amazing and supportive and I just adore the conversation. It can be fast paced, but just jump in! I promise we are all friendly folk.

Tonight's topic: Faking it or Making it.
Haven't you ever wondered if people are truly being honest about how healthy they are? Do you spill it all online when you have an off day (or week)? I know I don't. Tonight is the time to fake it or make it!

Q1: How honest are we in our healthy habits?
Q2: What do we "cheat" on without telling?
Q3: What do we stick with no matter what?
Q4: Is it possible to stick to our healthy habits 100% all the time?
Do you think people that say they do are lying?

Swing on by and join us tonight at 9pm EST. Just head on over to fitblogchats.com for more info, and to join in the chat. I promise you won't regret it!

Leaving Fatville has taken a detour.

2011-07-21T10:06:00.000-04:00

Orson, the Flying Pig of
Happiness and Dreams,
courtesy of Michelle Nelson-Schmidt

Some of you may have seen the twitter announcement this week, but I'll make it formal and put it on the blog. Leaving Fatville has taken a little side trip. We're going to be passing through Hello Healthy Maternity. The Leaving Fatville household is expecting!

It's still very early, and I'm breaking all the rules by spilling the beans, but I was never very good about keeping secrets. And regardless what happens, you all will know about it. I can't help but write about what's going on in my brain.

There's actually a lot rolling around in my head. I'm an only kid, my husband is not. He had a tortuous relationship with his sister until about oh, 10 years ago. She still gets under his skin and vice versa, I'm sure. Adding another kid to my household is one very scary prospect for me. I have no desire to play referee as a mom on a regular basis. I'm sure there are personalities that just don't mix. I'm genuinely hoping that these eventual two don't have that problem. I have no idea how to deal with siblings. I didn't even have cousins my age. This will be a whole new territory for me in general.

Here's the other biggie, I had a C-section the first time 'round. I hated it. I was strapped down. I couldn't see my son cry for the first time, I didn't get to see him. He was whisked away for his first bath just like that. And then suddenly, my husband was told he had to follow him. I was stuck on a bed, alone, to wait until the anesthesia wore off. I didn't get to hold my son for the first time for hours. I was heartbroken that I didn't get to bond with him right away. Holding him so long after surgery, and still quite drugged up, I felt alien and weird. I couldn't believe that this creature I was holding was my son. I always regretted not having that birth moment with him. Getting to hold him and even going through labor. I know it's not a walk in the park, but I couldn't help but feel cheated out of that accomplishment. I think it was even worse that E didn't come out to be the 11 lbs they were predicting. He was 9 lbs. I felt like they made a rush decision and ultimately, it affected me much more than them.

This time, I'm hoping it will be different. VBACs* are becoming more popular and more widely accepted. I've made it my mission to find an OB that will help me do the same. I refuse to have a major surgery again. I'm healthy, I'm in good shape even though I'm not at goal weight. This time, I'm 50 pounds lighter than when I got pregnant with my son. I had a crappy experience with my OBs from the last time, so I won't be visiting them again. In fact, I'm searching for a new doctor. One that listens to me and doen't have a huge rotating practice.

My first appointment with a doctor is next week. We'll be talking about future plans, and I plan to see what his stance is on VBAC births. If it's a no, then I will keep searching. This is one resolution I will be keeping and you'll be along for the ride.

*VBAC stands for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean.

Grocery Listing Hauls (and a smoothie recipe!)

2011-07-19T09:12:00.000-04:00

Good morning happy Leaving Fatville readers! I was so pleased to see so much feedback on Deva's listmaking post, I've asked her to be a regular poster about it. She has graciously accepted and you'll now see grocery lists, food hauls and budgeting advice on Leaving Fatville once a month!

Why hello there! I was so excited when I was asked to come back and make my grocery lists into a regular feature, and I am excited to share some more fun about list-making with you today. While I was getting all my photographs together for this month’s list post, I realized just how well it portrayed what and how we eat in my household, based on what we plan to buy for meals, and what we end up buying for snacks.

To begin, this was the list I started with, and you can see my planned meals along the right side:

This was what we ultimately ended up buying, all for about seventy-six dollars:

Not all of it is what might be considered “healthy,” but we’re okay with that. We enjoy eating white bread, waffle fries, hot dogs, and the occasional hostess snack cake. The majority of what we brought home was fruit, vegetables, and various sources of protein, like beef and beans.

So, what to do with this grocery haul? Well, cook, of course! I put away the majority of the groceries, keeping out the quinoa, chickpeas, and tomato paste to make some chickpea quinoa pilaf, one of my favorite recipes from “Veganomicon.” It ended up being lunch nearly every day of the week, because the recipe makes a BUTTLOAD (yes, that's a technical term) of quinoa.

I like to eat this over spinach, mixed with hummus and cold, or warmed up alongside a small salad. A few dollars of quinoa and chickpeas goes a long way with this recipe!

I used some of the spinach to make countless green smoothies for breakfast. My most frequently used combination involves:

• 1 cup of milk
• 1 serving of vanilla protein powder
• 2-3 handfuls of baby spinach
• 1 frozen banana

All blended together, getting this deliciously filling, cooling summer breakfast:

I swear, you can’t taste the spinach! The banana and protein powder make this a deliciously creamy smoothie that isn’t overly sweet at all.

Finally, we turn some of the ingredients into dinner. It’s summertime, so we grill out a lot. In this case, we used the ground beef to make some amazing hamburgers, served with half of the bag of waffle fries as the side dish.

Delicious!

This is only a small sample of the things we made using the week’s grocery haul, but it was all amazing, delicious, and filling. We try to balance traditionally healthy foods with fun ones, like waffle fries, and ended up with a great mix of meals for the week, all while sticking to our budget.

Next month, be on the lookout for another list post, with this one talking about budgeting!

If one more person asks me...

2011-07-14T11:52:00.000-04:00

If I'm ready to get fat again with my second kid, I swear I'm gonna scream. What on earth makes people think this is an appropriate question to ask? Much less ask a woman that's not skinny that question. What the hell are people thinking?

I wish I could say that this was just online. Interestingly enough, it's not. These are people in my every day life that keep asking me if I'm ready to get fat again. You mean, get pregnant? Why yes, of course I'm ready. If you mean it as anything else, you had better be moving from the range of my fist.

Seriously people, I know there's weight gain associated with getting pregnant and being pregnant. I'm well aware of that fact. I've lost and kept weight off for over two years now. Do you honestly think I'm going to gain it all back JUST because I want to have another kid?

I spend a lot of time online talking about weight, diet, exercise and healthy living. I get that. I get that some people think it's open season to talk about being fat with me. But no where in real life or online is it appropriate to ask ANYONE if they are ready to get fat again.

Of course, I'm worried about getting fat again. Do I really think it's going to happen? No. I've learned so much about nutrition and health that I didn't before my first child. That knowledge isn't going to fly out the window the second I get knocked up. I plan on being active and healthy, and dare I say it, preggo.

I was 272 lbs when I got pregnant with my first child. Do you know how much I gained by the time I delivered? 23 lbs. My son's weight when he was born, 9 lbs, 1 oz. By my 4 week check up, I had lost all the weight I gained in pregnancy. Tell me, how many skinny women do you know that only gained 23 lbs during their pregnancy?

Given what I know now about food and health, and the fact that I am 50lbs lighter than I started with my first pregnancy, I think I'm well ahead of the game.

So, no, I'm not ready to get fat again. Because I won't be getting FAT. And that's that.

P.S. No, I'm not knocked up yet. Which makes this question all the more rude.