I just have to get something off of my chest.. And I want to talk to y’all about it so grab a cup of coffee or a glass of tea and join me. Plus it distracts me from the chaos our house is currently in. :) Okay, so it has been 6 months since I had the baby. And ohhh what a doll she is. But this pregnancy really did a number on my body. They say it gets worse after each kid, and I am here to say that the shape definitely does change after the first! My stomach! My rolls! My thunder thighs rubbing together! Gahhhhhh!!! And when your “fat pants” don’t even fit good……ugh, I am grossing myself out.
And here’s the thing. I haven’t really wanted to lose the weight until now. I mean, SURE I would have liked to, but I haven’t really tried. I love food. I really enjoy cooking. But I’ve been eating too much. Not necessarily terrible things, but just too much. And I have eaten plenty of cookie dough in the past 6 months than what you will probably eat in your lifetime, so, uhhhhh, yea. And if I’m being really transparent here, I gained more with this last pregnancy than the first one. What in the world?? How does that happen? I even told myself I would NOT gain that much the 2nd time around, but my body did otherwise. Each person’s body does pregnancy differently, and I obviously am no spring chicken! I wish I could bounce back in 3 weeks like others, but that’s just not in the cards for me.
So in order to get the ball rolling, my good friend invited me to join this 8 week weight loss accountability group (there’s a jackpot for the winner!). And I did. And I was scared at first because I didn’t know if I was really ready. But after day 1 was over, I knew I was ready. And it’s only day 2 and I’m writing this. Haha. But I’m a competitive person at this type of thing and so being in the group will really help me. Plus we get the added bonus of supporting each other. It really makes you think twice about putting that cookie in your mouth when you know your friends will be seeing your food journal and knowing you won’t earn points for that day. It’s also a very humbling experience sharing your weight with other women. I mean come on, no woman I know loves to flaunt her weight number around. And if she does we probably would not be friends. But I’m an all or nothing kind of gal and take things like this very seriously. I WANT to do this and I WANT to look good and be healthy again. And not curse at every picture I see of myself.
I have about 50 more pounds to still lose (yes that means I gained MORE than 50 pounds with this pregnancy). I hope to accomplish that by early summer if not before. The last time I really started to lose weight (when I was ready mentally), it came off really quick. Not an unhealthy quick or anything, but just a motivational quick. When I see the results and those numbers drop is when I want to keep on keepin’ on. Otherwise, I’ll get discouraged.
(could not find the correct source for this image on Pinterest. Argh)
For the curious minds, here’s a peek into what my daily food journal looks like so far. Keep in mind I am still nursing, and will be for several more months, but please know I am getting plenty of nutrients for the baby through the food I am eating and the supplements I am taking. 1200 calories sounds like nothing, but when you write it all down or keep track of it on My Fitness Pal, it’s actually plenty of food.
My fitness pal is SO cool I love it! Do you use it? And drinking water has never been a problem for me, especially since I’m still nursing so I drink over and above the recommended ounces per day. Never had an addiction to sodas or anything either so cutting them out is not difficult. And I drank those shakes every day for lunches and made smoothies the last time, and I think that is what really helped me lose the pounds. Hoping that happens this time as well.
The thing I’m worried about? Exercise. I don’t like to do it. Does anyone? I want to like it. I even did pretty good for about 2 months with my friend and we’d go walking/running together. But once I get off track with that and we skip a week or something, it’s SO hard to get back to it! I could make excuses all day about it. But I won’t because well, they are just excuses. I really enjoyed Zumba when I did that back before I got pregnant again, so maybe I can do that again. And I kind of even enjoyed running sometimes when I did it. But I want to be one of those people who just casually goes out for a 5 mile jog and it be a piece of cake. That’s highly unlikely though. Ha!
Don’t worry–I won’t become a weight loss blog or anything and will hardly even talk about this. Hopefully the next time I talk about it will be when I’ve lost those 50 pounds. Or since this is an 8 week challenge, maybe I will update you all then?
So I’m curious. What do you like to do for diet and exercise? What gives YOU the drive? What are your favorite snacks? My weaknesses are cheese and peanut butter. I LOVE them. And it’s amazing how many calories it is for not that big of a portion. I used to eat way more than the recommended serving size, so I have really cut back on that. And I’m not starving so it must be working. Maybe you might need that push to start your journey to a better you also? We can help each other! Would love to hear from you…so….let’s chat!
