5 Years Post-Partum | Body Change Struggles

I came across this photo from five years ago when I was expecting my daughter, Elly, and I was suddenly struck by how fast the past five years have gone by.
Over the years, I have, like many women, looked at celebrities I follow become mums and "snap back" after a few months and I always wondered how they did it. I know with a personal trainer and a nutritionist it's possible to get back your pre-baby body quite fast. However, in the "real world" not all of us can snap back and look slim and svelte after having a baby. Add to that the slower metabolism caused by an advancement in age and you have an even harder time with the weight.
Allow me to preface this by saying that in the past, I was never someone who worried about her weight too much. Pre-baby, I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted and never worried about what impact it had on my body. I liked my body size and even more, the fact that I didn't need to do too much to maintain it.

Fast forward some five years and I have finally had to rethink my lifestyle choices. I will admit that post-baby I have struggled a bit. This year in particular has been an eye opener for me in terms of weight gain. My body tends to put on and lose weight in a flash depending on how much physical activity I'm taking part in, what and how much I'm eating and my mental state at any given moment. Luckily I'm able to hide much of the weight gain with carefully thought out outfits. But one Sunday when I tried on a dress and it wouldn't zip up I was made rudely aware that I couldn't lie to myself any longer. I needed to do something about my weight gain.

Another disclaimer, when I say I have put on weight and I want to do something about it, it's for my own personal reasons. We have high blood pressure in the family and there is a likelihood of it affecting me. I have also noted that when I get heavier, I feel sluggish and I am unable to be as active as I would love to be. 
When I put on weight it goes to my midsection (stomach), hips and thighs. I don't really mind the hips and thighs because somehow I have been able to keep that under control. It's the increased girth around my stomach that bothers me, a lot. 
So some of the things I have started doing to keep my weight in check and also tone up a bit around my tummy is portion control. I try to eat a heavy breakfast, lighter lunch and an even lighter dinner. I'm a huge snacker and I have started looking into healthier snacks that I can eat guilt-free like fruits and nuts. 
I also started exercising. My biggest challenge is pushing myself to exercise consistently but I am trying very hard to push myself to work out at least four times a week. I like walking so I try to ensure that in addition to a daily 30-minute workout, I walk when I can instead of looking for a means of transport. 
Another important thing I'm starting to incorporate is working on my mental health. I'll get into more details on this in a different post but in short I have realised that when I'm in a good place mentally, I am able to watch my diet and generally take better care of myself.

All in all, I want to encourage anybody out there who is struggling with their weight. The most important thing to remember is that if you do choose either to lose or gain weight, do it for yourself and not to please others. Don't set unrealistic goals for yourself (especially if you've just had a baby). Work on your body at your own pace. Avoid situations, particularly on social media, that trigger you to compare yourself with others. Make your journey personal and watch your body transform.

Thank you for stopping by.