Can anyone help :(

buttonb

Hey all,

I had a baby 5 months ago, I'm 5.5 and weighed 10.5 stone before I got pregnant and weighed 14s10pounds the day I have birth, I know it's shameful but I was on bed rest for the final 3 months. .

I am currently 12s6pounds and I just can't seem to loose it. I'm heartbroken, I've been doing 30day shred, eating between 1000-1200 daily and I've put on weight this week I had a mini break down last night and drank a few beers which didn't help.

Can anyone help me understand where I'm going wrong, my bmi is 29, I really need to shift this

diannethegeek

I know that it sounds counter-intuitive, but a lot of us have found that we don't lose anything if we cut our calories too low. 1200 calories is the bare minimum for a sedentary woman. When you exercise you need to eat more on top of that. If you're still nursing your little one you'll need to eat even more.

If you're accurately logging and weighing/measuring your food, try eating up to 1200 calories a day and adding in those earned exercise calories and see what happens.

1dce

I agree you aren't eating enough. I think breast feeding burns an average of 500 daily and then your exercise added on. You aren't getting enough for your body to properly function. When your body has too little calories it goes into starvation mode and holds onto everything it gets for maximum survival. You definitely need an increase in calories. I don't want to really throw a number at you, but I would say with working out and breast feeding you should probably be getting right around the 2000 mark. I would increase for sure, eat good healthy stuff though. 2000 calories of pizza ice cream and cookies is going to be way different than lean meats veggies and fruits. Also be sure you are getting adequate protein, a lot of women fail in this area and over consume breads. I think because breads are lower in fat so they think it's better, it's not. You need some grains but not too many. Hope it helps

buttonb

Thanks for the posts guys, I was hospitalized at 3 months and my little boy had to be put on formula so I'm not breastfeeding anymore. I'm terrified to increase my intake in case I pile on weight. I do find myself being exceptionally contrary after my workouts so I figure my body hits a wall. I guess a few beers at the weekend doesn't help but I feel like I need some treat

CamillaHerold

First, it is not shameful. As mothers we must do whatever it takes to bring our babies into the world. Give yourself a break and know that you did what you had to do.
If I did the conversion right, you were 147 lbs and are now 175 lbs. That is not really a huge weight gain, so losing it should not be too difficult. Break it down into small goals, say 5 lbs. at a time. Having just been pregnant, you are probably still experiencing hormone shifts, metabolism changes, mood changes, energy changes... And I have to ask, is it possible you are experiencing post partum depression? Depression in any form can wreak havoc on your metabolism.
If you can add more information about your diet, what makes up those calories, that would be helpful. Its possible that you should be eating a little more than that, and later you could gradually lower back down to 1200. Almost no one should eat only 1000 a day. Be sure you are getting the vitamins and nutrients you need also, like B vitamins for energy, etc.
If you are inclined to drink alcohol, there are some good alternatives to beer. Red wine is enjoying great reviews these days for lower calories and healthy antioxidants. Even a shot of plain vodka is lower in calories than a beer. Alcohol is totally empty calories though... refrain if you can.
The Shred is admirable, but brutal! Maybe consider shifting to something a bit easier, and later build up to a shred. The main thing is to do something each day, and gradually increase the duration and intensity.
Oh and if I read this right, you are also the mom of a new baby?! I really think you have enough on your plate right there! But I understand you want to return to your normal weight. If you are breastfeeding, you don't want to lose weight too quickly. So all in all, you might need to give yourself a break, slow down, eat a tiny bit more, work out a tiny bit less, and I bet you will start to see your weight go down. There is a "sweet spot" where you eat just enough and exercise just enough, and if everything else is normal in your metabolism, your weight will go down. Best wishes to you and congratulations on your baby!

diannethegeek

Thanks for the posts guys, I was hospitalized at 3 months and my little boy had to be put on formula so I'm not breastfeeding anymore. I'm terrified to increase my intake in case I pile on weight. I do find myself being exceptionally contrary after my workouts so I figure my body hits a wall. I guess a few beers at the weekend doesn't help but I feel like I need some treat

Increasing your calories by a bit shouldn't make you pile on weight again. You might see a small gain on the scale as your body replenishes your glycogen stores, but it will be mostly water and should disappear quickly enough.

