You Ate For Two & You’re Still Paying

How many times have you heard a pregnant woman say  “I’m eating for two now” and she digs deep into a bowl of ice cream? It’s an old cliché that most expectant mothers take full advantage of. 

 As a mom, you might remember your pregnancy as a time of “food freedom.” You had cravings, morning sickness, hormonal changes, feelings of depression and excitement.  All of these factors played a role in what you ate, how much you ate and how often you ate.

At the time it was okay to eat what you wanted.  It was important to feel good and nourish the baby.  Your body needed a few hundred extra calories a day to support a healthy pregnancy. 

Fast-forward six months or six years and maybe you’re still eating for two and the baby weight hasn’t disappeared despite breastfeeding.  You’re wondering what happened to your body and will it ever go back to pre-baby shape and size again.  Maybe your depressed, anxious, doubtful or just feeling really frumpy and soft. 

It’s common for this to happen.  Your body goes through such tremendous changes and then your life has changed so suddenly when the baby comes that it’s hard to make yourself a priority. Those after work workouts at the gym are a thing of the past and forget about a full hour or more!

Thankfully, you can get your body back and it won’t take hours of cardio or starving yourself.

 Here are some action steps to take today: 

1.      Control your thoughts.  This is a big one and you can start right now.  Tell yourself that you are in control of what you eat and that you eat healthy, supportive foods.  Literally say this out loud and to yourself in the morning, afternoon and just before bed.  You can say something like this “Right now, I choose to eat healthy, supportive foods that meet my bodies needs and I feel satisfied eating these healthy foods.” 

2.      Start a food journal.  Write down everything you eat and drink throughout the day. It’s best to write as you eat, but you can do it in the evening, if you must.  Some people will notice they don’t eat enough, others will notice they skip meals and eat all of their calories at night. Both of these habits slow down your body’s ability to burn fat.  Still others will see how a bite here and there really do count and add up to too many calories.

Start these two action steps today and start on your journey back to your pre-baby body today.  Remember, you don’t have to climb the whole staircase today, just one step (MLK).

In good health,

Marie