I have struggled with my weight my entire life — sometimes less successfully (hello, cooking school in Paris) and sometimes much more successfully. Prior to becoming pregnant, I can’t remember a single time in my life that I wasn’t on a diet or some special workout kick, or whatever it might be.

This led me to a lot of unhealthy choices. I remember in high school sneaking Dexatrim or 48-hour miracle juice from Walgreens in my mom’s shopping cart, hoping she wouldn’t notice at the register.

But now, I am a little over six months pregnant and I have gained about 30 lbs. That puts me on track to gain a whopping 45 lbs. this pregnancy — and I have my fingers crossed that that’s all.

As someone who has spent her life weighing daily, to see the numbers creeping up on the scale would have felt debilitating. It would have created a level of stress that only those that struggle with their weight can truly understand. The concept of trying to lose 45 lbs. after that baby pops out, at a time in a woman’s life when she is the most ill-equipped to lose it, I honestly can’t imagine how hard it would be.

But I feel........

© The Hill