How I Lost 40 lbs in 9 Months While Loving My Life

It’s hard to believe it’s been 9 months since James was born and the next phase of my health journey began. After back-to-back pregnancies of Irish twins, my body was depleted and craving strength, energy and vibrancy (even though I prioritized nutrition, supplements and movement during both pregnancies). 

Last May, I shared how I planned to focus on my health, lose the 50 lbs that I had gained through pregnancy (40 lbs with McKinley, lost 30, then gained 40 with James), and feel more like myself again. I wasn’t chasing a quick fix–I was focused on long-term health, strength and confidence.  

A Piece of My Journey I Haven’t Shared 

As a Functional Medicine Dietitian, I’ve helped thousands improve their health from the inside out, and I took the same approach for myself. My journey to become a dietitian started 20 years ago with improving my neurological autoimmune disease with nutrition and supplements, then gut health and hormone health after my miscarriage in 2021. I’ve never obsessed over weight or counted calories–I believe food impacts so much more than the number on the scale. 

But carrying so much extra weight postpartum was mentally challenging at times. I didn’t feel strong, dreaded getting dressed or going to events, battled brain fog, and felt completely drained–I was dying to feel and look like myself again. If you’ve felt the same, know that it’s normal. Give yourself grace while also using that discomfort as motivation to rebuild your strength and vitality. 

And don’t put your life on hold in the meantime. Don’t skip the workout class because you feel “too out of shape” or avoid the photoshoot (which I’ve continued to do for every launch) or sit out on events. Accept where you are in this season while still working towards feeling your best. 

In today’s culture, weight loss can feel taboo, but wanting to feel and look like yourself isn’t vain–it’s completely valid. That said, if you’re a new mom, focus first on your baby, nourishment and recovery. Celebrate your magnificent body, even if it looks different than you are used to. When you’re ready, prioritizing muscle, metabolic health, and sustainable fat loss is important. And I recommend doing it in a way that doesn’t involve significant caloric restriction or obsession. 

Why This Matters Beyond Aesthetics 

Dr. Rhonda Patrick recently shared this with the Senate Aging Committee: “Obesity alone is linked to 13 types of cancer and cuts life expectancy by 3–10 years, depending on severity. It promotes DNA damage and accelerates our fundamental aging process… But caloric excess is only part of the problem—we are also nutrient-deficient. We are not getting enough omega-3, vitamin D, and magnesium”. Full clip here. 

Beyond that, for women, postpartum muscle loss (from pregnancy and breastfeeding) is way too often overlooked. I believe this is a large contributor to various symptoms, more autoimmune diagnoses, cognitive issues, metabolic dysfunction (blood sugar issues, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc.), perimenopause symptoms and eventually diagnoses like osteoporosis. Pregnancy and post-partum demand so much from our bodies–without intentional rebuilding, we risk ongoing muscle loss and the downstream effects. 

My Weight & Health Update

At nine months postpartum, I’m finally feeling and looking more like myself. My energy, mood, mental clarity, and gut health have improved and my skin rash from both pregnancies is resolving. I’ve lost about 40 lbs in the last 9 months. 

I’m still not at my pre-pregnancy weight, and that’s okay. I am celebrating all of my progress! Celebrating not giving up on myself. Celebrating the lives of my two beautiful babies that I care for daily while juggling my goals! This has never been about a quick fix. My focus is on long-term health, building muscle, and avoiding crash diets that wreak havoc on hormones and metabolism.

Why I Didn’t Count Calories

Yes, fat loss requires a caloric deficit, but quality of calories matters just as much for metabolism and overall health. Instead of tracking every bite, I focused on eating until satisfied; prioritizing large meals high in protein, fiber and phytonutrients to support hunger hormones; consistent movement throughout the day; and following the roadmap that we teach in The Being Collective. Most importantly, I wanted to avoid obsession, deprivation and misery. 

Over the last nine months, I never felt starved, restricted, or forced to eat bland meals. I never felt like I was “on a diet,” nor did I spend hours in the gym trying to “burn off” calories. If you have tried the meals from The Being Collective, you know that it’s the furthest thing from diet food! This approach likely takes longer, but to me, it’s a much more enjoyable–and sustainable–way to achieve lasting results. 

Key Strategies That Worked for Me 

1-Mindset: Stop Believing You Can’t Lose Weight

If you believe it’s impossible to lose weight, I encourage you to challenge that mindset. There were countless times I thought, it’s going too slow–maybe I’m not actually losing weight? I had to catch myself from falling into this false narrative. Ongoing, sustainable weight loss isn’t just about habits–it requires a complete mindset shift to stay committed, accountable and disciplined for the long run. And that is hard.  

Our admin assistant, Kennedy, used to tell herself, “I’m doing everything, but I just can’t lose weight because I don’t have a thyroid.” But even with a thyroid condition, improving body composition is possible. As Kennedy realized: there’s always something you haven’t tried or something you haven’t done consistently enough for long enough.

2-Muscle Building is Non-Negotiable

Pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding deplete muscle. Regaining it is essential for strength, metabolism and long-term health. This is not easy and it takes a lot of time! Most people give up way too quickly. 

A high-protein diet plays a key role in fat loss and muscle building. Here’s why:

• Burns more calories through digestion (thermic effect of food)
• Increases satiety to prevent overeating
• Preserves muscle mass for a strong metabolism

The latest research suggests that individuals looking to build muscle should aim for 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight per day (source).

For breastfeeding moms, studies show that 3–6 months postpartum, protein needs may be even higher—1.7–1.9 g/kg/day (source).

Building muscle isn’t just for aesthetics—it’s critical for every aspect of long-term health. As we age, muscle loss leads to frailty, weakness, a slower metabolism, glucose dysregulation, hormonal imbalances, cognitive decline and so much more.

• Adults lose 0.5–1% of muscle mass per year after 50.
• Muscle strength declines by 1–3% per year, and power by 3–4% (source).

I aim for at least 30g of protein per meal and have added two supplements for brain health and muscle recovery. 

3-Nutrient-Dense, Consistent Meals

When it comes to losing fat and supporting your mitochondria–the powerhouse of our cells and metabolism–nutrition is key. I focused on three satisfying, nutrient-dense meals per day (not protein bars) ensuring that I got the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) needed for energy production, fiber for satiety and gut health, phytonutrients to reduce inflammation and protein to support muscle. Undereating can backfire, slowing your metabolism and making it harder to lose weight long-term. 

4-Scale Awareness, Not Obsession 

Daily weigh-ins can be extremely misleading–weight fluctuates due to water retention, hormones, and muscle gain. Fat loss doesn’t always show up on the scale as weight loss. If you only focus on the scale, you might get discouraged and give up too soon. 

The real key to success? Consistency over time.

Instead of solely fixating on a number, look for other signs of progress:

• More energy
• Better sleep
• Less brain fog
• Fewer cravings
• Improved strength

When I started weighing myself every week, there were times I felt leaner and stronger, yet the scale didn’t budge (sometimes it increased). I had to detach from that number, trust the process, and remind myself that progress was happening–because I could feel it. 

Real fat loss happens at the cellular level—when your body is functioning optimally, external changes follow.

My Simple (and Boring) Routine

I’ve been saying this for 10 years: the basics work. Here’s what I do consistently:

• 1. Whole food nutrition 90% of the time
• 2. Prioritizing protein, fiber, and phytonutrients
• 3. A bare minimum of 7,000 steps per day (including 30 min incline walk daily) 
• 4. Strength training 2x per week (20-30 minutes)
• 5. 8+ hours of sleep (now that James sleeps through the night!)
• 6. The right supplements (Wenatal is of course included in that)

No extremes. No complicated rules. Just simple habits, repeated over time. 

If you want to see real results, you need a complete roadmap–not a piecemeal approach. So many people feel like they’re “doing everything” but still aren’t seeing progress because they’re randomly trying different strategies rather than following a clear, sustainable plan. When you take a big-picture approach–focusing on intentional nutrition, movement, muscle building and recovery–it all starts to work together. That’s when real transformation happens. 

Final Thoughts: Patience & Consistency Win

This journey hasn’t been about perfection—it’s about showing up, even when progress feels slow. The only way to fail is to quit too soon.

If you want to make lasting changes, focus on sustainable habits, muscle building, and overall health—not just weight loss. Transformation happens when you commit to the long game.