And thanks for letting me chat about this stuff. I feel like y’all are my friends and we are just sitting around talking about life. :)
xxoo,
Decorchick!
Let’s Connect!
Good luck with your new diet and the dreaded exercise. It will be worth it! You can do it! Have a great day.
Thank you Audrey I appreciate the encouragement!
I love this post – everything you have written could have been written by me…well except the bits about pregnancy because I don’t have children. I guess I mean the bits about eating too much of the naughyty-but-nice foods, exercising (I agree – who does like exercising?) and enjoying Zumba……Oh and the important one – never being a “going out for a 5 mile jog” kinda girl.
Good luck with your diet – just think of the beady eyes that will be scouring your food journal for any sign of weakness when the cookie jar calls your name ;-) x
LOL hopefully it won’t call my name because I am not buying them for the house. My husband and kids will have to suffer I guess. Ha!
I use My Fitness Pal and it is helping me a lot. Just being accountable to the application is enough for me – never have needed the group motivation thing. But the exercise part is hard for me, too. I too have 50 pounds to lose and I’ve started yoga once per week. I really like it andam hoping that once that becomes a habit, I will feel better to start doing some walking. Just can’t motivate to do much else and hope little changes will be enough. At my age, though, I don’t know. Good luck with your weight loss!
Thanks Cyndi! Good luck with yours too. If you want to be friends on MFP just send me an email anytime. :)
Oh my I feel your pain! My 3rd is 8 months old. I have actually lost my baby weight, but gained it back over the holidays because I took a break from working out. That’s bad news for me, I’m apparently old enough to HAVE to work out if I want to enjoy some of the food I eat. Getting motivated is hard for me, and sometimes I wish I could just afford to get a personal trainer, but I can’t. I guess right now my motivation is that I lost it once, I can do it again, but I like the idea of the the shakes. I may have to do that! Thanks for a great post!
Yes Anja, the shakes that I listed in that app are SO good. They don’t taste like protein powder at all. Good luck to you. Hope you find your motivation soon. :)
I would say, “You go girl!” but it sounds so cliche… You get the feel, though!
I’ve tried replacing that need for something sweet with fat free greek yogurt with some kind of sweetness. It’d be a little splurge if you’re trying to stay under 1200 calories, but worth if for something sweet. Plus, it has a lot of protein! I had to try a few different brands to find my favorite.
It keeps me eating healthier when everybody around me is eating the delicious cookies I baked them… ;-)
Ha thanks! I do love the greek yogurt too. I think Oikos is my favorite right now? Yum!
Good for you! I am nursing as well, and have started exercising more lately. Just a teeny reminder…you can safely lose about six pounds a month. Anymore than that could reduce your milk supply and release too many of the toxins stored in fat into your milk. Good luck!
Good to know Kelly thank you! I am hoping to lose more than that though just because last time it came off quick when I tried, but we’ll see. I’m sure this time will be totally different.
I hated exercise, too – until I became a single working mother to two boys. Running has become my safe haven. Almost a release. It’s way cheaper than therapy and it does amazing things for my body and health. I can have the most stressful day ever, and running helps me clear it all out. It’s hard to get started with it, but once you do, it’s even harder to quit. After my first half marathon, I was injured. I wasn’t able to run as much, and it felt like my life was falling apart! I gained weight, my eating habits went down the toilet, and it was just awful. I started back up again (it’s been a slow and painful process!) but I am BACK. And feeling so good! All moms need time alone to themselves and their thoughts, time to clear their heads and do something positive for their bodies. It’s made me a better employee, mother, lover, etc. I recommend to everyone to start out slow and try it for just 2 weeks. If you aren’t hooked to the natural high that comes after, it would surprise me! : ) (And I don’t think anyone has ever made a bad food choice after a good jog!)
So true Mollie I agree. I always felt great after we ran too and never regretted it. I just need to get out there again. I will I will!
I LOVE My Fitness Pal! It helps so much! Losing weight is tough. I have lost 20 lbs. since September and still need about 15-20. I hope to get those off by summer. I joined a bootcamp in September. The workouts are hard, but fun. We switch up our workouts so we don’t plateau and get bored. I am in the Houston area if you are interested, let me know. I must say it took 2 months of bootcamp 3 times a week for it to be a “habit” for me. Stick with what ever you choose for a workout. it takes several months to establish a routine. Now, if I miss a workout, I feel terrible, mentally and physically.
I also am a member of a “Biggest Loser” type of group. We all support each other. I did win our holiday weight loss comp. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, I lost the most weight. Sadly, that was only 1 pound, but hey, I didn’t gain! :)
Good Luck! ~Meliss~
I’d love to do a bootcamp one day. I would need to find one that’s not too far from me though that I can do in between feedings etc.
Good for you, to get completely motivated and push for what you want. I have “wanted” to lose weight for awhile, mine just came out of nowhere, but after both of my babies, the weight just won’t go away. I look like I’m still 6 months pregnant and its been almost 6 months since he was born. The really sad thing is, I had HG during my pregnancy, so I lost 30 lbs, wasn’t even to my prepregnancy weight the day I delivered. But after having him, my weight is going back up (I’m nursing and after 9 months of not eating, I’m hungry a lot more than ever before!).
So here’s my question for you: You mentioned smoothies. I’ve heard lots of people swear by smoothies for weight loss as a meal replacement. I know there are “healthy” smoothies involving oatmeal, etc., but I have yet to find any recipes that have been tried and are good for weight loss. Care to share your smoothie recipes?
Hi Jade, for my smoothies I just use that Andrew Lessman Secure shake stuff (you can order on HSN or his site, procapslabs.com), mix it with milk or orange juice, and when I have time I’ll blend in some fruit with it to make a smoothie. Then you can always throw in fresh spinach too to get an extra dose of vitamins and veggies for the day. These are the BEST tasting shakes trust me. I look forward to them. They don’t taste like protein powder. YUK. But I drink them on their own with just the milk or make a smoothie. Satisfies me for lunch. The vanilla is my fav. Chocolate is good too.
Just pay attention to your hunger needs and you’ll be okay. I gained 47lbs with my baby and I lost it all in 3-4 months, just by nursing. We’d go on a few walks a week, but nothing strenuous. Baby is 7mos old and thanks to a recent cold, I’m 20lbs below pre pregnancy weight (the cold helped me lose 5) and my milk supply didn’t suffer. That being said, I started out overweight and still could stand to lose another 25lbs to be in the normal weight range for my height. Everyone is different!
Oh wow the whole nursing and losing weight thing totally has not happened to me with both pregnancies!
I’m guessing I’m one of the lucky few? Weight has been a struggle for me my entire life (not just an extra 20 lbs, but more like an extra 120 lbs type of struggle) so it’s kind of nice to be on the receiving end of a benefit for once, right? You can do it. Just keep at it. I have several GFs who said they lost about 10-15lbs right after they weaned their babies and stopped nursing altogether. Have you had that experience?
I didn’t have that experience last time Chelsea. I started to try and lose weight 6 months after my first also so I was still nursing then. But once I REALLY started trying and watching my calories, it came off really quick. I remember by Easter I was looking good already and wore an old size 2 skirt on Easter that year. I still have that skirt… :)
I feel like we are kindred spirits in this respect!
My tips:
– find exercise you enjoy. if you hate running you dont do it. Try something upbeat, like Zumba
– I am HUGE on greek yogurt right now. tons of protein which helps keep me full. I mix in some berries and I am good until lunch! sometimes I blend it with spinach and fruits too
– try brown rice dishes. There are lots of casseroles out there that are just brown rice and other ingredients that are YUM
– soup is your new best friend. just watch the sodium and avoid anything cream based
Thanks so much for your tips Casey! I love the greek yogurt too with a little bit of granola. Yum!!
Ugh. This could be something I wrote too!! I have lost absolutely ZERO weight since having my 6 mo old! I lost maybe 10 in the beginning then gained it back. I need to lose about 100 lb. gasp! Did I just “say” that?! Yep. Around 50 from this baby and my first and then some more I gained not long after getting married :-/ I am so self conscious and I WOULD LOVE to do something about it but I am scared. With my first, (now 2 1/2), I tried several times to diet and my milk dropped so badly that we were both miserable! I determined to make it to a year again. Since October of 2009 I have only spent 3 months not pregnant or nursing!! And 6 more months to go, I hope and I dread! I was determined to have my kids close so I could be done with the nursing and pregnancy and get my body back! But I am hating being this person I don’t recognize in the meantime! :(
Good luck to you! I’ll be following along and would love any tips for when I’m ready!
