I’m 20 Pounds Heavier Than Normal So Here’s What I’m Wearing

As you may know via Instagram I gained 55 lbs when I was pregnant and I still have about 20-25 pounds to lose. More on the pregnancy weight gain here, if you’re interested.

Anyway, for me weight isn’t just about vanity & the way I look. I feel more confident and at my best when I’m lighter than I am right now. I have more energy, agility and am overall just more confident. But that’s just me.

In saying that, I know I can’t just snap my fingers and have the weight fall off. So there are some things I’ve been wearing that are comfortable and also help flatter my body right now because I’m definitely not wearing the same stuff I was wearing before. 1: I can’t fit into them, and 2: they just don’t look the same.

That means I had to adjust. These are 5 things that have been making me feel more confident in this period of being 20 lbs heavier than usual.

The Skinny Confidential Guide To Flattering My Post-Baby Body:

♡ Black sweatpants.

The first thing is a great pair of black sweatpants. You just can’t go wrong. They’re in style, go with everything, and when I’m having a bloated day they look cute with a black or white tank ( coming up in this list ). Simple. It makes me feel styled. And you can never go wrong with black.

I tend to go for men’s sweatpants because they’re just super comfy and have a cool, loose look. These ones are perfect and I got a medium.

♡ A good spray tan.

A spray tan makes me feel 10 lbs lighter, right away. My best tip is to always go for violet tones because it makes the whites of your teeth and eyes look whiter. When I was pregnant I switched to organic, natural spray tans and loved it. It’s a bit more pricey but you can be sure that it’s non-toxic and better for you than your average spray tan.

While we’re here we may as well go over all the best spray tan tips again:

SHAVE & DRY BRUSH BEFORE.

Ok this seems rather obvious but let’s go over it just in case. Shave everything you need to shave BEFORE you spray tan ( I like to shave the night before I go into the spray booth ). Dry brushing is what I live for, seriously it’s life-changing, so I can’t go too long without it. I always dry brush RIGHT before I spray tan to exfoliate & ensure the tan goes on evenly.

Also, I wait 2 days to dry brush again after a spray tan which makes me cry because I love dry brushing SO much but hey, beauty is pain.

GET A MANICURE AFTER, PEDICURE BEFORE OR DO THE ‘CLAW.’

This one’s a weird one but if you’re getting a manicure, get it after. But if you’re getting a pedicure, get it before.

Here’s why:

Manicure after because the spray tan sometimes ruins it or makes it chip faster.

Pedicure before because the massage ruins the tan & makes it look like half of your leg is tanned and the other half is pale. Can everyone picture this?

Also, for the record, I do this weird thing because I’m always running late ( & it’s more cost-effective): I get something called a polish change. Basically it’s $5 dollars for hands & $7 dollars for toes. My nail salon guy will just paint my nails instead of the whole massage, file, etc.

It’s so quick & perfect if you’re constantly on the go. Ask your nail salon for a polish change if you’re interested.

SO. This makes it fine to do a pedicure AFTER because I’m only getting a paint job. If you’re getting the full on pedicure, do it BEFORE.

If you’re like me & getting a paint job toe job ( I made this phrase up ), get it after the spray tan. Because there’s no foo-foo massage.

Am I making sense?

NOW, if you’re in the predicament of already having your manicure, do the claw. Yes, the claw. Like claw your hand so your nails are clawed under. If you guys need a picture of this, SNAP message me. But I’m assuming you don’t want to see me butt-naked in a spray booth with a shower cap on? Just assuming though?

PUT A TOWEL DOWN UNDERNEATH YOUR FEET.

This is my ride OR die TIP! Always request a little towel if you’re in a spray tan booth. Put it under your feet BEFORE you step in ( before because sometimes there’s like old spray tan residue which is highly annoying ).

The reason I do this is because the tanning solution gets all over the ground of the booth & makes the tan go on the bottoms of your feet which is just not pretty. At all. Just use a towel.

Trust me, Michael has made fun of me more than 10382574 times for forgetting.

WEAR A LIGHTWEIGHT MAXI & SOME FLIP-FLOPS ( OR SHOES THAT AREN’T CRAMPING YOUR TOES IN )

Here’s another tip…always go into the tanning salon prepared. I wear a lightweight maxi. I wear a dress just like this when I’m running errands & spraying because it’s really ideal to just throw on.

You don’t want to wear like a tight sports bra with suffocating leggings & tennis shoes. Why? Because after the tan when you put on super tight clothes, it makes marks. Nasty marks. Trust me on this because it’s happened to me five million times. Wear something light weight.

ALSO:

♡ Always make sure the tanning product is by Versa Spa or Mystic Tan.

♡ Remove all lotions, make-up, & jewelry before the tan.

♡ The neck area needs extra patting.

♡ Keep the spray tan solution on for at least six to seven hours before a shower.

♡ Do not wear white clothing after the tan.

♡ Wash your hands & feet after. Honest baby wipes save me here.

If you can’t do a spray tan then you can get a good sunless tanning lotion. @sivanayla makes a great one that people are going crazy for. You can stalk her lotion @luxunfiltered. It’s called No. 32 and is vegan, cruelty-free and non-toxic.

♡ Black boots.

There’s nothing better than a nice black boot. These ones are faux croc and I feel like the heel really elongates my leg. Goes so well with black sweats and a black tank top. These boots are cute, fun for a night out and don’t make me feel frumpy.

These boots are one of my go-tos and they’re not crazy expensive. Plus, I’ve worn them so many times that they’ve already been worth it.

♡ Oversized men’s flannel.

Oh how Kourtney Kardashian of me. But I just love an oversized flannel. There are so many different things you can do with it. You can put it on and a pop a shoulder which is so slimming, tie it around your waist to accentuate your waistline, or wear it as a dress if you get a really big one. I’m all about tones here. I like one with gray tones, opposed to orange and yellow tones ( they bring out the wrong colors of my spray tan, LOL ). This is one of the best ones I’ve found in the men’s clothing section of Amazon.

♡ Classic black tank top.

Top Shop has these tanks right now that I’m loving. They’re form fitting and cover the bit of boob fat I have in my armpit. I bought these in black & white and will probably go back for more colors because they’re so flattering.

How fun that you can rock your spray tan and put this whole outfit together? Your oversized flannel can hang off your shoulder while you’re comfy in some stylish black sweats and high-heel boots.

If anyone is postpartum and struggling with weight let me know below. I’m on a journey to tighten up and I want to be super transparent about it. I can’t lie and say I’m 100% happy with my weight because that’s just not where I’m at.

Lately I’ve been doing Pilates, P.volve ( check out the founder, Stephen Pasterino, on the podcast ) and using the TSC BBG guide to tighten up. They’ve been helping a lot and don’t raise my cortisol, which we love.

Let me know if you have any questions below.

x, lauryn

+ check out these 10 fitness tips for isolation.

++ still into inulin coffee every morning, scope the tutorial here.

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