I was in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life when I found out I was pregnant with Dante last July. I was not the skinniest I have ever been, but I was definitely the leanest and healthiest I’ve ever been. For the first time in my adult life, I was okay with not wearing a huge sarong to the beach. I was actually in a bikini and not having a panic attack about people noticing my cellulite or jiggle. We all have our fitness ideals and our own body issues. I was not perfect by any means, but it was a major moment for me to feel comfortable in my own skin. This was a grainy iPhone picture I snapped the day before I found out I was pregnant with baby #2.
I realize how vain this is going to sound, but I am going to be honest, it was hard to grasp that all of my hard work in the gym, all of my self control and meal planning… my summer of feeling comfortable in my own skin was about to change. Please don’t get me wrong, I know what a blessing a baby is and how lucky I am that I was able to carry two beautiful babies. But new stretch marks and starting from square one after the baby is born was a reality I knew I’d be facing nine (actually 10) months after this. This is me at 38 weeks with Max, 6 months post partum (with Max) and 18 months postpartum (also with Max). It’s a long road.
This was me on my due date with Dante at 40 weeks preggo:
Dante must have moved into a weird position because my stomach actually looks fake in the next picture. As if I swallowed a box. I mean WTF hahah!
I gained about 50 pounds when I was pregnant with Dante. 50 pounds on a 5’2″ body is pretty noticeable. I got some new stretch marks around my hips and some lovely varicose veins on my legs. I was pregnant for a month longer than I was with Max. I was 2 weeks early in my first pregnancy and 2 weeks late this time around. Dante was 2 pounds bigger than Max was! “Summer slim down” took on a whole new meaning for me this year. I still have about 5 pounds to lose and my body is nowhere near as lean as it was last July but dropping 45 pounds is something that I am happy with. I am back in my old clothes. Here are the progress pics I took at 1,2,3 & 4 weeks postpartum. I don’t know why the weeks 1 & 2 have strange blue marks but, anyway you get the idea. It’s amazing how the female body can change during and after pregnancy!
What difference four weeks can make!! I don’t have a recent progress picture, but here’s a family photo from last week. Like I said, I am far from having my body back to the way it was last year, but I am content at the moment just to comfortably fit into my clothes again. I’m not in bikini mode, more like mom-kini and at five months postpartum, I am okay with that.
Losing 45 pounds is owed mostly in part to eating the right stuff. It is no secret that I enjoy desserts. During my pregnancy, I ate whatever I felt like eating. Sometimes that meant giving into my fierce cravings for fried chicken (the entire first trimester) or eating bacon at every meal (not joking). It’s a tough thing to change dietary habits. This habit needed to be curbed if I wanted to drop any weight and get back on my healthy track. Changing a habit is hard to say the least. Instead of reaching for a spoon and the jar of Nutella, I started making grab & go protein bars when I needed something sweet or chocolatey. Two kids have me spinning in a few directions at any given time which makes convenience snacks like these bars a huge bonus. I’m not a fan of artificial sweeteners (with the exception of a Coke Zero or Fresca every now and then), I’d rather go without. I made these as whole as possible and used stuff I had lying around the kitchen. Five ingredients keep the shopping list brief too. The chocolate you see below on the bars is actual chocolate by the way. Melted dark chocolate chips 🙂 Did I mention that these taste AWESOME?!
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- 1 cup oats
- 2 heaping scoops of vanilla or chocolate protein powder
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (I used chunky to add some crunch)
- 2-3 tablespoons of honey
- a few teaspoons of water or almond milk (in case the mix seems too dry)
- 2 tablespoons very dark chocolate chips (I used 60% dark Ghiradelli)
- nonstick cooking spray
Mix up the oats, protein powder, peanut butter and honey in a bowl. If it is not forming a dough like consistency and is dry or crumbly, add in water or almond milk a teaspoon at a time. Once a thick dough forms, press into an 8 x 8″ pan that has been lightly coated with nonstick spray. Melt chocolate chips and spread melted chocolate to coat the oat mixture and refrigerate or freeze until chocolate has hardened. Slice into 8 bars & enjoy!
Nutrition Data:
Recipe yields: 8 servings
1 serving: 1 bar Calories: 185 Carbs: 14 (4g sugar) Fat: 11 Protein: 11
So I think I started following along slightly before you got pregnant with Dante. On IG I saw that you posted a picture from where I think you were on your way to a concert(???) with a crop top on and I was literally like, I don’t think I can follow this chick. She’s way too hot. haha but in all seriousness, your motivation is amazing. I am really trying to make healthier habits in hope to get back to pre-wedding weight and fit back into my old clothes. I cannot wait to try out this recipe. Thank you!!
Bahah! Thank you so much Brit! I certainly don’t look like those bikini pics currently. My goal is to be back in shape for next summer. What’s your IG? I love connecting with readers!!
You look awesome! It really is amazing how our bodies change with pregnancy. Amazing and freaky!! Gotta try these treats!