Losing the Baby Weight

Some would consider me a "lucky one." I gained the recommended 20-30lbs of "baby weight" during pregnancy, nothing more. I'm generally a healthy eater, not strict nor too forgiving. But at 5'4 and 150lbs post-birth, I wanted to be rid of the weight, and fast!

I continued to eat as normal, not plunging into a diet or cutting out carbs or meats. I focused on regulating my body back to its original condition and decided it probably wouldn't be a good idea to freak it out with a brand new diet. I didn't stress over it rather, whenever I started to "feel fat" I reminded myself that it had a purpose, and I recited this purpose in my mind as I took my new bundle of joy out for a daily stroll. The walking helped in deactivating my worries with action, and it was not a challenge to do. I didn't need to make an appointment to do it, didn't need to ask for a babysitter, and didn't need to buy anything. Everything I needed, I had... warm weather (summer birth), a stroller, and my two legs equipped to operate in an alternating fashion so as to burn calories and lose weight. It became my escape from the house filled with dirty dishes, laundry, and meal preparation.

I also worked my belly with crunches. A video game for the Playstation 2 called Yourself! Fitness helped me to not become bored while working out. I learned that I couldn't rid myself of "belly fat" just by doing crunches. I needed to do cardio, eat well, sleep well (which was impossible with a newborn) and stay focused on my goals. Having this agenda and positive thinking made my efforts more consistent. If I forgot a cardio workout, but ate whole wheat cereal with raspberries for breakfast, it would trigger my mind to be healthy and then I'd remember I needed to work out! Everything went hand in hand. My focus was on "being healthy" not "losing the belly bulge." I took a proactive approach and focused on the big picture. If I would have had a negative goal ("lose weight" vs "gain health") I would have been trying to reach my goal in a negative way, one that involved self-punishment more than reward. People who try to "lose weight" are more critical about progress than people who are trying to "gain health." Seeing the glass as "half full" instead of "half empty" encourages one to add to it instead of take from it. One concentrates more on what he/she should do, instead of what he/she should not do. It's not a trick... It's cooperating with a goal. When your goal is to "lose weight" you concentrate on what you shouldn't eat, the fact that you shouldn't sit around all day, and when you see the number on the scale drop, you only crave for it to drop more. Your mind logically connects the goal with the process. If the goal is to be "less" of something, meaning less heavy, you should do whatever it is that you're currently doing... less. On the other hand, one who's goal is to "gain health" concentrates on what he/she should eat, exercises, and as the numbers on the scale drops, the scale becomes less important, and the outer appearance of the body gets the spotlight.

After all, the scale is the not the ruler of health. It's a nice guide and starting point, but it's not a "points system." We aren't playing golf here... Less isn't necessarily More... What ultimately counts is how your body feels, and how you feel about your body.

It takes time, but it can be done. You just have to begin with the right attitude!