Over halfway there! 39 pounds down

victoria_1024

Hello all! I first joined MFP last year and lost 35 pounds. Then unexpectedly got pregnant with baby #4! I always gain a lot when I'm pregnant and this time was no exception. I gained over 45 pounds by the end of pregnancy. By 4 weeks post partum I had only managed to lose 10. So I logged back into MFP and prepared for a long journey! My goal has been to take off the rest of the baby weight (37 pounds) and then another 37 pounds after that.

Well, my first goal has been achieved! Actually I'm past it, almost 39 pounds gone as of this morning. I started with MFP on February 1st and I am below pre-pregnancy weight, which feels really good. All my pre-pregnancy pants fit again or are too big. Here's what helped me reach my goal: Weighing my food and logging everything; Eating chocolate every day (so I don't feel deprived); Working out with Fitness Blender videos on youtube (mostly HIIT) and eating back half of my estimated exercise calories (no heart rate monitor). I also eat an extra 300 calories a day for breastfeeding, sometimes up to 500.

I didn't take an official "before" picture after this baby was born, but I will share my "before" picture from last year, my 9 months pregnant picture, 2 months into weight loss this time around, and current. In my "before" picture I was a size 18, currently a size 12 (depending on brand though).



I am really excited to continue with my weight loss and reach more goals! It feels good to be over halfway. I know the next half won't come off as quickly as the first half but that's ok. Thanks for letting me share!

blarson82

Great work! Keep it up

victoria_1024

Thanks.

jlfrye317

Looking great, keep up the good work

chesnity3

Great job!

dante20

Wonderful job!

rosiepaulson2015

You look great!!! Good for you!!!!!! I am a mom of four with a similar story- trying to lose the pregnancy weight and then about 35 extra. I can't wait to say that I am down 30+! :-) I am just needing motivation. How are you doing it, May i ask?

Dhellia

Great job! You can definitely tell you're getting more muscle too!

rayw89

Great job! And with four kiddos? You're doing amazing!

victoria_1024

rosiepaulson2015 wrote: »

You look great!!! Good for you!!!!!! I am a mom of four with a similar story- trying to lose the pregnancy weight and then about 35 extra. I can't wait to say that I am down 30+! :-) I am just needing motivation. How are you doing it, May i ask?

Good luck!! It is so hard with multiple children. Sometimes I feel really guilty when my house is a mess and I choose to work-out rather than clean. But I'm a happier parent having a goal for myself and being healthy for my kids.

I'm truly not doing anything special, just staying within my calories every day. I can only think of one, maybe two times where I went above my calories for the day and even then I wasn't that far above. If I'm going somewhere that I know will have lots of food, I try to work out a bit more or save up calories during the day for the meal. I eat all the foods I still love, just better portions. I also work-out 6 days a week (at home during naptime).

I think the main reason I've been successful is because I'm not starving. Usually when I diet I hardly eat anything and you can only maintain that for so long before giving up!