Since giving birth to Cyd about two months ago, I’ve already lost 11 kgs naturally. Notice that I use “already” and not “only.” That’s because I’m grateful for this change and I feel like giving myself a pat on the back for this accomplishment (though I can’t take all the credit – some belongs to Cyd for sucking the extra calories I’ve been consuming).
Now I’m no longer denying that losing weight has been on my mind a lot. I don’t speak for all stay-at-home mothers, but I do have plenty of time to look at myself in the mirror and see a body that I believe can be improved.
I’m aware of body positive messages and how important it is to encourage fellow new mothers to not wish for rapid weight loss. I wouldn’t attempt or suggest some crazy diet programs, too. What I wish to share is a sound post pregnancy weight loss plan.
What’s My Background?
Before I dole out advice about weight loss, you deserve to know who I am to talk about this topic. I’m not a nutritionist or dietitian.
What I am is a woman who’s been trying to tame the fat kid inside her since she’s 13 – that teenage age when you know you ought to lose some pounds to be liked. (Trust me, I played Joey McIntyre’s “Stay The Same” a thousand times, it really didn’t help boost my self-esteem).
So, What Helped Me Lose Weight in the Past?
A bit of self-discipline and a new way of thinking. Plus, having some patient folks around me. (I get cranky when I’ve been trying to adopt new eating habits.)
You see, the lowest digits I’ve ever registered on a weighing scale was 52kgs. And when I reached this weight, my hair started falling off. I controlled my calorie intake drastically by eating “oats” most of the time. I pair it with Nescafe coffee so it would taste better.
I knew I could lose weight if I exchange bread, potatoes, and rice with high-fiber food like oats. However, I can’t follow the same plan now that I am breastfeeding. The recommended calorie intake for women who are exclusively breastfeeding is at least 1800 a day. If I consume anything lower, my breastmilk supply will suffer.
Obviously, a diet filled with oats isn’t a good idea. So that’s not what I’m trying out this time.
What’s a Sound Way to Lose Weight, Then?
I’ve partially given away the answer: breastfeeding and creating a caloric deficit. No fad diets. No extreme restrictions.
Breastfeeding is touted as a great way to slash some excess fat. But not so fast. Consider that new moms are often deprived of sleep – meaning, their cortisol (stress hormones) levels are higher than average. This disrupts our body’s hormonal patterns, which results in failure to lose weight. So the first tip is to steal as much sleep as we can.
Luckily, I got access to a dietitian and doctors who advise me to keep a journal of what I eat. I just need to record what I had for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. This would help me reflect on my food choices and be more mindful about what I eat.
The dietitian I consulted told me to get my protein from chicken and fish, avoiding pork and beef as much as I can. When I check my blood sugar after meals with pork or beef, my glucose level goes up. It’s the same when I eat more than a cup of rice, my blood sugar level also goes up.
Armed with this knowledge, I make better decisions about what I eat. Sugary snacks are a no-no, too. I can keep going about what to eat and not eat to shed some pounds but I think you get my drift.
I’m hoping to see results after a few months of mindful eating. Exercise should also be part of a sound weight loss plan, but I’ll get to that later. I had a C-Section so I can’t exercise heavily at the moment. Besides walking with Cyd, I pretty much do nothing heavy these days.
Check back with me in the next few months to see my progress. You can comment below about your sound weight loss plan, too. I love reading suggestions from readers.
I’ll post some photos of me on my Facebook page so be sure to follow or like the page. Cheers!