After giving birth, I was too focused on getting my pre-baby body back. I regret not being more focused on my son.

"I gained exactly 100 pounds during my pregnancy. Between indulging in every craving, stress eating, and being on bed rest at the end, I didn't stand a chance. I was surprised by the amount of additional weight I still had on me after giving birth. During my pregnancy, I could tell I was gaining weight, but I really thought the majority of it was what they call "baby weight." People told me to eat anything I wanted, and I did."

"Before my pregnancy, I maintained the same weight for many years, never really fluctuating by more than ten pounds, give or take. If my pants started getting tight, I would exercise more and watch what I ate until my pants felt good again. Committing to losing 10 pounds is a lot different from wanting to lose 80, so my approach became an obsessive panic over losing the weight."

"Since I had a C-section, I was in a lot of pain, but the nurses told me the best thing I could do to recover was walk. So that's what I did, and I really committed to it. I would take my son in his stroller and my dog for at least two to three long walks a day, covering about two miles each time, which is significant while you are still recovering."

I gained 100 pounds during pregnancy and retained 80 pounds after giving birth, which felt overwhelming. Before pregnancy my weight had been stable for years with minor fluctuations, and losing small amounts previously involved moderate exercise and dietary changes. After childbirth I became fixated on losing the excess weight, turning healthy walking into excessive daily long walks despite recovering from a C-section and adding extra stair repetitions to burn calories. I also restricted calories, focusing on vegetables and lean protein. The pursuit of rapid weight loss became obsessive and distracted me from enjoying time with my newborn.

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