Oh Stacey I am SO sorry. I totally understand how you feel though. I can’t stand looking at myself or seeing pictures of me right now. I”m sorry that happened to your milk supply too. Ugh. That’s no fun. I know you can do it and will get your body back. And good for you for nursing so long. :)
Thanks for addressing this. I know I am trying like mad to lose weight and due to medical conditions it has becoming maddening. I wish you the best. I am so stealing some of the ideas in comments-thanks.
Aww good luck to you Elissa. You can do it!!
I was in the same boat. After baby two I said goodbye to all my pants for a few months. I didn’t take much stock into what I was eating or how much until about two months ago. My weakness has always been a bedtime snack. But once I decided it wasn’t worth it I can fit into all my pants and had to go buy new ones! Good luck!
Oh man that’s my weakness too. I LOVE eating something right before bed. And why?? But we aren’t allowed to eat anything past 9pm so that’s been good for me. Glad you got some new pants! :)
Good Luck! Have you tried the Bar method? I have done it in the past it is not fun while you are doing it but about 5 minutes after you feel fantastic! Knowing the great feeling you will have motivates you to do this work out, I use the dvd’s at home. I hate dieting but your motivation will motivate the rest of us! I say keep your updates on here if it helps you and it will most likely help others!!
Thank you Dria! And no I haven’t heard of the bar method. Will look it up.
I hear you! I’ve had 4 kids and the youngest is 2. I’m desperate to shed the last 20 pounds. I started doing 30 day shred. I hate to exercise, so a 20 minute long workout means I actually finish it without giving up halfway. I use my fitness pal too. And I keep telling myself “if you aren’t hungry enough to eat an apple, then you’re not hungry.” good luck!
Thanks Tammie you too! And oh gosh I have that DVD too. I have a bad left knee so I just could not keep up with her and all of the lunges. Ugh.
Thank you for this post! It is encouraging to know that other moms face the same challenges. I have had 4 kiddos and I am 35. Staying in shape is a challenge. I actually love running, but I find it difficult to find the time. I discovered this workout series called (don’t laugh) Mamma wants her body back) they are 20 min workouts, very effective, and VERY affordable. Plus she is a mom and it is geared toward women who have children. There is an incredible motivational DVD that comes with it. Really, really good! http://www.mamawants.com/ here is the website if you are interested. I have also done Insanity, but this fits my lifestyle so much better. Good luck! I am cheering for you! Please let us know how it goes.
Oh awesome I am going to check it out! Because this mama DOES want her body back! haha
I love My Fitness Pal. I actually started logging back into it just at the beginning of this week. I am determined to lose my 50 lbs as well. I also started to C25K program just this Monday (Couch to 5K). I have my second run today. Good luck to you and I do hope you post updates on it!
Awesome that’s the app we were using too. Love it!
Hi Emily, I can really relate to all of this. Of course, my baby is 19! The weight came off differently with all 3 of my boys. Now, it’s perimenopause that is killing me in the weight department. I don’t eat terribly but I don’t exercise either, like I should be doing. That is my goal this year. To just get moving. Make small diet changes like cutting back on carbs, more protein and greens. I have had My Fitness Pal app for almost a year now and have not tried it. But you have convinced me to give it a go. It certainly can’t hurt!
Oh Anita you will love it! Send me an email if you want to be friends on it. :)
love my fitness pal! i used it a lot before I got pregnant last spring and then once I got pregnant i just let myself slide. i wasn’t going to worry about my weight/gain. now that i’ve had a baby and you’re right every body is different but this 2nd baby wrecked me too! i’m not clear to start working out yet, but i’m already thinking about losing the weight and watching what i eat. gotta get this body back on track. you’re so not alone, good luck with all your goals!
Man these second babies! It’s a good thing they are so darn precious huh? haha. You’ll get there don’t worry. :)
Hi! I am Colleen. I love your post and the drive to get back into shape. I also use myfitnesspal and I have found it is helpful to keep me on track but sadly I do not have friends on there to see if I am bad. I do not have children due to a bad infection on my reproductive system a couple years ago. I lost a lost of weight while healing from the surgery but then I put all of it plus some back on while dating my husband. (bad I know!) I have started doing Zumba and I find that it helps a lot. Plus I also found a website which tells you how many calories you burn doing everyday activities such as dishes. If you want additional support or someone additional to trek forward the goal with let me know! We all have to support each other.
