Help! Crazy weight gain!

[WhiteHorse]

I am surely going to be in big trouble now, I have gained almost 25 pounds already and only 22 weeks. See the problem here is that 1. I just turned 40, 2. its winter and I hate hate hate the cold weather and have no motivation other than to hibernate, 3. I have low blood pressure and feel like only sleeping and eating... 4. the holidays really killed me with all that great food. What can I do now? Should I "diet" at this point? I was breastfeeding until I got pregnant and used to eating whatever I wanted, and therefore really out of the mode of restricting. Doctor seemed a little concerned but not overly worried, just told me to take it easy. What is the best way to handle this?

[Evergreen]

I have also gained 22 lbs and that was at 16 weeks.

[myk]

i gained a whole lot in the beginning and leveled off after a while. instead of going on a diet, try focusing on what foods you're eating/lacking. i could happily eat pot roast, gravy, mashed potatoes, and 3 desserts every day. make that twice a day. you know what i mean. in the beginning i was completely ravenous. what helped was trying to divert my tastebuds to something less calorific - focusing on trying to get more vegetables or soups than usual, and limiting (but not eliminating) treats. the minute i tell myself i can't have something, that's when my brain gets obsessive and if i DON'T eat it, nobody will want to be within a mile radius of me!

i can't remember exactly but i'm sure i gained 15 lbs in the first 8-10 weeks, or thereabouts. i got sick later on and lost weight but when i regained my health my weight gain has been quite reasonable - 1/2 lb a week, sometimes 1 lb a week.