post-partum weightloss

[amygoforth]

This is a new thread branching off the weight watchers thread. I'm doing the WW points thing on my own (as in, I count points, skip meetings and use my own scale to weigh), but this thread is for all of us who are trying to lose the baby lbs. Don't know about you, but I could always use some friendly support and accountability. Let's:

* Celebrate victories
* Find support for our missteps
* Exchange recipes (especially ones our hubbies and kids will eat)
* Offer advice on what works

And if you want to track your weight here, you can. Here're my current stats:

Weight at time of birth: 189
Current weight: 158.4
Total loss so far: -30.6
Goal weight: 135

[mariposita]

thanks for this thread, amy! i lost a lot of weight those first couple of weeks after the birth, but not much since. that's okay though since i have been eating well. i've been good about portion control, eating regularly, drinking lots of water, and eating only healthy foods.

it can be a bit discouraging though since i did all that in addition to walking 2 hours a day post-partum with ds#1, but didn't lose a pound. what's discouraging about it is that i was 40-45 lbs. more than what i was pre-pregnancy, so i know i'm not just supposed to be that size.

things to work on this week: more veggies, stick to elimination diet, exercise daily (walking, yoga, stretching)

so here are my stats:

pre-ds#1: 125-130
pre-ds#2: 170
at time of this birth: 201
current weight: 175
total weight loss: -26 lbs.
height: 5'4"
realistic shorter term goal: 150
ideal long term goal: 135-140

[Geofizz]

Running 15 miles a week was doing diddly squat for me. I eliminated dairy on account of ds' reflux and lost at least 5 pounds (maybe 8?) in 2 weeks.

pre-preg weight: 153
All time low as an adult 145 (8/04)
37 weeks pg: 197
1 week post partum: 177
2 months post partum, 1 day after starting dairy elim: 175
Today (2 months, 2 weeks): 167 -- different scale.

[IncaMama]

i need motivation and recipes to eat healthier. my body just naturally drifts to a good weight, and i seem to lose weight easily. but i'm totally unhealthy, non-fit, eat like crap, out of breath all the time, ec... so my numbers are misleading.

pre-preg: 144 (about 10lbs over what i was pre-preg with DS)
time of birth: 178 (i think??)
current wt (8wks post partum): 149 (-29)
goal wt: 135

[mariposita]

i lied. i just got on the scale and i'm not 175...i'm 171!!! nothing like an elimination diet to lose weight. but seriously, what i wouldn't give for a piece of cheesecake. but it's not worth it with ds's tummy problems.

[Geofizz]

Originally Posted by mariposita

but seriously, what i wouldn't give for a piece of cheesecake. but it's not worth it with ds's tummy problems.

Yup, I'm with you 100%. A happy baby is totally worth it.

[birthjunkie27]

Awesome thread! I've been eating like I'm 40 weeks pregnant again for the past 3 days. Seriously, non stop snacking. And not good stuff either.

I really need some support to stay on track.

Pre kids weight- 105lbs
Pre preg this time weight- 115lbs
Weight @ 39wks- 160lbs
6wk checkup- 138lbs
Current weight- ?
Goal- 110-115lbs

Trying to work out more consistantly. I do the Firm workout tapes at home, but have been slacking big time. I really need to eat more healthfully and quit snacking on junk.

[Spark]

Can I just be a big ole gollump on the thread? I am feeling so flubbery and yet craving sweets something terrible. I'm getting exercise, but my food isn't where it should be. It's just so nice to not be nauseous anymore... I think I've actually GAINED weight!!! :



Um. Ok, so I'm out of denial now thanks to this thread. That's my first step. Tomorrow... I'll write down everything I eat so I can see what I'm doing. I really think I'm just mowwing on EVERYTHING that isn't nailed down. That's it. I'm just going to food journal for one day. That's my commitment.

[Spark]

Um... maybe I'll add my numbers too... let's see if I hit Post or not...

pre-preg: 188
Day I delivered: 204
Now: 205 eeeeeeeeeeeee omg i can't believe that. eek eek eek.
Goal: 170 (this is a lot more than most of your goals, but it's a BMI friendly weight for me, FYI)

[atozmama]

I really need to get better at meals and adding more veggies. We tend to have breakfast and dinner and graze all day inbetween. I really want to be here for these kids long term. my goal is to make it to the Y 8 times this month-for the healthy benifits and to get $20 knocked off our membership.

Prepregnancy (this time): 310
Day before delivery: 333
At 3 weeks: 308
At 6 weeks pp:302
Goal: I am not sure....there is 270 where I was before kids, 240 where I was biking to work (about 5 miles) every day. I don't ever expect to see the 170 BMI says i should be at. I guess to just keep losing in a very gradual way.

[Spark]

Oh, I jumped on the scale this morning. I guess my exercise is working, but I'm still going to write down everything I ate.

I'm like Andrea with her dancing bananas - Instead of weighing 205, I actually weigh 197. So, that's a nice surprise. I think I actually mixed up the 10's though and probably was 195 and gained 2 lbs. Heck, I don't know anymore. But at least I know my 197 is accurate.

Kelly, I think Andrea had a great idea to name her short term goal and long term goal for weight. Plus, I do think it's important to name what you want soon and in the future. If at some point you'd like to be your BMI 170, then go ahead and name it! If not, don't worry about it.

I also think it's interesting how weight is so different on different people. Since I know Karen IRL even though I haven't seen her in a year (or two?) I would have NEVER guessed her weight was 145 at her smallest. I would have thought she weighed MUCH less.

[Geofizz]

Originally Posted by Spark

It's just so nice to not be nauseous anymore... I think I've actually GAINED weight!!!

