I gained 40 pounds with my last pregnancy, twice the amount I gained with my first. With my first pregnancy I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and was on a very restrictive diet. I consumed very little carbs during that pregnancy and avoided desserts of any kind. It was tough. I actually remember my husband ordering a huge slice of pizza from Costco and me crying because I couldn’t have any. It was very tough, especially with crazy pregnancy hormones and cravings, but I stuck with it for the health of my baby. During my last pregnancy, however, it was a different story. Nothing was off limits and all my body wanted was carbs, carbs, and more carbs….and sugar. I often felt guilty with just how crappy I was eating, but the carbs seemed to help with the horrendous nausea I was experiencing. My body wanted nothing to do with vegetables; even the thought of them made me sick. So I stuffed my face with carbs and ended up heavier than I had ever been in my life.
After having my son in late March 2014, my body, to me, was a mess. I gave myself time to heal and then got serious about getting my body back in time for summer. I had my ups and downs, but have finally developed a diet and workout routine that has helped me go from 160 to 115 pounds and I feel great!
So, how did I do it?
After eating anything and everything I wanted when pregnant, the first step was portion control. I also identified my trigger foods, foods that triggered overeating. That meant no more maple almond butter in the house (I seriously can eat a whole jar in just a day) or easy grab-and-go snacks like granola bars that I often found myself binging on due to simple convenience. I also cleared out a lower shelf in the food pantry to store my 2-year-old’s snacks so that they were out of my sight and easy for her to access by herself. I often found myself snacking along with her or finishing up the food on her plate that she didn’t eat, so that had to change! I changed the home screen wallpaper on my computer to a picture of me in a bikini prior to having children for motivation and to remind me of how great I felt at that size. I utilized the free MyFitnessPal app to track my daily caloric intake and made sure I tracked every bite regardless of how big or small it was, including the handful of jelly beans or spoonful of ice cream I would steal from my daughter when she wasn’t looking. I had my slip ups, but I would use the MyFitnessPal app to adjust my caloric intake for the day so as to not go over my limit. I am exclusively breastfeeding my son, so I had to take that into account so I wouldn’t affect my milk supply. To do so, I would add “breastfeeding” to the snack category when tracking my calories which would subtract calories from my daily intake, anywhere from 50-500 depending on how long I nursed.
With 2 small children, finding time to exercise is nearly impossible, but my husband and I alternate days and give each other time to exercise when he comes home from work. I have been doing vigorous 30-minute cardio workouts on a stationary bike as well as a little strength training with 8-pound hand weights and yoga when I can. Certainly not near as much exercise as I’d like, but something is way better than nothing. I also wear my 15-pound baby in a carrier quite often which is a good workout!
And that’s how I did it.
No expensive gym memberships, fancy weight loss bars or shakes; just the very basics, a healthy diet, minimal exercise, self control and determination. The main thing was changing my mind in how I looked at food. Viewing food as fuel for your body will make you think twice about what you’re putting in your mouth.
Remember, you are what you eat.
Here’s a sample menu of what I typically eat. I eat mainly a high-protein vegetarian diet, although I do eat fish and chicken on occasional as well.
BREAKFAST
1/4 cup (dry) steel-cut oats with 1/2 cup fresh blueberries and 1 tbsp chia seeds, prepared with 1 cup vanilla almond milk
OR
3 scrambled eggs prepared with a splash of skim milk, salt and pepper
1/2 avocado, diced
1 slice sprouted honey wheat bread
Coffee sweetened with vanilla almond milk
12 oz glass of water
MID-MORNING SNACK
1 cup Fage 0% Greek yogurt with fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries…organic, of course!)
12 oz glass of water
LUNCH
2 cups dark leafy greens topped with 5 sliced strawberries, 2 tbsp goat cheese, 1/2 cup canned lentils or chickpeas (great source of fiber and protein!) and 1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
Bowl of fresh fruit
12 oz glass of water
MID-AFTERNOON SNACK
2 sticks of string cheese
Handful of almonds
12 oz glass of water
DINNER
Roasted portobello mushroom cap marinated in balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste
OR
Baked/grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast, lightly seasoned
1 cup steamed brussels sprouts
2 cups dark leafy greens topped with 1/4 of an avocado, 1 sliced beet, and 1 tbsp red wine vinaigrette
12 oz glass of water
EVENING SNACK
1 cup Fage 0% plain Greek yogurt with fresh berries
12 ounce glass of water
I maintain this menu plan during the week and try new recipes on the weekends. We often go out for brunch either Saturday or Sunday, but I make sure to order as healthy as possible, meaning grilled salmon with roasted asparagus or a garden omelet (avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes) with no cheese and a side of fresh fruit.
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