The before picture shows what I looked liked 3 months postpartum with my 3rd baby. I had 3 kids within 4.5 years and with each pregnancy the weight kept adding on. I watched my weight creep to a number I had never seen before. But I was exclusively breastfeeding and everyone kept telling me that when you breastfeed the weight just falls off (I now know that this is a LIE! This is not the case for everyone!). So I didn’t worry about what I ate and expected to get skinny. Well, between the Halloween candy, fast food drive thru’s, and frozen pizza dinners, my stretchy yoga pants weren’t fitting so well anymore. Over the Thanksgiving holiday I noticed I wasn’t squeezing into my pants, I was SHOVING myself into them. Nothing fit. I felt uncomfortable in my own body. I was now a busy mom of a 4-year-old, 2-year-old and a 3 month old and knew that if I was going to focus on losing weight, I was going to need help.
A couple of my mommy friends had joined Weight Watchers in the past so I knew their program had an option for breastfeeding moms. I looked online for the closest location to my house and went to my first meeting just days after Thanksgiving.
I was 162.8 pounds at my first weigh-in (for reference, I am just under 5’3 in height). That was 6lbs MORE than what I weighed at my 6-week postpardum appt. Yep, I had GAINED weight while exclusively breastfeeding. I knew my eating habits were out of control. But just by stepping into my first meeting, I knew I was headed in the right direction and there was no turning back. I was determined and my mind was set on losing weight. Those who know me well know that I have a lot of will power and when I truly set my mind to something, there is no stopping me. Just knowing I had to step on a scale in front of someone each week made me accountable and after sitting through the first meeting I had all the motivation I needed to start my weight loss journey!
My Weight Watchers leader Jeannine is amazing. She is always welcoming, personable and well spoken. She consistently has great answers to our questions, tons of tips, advice, encouragement and more. I go the “mommy and me” (kid friendly) meetings and feel really connected to the other moms who have kids the same age and who are going through the exact same struggles and temptations. Find yourself snacking on your kids goldfish crackers or eating the leftovers on their plate, or licking your plate clean just because you don’t want to waste food? Don’t feel guilty about throwing it away. Think of how much money you might need to spend down the road on doctors bills or hospital bills due to complications from being overweight. I know that may sound extreme, but it’s true! Especially since heart disease and diabetes runs in my family. Little bits of advice like this stuck with me and changed my way of thinking.
- How I did it:
CLICK NEXT TO CONTINUE …
Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/customer/www/easyrecipes01.com/public_html/wp-content/themes/flex-mag-child/single.php on line 528