If you're afraid to increase your calories now, what are you going to do when you reach your goal? Keep eating 1200 calories forever? Part of dieting the slow and steady way is to relearn good eating habits so that we know how our bodies will react without having to log for the rest of our lives.

Can I suggest playing around with a TDEE calculator to get a feel for what your body burns in a day? http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ Your TDEE is roughly the number of calories you could eat to maintain your current weight. Seeing that might help to alleviate some of your fears about raising your calorie levels.

buttonb

Thanks very much your prob right, putting aloy of pressure on. Guess I'm just embarrassed, don't want anyone to see me at this size. I don't think I've ppd but I might get my hormones checked anyway cause I'm trying Soooo hard with little results.
My food intake is:

Slice of toast with philli light at bfast. ~100
Half bag of uncle bens rice with breaded fish for dinner ~500
Slice of whole grain toast with fish fingers ~300

Coffee with lots of milk ~100.

I know I shoukd really add fruits n veg but they dont fill ,e and I hate wasting my calories on them. Only thing I can think it could be is the few beers at the weekend

rml_16

Other people can help you with the diet part, but I want to say that the first thing you need to deal with is your attitude. It is NOT "shameful" to weigh 14s 10p the day you give birth, regardless of bedrest.

Feeling shame or guilt or any of those things is counterproducitve. You are not a good or bad person because of your weight/body. Love yourself and then take control of the rest. It will come easier once you do that.

gsimrall

First, and foremost, stop beating yourself up. You had a baby, and your hormones are, most likely, a bit off balance as they try to return to pre-pregnancy levels.

Secondly, I understand your frustration. Though I did not have a baby, I put on a great deal of weight due to perimenopause. It was awful, it seemed that no matter what I did, I gained more weight. I'd get depressed and drink a few glasses of wine.

Then, I started doing yoga, and significantly reduced my sodium intake, and alcohol intake. (I never knew that alcohol wreaked havoc on hormones.) That's not to say that you can never have alcohol ever again, but in the beginning, leave it out.

I really credit the yoga, though. Yoga practice is all about you, and you alone. It detoxifies the system, and uplifts the mind. And, if you do vinyasa flow, you combine cardio and strength training at the same time!

My thyroid numbers are dropping, my blood pressure is down, and the stress that I felt is all but gone. I have lost 22 pounds, and I finally feel like I'm returning to normal.

Anyway, hang in there!

buttonb

Thanks all feeling a lot better. I know it sounds counter productive but I'm gonna quit the shred, everyone keeps telling me it's prob water retention from sore muscles but I can't bare looking at the scales n seeing the number rise. Ill take it back up in a few days if the numbers drops again. Going to limit my alcohol too. I've become so annoyed that I went as far as contemplating taking up smoking again after being off them for 3 yrs! I won't tho, but it's strange the places your mind goes when your trying so hard with little results!

melaniecheeks

I agree with the others - you're being way to hard on yoruself. Your body doesnt spring back into its pre=pregnant state in a few weeks - it takes time.

Patience, my friend.

Diet is more important than exercise - so do what exercise you like but let's focus on making your nutrition better.

That's quite a lot of carbs at the minute - and as you say, not enough fruit and veg. Protein is best for making you feel full - do you eat meat, eggs, nuts?

buttonb

Yes I'm thinking of cutting out the two slices of bread and eating tuna for bfast. Maybe stuffed mushroom for super. I don't eat nuts but I do like eggs I'm worried if I cut out carbs ill be too hungry so I use most of my calories on them

rml_16

Eat a balanced diet. There is no need for a healthy person to cut way back on or cut out an entire food group if you enjoy eating it.

Emilie04444

Slice of toast with philli light at bfast. ~100
Half bag of uncle bens rice with breaded fish for dinner ~500
Slice of whole grain toast with fish fingers ~300

Coffee with lots of milk ~100.