Hi Colleen! Shoot me an email and we can be friends on MFP. :)
I feel like I should whisper this- I am one who likes to exercise, and I just feel so much better afterwards. Although it is not always easy to rise early, I do get up before my kids so I can have 1.5-2 hours of “me” time. When circumstances or location (we’re military) prevented me from exercising outside the home, I bought a bunch of aerobics DVDs and mixed them up (I liked the Jazzercise video for after baby was born); I even talked over which videos to purchase with a personal trainer. The First Place book was also a helpful and encouraging book to read.
Great thanks for the suggestions Tara!
You’re going to do great! I can tell just by reading that you have reached “that point” where you need more than just dieting to work. You are motivated! Keep us in the loop! You know we’re all rooting for you!
Oh, and my weakness? Wine and Cheese. I could have nothing but that the rest of my life and I’d be just fine. But husband and I are doing Atkins at the end of January so I have to kiss my wine goodbye. Boo-hoo.
Jaye
Hahaha that’s a bummer! I can’t believe how many calories cheese has. Luckily for you on Atkins though lots of cheese is welcome! :)
ugh — I totally feel your pain! I was 33 when my second was born…so age + second child made my body wiggity=whack! The fact that you’re ready is the best first step. I say stick with the new eating for a few weeks, adjust to that, then add exercise. I don’t exercise, which is really bad. I used to be really active at the gym, and for me, the more I went, and the more my body changed, the more I loved and craved exercise. My best tip is not to deprive yourself, just have much smaller portions. I basically eat deprived all week, then eat like a regular person on weekends. :)
Hahaha! That’s a good idea. And you are a skinny minnie and SO lucky you don’t have to exercise for that body!
Good luck with your 8-week challenge! If you still need motivation after that, please give weight watchers a try. After two kids, I am now at my skinniest weight that I can ever remember, and I attribute most of that to belonging to weight watchers (I also exercise a lot). Their plan is great because they encourage you to eat healthy AND to have the occasional treat. It’s a plan for your life, not just to get to a goal weight. : )
I hear great things about WW! So glad it works well for you. :)
I can totally relate to this post!! Over the past few years I’ve gained about 30lbs with no baby to blame it on!! I know I need to watch what I eat and exercise, but I just don’t want to!! It’s almost refreshing to hear pretty much the same thing coming from someone else. Perhaps your post will be the motivation I need to jump start my own healthier lifestyle!! Best of luck to you!!
Aww thanks Laura. Don’t do it till you’re ready. Then I think it will happen pretty fast. :)
I didn’t lose the weight from baby #1 (I gained over 50 lbs) until I had baby number two. I was so scared to get pregnant with #2 knowing I hadn’t lost all the weight yet (I was 6 lbs away from pre-pregnancy weight), and wondering how much weight each baby was going to add. But what I did differently the second pregnancy was exercise consistently throughout and I only gained 29 lbs. I came home from the hospital with only 9 lbs left to lose. I know it’s too late for that trick to work for you, but if you decide to have another, exercise, exercise, it is so worth it!
While exercise alone is not the fastest way to lose weight, it will definitely help your metabolism and you will feel so much better about yourself. Check out Lindsay Brin at momsintofitness.com. I have all of her DVDs and I love her. She is a real mom (with all of the same mom problems we have), and totally down to earth. Most all of her workouts can be done in 30 minutes, but you still break a nice sweat. I put them in when I put the baby down for a nap. She just came out with a new series that is supposed to come in the mail tomorrow. I can’t wait to try it! Good luck!
Awesome Melissa I will definitely check it out. Sounds right up my alley. :)
Alright, I’ll fess up. I’m trying to lose weight too. And I’m on MFP as well! (care to share your username?? LOL) I think it’s a great place to go for tracking food & exercise. In addition to challenge groups, there are forums for people to share food & fitness tips as well as a place for success stories. There are people there who are in it to lose 5 lbs and people who have lost a hundred or more. My goal is to lose about 75 lbs (I was fat before I got pregnant and since my “baby” was born I’ve gained). It’s a long way to go, it’s going to be hard, but it IS worth it!
I actually started a blog (in addition to my home/family blog – goofymonkeys.blogspot.com) where I can track progress, talk about working out and eating. It’s more candid and honest about that part of me. I hope to be a fantastic success story someday.
Stroller Strides. Search for it & see if there is a class near you. Or, another type of mommy workout class. I used to be like you where I hated exercise. Then, I joined this group when my son was 8 weeks old and it has been the biggest blessing! (He’s 2.5 now!) It’s great to get out of the house and have the accountability with other moms. It’s a hard workout- like a boot camp- that you bring your kids to. I actually enjoy working out now and really miss it when I slack off. Look it up!!
