Baby Weight

At one point when I was pregnant, I thought that I would forever be a larger size. I thought that my hips and rib cage were forever going to be the width they were, that I was permanently just getting larger (I had heard rumors that even your feet may widen or get longer when you’re pregnant and that they'd stay that way). So at one point I started donating or giving away my clothes that I thought I would never in a million years fit into.

To my surprise, I am now healthier than I ever have been. And why is this a surprise? Well, years ago, before I was pregnant, I was a vegetarian (for over 10 years) and I thought at that time I was healthier than ever, eating mainly fruits, veggies, and some grains. However, what I have learned is that I was eating too few calories and starving my body of the nutrients it needed. I was in starvation mode and looked nowhere near starving.

One evening in January, as little Zooey slept, I was trying to find something to watch just to waste some time, and the weight loss competition The Biggest Loser was on. I had never watched the show before, and to my surprise I really got into it. I started reading success stories and specifically Jillian Michaels books. One of my favorites was Master Your Metabolism, which taught me a lot about nutrition, the body, and having a healthy home. I started following some of Michaels' suggestions or “rules,” and honestly the pounds started falling off for me. It is funny that I am actually eating more now than ever! At this point (being only 8 ½ months postpartum) I have lost over 40 pounds, and I’m now even well-under my pre-pregnancy weight! 

 

9 months pregnant/8 months after

Example Daily Menu:

Breakfast: Coffee with sugar and almond milk (45 cal a cup), small banana (50 cal), and healthy granola bar (with high protein-140 cal)

Lunch: Veggie Wrap (Spinach or Flax seed wrap-100 cal, spinach and arugula-15 cal, hummus-15 cal, green pepper-15 cal, tomato-15 cal, rosemary and red crushed pepper-0 cal)

Snack 1: Raw veggies and hummus (60 cal)

Snack 2: Handful of raw mixed nuts (200 cal)

Dinner: Baked or Grilled Chicken Salad (spinach and arugula-20 cal, baked or grilled chicken-120 cal, tomato-15 cal, pepper-15 cal, and sun dried tomato vinegrette-15 cal),  a whole-wheat bun (60 cal), and butter/margarine (30 cal)

Dessert: Chocolate almond milk (150 cal) and chocolate chip cookie (120 cal)

Water: 8+ cups

Total Calories: 1,200

In case you are wondering, for my height and depending on how much exercise I get, I eat anywhere between 1,200-1,800 calories daily. Within those calories I have some general rules I try to follow. I try to eat food that is organic/locally grown (as locavore as you can be in the Midwest), and I avoid high fructose corn syrup, Frankenfood, or really I just go by the rule, “If your great-grandparents wouldn’t recognize an ingredient as food… Don’t eat it!” One thing that you may have noticed that is missing from my diet is dairy. I am lactose intolerant, so I need to avoid it all together. So instead of cows milk I drink almond milk, which actually is quite healthy (I avoid soy milk since it has added estrogen in it which can mess with your body’s natural hormones). On that same note with drinking… I try to avoid drinking my calories, which means I try not drinking soda, juice, and alcohol. If I am in a “party” mood I may drink 1 serving (and that doesn’t mean 1 serving is a full glass—I measure out by the ounce). One last important note when it comes to eating: If you are breastfeeding, make sure you are getting enough calories (your body uses additional calories breastfeeding so make sure you compensate for that).

If for some reason I’m low on calories for the day, or if I just want a tasty treat, I’ll make a special smoothie inspired by my favorite coffee house:

Ingredients:

-Sufficient ice for blending

-2 scoops chocolate protein powder

-1 banana

-2 TBSP peanut butter

-Almond milk (amount based on personal preference)

Simply combine ingredients in a blender and blend well!

Exercise is an important part of healthy living as well. Here's what I usually do.

Example Weekly Exercise:

Monday: 1-2 mile outdoor walk, Yogalates (Yoga and Pilates Combo)

Tuesday: 1-2 mile outdoor walk, 5k jog/run, weight training (using body for weights)

Wednesday: 1-2 mile outdoor walk, 5k jog/run, weight training (using body for weights)

Thursday: 1-2 mile outdoor walk

Friday: 1-2 mile outdoor walk, Power or Vinyasa Yoga (Intermediate to Advanced levels)

Saturday: 1-2 mile outdoor walk

Sunday: 1-2 mile outdoor walk, 5k jog/run, weight training (using body for weights)

What!?! No rest day you exclaim? Well… it IS true. I don’t typically have “rest days,” mainly because taking Zooey on a walk is a staple in our afternoons, and honestly we both enjoy it so much that it doesn’t feel like exercise! You may also note that I tend to go between practicing yoga and running. I have practiced yoga for over 10 years now and love it. Not only does it help with flexibility, but it also requires a lot of body strength to hold a pose. As for running…running used to be hard—really hard. I thought that I wasn’t built to be a runner, but when I stopped trying to run for speed, and started running for me...I could run. I found a comfortable pace and started there. When I first started running I was at a comfortable 13-minute mile pace and now I can run comfortably around an 8:40 minute mile! Oh and a good running mantra helps! Mine is “You are a runner.” It seems silly, but when I doubted myself I would say, “You can’t do this. You’re not a runner.” And so sometimes when it gets hard (if I’m in a 10 mile race, for example) I may have to tell myself my mantra over and over again until it sticks and gives me the confidence to finish!

While I'm no Jillian Michaels, I'm a a great example of the fact that, with healthy eating and exercise, it is possible to look and feel your most fabulous self!