Ha, this motivational graphic makes me laugh.  My body is a reflection of my lifestyle – I was pregnant for ten months, had a baby, and now I sit around and breast feed all day.  Ugh, I want to fit back into my jeans NOW.  I’m trying to be patient, but that has never been my strong suit.

A quick update on my progress: I’ve been working out hard since last Monday and it feels great.  I’ve been doing Pilates twice per week and doing interval training/aerobics three times per week.  I’ve also been taking Annabel on lots of walks; it clears my head and she loves being outside.  It’s a great way to spend time together.

Obviously, I have not lost any weight since last Wednesday, so I thought I would share some great ways to fake it.  Piqued your interest, haven’t I?

Everyone knows you look thinner when you’ve got a tan.  This Clean self tanning cream is awesome!  I’ve blogged about it before here.   It comes in different shades for different skin tones.  I use Medium.  Cost: about $40 for 8 oz.  Purchase it here. 

Ingredients: aqua (pH-balanced distilled water), dihydroxy acetone (DHA) derived from sugar beets, helianthus annuus (sunflower seed) oil, prunus dulcis (sweet almond) oil*, aloe barbadensis (aloe vera gel)*, cocos nucifera (coconut oil)*, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba oil)*, cetearyl olivate, sorbitan olivate, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, glucono delta-lactone,  sodium benzoate, calcium gluconate,  sodium PCA, theobromo cacao (cocoa absolute)*, vanilla planifolia (vanilla extract), camellia sinensis (green tea leaf extract)  *Certified Organic 92% organic ingredients.  This product is gluten-free and vegan.

Gwyneth Paltrow and every other celebrity with great legs swears by this lotion.  It has subtle light-reflecting particles that minimize skin imperfections and create a flattering glow.  Limbs look slimmer and longer.  Plant extracts firm and tighten the skin.  It is not the very cleanest lotion out there, but it is 100% Paraben-free and Vegan.  This stuff WORKS and it is great for special events or just a night out when you plan on showing a little skin.  When I’m not tan, I use the Plain, but it comes in four other flattering shades as well.  Cost: about $40 for 8 oz.  Purchase it here.

Ingredients: Made with 99.7% natural ingredients: 96% natural raw and 4% naturally derived.  Water (aqua), Glycerin, Persea Gratissima (Avocado)Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Butter, Trioctyldodecyl Citrate, Citrus Grandis (Pomelo/Grapefruit) Fruit Wax, Dimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Jojoa Esters, Jojoba Ester, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Calendula Officinale Flower Extract, Japanese Green Tea (Camellia Oleifera) Extrat with Caffeine, Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) Extract, Allantoin, Arnica (Montana) Extract, Blue Vervain Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, May Contain (+/-) Mica. 

Thank you to all the readers who offered tips on losing baby weight; I am compiling and researching everything and I plan on reporting back on what I find.  Keep ’em coming!  I think it is so important for women to reach out and let each other know we are not alone in our struggles, big or small.

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