TTC while overweight

[tillymonster]

DH and I will start trying soon for #2 but-- I'm still very overweight after 2+ years of dieting and thyroiditis diagnoses. I'm currently on levothyroxine. Not making much difference in weight and I was trying to lose 20-30lbs before getting knocked up! It's just not happening. And I'm still nursing my toddler so I can't do crash dieting nor do I want to.

My body is really holding onto the pounds. I'm noticing changes after going grain free but not sure I want to wait another 6+ months before TTC. DD is 2.5yo and I wanted a 3-4yr gap. This is fast approaching.

Can any mamas here tell me about TTC and getting pregnant while overweight? Did you gain the standard 20-30lbs or were you able to avoid it by careful eating? I was starving my entire pregnancy with DD. But I did ete pretty healthy and exercised into the 3rd trimester. Still gained 50lbs.
Edited by tillymonster - 5/25/12 at 5:22pm

[pokeyAC]

Hi TillyMonster,

  I'm sorry no one responded.  I sure there are lots of folks on here TTC while overweight mixed among the different forums.  There is also a Group for Plus Size Mamas/TTC in the Groups section if you haven't found that yet.  I also would have liked to have lost weight before TTC, but that did not happen.  I lost some a few years ago and then gained it all back by the time I was actually ready to try.  It would have been nice, but no one's perfect.  I don't think it's possible or advisable to not gain weight during pregnancy.  At least 15 pounds of the weight is amniotic fluid, the placenta, the baby, fluid retention and the extra blood your body makes.  If you didn't gain weight overall, it would be because you were actually losing weight that's muscle or fat, and that wouldn't be healthy.  Good luck to you!

[rubidoux]

I would never want to wait to lose weight before ttc'ing.  A ton of people put off doing things until they've lost weight, but it's such a hard thing to do and very few of us are successful.  If I was actively losing and losing well, I might want to wait a bit, but otherwise....   

Anyhow, I was quite heavy before both of my pregnancies.  The first time I didn't gain a whole lot, I think just under 30 pounds and then I was at pre-preg weight at 6 weeks post-partum.  Second time I started quite a bit heavier (several years between my pregnancies), gained about the same and was at pre-preg weight at 6 weeks also.  Both times I lost more after that six weeks and ended up lower than starting and then gained it back when babes got to be around ten months.  I think something happens with nursing around that time, maybe I get to be more efficient at making milk or something.  

I wouldn't be overly punishing with your diet while pregnant.  Maybe I just don't want to think of you being deprived!  But I do kinda believe that you should feed your body if its asking for food while pregnant.  

[pokeyAC]

I should add that one of the reasons I didn't really try to lose weight close to TTC is that I was told not to because it can throw off your hormone balance.  Body fat influences your hormone production and when you change the amount of body fat you have, it can take time for your hormones to balance out.  I didn't want to spend months trying to lose weight and then wait a few months for my body to balance out again. 

[LexiDrewMama]

I was trying to lose weight before TTC but not having a ton of luck so I decided to continue trying to lose weight but just started TTC anyways.... Well I got pregnant! I was hoping I would magically only gain 15 pounds if I were perfect but that was quite unrealistic of me ha!  I gained 40ish total and lost it in the first few months PP.  Luckily my OB never gave me a hard time about my weight. Now if I could just lose the weight from my first pregnancy....

[rubidoux]

Originally Posted by pokeycip 

I should add that one of the reasons I didn't really try to lose weight close to TTC is that I was told not to because it can throw off your hormone balance.  Body fat influences your hormone production and when you change the amount of body fat you have, it can take time for your hormones to balance out.  I didn't want to spend months trying to lose weight and then wait a few months for my body to balance out again. 

That's interesting because both times I got pregnant I had just gained ten pounds.  I'm kind of happy I'm not planning any more pregnancies because I am a superstitious person and would probably feel compelled to gain some more weight for the cause.  

[pokeyAC]

rubidoux- That's funny!  I would totally be superstitious about that too. 

Maybe sometimes you just have to go for it.  All this thinking makes things so cloudy.

[tillymonster]

Thanks ladies for the great replies. I think I'm going to refocus on loosing weight until we TTC in January of next year. Hopefully by then I can at least get to my pre-pregnancy weight but if not, so be it. 

Thanks for making me feel better about it. I was so annoyed with my weight and I really just need to give myself some grace. ;)

[pokeyAC]

You're doing it for your future baby and that's a good reason!  Try to take it easy on yourself.  You know your body can do amazing things by creating life, and it will again.  I wish you all the best.

[jr'smom]

I just wanted to recommend weight watchers.  I did it online (because meetings are not my thing.)  I liked it because it took into account that I was nursing and helped me to slowly but surely lose weight (30 pounds altogether) that I have kept off for 6 months now without counting my "points."  I'd like to lose another 20 pounds now that I've settled into this weight.  That would take me back to my college and marriage weight (right now I'm at my pre-pregnancies weight.)  I don't want to stop TTC and I'm still nursing my 13 month old.  So I think I'll get back to WW online again.  I liked it because I could eat as many fruits and vegetables as I wanted so I never felt hungry and they encouraged occasional indulgences (ice cream for me!)  Oh yeah, I am hypothyroid too and taking my armour thyroid medicine still didn't help me lose weight.  I definately struggle, but WW did the trick.

[tillymonster]

I am a past lifetime member! Lost 75lbs in 2006-7. Gained it all back during pregnancy then a miscarriage before that so yes-- the first thing I did was Weight Watchers after the baby was 12mo. It didn't work. I actually gained weight! I ate pretty well-- lots of grains and low fat dairy, fruits/veggies. I exercised to. Would run a mile every other day! I was starving most of the time either due to grains spiking insulin or hyperthyroidism. Sad story. Fast forward a year and a half. Haven't lost much but did go down a size (from 20 to 18) and my bras from 40D to 36D. But this happened all before I was hardcore paleo and taking levothyroxine. Haven't seen much since I stared in April and it's driving me nuts!

[sophates]

I had the same thing happen with low carb dieting. I think our bodies just get really wise to what we are doing :)