I know I shoukd really add fruits n veg but they dont fill ,e and I hate wasting my calories on them. Only thing I can think it could be is the few beers at the weekend

Your diet needs to be more balanced. You should add fruits and veggies to be healthier but also the fiber, vitamins etc helps. Your body uses energy digesting these foods so you aren't wasting calories. You may lose weight eating the way you are, but that isn't sustainable AT ALL. I've been there trying to cut calories, but the best way is to up it. And you need to accept the way you look right now. It's not where you want to be, but it's where you are. You had a baby. Awesome. You were hospitalized for a reason and the pounds were on. It's ok. I think that accepting your self will help you lose weight. Also researching healthy eating. Ppl that eat lots of fruits and veggies feel healthier and are healthier period. It's not a waste of calories. Good luck

katz6910

I am in the same place right now (other than my baby is way older than 5 months and I got much much bigger than you) I'm stuck 2st away from goal and I've been advised I'm not eating enough. So this week I've upped my calories to 1400-1650 this week and I have gained 0.6lb. I was expecting to gain a lot more than this in the first week so I am pleasantly surprised. Although it's a bitter pill to swallow that it shows a gain, I'm hoping that in the long run increasing my calorie intake and my exercise a little it'll start shifting the weight again. Add me if you like and we can do this together :-)

Vee7889

First of all congrats on the new baby!!! This is an exciting time for you with that said I just wanted to share with you my experience.. When I first started to try to be more fit I thought I was eating healthy.. Then I can across MFP & realized that it may have been healthy but I was consuming way to much ( I wasn't counting calories or carb, fat & sugar intake or anything before ). So I did start using MFP & in the beginning I found that there were a few days that I was going hungry because I used up my calorie intake goal & refused to go over.. By doing that I had to play with different foods & find which ones i could eat more of & that would fill me more while still maintaining the goal I had set for myself. Now I usually seem to find that my problem is @ the end of the day I have calories left over & I'm struggling to eat them, & my calorie goal is by no means high but I feel full.
You absolutely need to consume enough food & enough of the proper food to achieve the outcome you are wanting.. You have to put gas in the tank to get from point A to point B just always try to make sure it premium good luck with your goal darling!! & eat those fresh veggies & fruit

buttonb

Thanks you guys, can anyone recommend some types of fruits n veggies that won't add too much weight? I know that say avocado is high in calories and bananas also? I always seem to be ssssooooo hungry after eating fruit tho, ESP apples

melaniecheeks

Any chance you could change your diary settings to public?

Any veg is good - try some sliced tomatoes on your toast for breakfast, or have some berries stirred into yoghurt.

Avocado is high in good fats, but you dont need to eat a whole one in one go.
Fruits wont leave you feeling satisfied on their own - try combining with protein. So, peanut butter with celery sticks, carrot batons and a cheese based dip, pears with blue cheese.

buttonb

Thank you, changed diary last night when I noticed it was private

MyJourney1960

Thanks very much your prob right, putting aloy of pressure on. Guess I'm just embarrassed, don't want anyone to see me at this size. I don't think I've ppd but I might get my hormones checked anyway cause I'm trying Soooo hard with little results.
My food intake is:

Slice of toast with philli light at bfast. ~100
Half bag of uncle bens rice with breaded fish for dinner ~500
Slice of whole grain toast with fish fingers ~300

Coffee with lots of milk ~100.

I know I shoukd really add fruits n veg but they dont fill ,e and I hate wasting my calories on them. Only thing I can think it could be is the few beers at the weekend

first - congrats on your baby!
second - as others said, don't beat yourself up, don't feel ashamed. you are here now, you will make the change you need.

If you want my opinion - before you stop the exercise, try upping your calories (and make sure to drink a lot of water). Try it for 2 weeks and see if there is a difference. and also - hide the scale, take photos of yourself now, and measure yourself. you may very well be losing (in size) but not on the scale. it will even out.

As for vegetables - add some fresh raw vegetables to your meals (lettuce, tomato, cucumber with a splash of lemon/vinegar and a tsp of olive oil), and 2-3 fruits, roast some vegetables with a little olive oil and kosher salt (mushroom, red onion, zuchinni, eggplant etc). There are some veg that are considered more "starchy" - like peas, carrots, beets, potato, pumpkin - but that doesn't mean you shouldn't eat them, it means you should be aware that they should be eaten in moderation

BlackPup

Congrats. I have a 4 month old baby and also have a BMI of 29 at the moment (33.3 when i gave birth). I have been losing weight slowly but consistently eating about 1500 cal a day ( I'm not breastfeeding either). I eat a range of foods and record the calories religiously. I exercise 30 min a day on am exercise bike and an hours walk 3 times a week.
Enough about me, my tips are:
- exercise regularly not seriously.
- get your thyroid checked. It often goes haywire after babies.
- log all your food and eat what you exercise.
- don't get too hungry or you won't be able to stick to it.