New mother reveals the EXACT plan she followed to lose 2st 7lbs of baby weight including a hearty breakfast and six workouts a week – and says seven hours of sleep a night is crucial
- Samantha Lee Carbone, 32, from Australia, weighed 11 stone 5lbs at her heaviest
- Says her weight increased after giving birth as she ate easy meals and takeaways
- Health coach shed 2.5 stone by focusing on having at least 7 hours sleep a night
A new mother has revealed the exact diet and exercise plan she followed to lose 2st 7lbs of baby weight – and says increasing the amount of sleep she had each night was crucial.
Samantha Lee Carbone, 32, from Adelaide, Australia, weighed 8 stone 6lbs before she was pregnant, however, not long after giving birth to son Tyson in July 2019 she tipped the scales at 11 stone 3 lbs.
Despite her weight gradually dropping to 9 stone 7lbs, the health coach says it wasn’t until she began having at least seven hours sleep each night that she was able to get to her goal weight of 8 stone 9lbs.
Speaking to FEMAIL, she revealed that having ‘adequate sleep’ has helped her to make healthier food choices after learning about its importance from studying health and nutrition.
She also swears by having a hearty breakfast each morning, lean dinners and working out six times a week.
Samantha Lee Carbone, 32, from Adelaide, Australia, weighed 8 stone 6lbs before she was pregnant, however, not long after giving birth in July 2019 she tipped the scales at 11 stone 3 lbs. She wanted to reach a goal weight of 8 stone 9lbs. Pictured, after giving birth
Despite her weight gradually dropping to 9 stone 7lbs, the health coach says it wasn’t until she began having at least seven hours sleep each night that she was able to get to her goal weight of 8 stone 9lbs. Pictured, Samantha now after reaching her goal weight
Samantha’s diet & exercise for weight loss
Breakfast
- 2 wholemeal slices bread
- 2 x extra large eggs
- 80g cherry tomato
- 40 g avocado
Snack
- 30g protein powder
- 170g yoghurt greek
- 20g almonds
Or
- 40g rice cakes with strawberry jam
- 30 g protein shake
Lunch
- 150g Meat with veg or salad (3 serves of veg) with brown rice or sweet potato
Snack
- 1 x bowl fresh fruit
- Protein shake or yoghurt
Dinner
- 100-200g any meat with 3 serves of any veg served with sweet potato or brown rice or wholemeal pasta
- Or
- 200g Salmon Veg/ salad with babaganoosh dip (Once a week)
- Protein shake after training
Workout
- Monday – weight based training (bench press)
- Tuesday– cardio hitt training
- Wednesday– weight based training squats
- Thursday-hit training & boxing
- Friday – weight based training deadlifts
- Saturday– all over cardio hitt training
- Sunday– rest
Samantha said: ‘During pregnancy, my diet was filled with a wide variety of food from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, rice, dairy, salmon, eggs, dark leafy vegetables, lean meats and proteins and the occasional sugar fix treat.
‘But I found my healthy eating went out the window once I had my little one, I found it hard to prepare healthy meals and stay on top of having a full fridge.
‘I would opt for quick easy meals, even if it was a take away. This was the easiest option when a busy day left me feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.’
However Samantha, who had worked out intensely before having a baby, wanted to get back to her pre-baby weight.
‘I wanted to regain my fitness level and begin to get back into my previous training routine,’ she continued.
‘I love to go run and do high-intensity workouts. After having my little one I stopped running and going to the gym. I found I was feeling really uncomfortable in my clothes and I wanted to be able to go for a run again and release those feel-good chemicals endorphins.
Samantha (pictured pregnant) said she followed a varied diet during her pregnancy, however after giving birth she struggled to prepare healthy meals
Samantha said she enjoys exercising, however she felt ‘really uncomfortable’ in her clothes after giving birth. Pictured: Before pregnancy
‘When I am training and creating healthy habits in my life, I am at my happiest and I will be able to be the best mum to my little one.’
Samantha starts each day with a breakfast of toast, avocado, eggs and tomato and keeps lunch and dinners simple and balanced: meat with veg and some carbohydrates like sweet potato or brown rice.
She also incorporates a mixture of cardio and weight training into her week.
But it wasn’t until she started paying attention to her sleep that she was able to shift the last stone of weight.
Before giving birth, she would have over 8 hours sleep each night however she struggled to get the amount when Tyson arrived until her husband and mother greed to share the workload of looking after him.
She continued: ‘I discovered how important sleep is for weight loss while I was studying health and nutrition. A lot of people don’t realise that sleep is crucial for weight loss and also for recovery when you are exercising.
Samantha (pictured after giving birth and during weight loss) said she’s able to make healthier food choices and refrain from binge eating, when she’s had at least seven hours sleep
Samantha shared the plan she followed to achieve her post-pregnancy figured, pictured
‘If you’re trying to lose weight, the amount of sleep you get is just as vital as your diet and exercise. There have been various studies that have reported that people who are sleep-deprived have an increase in appetite.
‘This is because you are affecting your hunger hormones ghrelin and leptin. The body will start to make more ghrelin and less leptin, leaving you hungry and increasing your appetite.
‘Sleeping for weight loss involves getting enough adequate sleep, seven hours or more will help to aid in weight loss. You want to feel well-rested and full of energy when you wake up.’
Samantha continued: ‘Sleep is like nutrition for the brain, which means the more sleep you have the better your brain is at making better decisions.
‘I found when I was well-rested and had enough sleep, I was able to make healthier food choices and refrain from binging on ice cream or chocolate. Trying to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.
‘Too little sleep triggers a cortisol spike. This stress hormone signals your body to conserve energy to fuel your body when you awake and active. I found that sleep was a big contributor to my being able to lose weight.
Samantha (pictured today) revealed she also boosted her metabolism to speed up weight loss by having protein before bedtime
Samantha (pictured today) discovered the importance of sleep for weight loss after studying health and nutrition
‘I found that in the weeks where my sleep was less than six hours, I wasn’t able to shift any weight and I felt groggy. Bad decision making when it came to food.
‘Another thing I did was consume a protein shake or some low sugar Greek yoghurt before bedtime, this can have some positive effects on boosting your metabolism.
‘Researchers have found that consuming an evening snack that included 30g of protein will give you a higher resting metabolic rate the next morning, than if you didn’t consume one.
‘Protein is more thermogenic than carbs or fat, meaning your body burns more calories digesting it. I suggest selecting a vegan protein powder, which will give you the same benefits as whey without the bloating.’
Sharing her tips with other new parents, she added: ‘Losing weight has been a positive journey for me. I am more confident, happy and doing more than I could before. My health and fitness level has improved significantly.
‘I am sleeping seven hours and my overall health has increased I have much more energy throughout the day and I am more productive at work. My business is thriving and I am a better parent, friend and coach to the people around me.’
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