“I should treat myself how I would treat my daughter.” —Emily Skye

I’d like to start off by saying that this has been somewhat of a difficult post for me. I feel like I’ve shared some of my personal life with you, but have never shared photos like these before. The purpose of this post is to encourage others who may be having a difficult time with postpartum weight loss and being healthy while dealing with all of the ups and downs of becoming a new mom. I am so extremely proud of what my body did and sometimes don’t really understand how it is even possible. I’d also like to note that one of the beliefs I feel very strongly about is living a healthy lifestyle and setting an example for the twins. Yes, one of the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle has been losing weight, but this goes even deeper. I want my children to see me eating healthy foods, being active, and taking care of my body in hopes that they will learn to live the same way.

With that said, here goes…….

It has been almost eight months since I had the twins.  That’s eight months I’ve had to reflect on what my body did and how it has changed since their birth.  The science behind what a woman’s body does to carry a child to term and then birth said child is incredible.  I’m not going to get into the science – you can use your trusty ol’ google friend for that, but instead, I’d like to talk about the expectations I had as a new mom versus what the reality turned out to be in regard to losing baby weight. 

First of all, I gained 50 pounds with the twins; however, I had already put on 5 pounds before becoming pregnant with them, so my scale was definitely reaching numbers it had never seen.  Side note: for those who are new, I had the twins at 33 weeks.  I felt like my body was pushed almost as far as it could go and cannot even begin to imagine what could have been had I carried the twins to the full 38 weeks.  Everyone said it takes time for the weight to fall off, but I really had no idea what they meant.  I knew I would still have a “belly” and that would take time to flatten out, but surely all of the swelling and pudginess would immediately go down, right?  Ummm, no.  The pictures below are taken approximately 36 hours after the babies were born.  I wanted to cry.  I still look extremely pregnant.  The first night they came in to weigh me, I thought, “Alright, I bet I’m down a good 15-20 pounds,” but when the nurse told me the number on the scale and it was less than a ten pound loss, I think I was in shock.  I didn’t cry or become upset, I was just kind of stunned.

About a week later, in between feedings in the NICU, we decided to go to Buy Buy Baby.  When I was checking out, the lady asked me how far along I was.  The realist in me knew I still looked pregnant and was not affected by her question; however, the sleep deprived, emotional roller coaster side of me wanted to just break down and cry right there. Luckily I kept it together, checked out, and made a joke out of it – because that’s what you do when you are trying to deflect how you really feel – make a joke out of it 🙂

It wasn’t until I returned to work at 12 weeks PP and got into a good routine that I started feeling like I was out of the “survival mode” mindset.

Things I focused on:

• Exercise
• Nutrition
• Support/Community

Exercise

One of my fitness goals for 2019 is to complete the Bikini Body Guide (BBG) program co-created by Kayla Itsines.  The BBG program is designed to help you become fitter, stronger, and more confident in yourself.  The work outs are 28 minutes long and can be done at home, in a gym, while traveling, etc.  The program is 12 weeks long, with an optional four beginner weeks.  I recommend doing the beginner weeks, especially if you are new or finding your way back into working out.  I use the SWEAT app to complete the BBG work outs, which I really like because Kayla demos every move, there is a timer, and you can listen to music through the app.  The SWEAT app also houses different trainers and programs.

I am also so ready to get back into running. I’ve run one marathon and several half-marathons and would love to run a half-marathon by the end of the year, but I am not at a place where I can commit to that just yet – so stay tuned:-)

Nutrition

While working out has definitely had an impact on the changes in my body composition, nutrition has been just as important. I made a decision to stop giving myself the excuse of being in survival mode and eating based off of convenience (example: Dairy Queen on the way home from daycare.) Instead, I took bits and pieces of meal plans, fitness insta-bloggers, conversations at work, and experience to develop a mini meal plan that works for me. I repeat my meals from week to week, and switch things in and out when I’m getting tired of something. While I do a decent job at calorie counting, I am working towards upping my fruit and veggie intake. My favorite meal plan is from Fitness Carli. It is super simple and so easy to follow (which is exactly what you need as a new mom.) I aim for around 1250 calories a day, which is determined from the Lose It app. You input your starting weight and goal weight and it calculates your calories per day.

Here is a sample day for me:

• Breakfast: whole grain English muffin, hard boiled egg, Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning, Laughing Cow cheese wedge
• Lunch: 3-4 ounces shredded chicken, broccoli, asparagus, mini guacamole cup, liquid aminos
• Snack: Quest Bar
• Dinner: Flatout Pizza with pizza sauce, turkey pepperoni, and fat free mozzarella cheese, green bell pepper, side of sauteed mushrooms
• Dessert: Enlightened Ice Cream

I have more food ideas in the “Food” section of my insta highlights.

Community/Support

If you are used to being in a social setting, maternity leave can be tough. There were days when I was in my pj’s and hadn’t brushed my teeth until 1:00 pm. I didn’t wear make up, fix my hair, put on cute clothes (well, they didn’t fit anyway….) because I was either pumping, feeding, eating, or sleeping. And why wash my hair when I’m not going anywhere?

Once I returned to work, obviously that all changed. I fell into the routine that worked best for the twins, myself, and the rest of my household. Upon returning to work, I was immediately thrown back into social settings with other real, live adults, going on walks with the group, and having conversations with people about fitness, nutrition, and just overall well-being. I believe you are a product of the environment around you, so if your group is already on board with working out and fitness, it is definitely easier for you to pick up those good habits.

I would advise that whether you return to work or stay at home, finding support from your friends, family, coworkers, facebook groups, blogger groups, etc. will be key for you when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. On a more serious note, if you notice a friend or family member who seems to be withdrawn or overwhelmed after baby, reach out to them. Ask them to go to lunch with you, or on a walk, or even just give them a call to check in and see how everything is going for them. Sometimes new moms don’t know how to reach out when they are struggling because they are so consumed with their new lifestyle and just trying to survive.

In previous editions of The Monday Post, I shared a four part series titled, “Healthy Work Habits,” which can really mean “Healthy Life Habits.” These include going on walks throughout the day, drinking plenty of water, meal prepping for the office/home, and stress relief ideas. There is a small group of us at work who go on daily walks. Depending on my schedule, I try to go on two a day. I carry my Camelbak water bottle with me every day and aim to drink four of them a day. I also order my groceries online and use curbside pickup for saving time when it comes to grocery shopping. I have reminders on my Apple watch for the Breathe app and use it daily to take a minute, slow down, focus my breath, and find some calmness.

In conclusion, I am very proud of my body and what it went through to safely carry and bring my babies into this world. There have been ups and downs throughout this process, and one analogy I really like to use is that you don’t stop brushing your teeth all together if you don’t brush them one night before bed. You just wake up the next day and brush them again. It’s not all or nothing, at least for me. Believe me – I enjoy pizza and Mexican food and plenty of sweets, but I know my limits. I know when enough is enough and it’s time to chill out.

I hope you have a fabulous week! Cheers!