Weight

My weight history:

In high school I weighed around 145lbs and considered it a healthy, athletic weight.
I went off to college and gained some Freshman weight, oscillated between 150-155 lbs. If I put any effort into losing it whatsoever (like giving up soda for lent), I would drop it off easily.
I went to Europe in Spring 2005 and gained a ton because of yummy food, got up to 160-165, but I lost it rapidly when I got home and went back to oscillating between 150-155.
At the end of 2005 I got engaged and made a New Years Resolution to work out, took a step class (loved it!), cut back on soda and snacking, and dropped weight, gained muscle, it was awesome. I got down to my goal weight of 145 lbs, which I still considered my healthy weight, and then kept dropping weight as the wedding day approached. On my wedding day I weighed an amazingly light, sleek, sexy, slender 142 lbs.
Of course that weight did not stay off and was happy to stay around 150. I went to grad school and used the gym regularly but not hardcore. Then I slacked off for a while and gained weight, got up to 155, maybe 160. I made an attempt to lose this weight again, but it wouldn't come off even with some better attempts on diet and gym.
In 2009 I was diagnosed with hypothyroid, which explains the sudden inability to lose weight. I was hovering around 160 pretty much no matter what I did.
I gradually crept up to 165-168 range because I was trying to get pregnant and did not want to exercise too hard or limit calories too much. I finally got pregnant and had said that this range (165-168) is my pre-pregnancy weight. At 5'8", this is the cusp of overweight w/a BMI of 25.5.
Through the first trimester I gained almost no weight, maybe a couple of pounds. I had moderate weight gain in the second trimester, and then put on a ton in the third trimester. DH and I watched in suspense as my weight crept towards 200lbs. When I hit that, we watched for it to reach 203, so I would weigh the same as football player Barry Sanders at the peak of his career (he was also 5'8"). I did hit 203. I even had one weigh in at 206, but I would say my end pregnancy weight was 203-204 lbs. In other words, I gained a total of around 40 lbs.

So what is this post really about? It was spurred by finally having a chance today to get a post-partum weight. I had no idea what to expect. I feel relatively slender all considered. My belly is down to "pooch" size, and I don't see exactly where weight needs to come off. Today my friends came to visit and I had them bring a scale, as ours has been out of commission for quite awhile. The results? 172 lbs. Holy Crap. I never imagined it would be so low!! I mean, it could be off by a few pounds, but any number in that ballpark is amazing! I guess it really was the "right kind" of pregnancy weight (all baby and water etc).

That means that I only have 5-10 lbs to lose to be at my pre-pregnancy weight. And my "pooch" is still shrinking on its own. AND, according to my husband, all my weight gain is currently in my boobs. LOL. Granted, in an ideal world I will keep losing beyond 165 lbs  and get back down to 155 at least... but, its nice having such a great starting point.