On Top of Spaghetti

Being a new mom I am carrying around more than just an adorable little monkey on my body all day. I'm also carrying around those pesky pregnancy pounds. Aside from the regular exercise regime of baby lifting, laundry lunges, and stroller power walks I have found another sure-fire way to lose weight whether it's from pregnancy or not. Move over, Atkins, South Beach, and Flat Belly. Say hello to The Crochet Diet!

Most moms will attest to the fact that when baby is awake there is time for very little else but baby. This can be good if you are trying to lose weight because there is very little time to eat anything. However, I have found that once Baby C. goes to bed at night with the sound of "On Top of Spaghetti" (one of his favorite songs) resonating in his ears, dangerous snacking can occur. Many people find themselves to be night snackers. What usually happens after dinner is over and the dishes are put away? You and millions of other Americans find themselves on the couch in front of the TV. It's time to relax and enjoy yourself. And somehow the urge to snack is overwhelming.

Some popular diets stress the importance of not eating after 7 pm. Have you ever really tried to do this? I have. I sat there. On the couch. Watching TV. My hands motionless on my lap. Something felt really strange. The universe was off-kilter. I felt so restless. That was it. I couldn't take it anymore. My head was pounding---I needed something to snack on!!! Seconds later the feeding frenzy began.

After numerous attempts to subscribe to the "no food after 7" philosophy I finally realized that what was really bugging me was not that I couldn't eat (because I actually wasn't even hungry) but that my hands were completely idle. And you know what they say about idle hands being the Devil's playthings. (Apparently the Devil can not rest unless I eat a chocolate peanut butter sundae every night).

Question: Have you ever tried to eat a bag of chips or a gooey dessert and crochet or knit at the same time? It can not be done. Even if you are really determined you will not be able to do both. Again, I've already tried it. Here's what happens: You're hands will become oily or sticky and even with careful napkin wiping you will inevitably not be able to properly grasp your needles or hook. Who wants to contend with a slippery/sticky needle while crafting? And who wants to risk soiling the item they're painstakingly creating? Hence, the birth of The Crochet Diet.

It's certainly not a novel idea to distract yourself in this way, but it took me awhile to come to this A-Ha moment. It really does work. The best part of this diet is that you can multi-task in three distinct ways: 1.) Create a beautiful handmade item 2.) Watch your favorite TV shows 3.) Lose weight by not snacking/ burning calories. According to most activity calculators, knitting/ crocheting burns around 99 calories per hour. Not too shabby. If you did this every night and changed nothing else about your lifestyle you could potentially lose 10 pounds a year. Not bad for sitting on your butt.

Usually you can tell if your diet is working by weighing yourself or trying on your clothes. With The Crochet Diet just look at the progress you're making on that lovely afghan or sweater.

I have to practice what I preach, however b/c Baby C's navy blue sweater is still missing a sleeve, and it's going on 3 weeks now. That's no surprise since I've been hitting the ice cream in the freezer pretty hard most nights. But I resolve to be better and give The Crochet Diet the focus it deserves. Besides, birthdays, baby showers, and the holidays are coming up and I have gifts that must be made...and pounds to lose.