After 100-Pound Weight Gain Caused By Three Pregnancies Mom Was Inspired To Lose Half Of Her Size

Jan 05, 2021 by apost team

Losing just 20 pounds is often one of the hardest things for most people, that’s why when Minnesota mom Ann Wulff, 39, lost over 200 pounds between 2018 and 2020, she became an online sensation instantly. Like most people, she had been ignoring her eating habits as she kept telling herself that she was already overweight. What was the worst that could happen? Reality finally hit her when she couldn’t buckle her seatbelt anymore.

“When I got married, I got pregnant right away and gained a significant amount of weight — 60 lbs. I felt like pregnancy was permission to just eat whatever I wanted,” Ann Wulf mentioned, according to PEOPLE. In 2006, Wulff gave birth to her first daughter, and one year later, she found out that she had another baby on the way. The two babies triggered a massive weight increase, and it became a big problem for her.

“I never really lost that baby weight, and when I got pregnant again I added on more weight. And then that happened again with my third daughter,” Wulff told PEOPLE.

Between all three pregnancies, Ann Wulff, a teacher from Minnesota, had generally gained near 100 pounds. The problem was that her weight gain didn’t end there. She usually started her days with two sandwiches and coffee. Her dinners usually comprised a full pizza and large ice cream servings. She explained to PEOPLE:

“I convinced myself that it didn’t matter if I ate unhealthily because I was already overweight…I was busy with a full-time job and three little girls, so did it really matter if I eat the ice cream?”

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Wulff wasn’t crazy; although she ate unhealthily, she was worried that she was going to become diabetic or develop a major health problem. Unfortunately, her fear of what she would discover, or the lecture she would be given, made her reluctant to seek help. However, that stress didn’t stop her from leading an unhealthy lifestyle. Over a period of time, she started experiencing negative complications. Her life became worse, and activities that initially seemed simple became a nightmare.

“I started to notice, many, many times a day, these little things that I could not do because of my weight…I would drive my kids to the park even though it was a five-minute walk, I didn’t want to go out to restaurants in case I didn’t fit in the chairs and I couldn’t get the seatbelt buckled in our car without twisting and turning a certain way. Plus I was starting to feel physically unwell, with headaches and no energy,” Wulff told PEOPLE.

“I was in my mid-30s, and I realized that very quickly that there were going to be things that I absolutely could not do.”

Clearly, this devastated her, but the time to make adjustments was nigh.

In an effort to change her situation, Ann Wulff joined Weight Watchers (WW) and even paid for 12 months upfront. As the teacher understood the challenges of weight loss, she wanted to do everything it took to commit to it. She appreciated how bad her shape was, and was hell-bent on changing her lifestyle. Of course, she knew very well that it wasn't going to be a quick fix.

As part of her program, Wulff adjusted her food to include lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits. The best part was that all these foods were low in points according to the WW plan. That meant that she could safely eat more of them without worrying about adding weight. It also meant that she could defeat her cravings and hunger pangs without offsetting her weight loss.

After following her diet meticulously, the mom of three managed to lose 11pounds in her first week. For someone engaging in weight loss for the first time, that feat really motivated her to keep pushing. At that point, she knew that she could do it; there was no turning back. Wulff did lose a lot of weight during her first week, but she didn’t overstep her limits. She kept her weight target reasonably low.

“I just said, ‘I’m going to lose five more pounds,’ and every few weeks I would do it. That was really motivating, and I kept going until eventually I realized, ‘Oh my gosh, I might be able to actually get to a healthy weight if I keep doing this.’”

Initially, Wulff did not like cooking. However, when she started her journey to weight loss, she began incorporating more homemade meals and experimenting with new recipes whenever she could. She managed to prepare new meals once or twice each week. Similarly, she avoided pressuring herself to begin exercising until she lost 130 pounds, which was when she would feel ready. She also wanted to gather enough energy to take longer strolls in her neighborhood.

Slowly, Ann Wulff lost 207 pounds within a period of two years. Surprisingly, she lost her last 20 pounds during the COVID-19 pandemic, when everyone was in a panic and nearly everything was shut down.

“I panicked a bit, but I was so close to my goal, and I had worked so hard. I took it as, this is a terrible situation, but I’m going to use this time to focus on taking care of myself and maintaining this healthy habit,” she told PEOPLE. “I was able to hit my goal shortly after that.”

After losing all that weight, Wulff said that she has never felt more confident in herself. As a mother of three beautiful girls who are already beginning to assess their own bodies, Ann Wulff thinks that confidence is critical.

On an inspiring note, she told PEOPLE:

“I feel so much lighter, and I don’t mean physically…I just have so much more energy, I’m more positive, I’m more likely to put myself out there. I’m a better teacher, a better wife, a better mother. A better everything.” 

Naturally, it takes a lot of hard work to lose 100 pounds, but Ann Wulff, doubled that in just two years. Her intelligent approach to weight loss was her biggest strength. Through her story, she has taught us that making small, gradual adjustments is the way to attain significant and sustainable results.

Is there any part of this story that inspired you? If there is, don’t hesitate to give your thoughts in the comments below, and tell your friends about it!