This is a bit late, as I had planned to write this blog post right after Bastian’s birthday! But, life happens. It’s been a busy month, with Bastian’s birthday, Seth got a new job, and just us managing Juniper Oak as well as the rest of our daily life. Every day that I sit down to write my postpartum weight loss update, I get distracted with my overflowing inbox or my never ending to do list. I digress. I’ve had a few people message me on Instagram and ask me what exercise program I’m using, what meal plan, and how the weight loss is going.
Meal plan and diet
I am sorry to say that I don’t have a specific meal plan that I can refer anyone to! I make dinner 6 nights a week, so we rarely eat out. That has had a huge impact on my postpartum weight loss. Our breakfasts are always high in protein(lots of eggs in our home), and our dinners are usually also high in protein. But I also have an infinite love for pasta, so take that for what it’s worth. I think the key to losing weight is to be less concerned with how much food you’re putting into your body. And instead, be more aware of what foods go into your body. Here’s what a typical day of food looks like for me:
Breakfast: Toad in a hole(eggs over easy inside a piece of toast) with bacon and coffee. OR a breakfast burrito bowl(potatoes, scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, and green chile).
Lunch: (we eat a lot of leftovers for lunch) Either leftovers from dinner the night before, a quinoa bowl(quinoa, black beans, corn, red onion, cilantro, etc. with a homemade red wine vinaigrette), or a sandwich.
Dinner: If you’re ever curious about our dinners, you can follow my Recipe Pinterest board, which has a bunch of recipes that I’ve actually made and really like.(they definitely aren’t MY recipes because I’m not that creative) Our dinners vary widely but it almost always consists of a hefty side of vegetables(our favorites are brussels sprouts and asparagus), chicken, and some sort of grain component.
Exercise plan
I’ve gone through a few different workout plans since having Bastian a year ago. When I was 5 weeks postpartum, I started going to Pure Barre 2-3 times a week. It’s honestly one of my favorite workouts that I’ve ever done, and love being in a class setting. I went for about 2-3 months, and I stopped just because we had a change of babysitter and I stopped having as much free time as I’d had previously.
I took a small break after Pure Barre, and then started doing Kayla Itsines BBG program. It’s a great program that you can do at home and it was what helped me lost the rest of the baby weight. I finished the program in February of this year, so about three months ago, and honestly just stopped working out for a bit. That was right when Juniper Oak opened, and all of my free time went into that. Which isn’t an excuse, because a workout takes less than half an hour and it’s really important to take care of yourself and your body. But I stopped working out, until a few weeks ago when a friend and I started back up again.
Currently, I’m going off of a self-made workout plan for abs and arms, and then am doing Tammy Hembrow’s 8 week booty guide(although I only do one of her workouts a week so it will take me roughly a million years to get a booty like hers).
I think the most important thing, is that you make time to work out. You don’t have to go to the gym. You can spend 15 minutes on your living room floor, among dog drool and baby toys, using canned foods for weights. What matters is that you put in an effort, even if it’s a small one. Because that’s what makes a difference.
My postpartum weight loss
While pregnant, I gained about 50 pounds. It was something I was really embarrassed about during my pregnancy. Especially because, due to my hyperemesis, I actually lost about 10 pounds in the first trimester. I gained the majority of this weight in the last trimester. And I couldn’t even look at my body in the mirror without crying for the first month postpartum. Especially because breastfeeding for that first month made me HUNGRY.
But again, I think it’s all about the effort you put in. You can’t do it all in a day. I know a girl who said her goal was to get her six pack back by 6 weeks postpartum. She did, but I can’t say that I think that’s healthy. Or even a little attainable for most women. She worked out her ENTIRE pregnancy, which makes bouncing back a lot easier. I didn’t workout during my pregnancy. Physically, I couldn’t. I couldn’t even stand for more than 15 minutes without throwing up, let alone lifting weights or running.
I say this to try and make the point that, every single body is different. You’ll lose the baby weight at your own pace. Not effortlessly, no. Not necessarily easily, either. But it’s attainable as long as you put in the effort.
