15 Lbs. of Babyweight GONE!!! PICS

Holly_Roman_Empire

First of all, a little back story. In 2011-2012, I successfully lost 25 pounds using MFP. I am 5'7" and I maintained at 140 pounds until I got pregnant. I had my baby girl in April 2013, and weighed 175 the day after I had her. After breastfeeding and eating healthy for her, my weight dropped and stabilized at 155 pounds. I started logging my food around July, but I only really got serious starting in September after Labor Day. After 4 months of intensive logging and exercise, I got down to 140 pounds. Here's what my weight loss pattern looked like. Sorry it's a little blurry.



I think it's important for people to realize that I only had 15 pounds to lose, but it took me 4 months to do it. The first time I lost weight, it took me 6 months to lose 25 pounds. If you don't have a lot to lose, it's not going to come off very fast.

And now, the comparison pics. I think it's safe to say most of my weight loss was in my tummy area, much to my satisfaction.









And now how I did it:

Food:
I followed the MFP model for logging calories. From September to November, I ate pretty much whatever I wanted as long as it was within my 1500 net calorie goal. This included everything from fruits and vegetables to pizza and hot wings. Sometimes I would go over my goal, but I would never sweat it. I still have days where I eat anything and everything and eat close to 3000 calories in a day, but you know what? It's just one day.

I started focusing on macros once December got here, mostly because weight loss got really slow. At first I was lucky to get 30 grams of protein in a day, and now I shoot for closer to 80 grams a day. It's still not a lot by any means, but I think it helped with a lot of things. Oh, and I was still eating whatever I wanted. I guess I am doing a form of IIFIYM

Exercise:
With a new baby, this was a tough one. My husband and I decided each of us would have workout days. Mine were Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. His were the other days. I wanted to keep the workouts short so he wouldn't be stuck with the baby for long periods of time, so 30 minutes was what I was aiming for. I started doing C25K in September, and the program fit my workout days exactly. This was all the exercise I did until November.

Well, life happens, and I got thrown off of exercise for a few weeks. I didn't exercise, but I kept watching my calories. And guess what? I still lost weight in November. In December, it started getting cold, so I switched up the workout routines. Still 3 days a week for 30 minutes at a time, though. I did a mixture of step aerobics (my workout passion, by the way), shadow boxing, and strength training.

Now, a word about strength training. It gets said time after time in these forums, and it is true. THIS DOES MORE FOR YOUR BODY THAN ANY CARDIO EVER WILL. I mentioned before that weight loss was slow in December, but my body changed more in that month than the other months combined. Clothes fit better, my shape was better, and I love getting stronger. My strength training was done with dumbbells, my bodyweight, and my 20 pound daughter. You ladies that have babies in the house, pick them up off the floor and lift them straight into the air above your head about 10 times. It works your body!

Weighing
I weighed myself whenever I felt like it. No set date, and not every day either. Every time I did weigh though, I recorded it. I cared about the scale just enough to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight, but that is about it. I couldn't care less what it says today as long as my clothes fit and I like what I see in the mirror. I'm pretty satisfied. :happy:

In short, here's the stats:
Height: 5'7"
Highest Weight: 176
Starting Weight: 155
Current Weight: 140

Inches lost:
Thighs: 1.5"
Waist: 3"
Hips/Butt: 3"

benniesmother

you are amazing! so glad I can call you my MFP friend awesome job lady!!!!

in4nomz

So awesome to finally hear your story! It's always a harder path when you've got the babies since you want to spend the time with them. But us mama's need our time too! I love that you don't sweat the "bad" days, like you said, it's just a day. Keep up the awesome work!!

kristisanchez11

This is awesome... and almost exactly ME. Definitely let my health slide after baby and as a result am about 20-lb still over preprego weight. I'm getting back into logging and the exercise routine and plan to slowly make progress in the right direction. 155 now... want to get back to the 135-140 range.

Thanks for sharing and offer any extra tips you think of!!!

Holly_Roman_Empire

Thanks friends!

Holly_Roman_Empire

This is awesome... and almost exactly ME. Definitely let my health slide after baby and as a result am about 20-lb still over preprego weight. I'm getting back into logging and the exercise routine and plan to slowly make progress in the right direction. 155 now... want to get back to the 135-140 range.

Thanks for sharing and offer any extra tips you think of!!!

It is tough! The best tips I can think of is to be patient and if there isn't time for exercise, there's always time to eat a healthy amount of calories!

I should also add that extra exercise I did that I didn't log were simple things like:
1) Taking a walk during my lunch hour.
2) Taking the stairs up to my office on the tenth floor.
3) Walking during my 15-minute breaks.
4) Doing shoulder presses with an 8-pound medicine ball any time I needed to warm up in my cubicle (because offices are always freezing cold!)

jmco201

Amazing! Did you use a particular strength training program? I'm kinda trying to formulate one and struggling to keep it consistent. Also, how much time a week were you spending doing strength?

Great job

RachelRuns9

This is awesome. I am going to bookmark it to read again once I get down to 155 in case I need some motivation for getting to 140. Thanks for sharing - you look so great!!!!

Holly_Roman_Empire

Amazing! Did you use a particular strength training program? I'm kinda trying to formulate one and struggling to keep it consistent. Also, how much time a week were you spending doing strength?

