Wednesday, 09 January 2013
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Eating Right ≠ Eating the Right Foods
Unless you are one of those women with amazing genes whose body resumes its pre-pregnancy state shortly after having a baby, you should be able to appreciate this. My last baby was born 5 years ago (*sniff*) and I still feel like I'm coming to terms with what my body looks like now. It's not a weight issue for me - I weigh less now than I did before my first child was born (11 years ago, for those of you who like numbers). It's a skin issue, as in it's been stretched to infinity (and beyond) not once, not twice, but four times.
Everything I've read has said there is no way to tone the abdomen enough to counteract loose skin. Everything points me to plastic surgery as the only option. The thing is, I really don't think it is an option for me. I don't begrudge those who have had it - one of my sisters decided breast implants were the way to go after nursing four babies and another sister is having a consult with a surgeon this month to talk about the same thing (plus the "mummy tummy" zone). And I support them 100% because I know how hard it is to see the lasting changes pregnancy and breastfeeding can inflict on your body.I've never given a tummy tuck or implants serious thought because, well, there is no way our one income family could afford it. Even if we had the expendable income, I just don't know if I could get over the guilt of spending thousands of dollars on my appearance when I could give that money to someone who actually needed it to live. There are also the risks associated with surgery - what if I died on the operating table and left my family to cope with their loss all for the sake of a flat stomach?
All of these ponderings led me to think about my diet. What if I could improve my skins elasticity via nutrition as I continued to work on the muscles underneath? I'm sure I'll never get the "perfect" stomach this way, but it has totally changed my perspective on how I approach eating. Like many people, I think I eat right *most* of the time, but that isn't the same as eating the right foods. So, I'm asking myself questions I've never asked before like, "What do I want from my body in terms of appearance? In terms of performance? In terms of health?"
All my life, any attempts at controlling what I eat have been based on appearance (being thin) and very rarely based on health. I think I'm done with that nonsense. I have a deep desire to find out which foods are going to help my body achieve the goals I will set for it. Now to figure out what those goals are (sagging issues being a given)!
How do you feel about plastic surgery for moms?
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- From: anj77@xanga
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Comments (8)
I want bigger boobs. I don't think plastic surgery is wrong at all either. I would love to lose the roll I have over my cesarean scars too and I'm not sure anything but surgery could fix that. But as it is, I have to love myself as I am unconditionally, and so although I would love to have plump jumbawumbas and no roll, it's okay and I'm not depressed about it.
As far eating right, you have to watch the movie Hungry for Change. I have changed my diet to a primarily plant based diet and am losing weight quickly as well as feeling amazing. I also eat more than ever but because I am eating foods my body knows how to use, it does not turn into fat.
@Kuai_le1010@xanga - I know right where you're coming from with the desire to have fuller "jumbawumbas" (that's a new one for me! ;) I'll have to check out that movie. Hopefully it's on Netflix.
I haven't had any kids yet but it's one of my biggest fears to just not have the same body as before. I'm 25 now and I'm starting to feel like that way, I'm pretty slim but things are wobbly , I want it right but I'm definitely gonna check this movie out. I wana make my foods work for me.
I had my son later, so I'm 36 now. I eat right (paleo/primal blueprint), exercise, and live a healthy-minded lifestyle. No, my body is nowhere near what it once was. I used to be a personal trainer in weightlifting in my early 20s. But you know what? Life is good. My husband loves my body in spite of it's imperfections, extra curves, flabby skin, and massive stretch marks. It carried a human being. I am not against plastic surgery, but it's not for me. I'm too natural-minded. This is the body God gave me. I treat it like a temple. I'm proud of what it's been through. Image obsession is not something I want to pass on to my son.
I don't have children yet, but that's not to say that I never considered plastic surgery. I like to think that reconstructive surgery, such as that might be needed after some kind of accident to correct what got damaged is acceptable. However, if a woman is compelled to, feels that surgery will make them feel better about how they look, has the money to reasonably have procedures done, and knows the health risks of doing so, it really is none of my business what other women do to their own bodies. I think plastic surgery should be the last resort--padded bras can't help, nor will diet and exercise. There's no such thing as a quick fix for anything.
I know what you mean...it's hard to spend the money on ourselves. I had a breast reduction paid through social health care system. But if I had to fork over the money myself?
You might want to look into "Why We Get Fat" and "Good Calorie, Bad Calorie" by Gary Taubes and "Wheat Belly" by Dr William Davis. Sadly, there isn't a whole lot you can do, food wise, to restore the elasticity/reduce sagging of stretched out ab skin, but you can keep your skin (and the rest of you) healthy through a low carb/high fat way of eating. It is tough though when so much of the (western) world thinks oranges, bread, cereal, pasta, etc is "healthy".
I haven't had kids, but I don't envy your situation. May I ask what your skin care regimen was during pregnancy?
@lyrra_askavi@xanga - I was so freaked out about getting stretch marks with my first pregnancy that I smeared this nasty ointment ("Bag Balm") all over my belly every night and had to wear the same T-shirt because the oils in it stained clothing. Thinking about that now gives me a good laugh! I thought it had been worth it because near the end of my pregnancy I didn't have a single stretch mark...that I could see. Apparently, a few creeped up on me on the underside of my belly and I didn't notice them undtil after delivery. Anyways, stretch marks aren't really my problem - stretching is. I guess I don't have great genes when it comes to skin elasticity.