Jessica Simpson is definitely an inspiration to any busy mom who has been struggling with their weight. The singer, actress, and businesswoman has always been honest with her fans about her struggles with the scale, at one point becoming a spokesperson for Weight Watchers. Like so many women, Simpson opened up about her weight gain during pregnancy and her desire to not only lose the baby weight but to forge new, healthy habits that will help her keep the weight off once and for all. Six months after welcoming her third child, daughter Birdie Mae, Simpson announced that she had lost 100 pounds, and now one year later she's maintained not only her weight loss but her healthy lifestyle.
Her Weight Loss
It's been one year since Simpson shared pictures of her 100-pound weight loss on social media, writing that at her heaviest she weighed 240 pounds. "6 months. 100 pounds down (Yes, I tipped the scales at 240)," she captioned a photo on Instagram. "My first trip away from #BIRDIEMAE and emotional for many reasons, but so proud to feel like myself again. Even when it felt impossible, I chose to work harder."
Her Trusted Trainer
Simpson has worked with celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak for over a decade so when she decided she wanted to not only lose weight after having Birdie Mae but adopt a healthier lifestyle, he was the person she turned to. Pasternak, who trained Simpson after the births of her two older children, told E! News that this time it was about more than just losing the pounds. "We were kind of just getting in shape between kids and now it was sort of ok, I want to look fierce again and look great, confident, and energized and I want to do it in a sustainable way. That was her main goal," he said. "This particular baby no. 3 was... I think she commented to the press that she tipped the scales at 240 lbs, that's not coming from me, she mentioned that in a post. So, we had our work cut out for us and perhaps more so on this baby than the others."
But How Did She Lose The Weight?
The celebrity trainer told PEOPLE that he took a more 'holistic' approach in helping Simpson adopt a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle which contributed to her weight loss success. In addition to having her walk 12,000 steps daily (up from the 6000 she started with while recovering from childbirth) he also encouraged her to unplug from technology for at least an hour a day and ensure she was sleeping a solid 7 hours nightly. They then focused on her diet. “It’s three meals and two snacks a day, and each meal has protein, fiber and fat, and snacks are protein and fiber or protein and fat,” Pasternak told the magazine.
Accountability
Pasternak also helped keep the bestselling author accountable during her transformation, which helped keep her on track. “I never work with scales,” he told PEOPLE. “My work with her is more about the habits she’s created and kept up. Every night before she goes to bed she sends an email showing that she hit all five tasks, so she’ll go to bed feeling successful. She’s hit her step goal, she’s eaten well, she’s balanced her responsibilities — so she can go to bed with a sense of fulfillment, and that’s everything. And as a byproduct of doing these habits, she lost 100 lbs.”
Not only did she lose weight but she wrote on Instagram that prioritizing her health and making time to work out was for the benefit of her own mental health. So not only was her body getting the attention it needed, so was her mind.
Milestones
The mother of three turned 40 this past July and to celebrate she posted a picture wearing a pair of jeans she's owned for over a decade, something that is so relatable. "I have kept these throwback True Religion jeans in my closet for 14 yrs (I’m not exaggerating!). I figured that since I’m in the final hours of my 30’s I’d give them another try, and hello 40, so nice to meet you."
Maintenance
Clearly, Simpson has managed to maintain her new, healthier lifestyle a full year after her initial weight loss. In a recent picture posted to her Instagram page, she shows off her trim physique while striking a yoga pose. "Starting the week with a warrior mindset aligned with the beauty of the sunset," she captioned the picture. Simpson seems to have taken her renewed healthy lifestyle to heart and not only works on her physical health but her mental health as well.
While Simpson has an advantage over us regular moms since she can afford the celebrity personal trainer, help with her children, and any help she needs in the kitchen, her determination to become healthier and stronger is an inspiration to many. "She is feeling like she did before she had kid," Pasternak told E!News. "In control of everything and such a great attitude of not beating herself up if she doesn't eat perfectly every day so it's a very helpful perspective." Definitely a perspective many of us could benefit from.