How I Bounced Back After Baby

Just 14 weeks pregnant!
And very happy

Few of us could say honestly that we didn't want to be healthy and fit post-pregnancy and to be able to feel  "back to ourselves again." Particularly as summer approaches. I know how important the idea of bouncing back is, as I prepare to celebrate the 1st birthday of my baby girl on Wednesday! Pause for a little tear ;) But if you know me by now, even a little bit, you also know that I will not sacrifice my health or the health of my babe for the sake of looking good or fitting into my "skinny" jeans. It's not that important to me. I won't do any excessive dieting or exercise, and I have to be sure I am getting all of what my body needs while losing weight. That means high quality, organic protein, probiotics, active enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. Especially while I am breastfeeding. The plan for me to accomplish my post-baby bounce-back was simple, thank goodness, and I wasn't new to it!

Sept 2010, prior to Isagenix,
and 20 lbs of weight gain

Let's back up a moment to my first encounter with my "miracle program": I was introduced by a friend to Isagenix in the Spring of 2011, and the timing couldn't have been better. I had, the year before, lost two babies to heartbreaking miscarriages and had put on a total of 20 lbs during and after the pregnancies. I knew instinctively that a cleanse and reset was exactly what my body needed before I would feel confident about getting back on the pregnancy path. But I didn't have the energy at the time, nor the desire, to start a hardcore cleanse. And there are just so many out there, most of which are difficult to stick to. But as I soon learned, Isagenix was easier. Everything was already laid out for me, and it seemed doable long-term. So in April of 2011 I bought my first 30-Day Cleanse, which included a cleanse drink, supplements, and really nutritious protein shakes with extremely high quality, organic protein, active enzymes, and an impressive array of vitamins and minerals. I found the shakes to be delicious and the program, easy. While I did have to replace meals with shakes, the meals I didn't replace could pretty much be what I wanted them to be (within reason, of course). And unlike other diet programs, it was very forgiving: if I indulged too

July 2011, 15 lbs of fat gone,
lean muscle, much happier and,
I found out later, newly pregnant!

much one day, I didn't have to "starve" myself the next day, I just had my shakes! It was fool-proof for a true "dieting fool." True, I eat really healthy, wholesome foods but they aren't always "diet" foods. When it comes to butter and cream, pastas (organic whole wheat or quinoa flour of course ;), good chocolate, and Aaron's homemade pizza (divine, I am telling you) I cannot say no. A scrumptious sandwich? Sold. And my-oh-my chips are my weakness. I wanted to be able to make those choices and feel good about them, and I found that Isagenix allowed me little indulgences like that as long as I stuck to my routine. By the end of July, 3 months after starting, I had dropped 15 lbs, and...I got pregnant! This time the pregnancy was perfect.

At that point, I stopped doing the daily cleanse but continued the protein shakes. I found that I was repulsed by meat but knew I needed protein for the important job of growing a human being. With my routine of 2 shakes per day, I was getting 75 grams of good quality protein, not to mention the almond milk, fresh fruit, greens and vitamins I added to each. They kept me energized, healthy, and curbed any cravings for junk food. I literally had none! My pregnancy and delivery were stellar, my midwives remarked at how unusually strong and healthy I was throughout, and Noëlle was an elusive 10 on the Apgar scale!! I started telling all of my friends about this fabulous program that helped prepare me for pregnancy and nourish me and my baby during pregnancy. And after all that, clearly I knew THIS would be the program that would help me get my body back after Noëlle was born.

Sep, 2012
4 months after giving birth
and Day 1 of the Program!

Oct 2012
Day 30 of the Program

So 4 months into mamahood, I started back on 2 shakes and 2 meals per day coupled with more exercise like light jogging/power walking and 2-3 strength-training sessions a week. 8 months later, I had lost all of the pregnancy weight plus an additional 5 lbs! The best part was looking back and feeling like I hadn't done much to achieve that. No hardcore dieting, no ridiculously laborious daily workouts. And what I got were months of energy and wellness AND more weight lost than gained! And I am still going...

It's been my miracle in many ways. It changed my life. And so late last year I decided to join the Isagenix team so that I could focus on helping others to change their lives and find their own mini miracles. It's been so cool to do this work. I love receiving photos from my teammates and stories of their progress. Among my favorites: one team member was able to get off her depression medication for the first time in over a decade thanks to the cleansing and balancing, which impacts the hormones/emotions; another team-member was able to get off his blood pressure medication after just a month as a result of cleansing and weight-loss; another noticed significant pain relief in her body; another one had huge improvements in his skin; and yet another became pregnant quickly with her first healthy pregnancy after 2 miscarriages. And all have experienced significant weight-loss, which in the case of Isagenix is simply a by-product of improved health.

Here is Noëlle enjoying a little of mama's morning
Isagenix shake with greens.  It is literally her favorite food!
When she hears the blender she gets so excited!
And I feel good about giving it to her :)

Why am I writing about this? Glad you asked! I have just kicked off a 2 for 2 Summer Body Challenge (2 shakes a day for 2 months) for anyone wanting to feel and look great for summer! Not just great, better than they have in years...or, better than ever! To gain the energy for outdoor activities, feel fab in that little bikini, and most importantly, be HAPPY about it all! We have 2 months until summer! So I have a Facebook Event Page dedicated to my 2 for 2 Summer Body Challenge, which starts April 21st.  Please let me know if you are interested in joining the team, and I will send you an invite via Facebook! Not on Facebook? That's okay, I can do everything by email and/or phone! Although I have many mama friends who I know would benefit, this event is open to anyone and everyone--male or female, any age, at any stage of life and with any health and wellness goal--who wishes to give it a shot! Isagenix can help us all be who we want to and were meant to be :) It has done it and continues to do it for me.