How I Lost the Baby Weight FAST!

Baby weight.. such a sore subject in my opinion. After I had my little girl, I was left with a body I didn't even recognize. It's not that I didn't appreciate all the miracles that it preformed- carrying a baby, going through labor and nursing.. it all blew my mind. Our bodies are so incredible!

All of that being said, one day I decided I was tired of the way I looked and more importantly the way I felt. I constantly complained about it to my husband and heard it in the back of my mind. My stomach felt like a water bed... can anyone relate to that?! I was sick of it.

Before/ After sierra.honeycutt

Then finally, It changed.. I changed. Here's the 10 things I did to jump start my weight loss.

1. TRACK YOUR FOOD

Ever heard of My Fitness Pal? It's a beautiful thing. Not only is it free but it helps you to track everything you put into your body that day. I don't always track my food religiously, but when I decided I wanted to lose weight it helped me to log and realize how high my calorie intake was. You can put in your target calorie goal for the day and it'll display your stats as you log. When you are done eating for the day, you then can push the button that completes your day of eating, and it will tell you how much you will weigh in 5 weeks if you keep your eating pattern up. This really motivated me, AND WAS ACCURATE. I also used the app " Meal Lime " which also helped me make good food choices and was so convenient! When you get started it helps you input your dietary needs before it formulates meals that you can have! I selected low carb diet and from there it gave me a wide array of recipes and options. Every Sunday I quickly selected several meals I wanted for that week. It even compiles a grocery list for you, talk about easy!

2. GRAB FOR LOW CALORIE SNACKS

Between each meal I have a light snack. This kept me full and high on energy throughout the day. I always allowed myself to have as many light cheese sticks , veggies and fruits as I wanted, but that's just what worked for me. Try to find something that is low in sugar and has protein as well.

3. ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER

Get yourself an accountability partner! My accountability partner is my sweet sister. We live states away but we still message each other multiple times a week and check in on each others goals. Your accountability partner should be someone who challenges you , pushes you and that has similar goals that you have to get the best results. I always say I need someone to come live with me and slap the junk food out of my hand every time I pick it up. Haha, but seriously.

4. DON'T EAT LATE AT NIGHT

If you eat food too late at night your body will likely store those calories as fat causing you to gain more weight rather than during the day when you are burning off those calories. The earlier you can stop eating, the better! Consider intermittent fasting, I have friends that have a lot of success with this. I have blood sugar issues so that's a no-go for me.

5. GET A SMART SCALE

My smart scale is one of my favorite fitness items I own. Not because it tells my my weight but because it measures me in so many categories ( BMI, Body Fat %, Subcutaneous / Visceral fat, muscle mass and SO MUCH MORE ). My numbers have dramatically changed since I begun which have been so encouraging.

Here's a link to the one my sister and I have: https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-FITINDEX-Wireless-Bathroom-Composition/dp/B078HW8BPY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1QGIMW7UUUD0P&keywords=fitindex+smart+wireless+digital+bathroom+weight+scale&qid=1560210344&s=gateway&sprefix=fit+index+smart%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-3

5 inches lost around my mid section in 4 months! @sierra.honeycutt

6. LET YOURSELF CHEAT

This sounds silly- why would I let myself cheat?? I promise if you let yourself have that treat or forbidden food every once in awhile it will make your diet seem like less " work ". I cannot tell you how many times I have started a very strict diet regimen and then completely fell off the wagon because I never let myself enjoy anything. For me, one of my rules is that I refuse to have a strict diet on vacation. It's something I look forward to when it comes around and helps me eat better prior and post vacay. Make healthy choices most of the time but reward yourself for all of your hard work every once in awhile! ( TIP: If you are craving a treat reach for a YASSO bar. These are only 100 cals and taste amazing! Always curbs my sweet tooth )

7. MEASURE MORE THAN WEIGHT

I took measurements from my arms, waist, hips, thighs and bust monthly. Even when the scale didn't move I saw progress in my measurements. Another thing I was so glad I did was taking before/ after pictures. Although I remember cringing taking that before picture, my "after " picture seemed so much more dramatic and satisfying having that comparison.

8. CONSIDER GROUP WORKOUT CLASSES

This has been the ultimate GAME CHANGER in my life. I joined my local YMCA and am able to do group classes such as boot camp, HITT, spin etc. I feel empowered working out with the same group of strong women daily. The instructors are kind but push me to do far more than I would ever do working out on my own. I feel that I have the potential to be in the best shape of my life with their help.

9. EAT LEAN AND CLEAN

Choose lean meats and whole foods. When in doubt I always go for grilled chicken and roasted veggies. SO GOOD! And hardly has any calories at all. Try to stay away from processed foods as much as possible.

10. OWN YOUR JOURNEY

No matter how slow your results may be, own your journey! There were so many times that I looked at myself and felt unsatisfied or discouraged at the place that I was at. It was little things like instructors telling me " wow , you've gotten so much stronger " or me noticing I could do something so much longer/ with more weight/ being less out of breath vs. before, were the only things at time that kept me from giving up

YOU ARE AMAZING. YOU ARE POWERFUL. YOU ARE STRONG.

Getting back in shape after a baby has been challenging at times, but it’s totally possible. Whatever your goal may be- stick to it! Some days you’ll fall, you won’t want to work at it and it’ll be challenging. It won’t be easy + THAT'S OK. Keep pushing and don’t give up, I promise you’ll see results!

Alot of work to go, but proud of my progress! @sierra.honeycutt

• Mama Hacks- Tips and Tricks for the Modern Day Mom

FOLLOW MY JOURNEY ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sierra.honeycutt/