The day I gave birth to our daughter, Aug 3rd, 2009, I weighed 197 pounds. I remember standing in the bathroom in my hospital room and trying to hold back the tears. Tears of joy, of course, because I was about to meet my precious baby, but also tears of sorrow looking at the scale as confirmation I had gained over 50 pounds in my pregnancy. For the life of me I could not even figure out how it was possible! I ate so healthy, I drank gallons of water, and I even enrolled in the senior citizen water aerobics class (Lets be serious no one wants to be in a pool with a young fit swimmer when they are that pregnant in a bathing suit HA).
I have never been a size zero, but one thing I definitely realized after being heavier during my pregnancy, is that I appreciated being smaller. I felt better physically, mentally, emotionally, I slept better, I had more energy, and I just felt good when I was not carrying as much weight. I was determined to lose my baby weight, and I did! I never stepped foot in a gym either! I lost 57 pounds in a little over three months and all from focusing on one single thing; my metabolism.
Three years later, with a toddler, a heavier work load, and now a husband who works out of state half the month, I have managed to keep the weight off. I had adopted a few new trends I live by such as I never eat after 6pm, I eat breakfast every morning, I eat off the same size of plate our toddler uses so I have portion control, and I drink lots of water. The key to being able to maintain my weight and not work out though is to continue focusing on my metabolism and below are a few ways in which I keep it up and keep the calories burning…………
1) Keep your daily calories above 1200. Seriously, if you cut your calories so low you may even gain weight as your body goes into starvation mode! However all calories are not created equal so make sure every single one counts to keep you fuller longer!
2) Stay active. A no brainer, I know, but did you know vacuuming burns 180 calories, or emptying the dishwasher burns 160 calories. Working during the week I am constantly on the move, but on the weekends I try to get up a do a chore once an hour or go out for some air and play with our little one outside.
3) Throw out the dips. Oils and vinaigrettes are much better alternatives for cooking, dips, and dressing than the heavier options like Ranch or Barbeque Sauce. The acetic acid also flips on genes that stimulate fat burning and keep your metabolism running!
4) Go for fish! The oil in fish fuels fat burning by increasing thyroid hormones. If fish is not your thing you can also go for a substitute lean protein such as chicken breast.
5) Change things up. Moving the dial on the amount of calories your body takes in can help keep your metabolism running strong. I like this free online calculator to help give me ideas on cutting calories or allowing more: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
6) Pass up the sugary drinks, need I say more. Don’t get me wrong, mama needs a Red bull everyone in a while, but limit your naughty drink splurges to twice a week if possible! Opting for water is always a better choice.
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