HELPED ME MAINTAIN MY SIZE
Just yesterday someone asked me how I have managed to maintain myself after two kids. As I narrated my animated story, we ended up with a good laugh. So, as usual, my blogger mind thought of sharing these laughs with you, too! It may not be as funny as it was with my talking tone and hand gestures, but I’ll still try to bring a tiny smile on your face! 😉
It all began when I delivered my first child. I did not know how to think straight. All I thought about was how my life had come to an end without doing much in life, how I had to live only for my daughter from then on and how I missed out on so many adventures before marriage. I felt that as I became a mother, I would only be fat, insignificant and sad (cooking and feeding all day). I had already gone into post-partum depression and stayed there for a while.
But then, a couple of years later, I decided to read, write and do things that I enjoyed. Slowly, I began getting out of that unhappy zone. I also started taking weird hints from the universe about getting back to my pre-pregnancy size. That was when things began to change. My life began to look brighter. There were some things due to which I became determined to eat healthily and exercise, no matter what!
Funnily, these are the weird incidents that have helped me maintain my size till date:
I have always been a thin person. After I delivered my first child through a caesarean section, I was told by people (who have heard and by those who have gone through a caesarean section) that my tummy would NEVER go back in. They said, “If you’ve delivered through a c-section, your stomach cannot go in, whatever you do!” I had already seen so many of my family members put on weight after having kids. Though my mother was slim and trim, I looked out of home and believed that I would always have a bulging stomach. This added to my post-partum depression.
But after the breastfeeding episode, I began remembering that I was always conscious about my size. Slowly, I began thinking about doing something about it. What if I could bust this myth and encourage other women, too, to feel less depressed?
One day, when I looked into the mirror as I sat holding my child, I saw how huge my waistline had become. I mean it looked as wide as a laundry basket and I began staring at it like it was my arch-enemy! I wondered how I managed to bring it to that size! I did not want to sit in front of the mirror until I did something about it!
When one of our friends was leaving the country, we took a picture at his farewell. This picture was the turning point of my life. I could not recognize myself! I looked like a potato when I was always called a stick in school. I was shocked! I was horrified! I did not want to pose for another picture again, of course, only until I did something about those extra radiant cheeks.
When I sit, I can let go of the bust fat rubbing against my waist fat on the side. But when the touching happens while I stand, I panic. According to me, those up and down love handles should not massage each other, whatever come may. I feel like there is a burden on my side that needs elimination. I had to get rid of it.
Every year we perform in a dance competition held by our association. While I was doing a ballroom dance with a few jumps and twirls, I could feel my central provinces bouncing around. When my husband picked me up for a jump, I could feel myself struggling. I knew my waist had expanded a little after the delivery but the wobbly feeling I got, every time I attempted a jump, was depressing. I could actually feel my stomach landing on the ground before I did. That was the final straw. I did not want to dance again!
Then one day, I woke up and was determined to do something about this weight gain that was giving me sleepless nights! That’s when I began eating healthy and realized that nothing was impossible!
So, every time I feel a bulge out of place or get a wobbly feeling while dancing, I know it’s time for me to watch what I eat.
Sometimes, we think that one thing will not make a difference to our weight, but the amount of times we are eating the wrong foods (things bad for our body), it is helping us gain the calories we do not want and get pushed towards unnecessary ailments as we age.
So, take care of yourself and be strict with what you eat.
This blog post is part of the blog challenge
‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter
54 Comments
Great! Thanks for sharing the excellent article. Your blog posts are really very interesting and Motivating post and useful. I guess everyone is a little of everything, at least I am. Even though I exercise every day I have cheat weeks. Loved reading your post. This blog includes the best information regarding how to overcome depression. The post is nicely written and it contains many good things for me. I hope you will keep sharing such informative blogs.
Thanks, Mahima. Do check my other articles, too!
Losing pregnancy weight was easy for me, but I started gaining again and got myself checked to know my health condition which was deterring. now I do take care of what I eat and exercise, feel so much better already and my weight is going down too. still in the process but alas I started working on it. and you look amazing Cindy.
That’s great, Gunjan! Keep up the good work and take care of your health.
You are so much inspiring and I loved your dance videos too, you look fabulous and I wish to be so confident like you!!
Thank you, Ruchi! More power to you!
Cindy, you did a fab job by getting back to shape. I was back in shape after second delivery, soon gained weight. I really need to watch what I eat. Thanks for this post that is reminder for us to eat healthy and stay fit.
You’re welcome, Meenal/Sonal.
I understand your point and loved the never give up attitude towards fitness. Kudos to you for sticking to your goals and achieving the fitness level you desired 🙂
Thank you, Kavita!
This is the first time in my life whe I feel I need to reduce. It is actually only the belly fat…! Hope to get inspiration from your post
Yes, it is mostly the belly that collects all the body fat, Meenu. We writers have to take more care due to the constant sitting.
I am fat actually and it is hereditary. I loved how you shared your experience. A lot to learn.
