lose_pregnancy_weightOne of our past Motivating Mums, Chloe Rizzi, wrote in to ask for some help getting back on track with her post pregnancy weight loss after a big change to her life.
Previously, mum Chloe lost over 18kg on our plans and was eating well and going to the gym to lose pregnancy weight.
Then she had a car accident which meant that the gym was a no-go zone, and all of a sudden she felt her motivation waiver.
Chloe says ‘I have not been able to get back into the full swing of the Lose Baby Weight program. I want it to so bad and I don’t know why I can’t snap myself back into it.
I was doing so well before the car accident but since not still being able to return to the gym the way I was prior to, I feel like I lost myself in all the frustration.
The gym helped me eat well and eating well helped me go to the gym. I would feel guilty on backing off either one as I would feel like what’s the point of going to the gym if I eat something I’m not supposed to and what’s the point of eating something I’m not supposed to because then I’m wasting my session at the gym.
It created a mental strength for me I have never had before. But now I don’t have the gym anymore in the way I used to have it.
Can you give me some advice if you have any on how to snap myself back to reality?’
Us humans really are creatures of habit. We find ourselves creating little routines and ways of doing things that make us feel like we have a bit of control over our lives. So when that control is taken away, it can cause lots of other emotions to bubble up.
For Chloe, the car accident took something away that was part of her routine – going to the gym. Her time at the gym was her own time to focus on herself and her pregnancy weight loss.
Now that the option of attending the gym is gone, Chloe might feel as though she has lost control of her weight loss a little bit.
This is perfectly normal, and can often cause us to feel less motivated and a bit fed up.
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Some ideas to turn things around:

  • Other healthy exercise options

So the gym is out. What else is available?
Could you try the Healthy Mummy Exercise DVD which is doable from your lounge room? It’s broken down into segments so you can fit in a quick 15 minute session whenever you can throughout the day – rather than trying to find a full hour to set aside to exercise.
Take things slowly with some gentle walking. You would be amazed how such a simple task like walking can get your heart rate pumping and let you see results in terms of your fitness level. If you’re up to it, try adding in some hand weights and do bursts of power walking too.

  • Find a friend

A great way to increase your motivation levels is to find a weight loss buddy to work with you. Read our tips for finding a buddy here.
A buddy can be someone that you share your weigh-in’s with, go for walks together, swap recipes, mind each others kids so the other can run errands or exercise, and be a source of phone or email support when you need a kick to get back into gear.
You can also jump onto our Facebook page where many of our members ask questions, share recipes, and find support while losing pregnancy weight.
Another idea is to check out our Motivating Mum Q&A sessions every Monday night at 9pm on our Facebook page. Ask questions and see how these mums are coping with what life throws at them.

  • Make it fun again

Don’t get caught up in a ‘weight loss is boring’ attitude as this can quickly lead to self sabotage. Eating healthy food is only boring if you let it be that way.
Why not commit to trying two new recipes each week from our 28 Day Plan or the Summer Cookbook or website?
Or make sure that some of the healthy foods that you really love are always in your kitchen? For instance if you really love avocado, tell yourself that you are worth the cost of having plenty of them on hand for when the mood strikes.
If you love desserts and baking, why not pre-order our Guilt Free Chocolate & Baking Cookbook so that you can enjoy healthy sweet treats at home?

  • Set yourself a challenge

If a bit of healthy competition suits you, why not commit yourself to some sort of challenge to help you feel more motivated?
It could be signing up for a 5km fun run; joining a netball team; committing to losing 3kg before your birthday – anything that helps you stay focused on your goals.
And while you’re at it, set yourself some non-food based rewards too which can help you keep going when you feel like giving up. It could be an hour long massage, a new dress, a pedicure, or a new recipe book such as our Summer Cookbook.

  • Plan plan plan

There’s nothing like a kitchen full of healthy food to keep your motivation levels high for eating well (and saying no to junk). So sit down on a Sunday and make your plan of action for the week in terms of meals and snacks.
Look at what’s in the fridge/freezer and make your dinner plan from there. Then you can make a list of items that you need to buy from the supermarket (we love online shopping for this as you can order from home and have someone else do all the heavy lifting for you).
Decide on a couple of healthy snack options and prepare those for the week. We love spending a bit of time on some healthy baking and then popping individual serves into the freezer so that you can just pull them out as needed.
Commit to your Healthy Mummy Smoothie for breakfast. It is a great way to start the day with loads of vitamins and minerals, and it keeps you feeling full while you get your day started.
Be sure to have plenty of your favourite milk on hand, as well as a freezer stash of berries and banana chunks to throw in, and any fresh fruits or veg in the fridge that you can add in.
Visit our smoothie recipes pages and why not even think about planning your smoothies for the week too, so that you know exactly what ingredients you will need.

  • Make time for you

Remember to set aside some time to do some things that you really enjoy doing.
As a mum it’s too easy to put everyone else’s needs ahead of your own. But after a while it might feel as though you are just going through the motions and not feeling as though you are being looked after.
It could be scheduling a friend to babysit while you go and swim a few laps of the local pool. It might be signing up to an art class one night a week. It might be scheduling a time for an hour-long soak in the tub while someone else puts the kids to bed. Or you could take part in some meditation sessions from a mobile phone app.
Take time out to nourish yourself and often you will begin to remember that you are important too.
 
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