Oh, yeah, the hours are eaten up by staring at my beautiful baby. He’s so cute! How does anyone get anything done with such a cute baby?

Anyway, I have big hopes for 2011. Jobs, health, good sleep… but the one I want to write about here & now is getting my body back.

That is such a phrase — “getting my body back.” It makes me cringe. After all, this is my body, even if, at a casual glance, I don’t recognize my reflection in shop windows. And this body has produced such marvels: two children, through trials and tribulations and labor (natural, x 2!) and months of morning sickness, back pain, and heartburn! Not to mention nursing, and the copious leg chub Emry is producing from my breast milk.

(Pause to squeeze ridiculously soft and squishy leg chub — his, that is.)

And yet… I do want my body “back.” I know it won’t be exactly what it was before. I’m okay with that (at least I am 99% of the time). My body is feeling so much better than when I was pregnant. But I am carrying a lot more weight than I would like to be, and my automatic post-partum weight loss has stopped. When Elan was about 3 months old, I had also reached a weight loss plateau. But this time I’ve plateaued at a higher number. Darn that slowing metabolism.

I feel the effects of carrying extra weight in my feet, my back, my shoulders. And I certainly see the effects. I’m talking to you, little belly that makes me still look 3 months pregnant.

My New Year’s Resolution is to lose 20 pounds and feel healthy, vital and strong, while keeping up my milk supply (meaning no drastic cleanses or crazy diets, not that that’s my style anyway). Using healthy weight loss (hello willpower), I’d like to fit back into my size 6 jeans by the summer. Wow – writing that makes me feel anxious. What if I don’t meet my goal, after I’ve announced it here, in a public forum, and everyone knows?? Confronted!

I’ve decided to come up with new plan every month. That way I don’t feel too locked into anything, and as my body becomes more fit, I can ramp up my exercise without getting injured (like the knee injury I suffered as a result of overzealous spin classes after my miscarriage). My plan for January is simple and pretty easy to follow. It’s designed to get me going, and hopefully see just enough change to inspire me to ramp it up (as opposed to feeling overwhelmed, giving up, and gorging on Nutella, which sounds mighty appealing).

Plan for January — Getting Going:

– Some exercise daily, including walks, sun salutations, stomach exercises for my diastasis.

-2-3 longer or more intense workouts a week (swimming, yoga class, cardio on the bike/eliptical at the gym)

-Max 2 sweet treats a day (1 sweet treat = 1 cookie, 1 hot chocolate, a small piece of chocolate, etc.)

-Try to reach for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein rather than seeking a quick and easy energy boost in white-flour carbs.

-Take vitamins & Omegas.

-Drink lots of water & herbal tea.

I’ve been doing this since January 10, and most days have been a success. There was that one episode with the chocolate cake. But for the most part, this month’s plan is easy and liberal enough to stick with. Ironically, the last one – drinking more water and herbal tea (because it’s hydrating, low-cal and a change of pace from H2O) – is what I’ve done the least, and it’s got to be the easiest one.

As I write this, I realize I have no idea if this kind of thing is interesting for others to read. It seems rather self-indulgent to outline my weight loss plan on my blog. But based on the number of post-partum mamas I know, and on the number of weight loss advertisements I see everywhere this month, I figure it’s a topic on a lot of peoples’ minds. And by writing it here, I will feel a need to follow up. Accountability! (And besides, a blog is rather inherently self-indulgent anyway, is it not?)

And now, a reward for those of you who have made it to the end of this post: