The Mindset Shifts That Helped Me Lose 50 Pounds Pre & Postpartum
If you’re new here, hi. 👋🏼 I lost 50 pounds in a slow, sustainable way after having my son (and actually another time before him in my 20s!). No crash diets or cutting out entire food groups. No two-hour cardio sessions!!
What finally made it click wasn’t a “perfect plan.” It was a few mindset shifts that completely changed how I approached weight loss and “healthy living”.
If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like nothing is working, I gotchu.
1. Macros Are a Tool, Not a Forever Rule
Tracking macros was so eye opening for me. I went from looking at everything as good or bad, to tracking all of my food in a “points system”, to actually learning what calories and food were made up of. That’s where I saw big changes in my overall relationship with food!
It taught me:
What a real serving size looks like
How much protein I actually need
Why I was constantly hungry before
How to structure balanced meals
I also stopped viewing tracking as a life sentence. It’s not something you “have to do forever.” It’s a skill-building phase. Macros are not meant to help you eat as little as possible!! They are meant to help you eat enough, strategically.
I use Macros First to track! My code “BRITTANY” gets you a week of premium for free!
How to Figure Out Your Macros
There are a few ways to do this:
Option 1: Use a reputable macro calculator or ChatGPT as a starting point.
Option 2: Work with a coach for a more personalized approach–this is my pick! I use Grace Terbrock and have for 2 years now. My code “BRITTANY” gives you a discount!
Option 3: Start by setting a protein goal first and building around that.
If you feel exhausted, starving, irritable, and obsessed with food… that’s not discipline. That’s under-fueling. Tracking macros correctly can help!
2. Protein-Forward Breakfast = Stability All Day
Things we don’t do here: “coffee only” breakfast. And then wonder why you’re so ravenous by 11am!!
Things we do here: 30–40g of protein at breakfast. PERIOD! When breakfast is solid and you , the rest of the day feels 10x easier!! 🙂
My Go-To Breakfasts on Repeat:
Turkey sausage + eggs + cheese + english muffin sammy when I need something super simple
None of these are fancy. They’re just consistent!
3. Planning Dinner Matters More Than Planning Everything
This one changed everythinggggg for me. And it’s why I literally post about it on my IG EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY.
I used to try to plan every single meal perfectly. It felt overwhelming, duh lol. Now? I prioritize dinner, because that’s when:
I’m tired
My whole family is hungry
Takeout sounds…tempting
It’s easiest to say “whatever” and throw in the towel for the day
If dinner is prepped or planned, the day stays on track!
Dinners I Keep on Repeat:
OR here’s a link to my entire list of recipes–so many good dinners!
4. Walking Does More Than You Think
For a long time I thought I needed to do hours on the stairmaster, HIIT multiple days a week, or really any sweat drenching cardio. But I saw the BIGGEST shift when instead I swapped these things for strength training + walking. Walking is so underrated because it doesn’t spike hunger like intense cardio can and is super sustainable long term.
Even 7–10k steps consistently makes a difference! That’s usually what I get. Fat loss isn’t about who can suffer the most, it’s about what you can repeat and stay consistent.
5. Frozen & Pre-Prepped Foods Are Support, Not Shortcuts
I used to think “healthy” meant everything had to be made from scratch or organic. Now, I lean into things like:
Frozen veggies
Pre-cooked rice
Canned tuna
Pre-grilled chicken
Even macro-balanced frozen meals
They are tools that prevent the “well I guess I’ll just grab fast food” decisions. Ok, queen?!
6. Progress Feels Slow Until You Look Back
This one is SO important. One of the most talked about things in my DMs is how long it took me to start seeing changes. I think in a world of weight loss drugs and supplements, it can feel like things move SLOW if you’re not using any other supports outside of diet and exercise. And don’t get it twisted, I do think there are situations in which those are wonderful support systems for those who need it. But, I think for those who don’t it creates this mindset of “well they did it in two months, why am I not seeing dramatic results?” sort of thing. Here’s my harsh-ish truth:
You will not wake up with abs in 2 weeks or drop 5 lbs in a week (usually). And that’s actually a good thing! Sustainable weight loss that actually sticks around and teaches you the basics takes tiiiiime. You won’t notice it day to day. But one day you’ll look back at photos and think…wait, when did that happen?
If you made it this far, I hope this was a helpful brain dump! Linking the reel again here, and the makeup products I used while yapping here.
Xx,
Britt
