Previous post here.
When I read over my previous submission from a year ago, my stomach clenches and my chest feels tight. I sounded so sad and hopeless, like pregnancy was an entry into a beauty contest that I had already lost. I have almost zero pictures of me and my baby when she was very young because I was so uncomfortable with my appearance and I will always regret that. I wish I could go back in time and say “Stop wallowing and take some damn pictures with your baby!”
I worked extremely hard in the following months to lose the 70lbs I gained during pregnancy. Strapped my daughter to my chest in a carrier and walked around the neighborhood as often as I could, followed a strict diet and did strength training in my living room when my kid fell asleep. It was tough but I’m stronger than I have ever been because I now have a reason to be healthy and not just skinny. I’m the first to recognize that I was relatively lucky in the skin department and admit that I sometimes use self-tanner/push-up bras to conceal my “flaws”, but no diet or exercise regime will ever erase the stretchmarks from my hips and thighs or lift my boobs back to their starting position. Obnoxious people in my life still have some less than flattering comments but I am usually OK with rocking a bikini because I earned these abs AND these stretchmarks.
Anyway- over the last year, my happiest memories have never been related to my outfit or my weight. The best days were the ones when I forgot about my appearance and just spent time with my kid.
First pic- six months after birth
Second pic- 11 months
Third pic-my guns from carrying an infant
Girl you rock! And let me tell you honestly – I waayy prefer the look of your body now to your pre-preg picture in your other post. You look sexy, curvy in all the right places, strong and like a woman – not a skinny little girl. I try to work out as often as possible as well, and it is so helpful for your health, self-esteem and mood. The trick is to accept what you really can’t change, like you said, instead of mourn over them. Here’s to ladies who will be keeping up with their teenagers one day!
WOW!!!! You look amazing. I knew you would look so great, because you looked great even 4 weeks pp :) Anyway, you look absolutely amazing, and you should feel great in a bikini ALL THE TIME.
You look wonderful. Don’t let comments get to you. My mother is extremely vain and I’ve learned to brush the mean comments off like they’re nothing. I love your hips!! I wish I had more defined hips like that. And you did get really lucky in the skin department. Your bellybutton looks great, too. Mine was always an innie, but now it’s just flat and round. Yours is so small.
Congrats on your baby and your body.
Honestly, I think you look even sexier now than you did in your pre-pregnancy picture from you previous post. You look great!
My GOD is your belly absoulty SEXY!!!!!! Congratulations on your progess and your willing to get in shape!!!Your curves on your side are what men really like. I showed my husband your pics and he said you have a sexy stomach. NO LIE!!! To all those jealous ladies who every made those comments to you. You can bend over and have them kiss your b***!!!! Im pregnant due in November. So far gained 10 pounds but I have Crohns Disease which is making this pregnancy really difficult. I hope I have the energy after pregnancy to work out and get back into shape. By the way thank you for making the comment about not taking pictures with your baby. I would never have thought about that. Best wishes to you and keep up the good work!!
You look great!
I’m so glad that you are in a better place after one year and your self esteem has recovered. You are gorgeous inside and out!!
I think you look amazing!!! You have been such an inspiration to me! How much did your baby weigh? Please tell me all of your secrets. I am struggling to return to some type of “normal”….No post body photos to compare? I am curious if I can fix my body.
Wow! You look amazing, strong and confident! You go, girl! I love the difference in your confidence/voice from a year ago. I’m so glad you found your footing. :)
You have come a long way since your last post, but even then you looked amazing! All the people that were so insensitive to you during your pregnancy probably feel silly now.
Great work, you are STUNNING!!
I just clicked back to your first post and recognised it, I’ve seen it before and I honestly thought you looked good then, but Congratulations, you’ve worked so hard and you can definitely see the results, you look absolutely amazing! :)
You looke great! Great progress! Your abs look better than they did in you pre-baby pic!!!
I am so sorry that people made you feel so awful about yourself when you were pregnant. You were stunning then and are stunning now. I am going to work hard to get back to a place where i feel strong and healthy. Thank you for inspiring me.
you looked great at 2 weeks pp and you look great now too. enjoy your amazing and wonderful body. it can do so much!!
Super fit awesome mama! Yes, I have some naysayers in my life, too, that is why I love this site. I just have to conclude that the naysayers are wrong! And heck, I know my “obnoxious people” are wrong, but yours must be freaking crazy: you. are. stunning! Also I love, love, love that you got through the negative self talk and are now in the best place of all, you know that the best thing in life is the love between you and your daughter!
Wow I can so realte to my story about not taking photos when my girl was first born. And now, she is 8 months old, I do regret it. I am still learning to look at those photos with the extra 40 pounds in her first weeks of life. It’s a work in progress, your post have comfort me a lot!
Wow u look amazing! How did u lose the weight?
Yout story has sonr similarities to mine,no pics w my babya lot of weight to lose and still working on it. Thanks for sharing. Congrats on ur body!