My Secret to Losing Weight and Keeping it off

I thought I'd talk about how I lost 65 pounds after the birth of my second child 2 years ago.

Well, it sounds like a lot of weight, but the first 30 pounds came off easily (a 9-lb baby for one) within the first 6-8 weeks. Women who have had babies know that a lot of water retention occurs to support the pregnancy. However, the 35 pounds that was remaining was a whole different challenge.

One thing that helped was breastfeeding because it burns a lot of calories, anywhere from 300-500 calories per day when the baby is feeding exclusively from its mother. Now, 500 calories less per day X 7 days = 3,500 calories less per week (or 1 lb of weight loss). Keep doing this for the recommended 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding and you've lost about 26 pounds.

Sounds easy, right? Well, it isn't really, at least not for many women. A lot of times, breastfeeding makes you hungry so you may eat more than you burn off in a day. Also, you've got a lot of fat deposited in areas you may not have before, like around your middle. Many women can't breastfeed, others have to go back to work soon after the birth of their child. Your only choice is to make your health, fitness and wellness a priority. After all, a woman needs to be healthy and fit just to handle the sleepless nights and the challenges of being a great parent.

What I did was something I had never done before. I started a calorie journal where I wrote down everything I ate in a day and counted the calories with a pocket calorie resource. The one I used was from "Prevention Magazine" and it was excellent. Once I got a handle on what I was eating, I determined how many calories a person of my weight needed in order to maintain my current weight. Then I subtracted 500 calories per day and made that my caloric intake target for the day so that I could lose on average 1 pound per week. Of course, I readjusted my caloric intake target as my weight decreased.

I also began a whole new health and fitness regime starting with the book: "The ABS Diet Get Fit Stay Fit Plan". It was a tremendous resource for me since I had never been serious about strength-training as a means of building lean muscle, helping with weight loss, and creating a lean and toned physique. The book also outlined 12 categories of foods that you need to incorporate as the bulk of your diet on a daily basis.

One of the recommendations in "The ABS Diet" was eating Whey Protein to help build and repair muscle tissue following a strength-training workout. Some flavors like vanilla are very versatile and can be incorporated with fresh berries and a cup of milk in a blender. The end result is a delicious and filling milkshake that doubles in volume (a full 2 cups).

Later, when I had spend about 3-4 months on "The ABS Diet Get Fit Stay Fit Plan", I discovered Chalene Johnson's "Turbo Jam" CD series at www.Beachbody.com and I was hooked! I started doing Turbo Jam workouts 5 days per week (30 - 60 minutes long). After 6 months of eating well and working out, I had lost 35 pounds and was back to my pre-pregnancy weight. By the way, a 30-minute workout flies by. It just takes commitment to get started and to build the health and fitness habit, that's all.

Now, 2 years later, I have kept it off. Remember that "diet" is not something you do short-term until you lose the weight you want, "diet" is defined as the food you eat on a daily basis long-term to maintain a healthy, fit and active lifestyle. Today, women's health, fitness and wellness is my vocation. After many years of inactivity and creeping weight-gain, I'd finally had enough.

So, join me and make "Healthy. Fit. Living Fully." your goals too. Until next time, be good to yourself and be the best role-model you can be for your kids and family members. Ciao for now!

Sandy Huard, President, Women's Health Supply International