Post Pregnancy Weight Loss

I finally did it! Thirteen months after giving birth I am back down to my pre-pregnancy weight! I gained a whooping 42 pounds when I was pregnant with Sadie (did I mention that she was 9 lbs 4 oz and 22 inches long! She is definitely taking after her dad!). I have now lost a whooping 42 lbs! And I learned a thing or two along the way about losing post-baby weight and feeling good. Here is what instantly comes to mind.

-Girdles- I can't remember when I heard that wearing a girdle after pregnancy can help you get your figure back, but I can tell you that it definitely made mobility easier after my c-section. I quickly found that when I was wearing a girdle (or two at the beginning, once I learned how much better it made my stomach muscles feel) the pain was considerably lessened. After looking up once and finding that even that movement takes stomach muscles (and after nearly falling over backwards) I started wearing it all the time, when I was awake and asleep. I don't know if it really did help my muscles contract and heal back in place, which was one of the claims that I saw frequently made once I looked into it, but it made me feel much better.

-Fiber- This may the most important thing I learned about weight loss. I didn't know anything about fiber pre-baby. Post baby, with all the post baby problems that accompany childbirth, I found fiber to be a lifesaver. When I stopped taking fiber supplements I noticed I stopped losing weight. When I started taking them again the weight loss would slowly pick back up. When I told my husband about this he started taking fiber supplements too and he was shocked at the weight her began to lose. My personal favorites at this point are the Fiber One Caramel Granola Bars. I love them!

-Walking- I guess this goes under general exercise, but going on daily walks with the baby (which have currently been put on hold because of the three digit heat) makes me feel better and can help her get a nap in on days when she's insisting that she's absolutely not tired.

-Having a Toddler- I think this may be the greatest contributing factor at pushing me over the edge to lose those last few pounds. I spend so much time trying to get food into Sadie's little mouth that there are usually a few minutes between each bite that I take. Since I'm eating so slowly the food actually gets to my stomach and I'm noticing that I'm completely full after eating a lot less than I used to eat. I do miss being able to eat an entire meal without having to beg Sadie to take a bite though!