10 tips on losing the baby weight

 

My baby is made of fried chicken.

I started my third pregnancy thinking I would not gain that much. You know, try to stay in the 25-35 recommended gain range. I really got off on the wrong foot though because the night before I found out I was pregnant I made my husband go pick up Popeye’s spicy thighs. It was just a snowball effect from there. Stews, BBQ, big batches of rich soups, more fried chicken, more ribs, 50 pounds- 6 1/2  pounds of baby.

I have now lost 56 pounds and recently worked with a certified health coach to correct some body issues I was having. (really bad joint pain, tiredness and just feeling like the life was being sucked from my bones because of nursing)

This is how I did it, but realize I am not a dietician. I have not done all the research. There is SO much false information and fad diets out there, so if these tips help you then that is great, but you need to do what works for your body.

1. Start walking

I walked during my pregnancy about 15 miles per week. I took a break after delivering for 4 weeks and then I started walking 4 miles a day 5 days a week. I went back to work and I was able to bring Phoebe with me so I just turned my commute into my exercise time. I hate public transportation and I won’t pay for parking downtown so my daily exercise kind of became non-negotiable. I wasn’t getting home unless I did the walk.  If I didn’t have this commute to do I would probably find places to go where I had to walk to get there. It helps to bring the baby in either a baby carrier or stroller. Extra resistance and weight burns more calories.

I'll only do the really steep hills every once in a while

I’ll only do the really steep hills every once in a while

2. Don’t “diet”- enjoy your food

Something I learned a long time ago is that you need to find a way to eat or diet that you would be willing to do the rest of your life. I know I would never be able to do Paleo, Atkins, HCG, vegan, or any other fad diet for the rest of my life. I hate dieting. What I am willing to do is eat organic meats, fruits and veggies and dairy with the occasional grain product and treats. That I can do.

Blackened cod, greens with parmesan, organic red wine

Blackened cod, greens with parmesan, organic red wine

 

3. Minerals

The health coach I worked with explained to me that the feeling I was having in my bones was from a total mineral deficiency.  There’s the old wives saying that with every baby you lose a tooth. Well I felt my body was really, really drained. She had me start making my own broths from beef and chicken bones or buying the organic high quality prepared broths. They helped immensely. She also had me drink a calcium magnesium drink that really worked wonders too.

Chicken Soup to heal my sucked dry bones

Chicken Soup to heal my sucked dry bones

4. No soy

I never realized that soy is in pretty much everything. EVERYTHING. I believe soy is bad for you in such large quantities. From the small amount of research I have done I know I do not want something that can send our children into early puberty and make my body produce estrogen and as well isn’t it one of the most genetically modified foods outside of corn? I have felt my hormones really steady out since cutting it.

5. Consistency

The weight  loss doesn’t happen overnight. You have to be consistent with healthy eating and exercise over a period of time. My husband and I started recording our weight on a piece of paper on the fridge every few days. (he had put on some fried chicken pounds too) It really helped to keep us motivated over a long period. Remember though, it is hard to be consistent if you are eating in a way that you hate.

6. Organic

I switched to mostly organic and I will never go back. Enough said.

7. No (or limited) wheat or grains

When I started with my health coach she wanted to address the problem I was having with my joints. I almost had a mild arthritis. She had me cut all grains and dairy and increase nuts, coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, fish and veggies. I lasted about one week with no dairy. I pretty much dreamed of yogurt all day long. I had some yogurt with no adverse reaction so started eating that. Then one morning I had some processed oatmeal. OH MY GOODNESS. Within 15 minutes I was itching all over my back and scalp and my body felt like I had a dust bowl inside of it. My whole life I thought I did best on a diet heavy in grains and low in fat. Nothing could be further from the truth. Wheat and I are no longer in a committed relationship. We will just have occasional flings and only if the pastry or sourdough is really sexy.

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8. Stay away from processed foods

Pretty obvious. The more they are processed the more the life will be cooked, altered, chemicalized and otherwise turned into something that is no longer food.

9. Eat for energy

This idea has helped me many times when I’ve needed to kick an ice cream or junk food habit that had developed. Get your mind focused on the idea of eating food for the energy it will give your body. Your choices will be different.

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10. Greens

My husband and I love greens. Kale, chard, mustard greens. All of it is super yum. I think this is a holdover from our heavy indulgence in southern cooking last year. Greens, Greens, Greens. We have been doing them lightly sautéed, steamed, in soups, omelets, salads and anything else I can dream up.

On sale so we stocked up

On sale so we stocked up

I have also been doing Amazing Grass Meal Shake every morning for about 2 months. I do the chocolate flavor because I am basically a chocoholic and it helps me get my fix. It started my day off with a nice boost of energy that sustains and it’s cleansing.

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I strongly advise if you are having any issues with losing the baby weight, your health or feel your diet needs some tweaking contact Jada. She really helped me in a non-judgemental and encouraging way. The pain in my joints has vanished and I really learned a lot from her. Her email is jadaelizabeth@gmail.com

Is there anything I missed? What about things that have really worked for you?

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8 responses

  1. This is so awesome Jen thanks for posting this blog! I am working with my Dr to handle my issues I am having with my hormones to get me back on track, I agree fad diets don’t work. :) I know this first hand. I am going to try the walking since 20 miles a week is a lot ! I had a c section with Bella I could not exercise as much as I wanted in the beginning and the weather is so ass here but your story is so great I am going to try it.

    • Oh wow Michelle, I didn’t know you had a C section. You look to be recovering so well from that. 20 miles seems like a lot, but that is spread over the whole week. It’s 4 miles a day M-F. But that is at least an hour a day so… Finding the time to fit that in can be a challenge.

    • Yeah Josh and decided to try for a natural delivery with Bella at home and all was going well until I was not progressing; I moved to the hospital and ended up having a section. It was fine though all was perfect in the end.

  2. I had lost all my 40 lbs of baby weight 3 months after delivery and I kept losing, but as I was (am) nursing, I don’t think it was the best for me, and in retrospect I should have taken better care of myself. I didn’t really ‘try’ to lose the weight, I just wasn’t that hungry, didn’t eat out anymore because I didn’t really go OUT that much and felt like being a nursing machine just sucked the weight off. After reading about your experience, I feel like I definitely had some of the malnutrition going on that you mentioned, and I should have sought a nutritionist (especially since my own sister is a certified one! Duh!!).

    Even though I’m feeling better and stronger a year after delivery, this post encouraged me to eat better (organic, more greens less grains, etc). I’ve fallen into a habit of a diet of mostly meat, eggs, and bread, and I want it to be more veggies and more nutrition.

    Thanks!!

    Oh, and baby wearing while your baby naps helps lose weight bc you’re constantly moving to get them to fall asleep!

    • Right, I had lost the weight but felt unhealthy. So working with Jade really helped me. Baby wearing during naps is a great idea too!

  3. Good job, Jen, and thanks for sharing. I’m still trying to lose baby weight too :D. I am discovering some of the same things you are, particularly with the grains. I notice the effect of grains when I get on the scale the next day.

    It’s good that you are eating largely organic. I did a bit of research on the ingredients in pop tarts. I knew they were bad, but then when I did the research WOW! There is NOTHING of nutritive value in them! Negative Nutrition to the max! I learned a lot more about GMO then. Totally scary. Try finding a vegetable oil that is organic or non-GMO, with no Whole Foods nearby. $8 a pint.

    My latest realization is that I need to decide on each thing that I eat if I really want to eat it and what the effects will be if I eat that, rather than give in to the cravings, or eat it just because it is there. So far, so good!

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