Victoria: Losing Baby Weight & Gaining Energy

For me, SANE is not about a specific eating plan that you either do or don’t. It is a way of thinking about food, exercise, sleep and mental attitude

Before I heard about The Calorie Myth, SANE Solution, and the SANE Family, I was the mother of two with excess baby weight. My life was very busy taking care of the immediate needs of my children.

I didn’t get very much sleep. I felt like I was thinking at half my regular speed until about four in the afternoon. I used to buy huge jars of Jelly Beans or bags of chocolates. I ate them to give me a little boost to get me through the next hour. I cooked dinner most nights and tried to eat healthy. Most of my meals, especially breakfast and lunch, were grains and sugar in various forms.

Life wasn’t bad. I loved my family and enjoyed a lot of the things I was spending my time doing. I just knew there was more I should be doing. I felt guilty about not taking care of myself. I thought it was all part of the sacrifice a mother makes. I would occasionally try an exercise program after seeing pictures from a family event. The effort of exercising consumed my energy and I fell behind in other areas in my life.

A good friend posted about The Calorie Myth on Facebook. I borrowed the book and had to buy my own copy halfway through. I knew that I’d be referencing and rereading it again and again. Being a bit of a science nerd, I loved all the research found in the Calorie Myth. I really appreciated how Jonathan translated it into reasonable steps I could implement. I tend to over complicate things and keeping it simple has turned into a new motto for me.

I started trying things on my own. Mostly, incorporating a lot more vegetables into everything I ate. Breakfast smoothies were a huge improvement for me. At first, it was really tough cutting back on sugar. I didn’t take into account that I was a little bit addicted so I tried, relapsed, and kept on trying. InSANE foods tempt me less, the longer I am SANE.

For me, SANE is not about a specific eating plan that you either do or don’t. It is a way of thinking about food, exercise, sleep and mental attitude. I continue to listen to podcasts, get advice from other people that have gone SANE, I read and learn more. Progress over perfection! SANE isn’t about quick results and exact plans. It’s about being better than you were yesterday. It gets easier the longer I do it.

The better I ate, the better I felt. I still remember a particular morning that I woke up on my own (without the aid of my children) and was ready for the day. I’m not a morning person. The last time I remember that happening was when I was around twelve years old, but never as an adult. I used to take hours to get my mind up to speed for the day. I love how my mood is more balanced and I’m more patient.

Life moves forward and so did we, by moving to a new state. Selling our home and moving takes a lot of energy. I was grateful I had more energy to go around. Eating healthy varied depending on my situation. I always made the healthiest decisions I could. I knew it wasn’t the end of all my progress if every day wasn’t perfect.

I became pregnant with my third baby. It was by far my easiest pregnancy. My doctor and I decided that because of my current health and my healthy habits I didn’t need to take prenatal vitamins. I hated taking them in the past because they made me sick. I’m not saying that eating SANE will give you a perfect pregnancy or that I always felt good. I just eliminated some of the problems I had control over.

Being SANE helped me create the best environment internally that I could to help create a healthy baby. My blood work, weight, and blood pressure were all optimal for me. I had fewer aches and pains. I wasn’t hungry. It’s really hard for me to be satisfied when I’m pregnant, but I was when eating SANE meals.

My energy levels were through the roof compared to my last pregnancies, even while chasing two little kids around. Near the end of my pregnancy, I still had enough energy to do more than just the basics.

I was still working on my projects and doing more than I had before going SANE. I’ve been able to bounce back after having my baby. I gained weight during my pregnancy just like my body is supposed to. It’s naturally coming off now. I love that I’m not in a fight with my body trying to force it into being skinny. 

As expected with a newborn, I’m not getting enough sleep. That used to throw me into a downward spiral of bad eating decisions and a lot of time laying on the couch. Now with SANE habits, a bad night’s sleep doesn’t mean I’m eating junk and feeling terrible. I drink my green smoothie, have a handful of nuts and maybe some yogurt, then I’m off to figure out this parenting stuff.

I’m still on my SANE journey and still making improvements. I adjust my goals to fit my life. Sometimes I have more time to devote to upping my SANEity, other times, I maintain my current level of SANEity. Either way, I’m feeling better than I have before.

I’m a more adventurous cook and eating delicious food. My life isn’t controlled by my diet or my body image. SANE is about you and your goals. I love where I am and still moving forward. I don’t want to over idealize what SANE is. It is a perspective and a body of knowledge about healthy living. I rely on my faith in God, my darling little family, and my wonderful friends. SANE doesn’t replace any of these, it simply empowers me to live more fully.

***Victoria was certified as a SANE Coach in February 2017***