Since college, I have battled my weight. I believe it all began with the freshman 15lbs. It's no secret that I enjoy good food. However with a family history of heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, I knew I had to take control.
January 2011, my husband and I adopted a vegan diet. We cut out all animal products from our diet in attempt to see if it would help my asthma. It worked. Not only did my respiratory problems clear up, but I promptly lost 15 pounds. I was feeling great until I discovered I was pregnant. Just three months after we changed our lifestyle, I was forced to add dairy and some meats back to my diet because I wasn't getting enough protein.
During pregnancy I was very careful about my weight gain. Since I was already over weight, I was committed to only gaining 25lbs. I did give in to some of my cravings, but it was not a free for all. Exercising and eating well, I am proud to say that is exactly how much weight I gained during pregnancy.
After having Catherine, I was committed to loosing my pregnancy weight. Within two weeks of giving birth I had lost all of the weight I gained during pregnancy. I credit this rapid weight loss to exclusively breastfeeding. It works ladies. I truly believe breastfeeding is God's natural way to help us loose the baby weight.
In December of 2012, my family and I changed our diets once again. In response to Catherine's allergies, we have adapted a gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and soy-free diet. Fourteen months later, and I am still breastfeeding, watching what I eat, and chasing after a toddler, I am now 50 lbs lighter.
Although I have lost a significant amount of weight, I still have about 20 more pounds to loose before I am at an optimal weight. I share my story, hoping to encourage others struggling with weight issues.
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| Enjoying a meal, 2010 |
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| Family photo, 2010 |
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9 months pregnant, 2011 |
