Good morning, friends!
Today, I wanted to share what I did/didn’t do in order to lose the baby weight. I honestly just wanted to share some backstory, since I did just drop my very first e-book – VEGAN WEIGHT LOSS: 7 Days’ Worth of Meal Inspiration. It is exactly what I followed and ate to lose over 40 lbs (!!)
I gained 33 lbs with Willow, and I am currently 8 lbs under my pre-pregnancy weight. I feel like a lot of people ask me how I lost 40 lbs only being 6-7 months postpartum. The secret? I did nothing! Well, I did nothing up until recently. Let me explain.
I guess I will begin by saying that society puts so much pressure on us moms to get back done to our original weight ASAP. The media is my worst enemy. I especially felt this pressure after about a month or so. Pregnancy hormones are no joke, and they definitely do not help. Tack on the stresses of nursing, and I was really not feeling myself. I had to keep telling myself to relax – I just birthed a baby! I just made life and this is it. My body is forever changed. Once I came to peace with that, I decided I wasn’t going to worry. I wasn’t going to stress myself out and try to make it happen “faster.”
So truly, I just ate whatever the hell I wanted. At any time. I still ate mug cakes when I wanted a chocolate fix, and sometimes I would grab a handful of chocolate chips when I had no time to make myself a meal. Of course, I loaded up on a lot of good plant-based foods, like rice and beans (so fast and easy) and veggies, but I was not limiting myself whatsoever. I ate what I wanted, and a lot of it. Of course, I was also nursing and that REALLY MAKES YOU HUNGRY. And thirsty (I drink water all day long). I felt like I picked on things all day long. I relied heavily on Larabars or Clif bars in the morning, and I ate so much Gardein chick’n strips/patties. So many chick’n patties. So many frozen french fries, frozen meals, and Amy’s burritos.
And guess what? The first month, I dropped 20 lbs. I know that nursing, and you know, birthing the baby and getting rid of extra fluids was the bulk of that. Because after those initial 20 lbs, it took me about 4 months to lose the last 13 lbs (and then some), which is basically a little under a lb a week. Some weeks I didn’t budge, and other weeks I’d go down 1/2 lb. But still, I would eat whatever I could get my hands on. I wasn’t exercising, because Willow and I went through winter together and literally sat under a blanket most days. I didn’t have the energy or motivation to leave the house. I couldn’t go walking – way too cold. I didn’t have the drive to do at-home workouts… and I started to feel pretty lousy. Lousy not because I wasn’t losing the weight, but just staying stagnant at home and not moving my body. My back was hurting from sitting on the floor with her all the time/rocking her and my legs would kill, even just trying to get up. I just didn’t feel myself. As the weather began to warm up, I started to finally get out and move more.
So around March (5-6 months postpartum), I started to bundle up both Willow and myself and go walking. Even just 2-3 times a week, but it felt great. Fresh air, moving my legs… even Willow was smitten getting out into the wild and not cooped up at home. She’d mostly nap (she loves her stroller – always puts her in a trance) and that was alright by me. Joe and I would make it a point to walk at least 1-2 times on the weekends… at least 45 minutes to an hour.
I started to see some definition in my legs a bit more, and I have to say, that really motivated me. I was like oh wow, this is what it looks like to be active again! I think this mixed with the warmer weather and getting over the 6-month hump is what catapulted me into finally doing something about those last few lbs.
I decided to omit refined/processed sugar and oils from my diet. It’s something that I had done in the past and really loved the way I felt. Instead of oils, I’m opting for nuts, nut butters, avocado, etc. And instead of processed sugar, I am getting my sweet fix from fruits and dates. After about a month or so of doing this, I am happy to say that I actually lost the last lbs, and then some. Since becoming more active, I have noticed my stomach is finally tightening up a bit. I won’t lie – it feels really great to finally be back down to where I was. I just feel a bit more “me.” I am also still exclusively pumping for her, so I know that also plays a huge role. But I truly believe that opting for whole vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and healthy fats has really been the main driving factor of getting over the plateau I had. I am not really cutting back on portions – I eat until I am satisfied, but I am eating all the right things. So if you ever find yourself plateauing from your goal, maybe something like this could help you. It might also be worth noting that I stop eating around 7 and drink lots of tea before bed. It’s helped me with some anxiety I’ve been battling and has become a nighttime routine that I very much look forward to once Willow is asleep.
