Three Things to Know About Postpartum Weight-Loss

Today’s post about postpartum weight-loss comes to you from Cat Smiley, a certified nutritionist and weight-loss coach. She’s been named Canadian Trainer of the Year three times by the International Sports Science Association. Her book, The Planet Friendly Diet helps people lose weight, get fit and feel great with plant-based nutrition and beginner recipes. She is the owner and fitness director of Whistler Fitness Vacations, a weight-loss retreat for women that uses alpine hiking, personal training, water exercise, strength training and nutritional education to kick start lifestyle transformation, located in B.C., Canada.

I’ve always said that being a mom must be one of the hardest jobs in the world, and my hat goes off to those who juggle a household along with careers, after-school activities and everything else that goes along with it, not to mention trying to squeeze in workouts and healthy eating! Lady, you’re a freaking machine, and I’m the first to admit that us child-free people have no concept of how difficult it really is. But despite that, I’m over here on a mama blog about to motivate you to take that first step back into the jungle, swinging from the vine of workout classes and healthy eats like a modern day GI Jane.

Because many of my body transformation clients are new moms, they’ve taught me that really, workouts are just never going to become a lifestyle unless you know why you want it. Here are a few things to know to help you on the way.

3 Things to Know About Postpartum Weight-Loss

1. Ditch the label. When you eat too much and exercise too little, becoming overweight is an inevitable consequence. Being overweight is not “you” and it’s not the nutshell that defines you. Your size is a temporary state and can only be overcome when we stop making excuses. You have taken the first step to your recovery by making the commitment to yourself to start exercising. That’s awesome! Let go of the “out-of-shape” label and instead think of yourself as a body in progress. Eat light and eat right. The rest will come naturally.

2. Know why you want it. Choosing to slim down to the healthy weight range may save your life. It’d be pretty cool for your kids to have mama around for a long time, right? Because some of the diseases that are triggered from being obese are really bad: diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), osteoarthritis, gall bladder disease and certain types of cancers. Obese people may also have difficulty becoming pregnant and face increased risk with emergency surgery. These are serious health complications; if you have a hard time shaping up for yourself, shape up for those who love you.

3. Take responsibility for the journey. Okay, so you gained weight. So what? It doesn’t mean you are not beautiful, it just means that you’re not responsible in your lifestyle choices right now. People around you will generally stay quiet because nobody wants to hurt your feelings, but if you have a waist about 35 inches (around the belly button) then you are at risk for obesity-related diseases. Whether you are overweight or not is not opinion based, it’s based on that number: 35 inches. And the dark side of that number around your stomach includes a whopping 300 percent higher chance that you’ll have Type 2 diabetes. Upper body fat comes with its own set of problems and is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and hypertension.

Beyond the 1 … 2 … 3 …

I’m probably not giving you the most uplifting news you’ve heard all day, so let’s wrap on a more positive note. Simply put, getting back into shape is not about the weight — it’s about how you feel in your head. You want to be happy and you want to feel like you want it. So take the first step and stick with it for 21 days, taking it just one day at a time. The little things will all add up into big things and before you know it, you’ll be fit again.

Thanks to Cat for sharing. I love the thought that “fat” or “unfit” is a temporary state and one that can be remedied! —Erin