I lost a lot of weight after I gave birth to our son. Maybe it is true that breastfeeding could help mothers lose weight. While it does not apply to all, I am very happy that I was one to shift from size medium to small. I lost 5 kg in those 2 years of breastfeeding. You might say that it is not that much, but for me, I really loved that.
My parents were not that happy that I lost that weight. They thought that I was not eating enough which is why I looked too thin. To them, I needed to eat more because I looked like a person with a terminal illness. Little did they know that I ate a lot during the first two years since giving birth to our offspring.
And now I am back to my old weight, even though our toddler still breastfeeds during his afternoon nap. I did not notice at first because I was always at home wearing loose clothes. But one day, we planned to go out for a stroll, and I had to wear tight-fitting clothes. That was when I realized that I had to lose some of my fats.
“Oh, when did they come back?” I thought to myself. I was not aware that they came back to me making me feel like I am a fat momma. And I do not like the feeling of getting on the bigger side. I always wanted to be the thin person that I used to be.
So I decided I need to keep myself healthy by changing my habits. I made up a list of what I should do so that I would not get lost while I am busy taking care of my little one.
What do I do to maintain my weight?
- Workout. I started working a little bit to remove some of my obvious flabs. My toddler would even imitate my moves and it makes me want to work out even more. I used to be shy working out around anyone, but with my little one, it is okay.
- Limit food intake. I am trying to limit my food intake because I am not getting any younger and, I believe that less is more. As long as I get the right amount of calories and nutrients a day, I am okay with it. I eat lots of vegetables and some fruits to keep me full longer. I lessen carbs and eat more protein to gain more muscle.
- Drink lots of water. I drink more fluids to keep me full and to help reduce toxins from my body. Besides making you feel less energetic, lacking in water could also make you prone to getting sick.
- Stand up once in a while. After about 30 to 45 minutes of sitting, I stand up to do something else. Either I get up to drink water or do the laundry. I would also get up to play with my son and dance alongside him (adds to the calorie burn!).
- Have cheat days. Of course, this is part of my diet, but I make sure to eat only a little to avoid blowing up my weight. Resisting the urge to give in to your cravings could make me uneasy because I would keep longing for it. In return, it could result in more weight gain.
I hope you learned something from my tips on to maintain a healthy weight without compromising your wants. Don’t worry, there are days when I eat a small serving of chocolate or drink my favourite cup of iced-blended coffee. There are also days when we go to a restaurant to eat at a buffet. The key here is a balance of everything to make sure that you are living healthier and happier.
