As a young woman, Rafaela Arlotta admits she was very lazy. She loved lying around on the couch, munching on snacks, and watching her favorite television shows.
She had a successful career, but always used work as an excuse not to exercise.
When Rafaela got married in 2009, she and her husband let themselves go even further. Instead of cooking at home, they would eat out all the time.
Rafaela eventually reached 185 pounds. She and her husband wanted to start a family, but they struggled to get pregnant. Rafaela thinks that her weight was one of the reasons they weren't able to conceive right away.
When Rafaela welcomed her baby girl to the world, she realized she needed to make a change — not just for herself, but for her daughter.
She wanted her little one to have healthy habits and good self-esteem, so Rafaela slowly started making healthier choices.
Now, she's lost 70 pounds and is happier than ever.
Thumbnail Photo: Instagram / rafaarlotta
In June 2013, Rafaela Arlotta gave birth to her daughter, Mel.
It had taken her two years to get pregnant, and Rafaela was pretty sure her weight played a role in her struggle to conceive.
After giving birth, Rafaela only lost seven pounds, so she decided she needed to make some lifestyle changes to be a better role model for her daughter.
She told Daily Mail:
When Mel was born, I lost only her weight, 7 lbs, and then I lost almost nothing.
Since I work on my own, I only had 47 days of maternity leave, so it was just me and my daughter. I did not have a nanny and my husband only arrived at night.
When she was three months old, I decided to challenge myself.
At this point I got the nanny [to visit] twice a week. This gave me time to work and to take care of myself, while being able to do other things.
I began to organize myself with food. Nothing radical, but cutting the sweets, which I consumed daily until then. I took it as a life challenge to be well with myself, because it bothered me a lot… not to like or take a picture.
Since her daughter was born, Rafaela completely turned her health around.
She's lost 70 pounds since her pregnancy and dropped a number of dress sizes.
Rafaela found inspiration for losing weight and getting healthy from her daughter.
She wanted to show her baby girl what it was like to have a healthy relationship with food and to have good self-esteem.
She said:
I did not want to be bitter, unhealthy, out of order. I did not want my daughter to grow up seeing me eat things that only hurt me.
One of the greatest motivations of my journey was to be a better and healthier person for my daughter, Mel.
She only remembers this new Rafaela.
Rafaela's advice for other people who want to lose weight and get healthy? Take it easy. Go slowly.
She says you shouldn't make radical changes to your diet, and you should give your mind the time to process everything.
She also recommends finding a physical activity that you love.
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