I have a friend that does that! Will look into it thanks!
are we the same person? i too want to lose 50 and i hate working out. I have been doing weight watchers since november and have lost 15 lbs. My “baby” is almost 5 and i was just sick of it and had to do something that was going to work long term. I’ve lost the 15 w/o any added exercise, which i am now just starting to do. i’ve done a calorie counting program before that it seems like you’re doing, and it didn’t work for me. i got tired of it all after 10 lbs and i hit a plateau at 10 lbs as well. weight watchers has helped me see that you can eat mostly anything and still lose weight at a safe pace. moderation is key. the meetings help too. i never understood why you would pay a company to lose weight until i joined. my daughters school started a teacher-parent group and its been really great. we have a facebook group and support each other through the week in between meetings.
you can also do weight watchers while nursing – you get extra points to accommodate that function as your body needs extra calories. your calories on your chart looked low – i was previously on a 1,200/day plan and not nursing. just a friendly concern! good luck and remember to keep in mind that all of our bodies and lifestyles are different; what works for one may not work for all. i recommend weight watchers as another option. :)
Thanks so much Kris. I’ve heard a lot of great things about WW’s. It works for so many people and sounds like you are in a great group too. And don’t worry–if I think my milk supply is dropping or anything I will definitely remedy that and up my calorie intake. All is good for now. :)
Oh man! I wrote about this same thing today too! Only I didn’t have a baby and only want to lose 5 lbs. more. I love using My Fitness Pal though, such a great tool! I’ve also become obsessed with working out. I do a Jillian Michaels DVD workout about 5 days a week and I love it!
Ha so funny. I have a dvd of hers too so once my knee gets better I’m going to try it again. :)
You are so right when you are mentally there the weight just seems to fall off! I am almost there taking baby steps. I have had a huge weight gain while taking infertility drugs and I absolutely hate how I feel most days because of the extra weight. Carbs are not my friend but I cannot help myself … Thank you for helping motivate me even more!!!
Awww you will get there Jacque. I know exactly how you feel. Trust me. I LOVE carbs too and especially noodles. Hang in there you can do it too!!
If you enjoy running I’d say sign up for a 5k a couple of months from now (but sign up now) so you can have time to really work on your speed and its a great goal! Also check out toneitup.com those girls are currently doing a 6 week challenge and a lot of the toning exercises you can do at home and most of the cardio you can do without a gym too! They are aiming for 100 miles before valentines day which equals out to 2.2 miles a day-easy! (That’s of you started on 1/1/13) but they keep the workouts switched up for you and give you nutritional advice. Best part it’s free!
Oh and try jumping rope. It’s actually really hard! I lost 15 lbs just jumping rope after my first baby. Plus you can do it for just 10 min and at least you have done SOMETHING that day! Just don’t pee yourself lol
LOL!! Gotta love being a mom. And I wouldn’t quite say I “enjoy” running. Haha!
I think they key is to do execise that works for you, I have always been a group exercise type of girl, and I have been doing Jazzercise here in Houston for the past 2 years, I can finally say my ‘pregnancy weight’ is off and my son is in Kindergarten!!! Nothing worked until I did something I loved :) my neighbor commented on my weight loss an she joined Jazzercise yesterday, now I have an exercise buddy, good luck in your exercise and eating journey :)
Oh awesome!! I really love Zumba so I am looking into taking a class again. :)
Good luck on your weight loss journey. I recently lost all plus more of my baby weight from the 3rd baby. I weigh less now than I did in high school. The absolute best tool for weightloss, at least for me, is a Bodybugg!! It is awesome! Not cheap but it is worth it! Also, I was a nursing mother and I can tell you that if you want to keep your milk supply, 1200 calories is not enough! 1200 calories is the absolute lowest a non nursing person would consume. When I was nursing and losing 2 lbs a week, I was eating 1800 calories a day. This is where the beauty of a bodybugg comes in. It tracks the calories you burn. You keep track of the calories you eat, and it tracks what you burn so you know what your deficit is. It takes all the guess work out of losing weight!
