When people are dissatisfied with their appearances, they tend to do a lot of checking. This might include frequent weighing and endless scrutiny in the mirror. The problem with these behaviors is that they rarely make us feel good. In fact, a “bad” weight on the scale, or a particularly bad glance of tummy fat in the mirror can color our moods for the rest of the day. And, negative moods can actually cause us to overeat – a surefire way to fail at losing that baby weight!  If you find yourself doing a lot of body checking, stop it! Get rid of your scale and if you need to, cover up your mirrors. Judge your day on what you did, not on how much you weighed or how you looked.

Before becoming a mom, how did you evaluate yourself? Did you evaluate yourself based on your career successes? How much money you earned? How well you did in a leisure activity like running or painting? Evaluating how you are doing as a mom is tricky – there is no measurable metric of success like a monthly paycheck or a job promotion. This uncertainty can lead some new moms to become preoccupied with their shape and weight. Getting back to one’s pre-baby weight or fitting into one’s size six jeans are measurable metrics of “success”. Consider, however, whether you are focusing on this stuff because you miss things you had in your life before having a baby. Do you miss your old hobbies? Have you stopped doing community service that you used to really feel good about? Do you miss going to work every day? Give some thought to what is missing, and get it back in there if you can. Similarly, give yourself a pat on the back for your success as a mom.