“ I gained 70 pounds from my pregnancy but lost 100 with this portion control meal plan ”

Women’s health

My name is Shianne Smith (@shiannesmithfit). I am 26 years old and I am from Kansas City, Missouri. I have used Beachbody workouts and the portion control and calorie counting diet to reverse my pregnancy weight gain.

I have always struggled with portion control as well as being impatient with my weight loss attempts. I wouldn’t see the results fast enough, and then I would give up because I would feel like it was unnecessary. For a very long time, I really believed I was just born to be overweight.

I reached my heaviest weight while I was pregnant with my daughter. At 23, I weighed 250 pounds. I had gained 70 pounds at the time of delivery. I was borderline diabetic, and also had high blood pressure and a very high resting heart rate.

My biggest motivation for losing weight and being healthy was my daughter.

Now that I was a mom, I knew I needed to be healthier. My daughter deserved a happy, healthy mom. She deserved a good role model, especially when it came to body image, and I was physically and emotionally unhappy. So on August 15, 2018, I decided enough was enough. I gave myself a three month goal to lose weight, and it ultimately led to a complete lifestyle change.

I started to track my calories quite religiously.

Track which calories work best for me and I do my best to stay in a calorie deficit. (However, I do remember showing myself grace when I’m not!). Since knowing I was struggling with overeating and portion control, I purchased a portion-controlled meal plan through Beachbody and essentially retrained to learn healthier eating habits in October 2018.

I’m definitely a creature of habit, so I eat a lot of the same foods on a fairly regular basis. I don’t usually eat breakfast because I try to work out in the morning and don’t like working out with food in my stomach (although sometimes I do!).

The story continues

This is what I eat in a day.

• Breakfast: Half a banana and two fried eggs on a piece of avocado toast with Louisiana hot sauce.

• Lunch: A Mission Carb Balance spinach and herb tortilla with a tablespoon of mayonnaise, turkey, cheese and lettuce, with veggie straws, fruit and yogurt.

• Having dinner: Chicken fajitas or fajita bowls are my favorite.

• Snacks: Protein bars, sliced ​​fruit or cucumbers with lime juice and tajin pepper seasoning.

• Dessert: I don’t usually eat dessert, but Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is my favorite and I’m a chocolate lover.

To exercise, I started to walk as much as I could.

I started out by trying to walk a total of five miles throughout the day. And I didn’t * actually * start working out until October 2018, when I purchased Beachbody.

I always do Beachbody workouts, so my exercise throughout the week varies depending on the workout routine I am currently doing. I exercise at least five to six days a week. My favorite thing is lifting weights. The facelift totally changed my body composition in ways I never imagined, and I love how strong I get.

These three changes made the biggest difference in my weight loss results.

1. I started to track my calories. When I watch my calories and stick to my calorie deficit, I am more aware of my food choices and I can better avoid mindless snacking.

2. I stopped focusing only on the ladder. The Libra won’t always be your friend when you want it to be. In the past, I didn’t know what a “win without a ladder” was, so when the ladder number increased, I would get discouraged and quit. This time around I trusted the process and took pictures of the progress. I paid attention to how my clothes fit and how I felt in general.

3. I have recited positive affirmations. As ridiculous as it may sound, saying kind and charming things to myself really improved my body image which helped my mental state and pushed me through the tough days. I didn’t always believe what I said at the start, but I’ve said it enough by the time I started.

I have lost over 100 pounds.

I want other women to know that you are worthy, beautiful and amazing. It’s okay to love your body and yourself while wanting to change. We are not defined by the size of the pants we wear or by how much space we can or cannot take up. Looking healthy is different on every body, so love each other and be kind.

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