Having Kids, Equals Being Fat... {Truth or Myth}

When i talk to women who don't have any kids yet.. the biggest thing i hear from them is

"Im so scared I'm going to get fat". Or that they assume they WILL for certain.

And my response..

"It doesn't have to be that way!"

My name is Christa Cox! Im 24, married for 6 years, and I am a mother of 2! I LOVE fitness, which is a good thing because i battle Hahimotos Hypothyroidism. For those who don't know what that is.. my body is attacking my thyroid (metabolism gland), so losing weight, or trying not to gain it for that matter, will forever be a war that i fight.

I think my story scares a lot of women. during my first pregnancy, i gained 60 lbs! bUT you have to understand, I gained my weight due to eating poorly! Yes i had health issues that i wish i could blame it on. I had high blood pressure, had to quit my job, and be on semi bed rest for 8 months!

BUT, if i had been eating right… i wouldn't have gained so much!

So yes, i couldn't control my health issues, but i could have controlled other factors in my life regardless!

But say you do gain a bunch of weight like i did, for whatever reason. 

Maybe you've already had kids and the damage is done.. Well guess what? ITS NOT TOO LATE TO CHANGE YOUR HEALTH!

I stand here today, with two kids, Hashimotos Hypothyroidism (no metabolism), and am 70 lbs lighter!

Its NEVER too late!

Its not easy! But it is do-able!

So I've broken down 4 key point BEFORE/During pregnancy to hopefully ease any anxiety about having kids and staying fit. And 5 key points to lose weight after kids and keep the weight off all while being a busy mom!

Before/During Pregnancy

1. DONT GET TO THAT POINT! Its so much easier to not gain weight, then it is to lose! You need to gain about 30-40 lbs, but any more is unhealthy. So PREPARE yourself before hand and educate yourself on proper diet and still working out during pregnancy!
2. Dont Make Excuses for Yourself. You are NOT eating for 2! You're eating for 1 and a rice bean, then a lima bean, then a banana. Adjust your diet to how big baby gets. Being pregnant is NEVER a good excuse to eat bad food. Telling yourself "Well I'm just going to get fat anyway" is only going to set yourself up for disaster. Your belly gets bigger cuz BABY is getting bigger. Extra lbs and poor diet might not show as much during pregnancy, but it for sure will after!
3. Start Early! Eating good and working out needs to be continued as soon as you find out you're pregnant. My first pregnancy, i stopped working out due to fear of miscarriage. 60 lbs later…. i WRECKED my body and probably caused the high blood pressure. The extra blood flow while working out is so good for baby!
4. Drink Lots Of Water! Drinking lots of water is the #1 thing that will help your skin to stay healthy and get less stretch marks. Heredity has a lot to do with stretch marks, but dehydration will for sure make it worse! I barely drank enough for my own body, let alone the extra body i was growing inside me.

Losing Weight AFTER Pregnancy

1. Number ONE thing is diet. No matter how much you workout, if your diet isn't up to par, your workouts are in vain and pointless.
2. WORKOUT! Believe it or not, baby DOES sleep during the day. Get your workouts in while baby sleeps. After work at night when baby is down for the night. Have your significant other watch baby while you workout. Get a gym pass that has daycare. You adjust your options for your own personal life. You make it work!
3. LET GO OF YOUR OLD BODY! After baby, you will 95% of the time never get the body you had before. Your hips will be slightly bigger, a stretch mark or 2 (or 5,000 in my case). You won't get your high school frame back. But guess what? You aren't in high school anymore.. you're now a MOM! So set new goals and aspirations!
4. ACCEPT your new body and life. Stretch marks are not a bad thing. They are your battle marks for being the amazing strong women who grew a life inside her body and sacrificed EVERYTHING about her body for her baby! After all, that is the definition of mom! And a little tip.. Victorias Secret will be your best friend for your new mom rack ;)
5. Lastly… 

REFUSE TO FAIL!!!

PERIOD! 

Young&Restless Blog

Christa's Instagram: @ChristaCox3

The TRUTH About Postpartum Bodies {Body Reveal}

You know those women you see, or know of, who wear a bikini, and you’d NEVER guess they’ve had kids…… they’re toned, tan, and not a stretch mark in sight….

Lets get real. MOST of us mommy’s are NOT that lucky. We’re left with a stretch mark or 2, our boobs sag a little more, our hips are a little bigger, & our skin is a little weirder and looser. You get pretty C-section scars. That pooch you just CANT get rid of. Some cases are mild, and some are more severe…. But we’ll get back to this in a minute.

Even weird things like our hair getting thinner or doesn’t curl as well. Our food preferences change (things we used to love, now hate, or visa versa).  You used to never get cavities… now you do. You cant remember things as well. You cant stand certain smells anymore.. Oh the list goes on!

But never fear! There are positives as well! USUALLY you mature a lot! You see life differently. Your priorities change and become more meaningful. You get super powers like supersonic hearing, reading minds, and foretelling the future! Ok ok, so maybe that just comes with knowing your children all too well.
Becoming a parent is the BEST THING IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!! Im not even kidding. I wouldnt trade ANYTHING for it.

NOW. Im not trying to scare anyone with this post… but sometimes you just gotta get REAL. I wish I knew all this stuff before I got pregnant.

Not that it would change the fact of having children…. But I for sure would have waited till I was a little older instead of 19 years old!

--------------------------------------------------------

Ok, lets get to the second part of this post and the biggest reason WHY im doing this post. I mentioned in my weight loss journey, that there was going to be a second part. Well this is it.

I am one of the EXTREME cases, of bodies after pregnancy. My skin hates me. Bottom life. Some women are lucky in that department. And some are VERY unfortunate, like myself.
I’ve been through 2 pregnancies and lost 66 lbs in the last 4 years. Ive worked SO hard.. And im not fully reaping those benefits due to things I cant control!

Not without plastic surgery that is. So having that being said… im getting a tummy tuck done. Like soon.

Im going to do a separate video on the tummy tuck…

But when I tell people im getting a tummy tuck… they are CONFUSED.. Until I show them. So I made this video for me. I want people to understand HOW BAD my situation is. So well. Here ya go..

Workout Playlist! {Motivation Mondays}

Its Tuesday MORNING, im not THAT far past Monday... haha

(Im SOO busy with editing Valentines day shoots!!)

Anyway! This week for Motivation Mondays i wanted to do something a little different. Check the video for my check in and what im doing and how much ive lost this week!

Ok!

So as mentioned in the video...

Music has a HUGE impact on your workouts! 

As with anything in life, music can enhance and alter your mood. It can make you happy, sad, mad, empower you, motivate, etc! Music makes me feel better no matter what my mood is!

So when i workout, i NEED my workout playlist!

I can NOT workout without my ipod.

So if you are ever wondering what music is good to workout to... here ya go!!

I garentee these songs will pump you up and make you get more out of your workout!!

{WARNING}

i dont bother to find edited songs..

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Vote daily if you would!

Just click this link, then the left brown bubble!

THATS IT!

Motivation Mondays {FAIL!}

So we failed this week.
I got sick with the stomach flu and yada yada....
So THIS week.. will be the start :)

Dont judge me.

Motivation Mondays!! {IS BAAACK!!}

Are you so excited??
I AM!!



Im 17 pounds down from pregnancy.
2 more till im back to pre-pregnancy weight..

Need to loose 20 lbs to be in my healthy weight range for my height!!

Check back here every Monday to see how im doing and to get a little motivation if you need some!