I lost nearly 40 lbs from the time my second baby was born in late 2017. My weight loss journey overall since becoming a Mom has been far from easy.

In my first pregnancy, I had gained about 50 lbs and although I quickly dropped about 30 a few weeks after birth, and struggled to lose last 20 no matter what I tried.

Over the course of the next couple of years, I tried multiple diets, began working out about 5 days a week, stopped eating sugar, gave up dairy, ate smaller portions, and whatever else you could think of to try and lost the weight.

Nothing was working. I felt like I was stuck and that nothing would take me back to my pre-pregnancy weight.

After the birth of my second child in December 2017, I was back up an additional 15 lbs bringing my weight to 185. I made a vow to myself that enough was enough. I was going to not only lose the weight, but fit back into every article of clothing that I had not worn since my wedding–including my wedding bands which had not fit since 2014.

Enough was enough

At this point, it became much more than simply losing numbers on the scale. I was sick of the lack of energy, moodiness, bloating, mental fog, forgetfulness, and hated the fact that I needed to buy a whole new wardrobe on top of it all.

I began a workout regimen which consisted of mainly cardio and some light free-weights and strength training to begin toning. As far as my diet, I started to incorporate more salads and cut out refined sugar and dairy.

Within a (long) few weeks, I started to see results, by May of 2018, I had dropped about 10 lbs. Anxious to get to at least my pre-[second]baby weight of 170, I began to up my protein and cut back a bit on my carbs.

Three methods that helped me lose the weight

The initial weight-loss was slow and it wasn’t until I did the following three things that I saw actual drastic results. Of course, these methods won’t necessarily work for everyone but they certainly helped me!

1. Running outside in cold temps

I began to run outside in 40 and 50 degree weather (Wouldn’t recommend doing it at temps lower than that) which felt extremely exhilarating.

Working out in cold temperatures had never been something I was interested in up until I discovered that doing so could help maximize the body’s ability to burn calories–since It’s working twice as hard to maintain internal temperature.

If you plan to run or workout in the cold, make sure that you:

• Wear proper moisture-wicking clothing
• Protect your skin (head, fingers, and toes especially) from possible frostbite
• Avoid running when It’s snowing (or raining) since it can interfere with the body’s ability to maintain warm body temperature due to added moisture. 

I did this for a couple of weeks in the spring and fell in love with it.

I finally got to 170 again and eventually dropped to about 167. I had not weighed less than 170 since my first pregnancy. So needless to say, I was excited.

Still, I wasn’t running out and getting a new wardrobe any time soon. After breaking this “barrier”, I felt unstoppable. Something in me shifted mentally and for the first time in years, I felt like I could actually do this. 

2. Whole 30 diet

I discovered the Whole 30 diet in the summer of 2018 and it really helped push my weight loss over the edge. Something about tweaking my diet really helped shock my body and assist with the weight loss. 

I finally got to 165 and stayed there for a few weeks. By this time, I had learned to eat less and had tremendous energy and a new zeal for life. 

I loved the way I felt and was beginning to love the way I looked, too. I fit back into certain pieces of clothing I had not worn in years, and it felt great. 

You can read more about Whole 30 as well as my personal experience by checking it out here. 

3. Intermittent Fasting

In mid October 2018 I decided to try intermittent fasting. This was when things really began to get interesting. 

For those who don’t know, intermittent fasting is a specific type of eating pattern which cycles between periods of fasting and periods of eating. 

There are no specific foods that you should be eating but rather a certain timing of when to eat in general. intermittent fasting involves daily 16-hour fasts or fasting for 24-hours a couple of days a week.

There are several methods for doing intermittent fasting but these are the most popular:

• The 16/8 method: Also known as the Leangains protocal, this form of intermittent fasting is done by skipping breakfast and restricting daily eating patterns to 8 hours such as from 1-9. Then, fasting for 16 hours in between. This is my personal favorite.
• The 5:2 diet: This method is when you consume 500-600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week but resume normal eating patterns the rest of the week. 
• Eat-stop-eat: This method of intermittent fasting involves not eating for 24-hours, once or twice a week.

The method of choice depends on personal preference and lifestyle. For me personally, I found that not eating after 10pm and then then eating again at 1pm the next day worked best. 

Overall, the weight really began to drop after I tried intermittent fasting. In addition I experienced other non-scale victories such as the following:

• Clearer skin
• Less brain fog
• Increased energy
• Less need for food
• Reduction in bloating
• Faster healing from infections
• Reduced pain and inflammation 

If you’re interested in trying this method out, I highly recommend checking out this article on intermittent fasting for beginners. 

Bottom Line

Out of everything I had tried, intermittent fasting was the quickest and most effective. I have been able to maintain my weight loss and am looking forward to continuing to live a healthy lifestyle. 

Today, I weigh 147 which is very close to what I weighed on our wedding day. I’m no longer watching the scale closely (I used to weigh myself daily) and instead, being mindful on what I’m eating and how often–and judging my weight based on how my clothes fit.

Although weight-loss is measured in numbers, It’s so important to recognize and celebrate non-scale victories such as the ones I mentioned above. 

For the first time in my entire life, I no longer feel “controlled” by food. I now use it for what it is, fuel for my body. Do I indulge from time-to-time? absolutely and I think everyone should. 

Being healthy does not and should not mean restriction but rather being mindful of what you are putting in your body on a regular basis. That cookie or pasta you had for lunch isn’t going to kill you. Enjoy life! 🙂