Claire, I think that's why my weight wasn't coming off as well. It felt so nice to not be scared to eat.

Yup, I was 145 when I left A2. I have, um, a very substantial structure, which is one of the reasons I think the gender and lean body mass independent BMI is bunk. I actually like to pay closer attention to blood pressure and resting pulse than weight.

I'm happy to say that I've now lost enough weight in my face that I can find my pulse in my chin 56 pbm. I know that when I'm in good condition it's in the high 40s.

[birthjunkie27]

I worked out for 25 min today (the Firm CardioSculpt videotape). Goal was 30 min, but Samara woke up from her nap very cranky. So, I'll give myself 4 out of 5 bananas for that.


Food Goal- to quit snacking on junk. I've noticed that when I get stressed I snack. And I'm stressed a lot! I've been trying to be a better parent and quit yelling so much, and I've noticed that the times I REALLY want to yell I head to the pantry instead. Like if my mouth is busy chewing, and I'm enjoying my food, I can't yell.

[amygoforth]

Yeah for you working-out mamas!

I'm so not there yet. I'm just getting my eating in order first, iykwim. And yes, there are many many days I want to eat every piece of food in the house. I've found that when I drink lots of water I'm not as hungry. Plus my milk production goes through the roof -- which is great for pumping at work (bless you, medela pump in style. bless you.)

It's a sad excuse, but I just don't have the time to work out now that I'm back at work. Don't get me wrong, I didn't work out one second of the two months I was home on maternity leave. But still. When I'm at home, I want to spend my time doing fun stuff with my babes or household chores or whatever -- not exercising! I hope that once the weather warms up I'll get the boys out and we'll play more. That'll be so great for me.

On a positive note, journaling everything I eat has been so incredibly helpful for me. It keeps me honest and forces me to pay attention. And the weight is coming off as a result.

[Taedareth]

Ok, um, how do you ladies find TIME to exercise? I have gotten in one workout since the birth lol... DS wants to be held all the time and he nurses frequently. Not sure how I'm going to be regular about exercising. My diet is pretty good though; it mostly consists of homemade banana bread for breakfast, rice and vegetables for dinner (not by choice; we're just poor.)

Pre-pregnancy weight: 155
Pregnancy weight: 178
Weight an hour after birth: 168
Weight at 8 weeks pp: 155
Target weight: 140

[witchbaby]

hmmm... i suppose i better jump on board since weight loss just isn't comin' as easy this time around as the last!

Weight at time of birth: 192
Current weight: 163
Total loss so far: 29
Goal weight: 135

[Spark]

YEAH for the meeting goals!!! Woohoo!!! I love the four out five bananas!!! I journaled all my food yesterday. I'll do it again today.

Originally Posted by Taedareth

Ok, um, how do you ladies find TIME to exercise?

I have the exercise piece together at the moment. With three kids, COLD weather and no alone time (except once a week, but reserved for grading, felting & date night with a girlfriend) there are only a few opportunities for exercise. But, I get them in! My easiest most regular form is to bundle the big kids in their snow suits & put them in my double jog stroller. I put Joie in just a warmer indoor outfit, sling her and then put my coat over us both. She stays toasty warm. Then, we go out in all amounts of snow. I do have a rain cover, but it just doesn't work in the back (Jude's head area) of the stroller. So I am in for rain days. I walk with the kids at least 3 times a week like that. Ahhh, the work out of pushing 80 lbs and slinging 10... through snow.

Other ways to get activity in your life with babes/kids--
*Family Dance Break - put on some tunes and rock out!
*Mall/Wal-Mart/Target Walk - sling or stroller walk during not too busy times so you can walk fast.
*Hit the Stairs - if you have safe stairs in your house take 10 minutes on the kitchen time to go up and down continuously until the timer goes off (better if you only have a baby to see you... big kids like to join in otherwise).
*TV Exercise program or Video - tape one and do as much as you can before you get interrupted.

What other ideas do you all hve for adding activity?

[birthjunkie27]

I second the stairs idea! Whenever I do a load of laundry, which is in the basement, I use it as an opportunity to run up and down the stairs a few times.

If I'm planning on doing a workout video..I start it either as soon as Samara starts a nap and pray she doesn't wake up too soon....or I feed her, change her, and put her in the swing. She's usually content for a while then, and she likes to watch me. The older kids....either sit on the couch and watch me. They want to join in, but I use so much space with the video I do, and it's so fast paced, that one of us would get hurt. Or, they play in a bedroom till I'm done.

[atozmama]

I am just the opposite of some of you..afraid to eat now because of the nausea and vomiting, which is probaby why I am now down to 300. (10 lbs under pre pregnancy weight) I avoid as much fat and processed food (white flour and sugars) as I can, since they seem to aggrivate my gall stones the most. It is hard to change when DH and kids still eat the stuff. DH does as much grocery shopping as I do, so it is around.

As far as goals go...My first will be 270-where I was when i started having kids. That should be safely acheivable by the end of the year. Then next year I will work on getting to 240. then I will see how I am feeling and how healthy i am and see where to go from there. I was feeling so good that summer I was biking to work all the time, and for fun on off days (Lincoln NE had some good trails and parks to bike to and in!)

I have never tried a food journal as it didn't seem like it would help much. But if many of you are saying it helps then i will give it a try.

[mariposita]

still on track with elim. diet. i found out that i'm also sensitive to dairy and wheat and not just ds. i heard that some people who cannot seem to lose weight no matter what they do may have food allergies. it'll be interesting now that those things are gone if i'll lose more weight. that certainly would answer a lot.

i walked about 4 miles the other day and plan on walking about 2 today and another 4 tomorrow. it's our only form of transportation right now, so that helps keep me moving.

keep up the great work everyone!