HOUSEHOLD 6 (Life as a Military Wife)

Since I have stopped smoking (Jan 4, 2010) food has become my new crutch. I had already started gaining weight back last summer (right before I turned 30) and within 1 year (since last March) I have managed to gain 30 pounds. This coming from someone who use to have trouble gaining weight and had always up until the age of 23 had been underweight. When I turned 23 and had my 4th child, I was finally normal weight (145 pounds). I stayed between 145 and 150 up until a year ago when out of no where little by little the pounds started piling on.

So when I stopped smoking in January I knew I was in for trouble. And about a month ago I decided to do something about it and started counting calories. I try to stay on a 1200 calorie diet. I at first, felt like I was starving myself and became very moody add that to the nicotine withdrawals and you have Major __insert bad word here__.

So I started doing as much research as I could. I knew I needed to cut down on calories, watch my carbs and trans fat, cut down on sugars, and work out more. I also knew there was no way in hell I could do that all at once. So little by little I have cut empty calories out of my life and started working out more. Whenever I am hungry I reach for my water bottle instead. I read somewhere that most of us will confuse hunger with thirst. Usually a couple of gulps from my water bottle does the trick and I am no longer hungry. I have quit drinking coffee in the mornings and have cut my cola consumption to about 1 Dr. Pepper a week. I have also replaced all my refined breads and pastas with whole wheat.

Speaking of whole wheat. I hated it as a kid, and I knew for sure that this was going to be what sucked the most for me. Turns out whole wheat tastes just the same as white bread. At least to me anyway. So what was my problem when I was a kid?

So I would like to thank my husband for not only putting up with my moodiness when I quit smoking, but also my moodiness when I decided to loose weight and cut out sweets from my life. But then again I "put up" with his PTSD, so I guess it evens out, lol

As of today I have lost 5 pounds. I now weigh 175. I'm 5' 9" so I am not "that" overweight and everyone tells me I look great, but my waist line has expanded and that is my biggest issue.