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Talk about a comeback! Recent photos have surfaced of Mariah Carey showing off her killer body in a red bikini on the beach in Australia before returning home for the premiere of ‘American Idol.’ Two years ago, Mariah gave birth to twins Moroccan and Monroe via Cesarean section….at 40 YEARS OLD! You have to admit that to recoup your bikini body after that is an impressive feat!
Shortly after giving birth, Mariah embarked on a weight loss plan that included a reasonable nutrition plan and three workouts per week. Six months later, she’d lost 70 lbs! A year and a half later, she’s never looked better. Mariah said that the first 40 lbs of her weight loss were water weight from her pregnancy. She stated that she had edema, or water retention, throughout her body. But the other 30 lbs were lost through diet, exercise and hard work.
So how did Mariah achieve that 30 lb weight loss, and how has she kept it off? In an interview on ABC News, Mariah talked about how she battled with body image during the pregnancy. She admits trying not to look at herself and not letting her husband, Nick Cannon, see her fully naked during the pregnancy. Once the twins were born, she ‘felt pressure from herself’ to lose the weight quickly. However, because of the C section, she had to wait a few months before beginning an exercise program.
Mariah’s nutrition plan includes healthy foods like lots of soup, fish, chicken, eggs, fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Some recent sources have stated that Mariah eats only purple foods (like eggplant, grapes and plums) three days per week, but she herself hasn’t confirmed that. Her workouts consist of pilates, water exercise and strength training.
10 LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM MARIAH
1) Weight loss and fitness take time. It’s important to be patient with the process.
2) Our bodies change with age, and pregnancy changes our bodies. “I used to be able to slim down just by exercising more, but that’s changed.”
3) Just because you’re over 40 and have had a few babies doesn’t mean you’ll never wear a bikini again!
4) Consistent, moderate and reasonable workouts (not 2 hours in the gym 7 days per week) will get you lean and fit without overtraining.
5) No crazy cleanses or starvation diets for this healthy mama. Exercise and nutrition are what pay off!
6) Mariah says, “I realize that 90 percent of losing weight is my diet.” Other sources say 80% of weight loss is diet…but you get the idea.
7) Soup is filling, nutritious and helps you lose weight!
8) A diet focused on lean proteins, fruits, vegetables and whole grains is the way to go.
9) Ditch the scale! Instead of weighing herself to see how much she’d lost, Mariah depended on how her clothes felt. “Does this dress fit better than it did three years ago?”
10) Make your goal to be your fittest YOU. Says Mariah, “I don’t want to be a size zero. And also, I couldn’t be one. My bones would look very ugly. I am the happiest when my curvy parts fit into a US size six.”
For most of us the goal is to achieve and maintain healthy lifelong weight loss and avoid the dreaded yo-yo effect. Sometimes certain life events get in the way – like having kids! But in order to be a healthy mom, you can’t resort to unhealthy weight loss methods to get rid of the baby weight. What is really needed is a LIFELONG solution to both diet and fitness that fits seamlessly into your life.
Here’s the good news. Anyone willing to work for it can become their leanest and fittest selves, just like the celebrities. If you’re looking for a nutrition and fitness plan that will help you make that lifestyle change, we invite you to try out Athlean-XX for Women. We designed Athlean-XX for Women to be a REALISTIC plan for REAL women. Our workouts are just 30 minutes per day, but they’ll get your heart pumping and get you in shape FAST! Our diet plan is actually not a diet at all. We want you to eat more! Eat healthy foods 5 – 6 times per day, and you’ll get your metabolism revved like a well-oiled machine. We also keep you inspired with our daily blog posts and our active Facebook community. Join us on Team Athlean – we’ll keep help keep you motivated and reach your goals!
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