Such an inspiration you are. Reading your post gave me some Josh, been struggling with weight issues of my own. Kudos to you
Let me know if you need any help, Anahita!
It takes a lot of dedication and continuous self-motivation to be happy and healthy. So good to know about your story Cindy. It will encourage a lot of young women to live life the way they want to.
Losing belly fat is the hardest part of the weight loss journey. I am glad you did it and you look gorgeous. An inspiring post.
Thank you, Abha!
I have struggled with similar issues so was good to read your perspective and advice. Always helps to know someone has come out of it stronger.
Always love to be helpful, Meetali!
Now this looks like an eye opener to me, let me start
All the best, Sindhu!
That’s awesome and inspiring too for many of us, I have also managed to be back to my Pre-pregnancy but, still have love handles, working on them, hope to be back to my Pre-pregnancy shape too, just like you 😎
All the best, Pooja!
You look fantastic, Cindy. Not a mom but I could relate to the weight loss journey. I had put on weight after my back injury. The triggers to get back into shape were pretty much the same.
Thanks, Ritu. Hope all is well with you now.
Cindy, it is awesome that you decide to get back to shape and also achieved it. Everyone knows the way to fit in life but it requires consistency to achieve fitness goals.
Very true, Sivaranjani!
Loosing pregnancy weight is the most difficult task for women who have gone through C-Section. Your article made me laugh specially the dance competition part but at same time it encourages that we should not feel depressed and step up to take care of ourselves.
True, Shail. I’m glad that we think on the same lines!
I thought you will give a solution about it. Even I have two kids with C-section and more than that I am struggling with pcod. That also gain my weight. That’s right, we have to watch what we eat. I am working on it and lost 5kg but long way to go .
Solution is in one of the links I posted, Gurjeet. Also, my friend is a dietician, in case you need help.
Great pointers Cindy. and your journey is really inspiring. yes, when we committed for something wholeheartedly, we can achieve any goal. the same thing apply to weight loss journey as well.
I cannot imagine you towards a chubby side. But as they say, it was a phase in your life that you have successfully left behind with your grit. I still wonder why women have a pre-set notion that after pregnancy, they are sure to gain weight and they can l never go back to their pre-pregnancy weight. Luckily, I didn’t gain a lot of weight during both the pregnancies and shedding those few extra pounds wasn’t that hard. But yes, I never went on a crash diet or worked out extensively. Till date, I have a regular routine which helps me in many ways.
Wow, that’s great, Alpana. Keep it up!
There are so many myths surrounding weight loss after pregnancy. Once you decide you want to be fitter, you get down to it. Thank you for sharing your experience.
A good diet and exercise really do help one to reduce but we need to sustain these till we reach our goal weight. Sometimes we give up and the motivation just isn’t there. It’s so amazing to see women who can do this, because it’s very hard for me to stay on any regiment!
Whether you lose weight or not, I hope you are taking care of your health, Brinda!
I had been through this, the same weird feeling of the body and after 7 years I am again going through this. But yes, yet I am not so much concern because I am still breastfeeding my twins. Hope I will also get back in my shapes too. Specially my tummy😇😇
Hey Neeta, don’t worry about losing weight now, take care of the twins!
My body has changed form every few years. From a chubby teenager to a thin young adult and then back to shape after my first delivery but unable to lose weight after the second. Then back to shape after three years. And now, in my middle years again blowing up. I feel women have to deal with this amorphous body shape for several reasons.
Yeah true, but do watch what you eat, perhaps that may help you, Sonia! All the best!
Kudos to you, Cindy and your belly dance. You proved the detractors wrong.It is dinner into our heads that once you are pregnant you cannot reduce again. Fat ghee and other fatty foods are forced down our throats when we r pregnant and after delivery instead of a healthy diet.You are lucky you got out of postpartum depression. Mine became chronic. I was reed-thin until I was 35. But after that, the medications made me bloat
Take care of yourself, Harjeet!
I could imagine you actually narrating the whole scenario. I like the way you got yourself motivated and out of the situation. From school times I have always seen you as someone who pushes the best out of others. Helping others get pass situations in life with advice is easy but to focus and get urself out of a situation is a challenge.
Thank you, darling!
I have been trying very hard to lose my waistline so hard. And your article compels me more
Seriously this is is the issue faced by almost every women.thanks for sharing your experience.yes ,it’s our determination which can make us to do wonders.
hahahaha… soooo funnyyyy Cindy.. your tummy landed before you… I actually visualized this on you… hahahaha. But I am so happy that you understand that being fat is being unhealthy… 🙌
Yes, I think that is one thing we both agree on, don’t we? 😉
Too positive post.i was looking for some motivation.. inspiration like this.thank you for the wonderful post..
You’re welcome, Sonu.
I wish I had some triggers like these. I’m so engrossed in self love that it now requires some fixing to do. But this really helped me with some perspective on how to approach this.
Glad to be of some help, Raghav!