Before I tell you about my weight loss journey, I think it's really important to address the fact that I first had to learn to accept my new weight, and all the changes that come along with the postpartum body e.g. stretch marks, loose skin, and going up about 3 bra cup sizes! (lol)
If I'm being completely transparent with you, soon after having my son, I was so unhappy with the body I saw in the mirror. Words like “unattractive”,“unappealing” and “fat!” were all I could hear in my head when I saw my reflexion. I was so unhappy with the woman I was becoming! I was anxious, I felt depressed and unattractive, and I had all these emotions along with the added responsibility of being a new mum. And yes, I felt guilty for feeling this way, but that was my truth.
It took me journalling and writing to find myself again; I found so much satisfaction in writing down how I felt and listing out my goals along with how I could achieve them.
So, the moment you've been waiting for... What I've been doing!
1. Drinking at least 2 litres of water a day. I've increased my water intake and some days I could drink up to 3 litres. Yes! You will be peeing ALOT! But it's worth it. And try to drink a glass before every meal – this helps you to feel fuller without over-indulging on food. Tip: Get yourself an app to track how many glasses you've had in a day – it's a great way to stay on track and remain accountable (I use my Fitbit® app) – or invest in a 2L flask and fill it with water at the beginning of the day.
2. Consuming fewer carbs and eating replacing them with wholegrain options and veg. I've cut out bread, pasta, rice, beans etc. and I've replaced it with foods like brown rice/ cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles and salads. I try to keep my net carb intake to less than 50grams. Tip: Again, get yourself an app to track daily progress. I track my intake using the Carb Manager® app.
3. Meal Prep and Avoiding Take-Out. I try to (if my son lets me!) prepare my meals at the beginning of the week to stop me from making impulsive food choices. I try my best to have home cooked meals, and if I do eat out I'll research the restaurants food menu in advance, to plan what I can eat.
4. Intermittent fasting. This is a pattern of eating where you cycle between periods of fasting and eating. I (typically) follow the 16:8 method where I fast for 16 hours in a day and then have an 8 hour eating window. So my first meal will typically be at 12pm and my last meal will be no later than 8pm. For me, this method helps me to stay disciplined and to not eat out of boredom.
5. High Intensity Interval Training (HITT). Exercise is an obvious solution for weight loss, but more specifically, HITT has not only helped me to lose weight but it has drastically improved my fitness levels. Tip: Search on YouTube or Instagram for some HITT routines that you can follow and do at home (e.g. FitnessBlender on YouTube has great full body HITT workouts). If you're not the kind of person who can work out at home, it's worth investing in a gym membership.
6. Love yourself through the journey! As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I realised that beauty – and how 'attractive' I looked – was so much more than simply what I saw in the mirror, but was rather to do with my temperament, my intelligence, my 'giftings', my personality, my demeanour. So when I began to love me again, I was able to work on losing the weight, and at present I have been able to lose a total of 53 lbs!
Remember, it is possible to love yourself whilst working on bettering yourself. And, as I always say; You've got this! xo