There are many times during my first pregnancy where I was proven to be very naive and ignorant about the whole procreating process. One of those moments was when I foolishly expected all my "baby weight" to exit my body right along with my daughter. I mean, I'm not pregnant any more so everything should be back to normal, right? Wrong.
There is a photo of me being rolled out of the hospital in a wheelchair with my daughter in my lap, and I have a circa 25-weeks-preggers belly hanging out from underneath my tank top and over the edge of my sweatpants. Did they leave another kid in there or something? And, could none of my many loved ones who were present help a sister out and pull my shirt down for me when so many cameras were going off? Anyway, I digress.
The truth is, getting your pre-baby body back is no easy task, especially when your former free time is now 100% occupied with pumpings, changings, and feedings. Luckily, I found a way to get back to fighting weight pretty quickly, and if you're interested I will tell you how to do it too. I'm not gonna lie--it's not easy. But, if you can muster up a bit of self-discipline, convince yourself that you're not allergic to exercise, and put down the ice cream sandwich (you don't have the "I'm eating for 2" excuse anymore...) then you can do it too.
1. CUT CALORIES WITH SUBSTITUTIONS: Will you really notice if you use fat-free half & half in your coffee instead of cream? Probably not. And you just saved yourself 35 calories. Substitute for the low-fat or fat-free versions of several other foods you use on the daily basis, and the calorie savings can really add up. Consider switching: reduced-fat mayo for regular mayo, fat-free milk for whole or 2%, low-fat sour cream for regular sour cream, frozen yogurt for ice cream, ground turkey for ground beef, turkey bacon for pork bacon, and reduced-fat cheeses for regular cheese. The calorie savings can really start to add up.
2. STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND EXERCISE: Real weight loss results will come with a combination of healthy eating and exercise. Sorry ladies, but one without the other won't get you as far. Yes, it's hard to find alone time to get to the gym, and most of us don't have the money or room for a home gym. But, there are plenty of workout routines you can do at home with little or no equipment. There's a reason that exercises like push-ups, lunges, squats, and crunches are workout classics; they get results. And the bonus is, there's no fancy equipment required. Add a few dumbbells, which are very inexpensive, to add more resistance. There are also plenty of websites that will help you customize your at-home workout and give you ideas for new equipment-less exercises to add to your routine. I used Women's Health Magazine's site to get pre-designed workouts. I also subscribed to their magazine which is chocked full of healthy & delicious recipes, workout tips, and nutritional advice.
3. BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR BEVERAGE CHOICES: Would you believe that a Starbucks Grande Vanilla Latte contains 250 calories? Or one bottle of VitaminWater contains 100-125 calories and almost as much sugar as a can of Coca-Cola? Sometimes our beverage choices that we think are harmless are completely sabotaging our daily calorie count. Opt for water and add lemons or limes to add more flavor. Or choose a low-calorie sports drink option such as Gatorade's Propel which contains only 25 calories per bottle. Also, consider adding Green Tea to your beverage repertoire. Green Tea has been proven to rev up your metabolism, inhibit fat absorption, and regulate glucose levels. I'm talking good ole' plain, unsweetened Green Tea. There are some hopped up, sugary versions on the market that are just as bad as sodas. And for your happy hour selection, pass on the margarita which contains on average 450 calories. Consider a glass of white wine (100 calories) or a vodka and diet tonic (65 calories).
4. REWARD YOURSELF: If you're constantly feeling deprived or hungry, you're more likely to splurge and overindulge. So, reward yourself periodically. For me, the weekends are off-days. I do my best when I stay disciplined and make healthy food choices during the week and let myself indulge a little on the weekends. It gives me something to look forward to and prevents awful cravings from taking over and ruining my progress. Another trick I read about is buying yourself some cute new workout clothes, wrapping them up like a gift, and then setting it out in your house where you'll see it everyday. Give yourself a goal to reach and open your gift when you reach it. The idea is to reward yourself for all your hard work and self-discipline. Find what rewards work best for you.
5. INSPIRE YOURSELF: Again, you have to find what personally inspires you. For me, it was trying on my "before" jeans everyday (even though they didn't fit) to remind me how much I wanted to fit into them again. There were sometimes tears involved, but it did keep me focused on my goal. Also, for added cruelty, I cut out a picture of a Victoria's Secret model and taped it inside my refrigerator. Looking at that skinny bitch when I was hunting for a carb fix was a definite deterrent.
6. SET REALISTIC GOALS: If you gained 75 pounds during your pregnancy, it's unreasonable to expect yourself to get your pre-baby body back in a month. Talk to your doctor about what a healthy rate of weight loss is, and make that your goal. A goal isn't really a goal unless you write it down. So, write it down and hold yourself accountable.
7. KNOW YOUR WEAKNESSES: Get honest with yourself about what will hinder you in reaching your goals. For me, I know that I have no willpower when it comes to eating. So, if I'm hungry and I open my fridge to see cookie dough, chances are there's a spoonful of it going in my mouth soon in lieu of apple slices. Therefore, my real battle is at the grocery store. I know that if I make bad choices at the store, I won't be able to control my urges at home. I try to make a list and stick to it!
8. DON'T TRY TO DO IT ALONE: When someone else knows about your goal, it encourages accountability. If you quit or slack off, it helps to have someone to call you out on it. So, enlist a friend to share goals with or ask her to be your workout buddy. Talk to your spouse about practicing healthier lifestyle choices together. (He may have a little gut to lose, too.) Or join a weight-loss center such as Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers.
9. FIND HELPFUL RESOURCES: As I mentioned, use websites to customize your workouts. Use a weight-loss center to help. Search for websites that offer delicious, healthy recipes and build your shopping list from those recipes.
10. REMEMBER, YOU'RE HELPING YOUR WHOLE FAMILY: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a priceless gift to give to your children. Like me, you've probably seen obese parents on Dr. Phil pleading for help because they just have no idea why their 8-year-old is 140 pounds. And then they blame the kid for sneaking into the kitchen at night and eating a whole box of Little Debbie cakes. It's all I can do to not throw the remote at the TV and say, "Why the hell are you buying Little Debbies?!? If they're not in the house, the kid can't eat them!" Children are "monkey see, monkey do" kind of creatures. They learn by example, so do them and yourself a favor by setting a good one.
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