3500 Calories

There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat.  I shouldn't have, but I looked it up.  I knew that losing one pound per week was a reasonable way to lose weight.  But it's always nice to think you can be an over-achiever and lose more than that.   You think other people dieting aren't as serious as you are and surely you can lose weight faster.  Dieting isn't fun, we all want it to be over, so losing faster will be better, right?

Now I understand why it's only a pound a week.  First, in order to lose weight, you have to eat less calories than your body metabolizes each day.  In my case, I probably only need 1800 calories a day to maintain my weight.  That's 12,600 calories per week.  To lose a pound of excess body fat, I'd have to cut that by 3500 calories each week.  So to lose a pound per week I have to stick to 9100 total calories, or 1300 calories per day.  

To lose two pounds each week, I'd have to cut my daily caloric intake to 800 calories, and that's not enough to be a healthy mom of two.  So a pound a week looks to be the way it's going to be.

So, reality check... check.  Looks like this diet, in order to be reasonable and something I can maintain after I stop dieting, is going to take a while longer than I'd like.  The good news is, I'll reach the weight I was before I got pregnant with my son before I hit my final target weight and I have plenty of clothes I can fit into then.    But it looks like it's going to be the beginning of summer before I make it all the way.

The Big Boy Update:  Climbing, climbing, everywhere.  When he wants to get into something or over something he lifts his leg up really high.  He does this even if he has no chance of getting in or out of his target.  It's starting to pay off though.  For example, two nights ago he had a painful diaper rash and was suddenly terrified of the bath.  Sheer willpower helped him climb out of the tub, twice.  He managed to climb on and off the coffee table today and last night he climbed out of his pen.  It looks like it's going to be hard to contain him soon.  I am just glad he can't work door knobs yet.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My husband and I swapped "primary children" today.  I don't think he realized just how much she smiles and laughs when you play with her.  She is very adorable.  So much so, you have to be careful not to distract her when she has a bottle because she'll stop eating, get distracted and smile at you if she thinks you're trying to communicate.

Right-size countdown:  14.2 pounds to go