Never heard of that will look it up! Thanks Nicole. :)
I could’ve written this post! I’m going into my 2nd week of trying to lose 50 lbs. We bought an elliptical last year and do you think that would’ve motivated me? I quit after 3 weeks. I realize now I was trying to do too much too soon..and trying to keep up with advice on the internet (cut carbs, sugar, etc.) This time i’ve made small changes that are working for me. No more snacking after dinner, cutting my mayo addiction, filling half my dinner plate with salad first, smaller portions. I’m doing 30 on the elliptical everyday. Nothing dramatic, but i’ve been sticking to it, and happily this time. The one thing i’m refusing to give up is my Friday night wine! :) I do like some of the snack suggestions other people have posted here. Thanks for posting this.
Good for you T.B!! Sounds like you are off to a great start. I too was eating a snack late at night and I know that’s horrible for you but I really looked forward to it. Haha. Yours will come off too just hang in there! :)
Very inspiring blog post! Luckily, I’ve been able to maintain my weight for years, even after gaining 35 with my daughter. But let me tell you, I work my butt off to do so!! I stick to 1200 calories on the days I don’t exercise. I up it with exercise. Esp. since I am training for a race in March. I am a small person (5 feet, 100 pounds), so 1200 works well for me. Just be careful that you are indeed eating enough! Sometimes you need to eat to lose. In terms of exercise, do a run walk program. Nothing torches fat like running! Best of luck to you!! You’ve got this!
Thanks so much for the encouragement! The program we were doing was the run/walk app and I really liked it and really built up my endurance. Gotta hit it again!
You are going to succeed beautifully! Nursing is the best diet you could ever follow…1200 calories might not be quite enough, though. Fitness Pal is a life saver as a tool and it sounds like you are ready to be off and running. Best of luck and we can’t wait to see the “after” pics!
Thanks Janet! If I ever start to see that my supply is dropping or something I will definitely add in a few more calories but so far so good. :)
50 pounds is exactly my dilemma. I know what you mean about “being ready”. I’m having a knee operation so the exercise will have to wait for a bit but I’ve cut down on lots of foods that cause inflammation and feel oh so much better. Can’t wait for the weight to disappear. Jo @ Let’s Face the Music
Thanks Jo! I’m glad you are feeling better. I have a bad left knee right now so crazy hard stuff I can’t do.
LOVE! MyFitnessPal!! Team it up with MapMyRun and it’s even more awesome :) But as wonderful as they are, I am only leaving a comment to see if you know about PB2? It is powdered peanut butter- yes, powdered. I personally do not care for it re-constituted & spread on crackers or anything (but some do, so maybe try it), but it is fan-taboulous mixed into fat-free greek vanilla yogurt and used as a dip for apples.
Hey I was using Mapmyrun too! Love it. And no, I’ve never heard of that?? I’ll look it up.
Don’t we all have this problem! lol… I have a constant battle between the desire of being thin and my love for food!
Haha. Food is awesome.
As a person who lost 57 lbs. two years ago and has kept it off, I can say, I’ve been there and really mean it! One thing that I have found regarding exercise is that the “happy endorphins” that you get from working out really make a difference in your outlook on the day. I allow myself 30 min. per day to improve “me” (body, not soul :) I figure that I can do anything for 30 minutes! So, I typically run. I started by walking on the treadmill while watching tv and then running on commercials and then flipped it as I got better. As a non-runner EVER that was a huge accomplishment for me! I now do a 5K most mornings. Keep in mind, this is coming from a person who never exercised…ever. It sounds like you have the motivation and the will. The group you are in sounds perfect too! You can do it! Best of luck to you!
You are so right. If I can sit at the computer for 30+ more minutes, I surely can find time to do something. Thanks for the encouragement!
Everyone could use a little push, my first pregnancy I gained 60 pounds and had an over 9lb baby! I kept 10 of those pounds, but at 5’2 I only weighed 116. Baby number 2 I gained less, and lost most of it by her first birthday. Fast forward 4 years and I am 30 pounds overweight! Looking for motivation and reading my blogs is helping! I would like our annual vacation to Florida to be a good one and not have to worry about my flab! Keep posting, you are motivating others!
Hey Lisa thank you so much. I know you can do this too! I’d like to take a trip later this year for our anniversary so that is also motivating me. :)
I could always lose the weight after my pregnancies…but after my 3rd one..I stalled out and was loose and flabby. I did P90X after I was done nursing…and got in crazy good shape. Loved the results…it is very hard, but totally worth it.
