How I stay a size 3 after 3 kids

OK, sometimes it’s a size 4-6, just depends on where I buy my clothes at. Don’t you love that commercial where the ladies are getting measured for jeans and there are no sizes except “Confident”, “Strong”, etc.? The size really DOES NOT MATTER, but your health does. Are you healthy? Do you have energy to play with your kids? Do you have energy to cook healthy meals for your family? (Eating healthy requires more cooking time…unless you live off salads and smoothies I guess). Do you want to live a long life and be able to travel and play with your grand kids? Do you want to feel confident and beautiful?

I’m going to share with you what I have done over the past 8 years to maintain a healthy weight after having 3 kids. My kids are 8, 6, and 4 by the way. 

I do not diet. I have never dieted. I actually ate really unhealthy all my life except for the past 8 years. When my son was born it made me think about what kind of food I was going to put into his precious body. I breastfed all 3 of my babies. That is the healthiest thing you can give them. Breastfeeding is God’s natural way of helping you lose that baby weight!

As I became an avid health researcher I learned that eating whole foods was the best way to go. I also learned that white sugar and white flour are really bad for you. And they are in about everything! I began grinding my own natural whole grains into flour and baking all of our own bread, pizza dough, pancakes, and cinnamon rolls from scratch. I stopped baking bread after my 3rd child because he is a handful and I don’t have the time, honestly.

And let me just say here that I did not know how to cook until I got married (10 years ago) and I taught myself how to bake and cook from scratch. You can do it! Just find good recipes and follow them!

I also quit using sugar and used sucanat (Natural Sugar Cane, it looks like brown granules) and honey. I started drinking only water and herbal tea with honey. Now I use Sweetleaf Stevia to sweeten my tea, smoothies and Oily Weightloss Healthy Water (This is amazing, I will tell you in a minute).

When we ate out at restaurants I chose healthier meals and quit ordering dessert. Now, I also take my healthy oily water with me when we eat out.

I became aware that I was sensitive to dairy and gluten. So I avoid dairy, gluten, and sugar. Keep in mind, I used to be addicted to sugar and white flour products. I lived on muffins and pancakes! But I was also sick all the time, tired all the time, had acne all the time, was on medicine all the time, was constipated (sorry, TMI) and had to eat every 2 hours. Not fun.

I bought me some really good cookbooks with healthy recipes in them to get me started on this new way of eating. I have figured out how to make healthy desserts, gluten free, dairy free desserts and more. I did not change all of this in one day. Healthy eating and living is a choice. It is hard sometimes to eat this way, but I have gotten used to it and I love the benefits!

One thing I do now is drink my oily water daily. I use a Big Berkey water filter and put water in a glass water bottle, glass cup or mason jar. I add 1 packet of Sweetleaf Stevia and 2-6 drops of Young Living Citrus Fresh Oil (or Orange, Grapefruit, Tangerine or Lime..whatever you like). Stir it up and drink that fat away. These citrus oils, especially grapefruit oil DISSOLVE FAT. They actually digest it! I have seen women lose weight by drinking this, and I actually went down a pants size since drinking it. I wasn’t evern trying to lose weight! I was just drinking it because it tastes so good and it is so healthy for you! (Order at youngliving.com with this Member #1288141)

Since my last child was born I have not even been exercising regularly. Growing up and into my 20′s I did exercise on a regular basis, so that gave me a good foundation. Now I will wear my shape up shoes around the house. I hardly ever sit down during the day because I home school 3 active boys. I always find ways to move, whether its dancing while I’m cooking or doing push ups or squats while watching the Pioneer Woman. Just move.

So, that’s about it. Don’t starve yourself. Don’t diet. Don’t try to have someone else’s body shape. We are all created with different body shapes, but we are all fearfully and wonderfully made. Read Psalm 139:)