I’ve felt so good with these changes, that I am actually going to try and implement them long-term. Sugar is really horrible, let’s not kid ourselves. Yes, the occasional treat is necessary and deserved! I won’t omit all sugar forever… I love cake way too much. But there’s a time and place. I shouldn’t be eating chocolate chips from the bag every day, right? Ha! The same goes for oil – if we go out to eat, I am not going to go out of my way and ask for no oil. I am just omitting it from my diet at home. I honestly do not miss it – I use water when cooking and non-stick baking mats. I am much more nourished by a whole avocado than a tbs of olive oil.
So that brings me to today – my belly still has a (well deserved) pouch from carrying my beautiful Willow. The stretch marks are just starting to fade. I am still carrying extra weight in my chest because I am still a milk machine (loool). But I am finally starting to feel more me. I have more energy. My back is feeling better. My legs are stronger. And Willow keeps me moving and on my feet. I just want to be healthy to be able to run around with my baby girl. I want to set a good example for her. I want to be my best version of myself for both of us.
I should probably throw some numbers at you guys for transparency, and hopefully motivation. Before becoming pregnant with Willow, I was 153 lbs. It was heavier than what I would have liked. I feel most comfortable at 140 lbs for my 5’5 ft. frame. But hey, that is what it was. At my highest before Willow was born, I was 186 lbs. Right before I decided to omit sugar and oil, I weight in at 158 lbs… just 5 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. Fast-foward to 7 months postpartum, and I am now 145 lbs. I am not going to stress out about the last 5-10 lbs that I would like to lose… because they will happen as I continue to eat whole, unprocessed foods. I don’t count calories and I eat when I am hungry – I just choose to snack on fruits, veggies, legumes, grains, natural nut butters, etc. That is it. I drink water, because I just truly enjoy water. This is what has worked for me, and maybe it can for you. Our bodies are 100% unique, so don’t be discouraged if your journey is different. You just need to find what works for you.
I also want to note that I am not perfect and don’t feel bad if I stray from my goals. One Friday I was craving Indian food so bad, so we grabbed takeout (potato dosas… omg). Yup, it’s full of oil. Yup, I ate fried cauliflower in the stickiest and sweetest sauce. Didn’t feel bad about it, because that is what I wanted. I am not going to eat that everyday, but if we want takeout on the weekend or to go out to eat, I am going to have what I want. Same goes for something like Ben and Jerry’s – ice cream is my weakness. If we want to grab a vegan cone, hell yeah I am down. I am just not going to keep a pint in my freezer to snack on daily. Moderation. If I can eat whole and healthy 90% of the time, I am happy. If I constantly restrict myself, well, that is not healthy, either.
I guess at the end of the day, the point is – you will make changes when you are ready to. Don’t force yourself or feel like you are on some timeline and a certain weight/goal needs to be achieved by that time. I promise, inside you will know when the right time is and what your body and mentality needs. For me, it was the 6-month mark. It could be sooner or later for you. Whatever the case, be kind to yourself and your body. It has created life – and that is so out of this world incredible… there are NO WORDS!!
I hope this isn’t too jumbled or anything – I kind of just started typing and let it all out. This is my story, and I hope maybe it will resonate with some mamas out there. Share your experiences/stories with me in the comments… I’d love to hear from you guys.
And if you are interested in new recipes, snack ideas, weight loss tips, and more, please consider buying my new e-book – below!
In this e-book, you’ll find 40+ pages of:
- 28 of my go-to weight loss meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes over the course of 7 days)
- Weight loss tips I swear by
- The ultimate healthy vegan diet shopping list
- Snack list
- Recipes made with whole ingredients – no processed food, oil, or sugar
- Vibrant food photography
- Clean layout
If you need ideas and a boost of inspiration on the vegan weight loss front, I hope you’ll invest in your health for under $1 a day. It’s just $6!
Thank you guys for your support, always. xo
