Hey there mom friends, my name is Kate Rockland and I am on a mission to lose 15 pounds in 8 weeks, just in time for bikini season! (OK, the bikini part is a lie. I am totally wearing a one-piece.) The point is, I woke up one morning truly missing my size 8 clothes, all hung up neatly in my closet since I gave birth to two boys in two years. I am determined, with the help of Heidi Klum's personal trainer David Kirsch__, to drop the baby weight once and for all through healthy recipes, new workouts, and a hell of a lot of moxie. I hope you'll join me on my journey, and feel free to try this at home!
Current Weight: 130 pounds
I did it! I am officially at my goal weight of 130 pounds. My first step in realizing this was to throw away my scale. (Well, I donated it to my local thrift store.) The reason? When I weighed myself first thing in the morning, I was 130 lbs. However, if I did so in the afternoon/evening, I was 131-132. Sure, this little silver scale may seem innocuous, but I don't want to be chained to it for the rest of my life.
Here's the truth about losing weight: It is really, really hard. Like, sweat and tears hard. Celebrities always claim to shed weight when their children are born by "chasing them around the house." This line is a bunch of crap. They lose the weight through amazing personal trainers like David, and having a live-in chef. Come on, celeb mamas, let's get real—we would all benefit from it. But, if you make enough tiny changes, and truly incorporate exercise as a routine in your week (even if that means pushing your double stroller up a hill while two babies chuck their sippy cups at your forehead and scream "Out!"), you gotta lace up your sneakers and get out there.
Also, as moms we deserve a grace period after having a baby. Kind of like the freshman 15 for the nursing bra-wearing crowd. I started this program 9 months after my second son was born. I'm thinking lately of having bambino #3, and learning healthy habits now will hopefully keep me from gaining 80 pounds again because, man, it is really hard to take off! A little secret no one ever tells you about slimming down: As long as you eat really, really healthily for breakfast, lunch and your two between-meal snacks, you can eat whatever the heck you want for dinner. This helped me, because it wasn't always easy to eat yogurt or a salad for lunch. But if I knew I could enjoy my dinner no matter what, doing without fattening foods throughout the day became easier.
While I had a pretty good sense of self before losing the weight, I notice I no longer stand with my arm draped across my stomach, and I have more confidance about wearing clothing such as shorts or tank tops. I really feel that if I can do this, even having been born with a seriously lazy set of bones, you can too. Now, the question is, "How on God's green earth will I keep the weight off?" For help, I emailed David:
5 Ways to Keep Weight off Once You've Lost It
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Three days a week, complete a 45-minute cardio sculpting workout. Don't have a block of 45 minutes to spare? Break it down into three 15-minute express workouts.
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One day a week, work on your pet peeves or your "trouble spots"—abs, legs or butt, and then follow it up with 30 to 40 minutes of cardio.
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Make the most of your "off days." Rather than laying on the couch munching potato chips, go ahead and take your dog to the park, go for a walk with your spouse, take a hike or chase your kids around the yard. Now that you have the strength and energy, you may as well use it!
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Continue to find ways to add unstructured exercise to your daily routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk or bike to work instead of driving. Get up and walk over to chat with a coworker instead of sending an email.
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Drink alcohol sparingly and stick to red wine. Stay away from bread and other starchy carbs, and opt for whole grain varieties like quinoa or lentils; choose organic, low-fat versions of milk and yogurt, and choose lower-carb and lower-calorie fruits like kiwis or berries.
Motivational quote I used to get me through: "Oh, how I regret not having worn a bikini for the entire year I was 26. If anyone young is reading this, go, right this minute, put on a bikini and don't take it off until you're 34." –Nora Ephron
Workout Song: "On Top of the World" by Imagine Dragons
Snacks:
1. Avocado toast pinwheel platter
2. Pomegranate smoothie with Greek yogurt
Meals: Michelle Obama's "Lets Move" campaign has some killer healthy recipes. This week my husband and I made one of her favorites, Carne Asada Tacos with avocado pico de gallo. I would recommend using some light toppings such as shredded cheddar, lettuce and nonfat sour cream.
Exercises: I am still on vacation, and am loving outdoor exercise. This week my husband and I rented bikes with seats on the backs for our little beans, and rode 12 miles! Yes, I had a sore butt by the end, but at least it was a toned one. This week's move from David kicked it old school with step aerobics. Don't have a platform at home? I've tried this both on my son's Bjorn step stool (not a whole lot of room for your foot to land, but it will work in a pinch) and on the back steps of my house.
1. Knee-Raises
Step onto the platform, and raise your right knee waist-high. Pause. Step down and switch legs. Step onto the platform and raise your left knee waist-high. Pause. Step down. Repeat 15 times for each leg.
2. Right Lift, Left Lift
Step onto the platform and gain your balance. Raise your right leg out to the side. Pause. Lower leg and step down. Switch sides, and lift your left leg out to the side. Pause. Repeat 15 times for each leg.
