How I dropped 21 lbs in 7 weeks without setting foot in the gym...

When Kyle surprised me with an incredible getaway for my 30th, I couldn't have been happier. And then I put on a swimsuit. Turns out, I could be happier minus 30 pounds still lingering post baby. So here is what I did:

I cut out sugar. It's that simple really. I threw away the processed cereals that were my go to middle of the night food. I parted with the pints of icecream that got me through my last few weeks of pregnancy. I stopped buying the snickers that I swore supplied me with energy (nuts, people). I stopped eating processed sugar. This is not brain science. Less sugar=less fat.

Oh, and guess what, sugars are hiding everywhere: BREADS, salad dressings, pasta, spaghetti sauce, canned fruits and veggies. They are there and they are not your friend. Look at the label. If it's over 5 grams of sugar your body will turn it into fat. If it's under 5 grams your body doesn't register it. And don't be fooled by "sugar-free". They contain sugar alcohols and the studies on what they do to your body are slim.

Here is how the process went:

Week 1:
I want to strangle everyone including the ice cream truck driver who frequents my block taunting me with his bomb pops and icecream cones, but I drop 6 lbs in 7 days.

Week 2: I start to realize I have more energy to clean the house when Jack goes down for a nap. My go to "snack" becomes apple slices with a splash of organic saltless peanut butter. This saves me. I drop another 4 lbs quickly.

Week 3:
I discover oatmeal. I put truvia and blueberries in it. When I crave bread (which is sugar), I eat a cup of oatmeal. Down another 3 lbs.

Week 4:
We have a wedding and I only eat half of a cupcake. That's a big step. Still drop another 3 lbs.

Week 5:
I cheat and get ice cream. I instantly feel like death, but I finish the ice cream. It was good and I don't regret it. Still down another 2 lbs.

Week 6:
I go back to work and continue my sugar-free lifestyle. I drop 3 lbs my first week back for several reasons including less access to my kitchen.

Week 7:
That brings us to today. I still have 9 lbs to go, but I'm feeling great. I'm sleeping better (when Jack lets me), I have more energy at work and I'm starting to feel like my pre-pregnancy self.

Some people may classify this as a diet, but I truly call it a lifestyle change. Of course I cut myself some slack with 2 eat whatever I want meals a week, but I quickly realized how bad these meals made me feel. Do I still think about a big fat king-sized snickers every once-in-a-while, of course. But the difference is, I don't want to feel like crap anymore. Try it!