I just started using it again today. I had my fifth baby two months ago and it’s time (my back fat is starting to creep up my neck! Eeew!) I just have to keep reminding myself that it’s OK to feel hungry between meals. For goodness sake I have an extra 50 lbs clinging on for dear life, just because I FEEL hungry doesn’t mean I’m starving (though it’s not ok to wait so long I start to shake because of low blood sugar). I will appreciate my meals and one snack a day more if I am hungry. The hardest part for me is to eat slow enough so I can recognize when I am not hungry anymore and stopping before I’m so full I’m sick.
Oh yea, the back fat. I have that too. Joy. But yes I am not a slow eater and also one of my problems. I’m really trying to savor each (little) bite! haha
I hear that the back fat is your fat storage for your milk while nursing.
Good for you for making the attempt to get your body back now! I wish I had done that….now I am 51 years old and very overweight. Just started Weight Watchers yesterday. Big adjustment happening here right now, but hopefully we will come out the other side better for it!
Good Luck!
OMG I just looked at your Home tab…that outdoor living space is to die for!!
Aww good luck Lori I know you can do it!!
Okay, so my daughter is now 3 months. I have lost the baby weight, but it wasn’t much to lose. It’s the pre-weight gain that I’m fighting to lose. I am also not the lucky ones that “just have the weight fall off while nursing and eating cookies!”. Sheesh. What’s up with that?
I’m just getting into working out again and I found that I like to workout with friends. And find an exercise that you love. I love body combat and step! In combat, you get to punch and kick hard. Such a great release and workout. Heee-yaw! Now the eating thing…..that’s my problem. I’m so huuuungry. I’m going to check out the app you noted. Good luck! You can do it!
Yea, I think that whole thing is a myth. Ha! I agree about working out with friends. It’s much more motivating when you know you have someone counting on you to show up. ;)
Emily, you can do it! Good for you for taking that step and joining the group- the support will help so much. It took me a year to lose the baby weight completely and I can totally relate to how bad you feel while trying to lose it. You said that you haven’t really tried yet though, so now that you’re intentionally putting effort into it, you WILL start seeing results and that will be encouraging and keep you going. Call me anytime to chat- I’m one of the weird ones that likes working out- but mainly because it’s such a stress reliever for me.
I really need to exercise, too. Sometimes I even count a stroll around the mall as my exercise — ha, ha! And to think that before kids, I used to run 3 miles a day! (But that was before my foot problems.) I did some “Gentle Yoga” with a friend the other day, and that was even hard on me! I gotta do something. I would love to see what people suggest as to an easy way to get back into shape!
BTW, there are two things I’ve thought of trying that might help, you, too. Have you ever seen those stand-up desks? That way you could work on the computer and not spend the time sitting! Or you could use an exercise ball as your chair, so you have to work your stomach while sitting. I might at least try the exercise ball — someone even gave me one for Christmas. (Probably as a not so subtle hint!) But, I am sure you look fine!
Oh I can so agree with everything you are saying. I love food… not the unhealthy kind, but just food. I hate exercising… I was a competitive figure skater at a young age and spent a lot of time in the gym, I think that’s why I hate it now… that being said… I like running. When I stick to it? It’s like you took the words out of my mouth, I would like it to seem easy but I don’t think it ever will… I’m not one of “those” and once I quit I don’t have the motivation to start again. haha Oh, did I mention cheese is my worst enemy… love it! Anyways, glad you shared your goals and I can’t wait to see how you do. :D
Good luck with your venture! I love My Fitness Pal, it helps me tremendously to keep track of everything, my problem is consistency, I’m good for awhile but when I hit a plateau my motivation wanes. Anyways my downfall is cheese, love it! I like to exercise. I enjoy working out with dvds at home, taking Cardio Funk at the gym, and I’m a recent runner. Running is hard! I still don’t love it but I love how I feel afterwards and I’m hoping as time goes by and it gets easier that I will love the act of running itself. Anyways I wish you the best!
And along with that, rooibos tea has some of its own benefits, just
like any good herbal tea. Integration of Rooibos helps to maintain the recommended consumption of at least 8 glasses of water per day.
Well, the Sunshine Lemon gives us a classic lemon taste
with a little twist: Lemon grass.
Hi Emily!
I love this post! And I am right there with you. I have gained quite a bit of weight trying to get conceive. Between infertility treatments and anxiety/stress of wondering if it worked I have managed to gain 30lbs in about 2 months! I am beside myself. After spending the last month moping around and feeling sorry for myself because of the weight gain I am finally motivated by this blog post to really get on the ball and shed this weight! Thank you! Thank you!