My name is Michelle Cortes (@ michellelosing70), and I’m 34 and from New York. I’m a stay-at-home mom. After experiencing some health issues, I used an app for calories and resistance, added weight training to my workouts and lost 60 pounds.
In 2012, I had my first baby. I was lucky that I had no problems getting pregnant, not even during the pregnancy. After welcoming my baby, I was a first mom who worked long hours, was tired and made unhealthy food choices. I gained a total of 20 pounds during my pregnancy, and I gained 40 pounds after giving birth.
I started trying for baby number two in 2013, but I experienced three miscarriages that year. I decided to stop getting pregnant and instead focus on my health. While my doctor never directly told me that my weight was the cause of my miscarriages, I was convinced that the extra weight I was carrying was causing problems and preventing me from carrying it to the full term.
My doctor recommended that I lose weight so as to have a healthier pregnancy in the future. My blood pressure was high at the time, and my doctor was concerned that I had preeclampsia. I also had joint pain and was always extremely tired. I knew I had to change if I finally wanted a healthy pregnancy – and a healthy life.
I started my weight loss on August 26, 2014. By May 2015, I lost 35 pounds and was able to get pregnant in June 2015.
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
I knew I wanted to continue my weight loss journey after I had the baby. That’s why I created my Instagram six months after giving birth to hold me accountable and document my journey.
When I started this journey, I knew nothing about health and fitness. All I knew was that eating fewer calories than you spent per day was weight loss at the simplest level. So, I downloaded the free version of MyFitnessPal and started tracking my calories and protein intake. My goal was to eat as much as possible and still lose weight.
I ate a balanced and non-restrictive diet. Even today, I make healthy choices and I usually eat whole foods, but I also contain delicious foods, such as Twinkies and Oreos. I also make healthy versions of my favorite fast food meals, such as pizza and burgers.
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
Here’s what I’m eating one day now.
- Breakfast: Coffee with CoffeeMate sugar-free hazelnut maker, half a bagel with cream cheese, and two slices of Oscar Mayer turkey bacon.
- Lunch: Three corn tortillas, 5 oz. of steak, salsa, avocado, and 2 tbsp. from Bolthouse Farm coriander avocado yogurt dressing.
- Snacks: Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop Kettle Corn, a pineapple, mango and spinach smoothie, or a papaya protein shake.
- Dinner: Chicken breast, homemade fries and green beans with 2 tablespoons. of tomato sauce and 2 tbsp. of mustard.
- Dessert: BYwinkie or three Oreos
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
At the beginning of my journey, I started walking 45 minutes with my 2-year-old son five days a week.
At the time, it was perfect because I could burn calories while spending time with him.
After losing only 60 cardio, I was still self-conscious and not completely happy with my body. I remember running into an Instagram account of a woman who had a similar weight loss story to mine – and she looked strong. I started following her account and realized that what I was missing in my workout was weight training.
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
After the unveiling, I started doing resistance exercises at home, and it really changed my life.
I started a little over a year ago. I was able to build muscle that completely changed my body composition. Weight training not only helped me build muscle but also built my confidence.
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
Now I mostly exercise weight in the form of two upper body days, two lower body days and one day of the whole body per week. I include 15 to 20 minutes of cardio, such as running, walking or my elliptical use after my resistance exercise. I also like to stay active on my rest days by walking short.
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
These three small changes had a huge impact on my weight loss.
- I cooked most of my meals at home. I prepared and planned all my meals in advance. It really helped because I was able to control the ingredients and the portion size. I became more knowledgeable about nutrition and more creative in the kitchen.
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
- I tracked my calories on MyFitnessPal. Calorie tracking really taught me how to read nutrition labels properly. I learned how to make healthier choices. If I kept track of my calories, I could include delicious food in my daily calories without feeling guilty. I am now more knowledgeable about calories and make better food choices without locating.
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
- I promised myself that I would not give up. I told myself I was going to keep going no matter what until I reached my goal. In 2016, I had my second child and had to start my weight loss again, but I did not give up. When I saw no change on the scale, I kept going. When I saw no change in my body, I kept going. I realized health and fitness will always be a part of my life. It started as a weight loss journey and became a lifestyle.
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
I lost a total of 60 pounds in three years and I maintained it for three years.
I want other women to know that the most important part of this journey is patience and consistency. You should continue even if you do not see results, because proper weight loss takes time. I realized there is no deadline for my health, and I had to trust the process and not rush the results.
This trip completely changed my life. I no longer suffer from high blood pressure, extreme fatigue or joint pain. I gave birth to a healthy second child. I can now keep up with my boys and learn their healthy habits.
This content is imported from Instagram. You can find the same content in a different format, or you can find more information on their website.
This content is created and maintained by a third party and imported into this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may find more information about this and similar content on piano.io