Mama in the City

A blog about raising my family in downtown Vancouver

Goodbye Muffin Top: My Postpartum Weight Loss

My baby girl is nearing three months old and I'm heading out of the time period of being okay with my current post partum weight. I want to get rid of these extra pounds I'm toting around. Part of me is afraid that if I don't make an effort to lose my baby weight right now, I'll never get around to it. I'll be honest, I don't want to be be fat and the thought of watching the scale creep up scares me.


Yep, that was me back in the day! A good 200+ pounds and at my heaviest weight ever.

Back in 2004 I weighed in at a well earned 200 pounds. I was eating whatever I wanted, exercise was not my game and I worked shift work and ate carbs and fat all night shift long. Then I got engaged and like so many brides I decided I wanted to look svelte on my wedding day. With regular cardio and weights and a healthy diet of protein, vegetables and minimal processed food, I went down to my lightest weight of 160 pounds. I brought lunches to work, always ate a protein fuelled breakfast and had no problem maintaining a steady weight.

I was able to keep at this weight for a few years but after my first two pregnancies, both ending in miscarriage, I gained 10 pounds and settled in at 170 pounds. I was still satisfied with the way my body felt and how I looked.


At my happy weight of about 165 pounds.

During my pregnancy with Ben I gained 35 pounds and lost most of it right after after he was born. I had 2 stubborn post partum pounds but walked around at 172 pounds with no problem. I still wanted to get back to my happy weight of 165 pounds, but I was content.

Then came motherhood and I stopped exercising regularly and allowed myself a few more carbolicious treats. For the last two years I walked around at about 175-178 pounds and didn't love that number. I would constantly struggle and try to get down to my happy weight, but I didn't give it the same enthusiasm as I once had in the past.

During my pregnancy with Josie I was a lot more aware of my weight and my weight gain. I actually kind of hate that awareness, because I really believe that time should be more about embracing your body and less about obsessing over the scale. It didn't help that the office 'nurse' would tsk tsk each pregnancy pound I gained. I went from 178 pounds pre pregnancy to a final 220 pounds.

Right after I had Josie I dropped 30 pounds with a blink of an eye and danced around with utter glee and satisfaction. I was 190 pounds and was excited to see the rest drop off like it had with Ben. Alas, my baby is nearing three months old and I'm tired of feeling so postpartum and rolly. Which brings me to my resolution that started yesterday.

Goodbye croissants at the coffee shop. Goodbye to ordering whatever the heck I want off the restaurant menu. Hello, healthy salads and lean proteins. I'm ready to be dedicated to fuelling my body with proper nutrients. I'll be the one munching on almonds and dried apricots while everyone else eats the cake.

My first week weight in starts off at 189 pounds. I'll be blogging about my weight loss journey until I hit my goal of 170 pounds. Wish me luck!

18 comments:

You don't need luck you just need time!  That's the hardest part of the weight lost/maintenance battle.  I'm SOOOOO happy to hear you've got a healthy plan in place to get yourself to where you want to be.  You're beautiful and have two beautiful children and as time and your new routine carry on the rest will fall into place. 

April 11, 2012 at 9:09 PM  

Great post.  I am having a hard time getting motivate to workout regularly.  In the past, I got some kind of exercise 5 times a week.  If I had to get up at 5 to squeeze in a workout, I would.  But now that I am back at work and my hubby's work schedule changed, I am getting in about 2 or 3 workouts a week.  I look forward to reading your blog and staying motivated.  Good luck.

April 11, 2012 at 9:23 PM  
kristin said...

I second that.  Time - to create a new norm with a healthy plan for yourself!  Would love to support you along the way Andrea!  I've got some great recipe ideas for healthy salads and meals I could forward to you if you'd like (in reference to your "Domestic" post a couple weeks back!)

April 11, 2012 at 11:13 PM  

Best of luck on your weight loss journey! I will begin mine in about a month :)

April 12, 2012 at 8:02 AM  
Amanda Brown said...

You can do it!! You are being smart and healthy about it and I have every confidence you'll get back to where you want to be! Best wishes!

April 12, 2012 at 10:47 AM  
huntersprize said...

Go you! I know I'm putting on more weight this time around and I'm going to have to work a lot harder to get it off. Two kids+a job+a life is not going to be as easy as just adding in some exercise. I'm glad I won't be alone in this! 

April 12, 2012 at 3:18 PM  

How much time do you get to take off work after your second baby is born?

April 12, 2012 at 7:08 PM  

I know you know my struggle with baby weight too! Read your posts before about it. I am determined to shed these pounds. It was hard being pregnant over the Holiday season. So many reasons to indulge and splurge.

April 12, 2012 at 7:09 PM  

I'd love any salad recipes Kristin! Send them my way please!

April 12, 2012 at 7:10 PM  

I find it a hard balance now that I'm a parent. I have a lot more excuses and reasons and tiredness always plays a role for me giving up on exercise.

April 12, 2012 at 7:11 PM  
Amanda said...

Good luck!  Looking forward to hearing about your journey, and maybe I'll even learn a thing or two for when it's my turn to follow suit.

April 13, 2012 at 11:06 PM  
Sarah M. said...

Wishing you much success on your baby weight loss journey, you will do it! Dropping 30 pounds as soon as Josie was born is amazing and probably good for the emotions too!  Good luck.

Up to this point I haven't kept track or worried too much about what I have gained with #3, but now in the final 10 weeks I feel myself becoming a bit more aware of what I am eating and what the numbers say. I definitely won't be drinking orange slurpees every day in the last month like I did with pregnancy #1!

Looking forward to hearing about it all.

April 15, 2012 at 6:55 AM  
Heidi said...

Andrea, I had to write and say "thank you" for this post.  I am one of those girls that has always and will always struggle and have to work very hard to be at/stay at my "happy weight".   Your post inspired me to get back on the wagon and press the Restart button.  I had my intake in check and was counting up exercise minutes happily each week and then Easter hit.  And so did the candy/chocolate/jelly beans around our house.  Also, I've discovered this brilliant food blog with lots of healthy recipes, but also with a wide selection of mouth-watering baking recipes.  So I, the girl who has always preferred cooking over baking, has been on a baking spree.  And now I remember why I don't bake - because when I bake, I eat it.  And all this sugar has given me cravings for even MORE sugar.  So today, I took a day off sugar, any sugar.  And we went for a long bike ride as a family.  And it felt good to let myself press the Restart button and begin again fresh.  So thanks for inspiring me, and I'm sure many other moms, get back on the road to healthy eating/living.  I know it's cheesy, but I love the quote on the side of the Kashi cereal box that says "Every day is an opportunity to live life a little healthier than the day before".

April 15, 2012 at 7:23 PM  

Thanks for your support Heidi. I think it may really be a life long struggle for me. I love carbs...I won't deny it. Give me a big bread basket anytime ;) However, my body is much happier when I weight less (less aches and pains in general). Already my insulin needs are going down. SO yeah to that! Keep up your own good work my dear friends :)

April 16, 2012 at 6:32 PM  

It's funny cause I was totally all 'look at me' with the 30 lb drop...but that did include 9 lb of baby ;) Then it just stopped coming off. I'm looking for extra babies to breastfeed to see if that helps my weight loss too haha. ;) I kid!

April 16, 2012 at 6:33 PM  
Lindz said...
huntersprize said...

 I am terrible at replying when I check email on my phone!  I'm taking a month off, after baby, but I work from home and I have Chris here most of the week to help me. I'm going to have to find someone for 1 or 2 days a week, but I'm hoping that family can help us!

April 18, 2012 at 3:13 PM  

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