Intermittent fasting after having a baby

nomorepuke

Hello everyone! Thanks in advance for reading and your advice. It’s a semi vent and any recommendations are welcome!
I had a baby 6 weeks ago. I was 125lbs pre pregnancy and gained a lot of fat. I was 201 lbs when I stepped on the scale right before giving birth. To be honest, I ate really bad and I take full responsibility of how lazy and impatient I was during my pregnancy.
Anywho, I went down to 177lbs was Igor after birth. Then 170 lbs. I’m stuck at 170 lbs.
I’ve never done intermittent fasting but by doing some research, it makes more sense since I’m 32 years old. Calorie deficit diet isn’t working for me because I feel like my metabolism is not as good as how it was when I was in my 20s.
My goal is to gain muscle mass and possibly compete at a physique competition and inspire other moms who are also struggling with postpartum body.
At this point, I can only do little workout at home like with a kettlebell. It’s the second day doing intermittent fasting, lost 3lbs already. I’m very hungry. My question is does it get better? Is it true that hunger goes away after a while?
Thanks again!

ladyzherra

Hey there. I remember those days post-birth and feeling really eager to lose weight and get back to my pre-pregnancy body. I did not gain more than 25 pounds while pregnant, but I felt that was a lot for my small frame (I am 5'3 and have small bone structure).

The thing about post-birth is that the body needs a lot of care and, if you are breastfeeding, you may want to eat really well and keep up your energy. Breastfeeding is demanding for the body. I ate a lot and also lost a lot of weight quickly so that by three month postpartum I was looking pretty thin and haggard. The baby took a lot of energy from my physical body and also I lost a lot of weight just from sleep deprivation. Postpartum is a challenging time.

My advice is: nurture your body fully. Do not focus on weight loss until your babe is sleeping well (so you are sleeping well) and weaned (so that you are not giving so many calories to the baby every day). Instead, focus on repairing your body, nourishing it, and getting in the right head space to sustain the demands of early motherhood (not to suggest that you aren't there...but I remember my own experience and how important this was for me). Focus on moving your body in a way that makes sense for your postpartum needs, such as walking, yoga, etc. Just walking for me was extremely painful until about two months postpartum, then I could add in yoga and then, after a few months, I could do step aerobics again. But listen to your body.

In my experience, with these ducks in a row, the weight will begin to come off on its own and in a healthy way.

If you are not nursing, then I think that your approach can be different because you may not be lending so many nutritents and calories to the baby.

Health should always be a focus, especially when you are postpartum (and I consider postpartum up to two years after giving birth).

Fasting is not recommended for nursing mothers or for postpartum, according to what I have read, and also bolstered by my own experience.