It all started when, after the birth of her second child, the extra weight wouldn’t just melt away on its own—she knew she had to do something to lose the weight she’d gained during pregnancy. At first, Merit tried various programs, but after using the Elustiil app for just a week and losing 1 kilo in the blink of an eye, she decided to stick with it. The main reason that motivated Merit to take control of her own lifestyle was the desire to feel good in her own body again and to love herself with pride! Postpartum weight loss isn’t always the easiest thing, though.This story comes from our archives, from a time when FunTastyQ Fit was still called Geneto Lifestyle. We keep our older stories on file—our product has a long history.
What goal did you set for yourself when you started using the Lifestyle app? Post-pregnancy weight loss is possible!
“I started in October, when I weighed 77 kg. I wanted to reach 70 kg, which seemed like a nice round number. It happened surprisingly easily and quickly, and from there I decided to stick with my diet to maintain that weight. Thanks to this maintenance strategy and discovering various healthy foods, I’ve quietly lost another 3 kilos! In any case, I’ve reached my target weight, and I’m very proud of myself! But more important to me than the weight issue was actually getting rid of my belly fat. Since I’m quite tall (178 cm), the extra weight didn’t really stand out that much. However, I have abdominal diastasis, which can’t be corrected through exercise, so the excess belly fat was definitely bothersome. I had even considered having surgery to correct the diastasis, but I figured I needed to do something on my own to improve the situation first and wouldn’t go in for surgery at that weight. Now that I’ve reached my ideal weight, it doesn’t bother me as much anymore, and I don’t even need to have surgery! Of course, the diastasis hasn’t gone away, but now that I’m more comfortable with my body, I’ve even started to love that little gap. Alongside my role as a mother, I’ve rediscovered myself!How did you achieve this goal regarding postpartum weight loss?
“It was tough at first because weighing my food seemed so tedious, but luckily it soon became a habit, and weighing my food turned into an automatic action. My motivation to keep going stayed strong when I saw that the scale started dropping right away. At one point, my weight plateaued, but I kept tracking my calories anyway. I think my female hormones probably played a small role in that, too. Fortunately, I kept logging my meals consistently, and my weight started dropping again. My problem was overeating. Weighing my food really helped—for example, if I was wondering whether or not to have that piece of candy, I’d calculate the calories in the app and make my decision based on that. When the app told me that this piece of candy had so many (too many!) calories, I changed my mind and decided I didn’t want it after all.When you actually see right in front of you how much you’re really eating, those portions just shrink on their own!”Do you follow a meal plan or keep a food diary? “I’m what you might call a ‘tracker’—someone who keeps a food diary. Since life with kids is still a bit chaotic, I didn’t start following a meal plan right away. I just started making healthier choices for myself when I was cooking for the family, and it was important that I weighed my food. Sometimes, when I ran out of ideas, I’d browse the recipes in the app to get some inspiration.”
Post-pregnancy weight loss and how do you stay motivated?
“Sure, there are moments when I think, ‘Ugh, I don’t feel like putting this in,’ but luckily my competitive spirit wins out, and I tell myself that since I’ve come this far, I’m not going to give up now. And I do allow myself some treats, too. Once a week, I indulge in one meal—I’ll eat a whole pizza, for example, as much as I can! But the rule is that it’s really just that one meal on one day a week, not every day. That’s very important, because every now and then you have to give your mind a break and treat your body.”How satisfied are you with the app?
“I really like it! It’s just a great app—lots of features, and everything is designed to be very user-friendly. When I didn’t understand something at first, I asked customer support and got an answer right away. I use the barcode scanner all the time and also add my favorite products so it’s easy to add them later. What I especially like about the Elustiil app—something I haven’t seen in other apps—is that you can enter quantities not only in grams but also in other units of measurement. For example, when I’m eating out and can’t weigh anything, it’s really helpful to be able to estimate—even roughly—whether it’s a soup spoonful, a small or large glass, a few slices, a medium, large, or small egg, and so on. I have absolutely no sense of measurement by eye, so this kind of solution is a huge help.”What’s your favorite food?
“I love oanuudlid! I use them to make all kinds of light, stir-fry-style dishes. For example, one day with shrimp, the next day with chicken—whatever I’m in the mood for. I create my own recipes and save them, so it’s easy to make the same dish again.”You’ve reached your goal—what’s next?
“I’ll definitely keep using the app. I’ve bought a one-year subscription, and even though I’ve already learned over the past five months how much things weigh and roughly what I can eat, I like being able to keep track of everything with the app’s help. Midway through the day, it’s good to check how many calories I’ve consumed and whether I’m on track for the day. If, for example, I’ve already gone over my limit, then I know I definitely need to go for a walk or work out later this evening. After all, I have to keep at it to maintain my weight and feel good!”What would you say to those who are just starting out? The key to post-pregnancy weight loss is taking small steps!
“If you think weighing yourself is a real hassle, it is at first, but you’ll get over it! Once you get used to it, it goes smoothly. And if you really don’t have time, preparing meals in the evening and packing them into containers helps. Then it’s easier to stick to the plan. At first, you might have to grit your teeth and do it, but it’ll start to click. Soon you’ll start making healthier choices on your own, like reading labels more carefully at the grocery store.To encourage and motivate you to start making lifestyle changes, I can assure you that the real achievement is rediscovering your self-worth—and that’s more valuable than all those numbers on the scale that keep dropping!”
