I will reiterate something I said, though, and which you also put in your response: the important thing IS that you feel better about yourself. If losing weight help, then GREAT. (Hey, I wouldn’t mind being a little lighter than 150 lbs — I just don’t think it’s disgusting, is all.)

But remember to be gentle with yourself, too. If you’re eating better AND you’re fit enough to be RUNNING MARATHONS, for crying out loud, I think you’re doing great on the health front.

Yes. I know. It’s all in the eye of the beholder. First, let me say, I, personally, would NEVER think any weight gained during or from a pregnancy was fat. But, I can’t say. I’ve never been pregnant. AND that isn’t a personal choice.

I am obviously having issues other than my weight…will they make it on my blog? I doubt it. Maybe by creating my new category: Living Out Loud, I’m sort of challenging myself to get them out there. I don’t really know if they are blog fodder though. Some things are well–too much.

Thanks for the tips on sugar and tea. In 2004 when I was paying attention to my eating habits, I found I did well if I ate my carbs (whole grain toast) with protein in the morning, maybe some light carbs at lunch, with only protein and fiber at dinner.

I don’t know what started the sugar thing with me. I do know it started last September though. At least I know if I’m making conscious decisions about what I eat, rather than what I’ve been doing lately, I also feel better about myself.

And that is my main goal I think. Feeling better about myself.

I’ve calmed down somewhat since I read this post this morning, but let me say that I found it pretty insulting. Before I got pregnant with Halia, I weighed 150 lbs, and I don’t care who knows it. Even if the “official” numbers say I was (and am) overweight, I don’t think anyone looked at me and thought, “Ugh, she’s fat!”

By the fact that you are certainly taller than me AND that you just ran a marathon and therefore undoubtedly have more muscle mass than I have, I doubt anyone looks at you and thinks you’re fat, either.

It’s true that you have to be comfortable in your own skin. If you don’t feel healthy, great that you’re doing something about it. But don’t let the number “151″ influence you into feeling worse than you have to, that’s ridiculous.

I had the same problem with the Bridget Jones book, btw. It was a fun and easy read, but the “OMG, I weigh 77 lbs, I’m sooo fat!” part was disgusting.

*sigh* Now that that is out of my system, I have a few things to add for your weight loss plan…

- Sugar is by far a worse enemy than fat. One week while I was pregnant with Jade I was forced to lay off refined sugar and that was the only week I actually lost weight in my pregnancy. (Duh! Losing weight is not generally recommended during pregnancy.) Anyway, I didn’t think I ate much sugar to start with, so giving up that little bit and having such a dramatic result really opened my eyes. When I tried it again after giving birth, it totally kick-started the weight loss.

- Some recent studies show that having more protein and less carb for breakfast enhances weight loss.

- Drink a cup of green tea every day — it boosts your metabolism. You will burn more calories without even doing anything extra.

Good luck, Jen.