Like many new moms, I have a really hard time losing weight while breastfeeding. As my second is starting to ease off on her daytime feeds, and getting most of her calories from solid foods, I’ve been noticing more movement on the scale. So now I’m down to the last 10 lbs to reach my pre-pregnancy weight and I’m looking at my diet to find the areas that can be cleaned up to reach my weight loss goal. I know that to reach this goal I have to mentally prepare myself to give up certain indulgences (ie. ICE CREAM) and to make sure that my fridge and pantry aren’t filled with those enemies.
I become a beast when I’m hungry (kind of like a hungry toddler on the brink of a tantrum) and am likely to eat whatever is close at hand. I need to fill my kitchen with healthful foods that make it easy for me to make good meal and snack choices and to feed my body with the nutrients it needs. When I’m hungry and my inner beast is about to unleash itself, I’m likely to reach for the fastest and easiest carb and sugar-loaded foods available — unless I’ve stocked my kitchen with easily accessible and delicious wholesome foods. So here’s how I’m making sure that what’s within reach provide the right kinds of choices!
1. Turn Your Fridge into the Ultimate Salad Bar!
- Steam a large batch of beans/asparagus/beets/etc.
- Grill a large batch of veggies like sweet potatoes/zucchini/eggplant.
- Keep tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, washed, peeled, cut and ready to go.
- Add seeds, nuts and pickled vegetables to salads to add more texture and flavour.
2. Eggs All Day!
- Eggs for lunch, cooked with the meat from last night’s dinner and a bunch of veg makes a quick, delicious and filling meal that will last until evening.
- I cook at least half a dozen hardboiled eggs at a time for a quick snack or to add to a salad (my kids LOVE them too so I always add a couple to our lunch box when we’re going to be out for the day!)
3. Buy a variety of vegetables to keep meals interesting and plan your meals around them. Its easy to get stuck in a rut following the same grocery list every week. Instead of celery, try fennel. Instead of kale, try collards. My family loves broccoli, but we found we REALLY love Chinese broccoli. When my fridge is filled with tons of vegetables I get inspired to cook them in different ways and combinations.
4. Keep Really Good Quality Dark Chocolate on hand!! When I’m craving a sweet treat, just a little bit of chocolate goes a long way to tame my inner beast! When I craving salty and sweet, I chop some up and add it to my favourite nut and seed mix.
5. When You Just HAVE to Eat Something Cold and Sweet:
- Make your own smoothie pops (watch the sugar content).
- Put a popsicle stick in a small yoghurt container and freeze it for a frozen yoghurt treat!
kara with sebastian & mia
Kara Stewart-Agostino trains at the BB locations in Mississauga, Bloor West and Liberty Village. She is a mommy of two, avid gardener, and lover of all things sweaty. Check out Kara’s profile and book Kara for completely customized in-home BB personal training.