Not losing weight (and extended BF)?

peanut321

I am overweight. I was very active for a while and started to look thinner, but was not losing weight.

So I went back on MFP and have been tracking what I eat religiously.

I exercise most days and really push myself. I won't use most of my extra calories from exercising, and I underestimate the workouts anyways. I am very accurate with the portions I put it.

I have lost nothing.

Why?

When I look at my MFP diary it looks like every week I should have lost at least half a pound, usually more like between one pound to 1.5.

Anyone know what is going on?

I posted this elsewhere, but didn't add the following: I am also still BF my daughter, who just turned two. She nurses between 1-3 times a day, and it's mostly a comfort thing.

Do you think BF might be related to this? Any advice (whether related to BF or not)?

Thanks!

ks4e

I am finding it harder to drop the pounds now that I'm bfing. Some argue that your body will hang onto 10 lbs or so. I've also noticed that with my current routine of strength training and circuit training, the scale isn't as reliable as body measurements and the fit of my clothes. You state that you started to look thinner, so perhaps rely on measurements instead?

peanut321

Yeah, I started looking thinner but wasn't losing weight (but I wasn't tracking. I've only been religiously tracking here for a little over a month.)

Anyway, I started tracking over the past month, and not losing, and no difference is clothes and measurements. I measure my waist and hips and nothing is moving.

Rubyayn

Are you eating enough? I always lost better when I ate back all workout calories, plus a hundred or so when I was nursing my daughter after 12-18 months. When I didn't NET at least above my BMR (1450) I just wouldn't lose, even if the numbers looked like I should. A typica daily calorie intake when I was nursing was always over 2,000 per day. I lost 36 pounds that way before reaching goal and getting preggo again, lol.

Nursing is taxing on the body, even after weaning has started and I think your body will hold onto extra fat if it is not nourished well. It could be one explanation.

ks4e

Are you eating enough? I always lost better when I ate back all workout calories, plus a hundred or so when I was nursing my daughter after 12-18 months. When I didn't NET at least above my BMR (1450) I just wouldn't lose, even if the numbers looked like I should. A typica daily calorie intake when I was nursing was always over 2,000 per day. I lost 36 pounds that way before reaching goal and getting preggo again, lol.

Nursing is taxing on the body, even after weaning has started and I think your body will hold onto extra fat if it is not nourished well. It could be one explanation.

Yes! This is very true and it happened to me. It affected my supply so I decided to up my calories and finally saw a difference in my body.

Jenny_Rose77

My son is only 6 months, and still pretty much EBF (we only started introducing solids last week), but I just wanted to chime in to say that I am not losing weight either (despite watching calories/exercising). I do notice that my clothes fit better and people ask me if I've lost weight, so I'm trying to be chipper about that! Also, I don't know how much you want to lose. I want to lose 20 pounds. I'm pretty sure the breastfeeding is what is keeping me from losing weight, but it is also way more important to me right now that I BF than lose weight. Now, when I do quit BF'ing (I'm planning to go for a year), I better see those pounds drop or I'm going to be pissed. (Insert cute angry/fist in the air emoticon here.)

kdt8810

My daughter is 5.5 months old - we just started playing with food this week. I gained 40 pounds with this pregnancy (my first) and I'm stuck with 15 pounds left to lose. They will not budge. I know I should probably up my calories - it just seems so counter intuitive to eat more than 1800 calories a day. My goal is to be able to fit into my pants again in the fall.

jumpyjavajawa

I've hit a plateau as well.
One of the nice things about nursing an older toddler is that you don't have to worry about supply as much because they are getting a bunch of nutrition from solids and we turn into more of a multivitamin lol. Try playing around with your calories, switch it up for a couple weeks and see if that helps. One of the trainers at my gym says you should change your workout routine every 3-5 weeks.
I've changed my workout routine to include a lot more weight training, better muscles better workouts better results? haha That's the plan!
My daughter is 18 months old now and although we have no plans on stopping any time soon I'm not going to worry about supply anymore. I've stopped eating the extra 300 calories and now I'm focusing on trying to find the best balance of exercise and calories.

Crys483

I'm BF'ing my 10 month old, and I have lost barely any weight at all. I have always had a hard time losing while bf'ing. I exercise most days and accurately put in my food too. I have noticed I have lost many inches in the past 2 months since I decided to get serious about losing. So I'm trying not to get too stuck on the actual pounds coming off and looking more at how my body is slimming down.

ValerieJean

I am having the same problem, i was able to lose 25 lbs but am struggling to lost the last 6.7 lbs. I am thinking that i am not eating enough calories because i am breastfeeding my 17month old and exercising... I am eating 1200 calories which i think is low enough already because i am breastfeeding but I am having a hard time eating back my calories so i am trying so very hard to not exercise so much, but its addicting especially so close to my goal, when i burn 1200 calories and eating 1200 calories, it makes it as if i ate nothing then i nurse and that is negative ((sigh)) I have been trying to wean my son since he turned 1 but he is just not ready to, my husband sleeps with him in his room because if i sleep with my son he wakes a couple times to nurse, its going well, now its just daytime nursing. I was so frustrated i even thought of just weaning my son cold turkey but i just don't have the heart to do it so instead i will just struggle with exercising less..