Should I even be doing this?

xmarye

TLDR: I used to be super in shape, lifting weights and running, but after having 3 kids and dieting a bunch trying crazy diets such as keto/IF I am left really overweight at 186lbs (used to be 130lbs before kids) and really drained by having kids and crash dieting. I don't feel like I can bear cutting drastically calories again, and so I was wondering if it would be as efficient to eat much more (like around 1800-2200cals, not excluding carbs and eating mostly nutrient dense foods) while upping my activity level (resistance training 4x/week and walking 10k steps/day) if I have that much fat to lose?

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Hey guys

Thanks for taking the time to read my story.

I have an athletic background from years of lifting and running prior to starting our family.

Now I'm 25 and have 3 kids, with the last one being born almost 4 months ago.

I gained 50lbs with my first pregnancy, but lost 35lbs doing a crazy low carb diet. Eventually I started feeling tired all the time and couldn't stay focused on my weight loss, but even then I only gained 5lbs of the 35lbs lost.

Then I got pregnant again, and gained another 50lbs. I tried but wasn't able to lose the weight and then got pregnant for the third time.

This time I was really careful and only put on 20lbs during the pregnancy, and I am back to where I was last year before getting pregnant. Now I am ready to lose the weight, but I just feel drained. I tried low carbs after my 2nd and this time, but I just can't do this anymore.

I tried all the quick fixes out there and I just can't do that again. I think my hormones and metabolism needs to be nurtured at this point, and I don't see myself losing weight doing the huge drop in calories. I am thinking I need to start eating more to move more to become in shape again.

I am 186lbs and 5'5'' and I have been doing resistance training for the last two weeks. I am starting slow but have made great progress so far. I haven't cut calories really but instead I am focusing on being really active through resistance training 4x/week and trying to reach 10k-15k steps/day and balancing all macros throughout 3 meals and 2 snacks per day and averaging 1800-2200cals/day. This means I eat carbs (a lot more then I have ever been while eating mindfully), can reach easily my fiber requirements since I eat a lot of things such as bread, rice, potatoes and oats. I have lost 4.4lbs in 2 weeks so far.

My question here is: Can I lose this much weight this way or is it counterproductive to eat that much? Is cutting/bulking the way to go about this or can I ''recomp'' even if I have this much weight to lose? I am a size 12-14 and looking to get back to a size 6-8

https://instagram.com/p/Bht34fDHFX3/embed/

Any additional other advice pertinent to my situation are welcome Thank you ox

LivingtheLeanDream

Sounds like you are already doing a good job. Nothing wrong with carbs btw and if you are losing eating up to 2200 cals then that's awesome.
It's not counterproductive if you are losing.

If it aint broke don't fix it

KarenSmith2018

the only thing you need for weight loss is a calorie defecit. if you are loosing weight eating how you are with the activity level you have then you are on the right track. keep monitoring your progress and so long as you keep loosing you are eating in a calorie defecit. Once you stop loosing weight and you want to keep loosing you'll have to cut a few calories, say maybe 100 or so until you start loosing again.

good luck on your journey.

RoxieDawn

Nothing wrong with carbs, just don't cut your protein needs down too much. Sounds like you are doing enough to burn more than you maintain therefore currently losing. Being more active is increasing your NEAT (non exercise activity) and having a positive effect on your total expenditure as well as the added exercise of course, but will it be enough alone without altering cals down the road? Keep working on strategies and adjusting what works and keeps you feeling your best.

Building muscle and losing fat in recomp (maintenance calorie intake) takes quite a while to do so keep at your fat loss efforts you will reach a point when you are maintaining weight and can maximize your efforts even more.

Down the road if you were to want to bulk/cut (which this process isn't for everyone btw) you need to get lean enough to maximize your efforts when putting weight back on.

psuLemon

At your current stats, I wouldn't recommend a recomp. You are still overfat which is not an ideal condition for recomp. Generally, when should be around 25% (roughly) before they begin a recomp. Even then to get into the teens, it can take over a year of being very consistent. Also, a major part of that, will be how well structured your programming is from a lifting perspective (i.e., bro-split vs full body/upper lower or PPL): https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1.

Whether or not that current calorie value can work is hard to tell without tracking over time. It's possible you might need to be closer to 1500 -1900, but only time can tell. Track over time and if you don't see progress in a few weeks, make an adjustment in your intake.

middlehaitch

You have a 4 month old baby. Your body (physically and hormonally) needs time to recover, go easy on yourself.

If you are breast feeding, you may want to spend a couple of weeks just logging (use a food scale and accurate entries) to work out what your maintenance is.

From there give yourself a deficit of 250 cals a day to lose .5 lbs a week. If that is working for you and your milk supply isn't affected, drop to 1lbs a week and monitor.
Trying to lose more than that will probably be too much as you only have just over 50 lbs to lose.

Don't forget to log and eat back any exercise calories, even weight lifting ones.

Cheers, h.

billkansas

My wife has never counted calories but only avoided high carb foods and it worked wonders. The weight came off effortlessly (her words). When we were eating sandwiches or would pick up hamburgers- she'd go without bread or ask for "no bun". It seemed fairly simple, but had great results. She was about 44 at the time( our son was about one at the time). This approach actually gave her more energy (she complains that her stomach bothers her when she eats too many high carb foods). She also continued to eat ice cream regularly (actually is low carb).

In sum, don't try to cut carbs or go low carb... just try to avoid high carbs. If something has like 40 grams of carbs or more in a serving... stay away!

If you're nursing, I suggest you just call this your "bulk" and stay round and happy for yourself and your baby... maybe replace one or two high carb items a day for low carb... see what happens.

Best wishes. Don't give up on your workouts! My jogging stroller was worth it's weight in gold and I still enjoy doing some body weight exercises with kids at the playground when the weather is nice.

kimny72

OP, honestly, your focus should def be on feeling good and taking care of yourself for a few more months .

If you are comfortable and happy doing what you're doing right now, and it's bonus causing you to lose weight, why question it? There is nothing "counterproductive" about eating more food if you are getting results!

And seconding the "don't worry about carbs" responses - I make sure I hit or exceed my protein and fiber goals and let carbs fall where they may (usually @ 200g). It never hindered me losing weight and hasn't caused a problem maintaining.

Congrats and good luck :drinker:

xmarye

Thanks you for all your responses ♥

No, I am not breastfeeding. I need to focus on me a little, and being more healthy and losing some weight because my quality of life suffers. My joints took a beating supporting all of this weight and I need to do something about this before it gets worse and does irreparable damage.

At this point, I am thinking that I just need to increase my strength to weight ration, whether that would be by losing weight or gaining muscle, so that I can carry my body with good form while performing my day-to-day activities AND without injuring myself.

For this reason, I think I need to focus on increasing my athletic abilities while nourishing my body.

In the last two weeks I have made huge progress from barely being able to get up from the couch and going up the stairs, to performing squats and lunges. Not as deep or with a barbell like I used to, but I my form is improving daily and most of all I am not left broken or sore for days after those workout!!

I guess I will focus on performance first, while I try to monitor accurately where my calorie level naturally tends to be for a few weeks and go from there.