Great job

I didn't use a specific strength training program. I had some experience doing weight lifting when I was on a deployment many years ago, and I took some knowledge that I learned here on the forums.

For weight training, I have some of those adjustable dumbbells. I focused on bench presses, shoulder presses, and flies. I never do curls or tricep extensions because I simply hate doing them. But anyway, I usually did 3-5 sets of each, at the highest weight I could handle at 6-8 reps. In this sense, I was "lifting heavy".

Body weight training was mostly for lower body. I did squats and lunges like nobody's business, and every kind of variation to keep me from getting bored.

Lifting the baby was probably most fun. I carried her like a medicine ball and did exercises with her that way. No kidding! Lifting her from my chest to the air, from the floor to my chest, and putting her on my legs while seated and lifting her like quad extensions.

I do weight training once or twice per week, only about 30 minutes at a time. Body weight training and playing with the baby is pretty much whenever I can squeeze it in. :happy:

jmco201

Amazing! Did you use a particular strength training program? I'm kinda trying to formulate one and struggling to keep it consistent. Also, how much time a week were you spending doing strength?

Great job

I didn't use a specific strength training program. I had some experience doing weight lifting when I was on a deployment many years ago, and I took some knowledge that I learned here on the forums.

For weight training, I have some of those adjustable dumbbells. I focused on bench presses, shoulder presses, and flies. I never do curls or tricep extensions because I simply hate doing them. But anyway, I usually did 3-5 sets of each, at the highest weight I could handle at 6-8 reps. In this sense, I was "lifting heavy".

Body weight training was mostly for lower body. I did squats and lunges like nobody's business, and every kind of variation to keep me from getting bored.

Lifting the baby was probably most fun. I carried her like a medicine ball and did exercises with her that way. No kidding! Lifting her from my chest to the air, from the floor to my chest, and putting her on my legs while seated and lifting her like quad extensions.

I do weight training once or twice per week, only about 30 minutes at a time. Body weight training and playing with the baby is pretty much whenever I can squeeze it in. :happy:

Thanks, that's really helpful. It clearly worked!

wjstoj

Awesome job and lots of pictures as I had asked for.

Happy 2014 !

ironmonkeystyle

AWESOMENESS

Holly_Roman_Empire

Awesome job and lots of pictures as I had asked for.

Happy 2014 !

Haha, anything for a friend. :drinker:

bluedown10

Thanks for the reminder. Seeing that a lot of people have ups and downs makes me relax a little and not get frustrated with setbacks. It's all part of the journey...and you look fit and happy! Nice work.

PLoveElliott

Thank you for sharing your story! Very inspiring. Congrats!

autumnsquirrel

Wow:) I enjoyed reading this and seeing your progress; you have done it all the right way:) You also look great in the before picture, too. Thanks for sharing a quite doable routine.

Cilenia

Awesome!!

brianages

Great job! You showed dedication and fortitude getting to this point! I like the office ideas and now wish we had stairs at my work. However 10 stories would probably put me in intensive care!

Holly_Roman_Empire

Wow:) I enjoyed reading this and seeing your progress; you have done it all the right way:) You also look great in the before picture, too. Thanks for sharing a quite doable routine.

Aww thanks!

I should also add that my goals (now that I've reached goal weight) are all fitness-related. I want to run 50 miles in January, for example. Having short-term fitness goals helped me keep perspective when I wasn't losing as much weight as I wanted to. Always know that you are working towards something, and it doesn't always have to be a number on the scale!

Holly_Roman_Empire

Great job! You showed dedication and fortitude getting to this point! I like the office ideas and now wish we had stairs at my work. However 10 stories would probably put me in intensive care!

Brian, it NEVER gets easier! Those 10 stories are just as hard today as they were a few months ago!

kinzieplatt

you go girl

Love4fitnesslove4food2

You look incredible! Way to take charge of getting your body back to where you want it to be!

sleepingtodream

Well done! You look great!

emilyisbonkers

dangg you look good

MizThang

I wish this site had a Favorites button so that I can read this at my low points which might as well be daily it seems. Thank you for sharing. It is nice to have people like you with courage and thoughtfulness to share with the rest of us and inspire us to do the same. Way to go on your achievement!!! You may have just changed someones day so much that they too will be a success.

Holly_Roman_Empire

I wish this site had a Favorites button so that I can read this at my low points which might as well be daily it seems. Thank you for sharing. It is nice to have people like you with courage and thoughtfulness to share with the rest of us and inspire us to do the same. Way to go on your achievement!!! You may have just changed someones day so much that they too will be a success.

Wow, thank you! I'm glad I could make a difference. :drinker: :flowerforyou:

kcb0308

You are an inspiration! Lol. Thanks for all the encouragement you offer me on a daily basis.

jonnyman41

well done

Edensienna

I've had a similar journey... I dance holding my two year old and chase my four year old around the park. It's taken four month to lose 14lbs, but the difference in my tummy area is fantastic. I held on to baby weight around my waist before this journey.

Congrats on your success!

acampbe2umd

Well done!! I feel like you could have written my story I'm the same height and same pre-pregnancy weight. I had my 3rd (and final) baby in March '13 as well! Good luck with your fitness goals for 2014!

susanrechter

awesome possum!:flowerforyou: