family "biggest loser" challenge

cmbneeley

so my family is doing this big "biggest loser" challenge. i joined myfitnesspal after the end of the first week because i was frustrated with myself for gaining .5 lb. when everyone else seemed to have lost upwards of 4 lbs. i was told to not get upset because of any of the following reasons...
-boys lose weight a lot easier. girls have to work harder.
-i'm breastfeeding so my body won't let me lose weight.
-i'm "building muscle" that will help me lose real weight while others are only losing "water weight" (this one doesn't make sense to me because one of the rules is to drink 2Ls of water everyday.
-whatever i'm eating must be a lot unhealthier than i thought and i',m eating too many calories (and judging by what i'm eating, i'm eating right on target)
-anythign up to 5 lbs of weight loss is considered "normal fluctuation" (then how is it i gained .5 lb and everyone elses normal fluctuation dropped by 5 lbs?, and yes, i do weight myself at the same time each time.)
-my heartrate isn't getting high enough. i'm not doing enough strength training.

where's the science behind this? why do boys lose weight easier? why can't i lose weight while breastfeeding? am i really "building muscle"?

SevenisHeaven

Not sure bout the rest, but I gain weight while breastfeeding too. With my 4th child, I breastfed only 4 months and gained upwards of 70 pounds. This time with my 5th child I've now been breastfeeding for 8 months and I did gain some, about 25 pounds, and am now about 10 pounds from my weight when I had her. I have a thyroid problem..makes me gain while breastfeeding and lose while pregnant. I lost 35 while pregnant and gain EASILY when breastfeeding. The medication I need, I cannot take while bfing..double edged sword. I am now loosing while bfing..so it CAN be done! Keep with it!

farmgirl88

It's hard to stay motivated to lose weight when the men in your life are dropping pounds like it's no big deal and the scale is saying your gaining weight... but stick with it!

I think to truly be able to compete "Biggest Loser"-style with the boys, you have to also take Body Fat % into consideration.
This calculator helped me to get through the gaining muscle mass stage to the losing weight stage: http://www.livestrong.com/tools/body-fat-calculator/

Also, I don't know what having a baby and breastfeeding does to the body, but it definitely adds a whole other element into your weight loss efforts that the boys don't have. Hopefully they will give you some grace and take into consideration that you are trying to provide the best nutrition to not only yourself, but another member of the family.

Good luck and stick with it!!!

cmbneeley

thanks for that link! it's actually really helped em see that i AM losing fat and gaining muscle. thanks again!

RNewton4269

I started a "Biggest Loser" program at my work on Jan. 3. I work on a U.S. Army base, and the program is based out of our recreation services center. We have to work out at least 3 days a week and have the rec services attendant sign off on our card. We also weigh in weekly and get information/nutrition tips, etc. from the trainer who created the program. We measured on Jan. 3 and again the end of January.

The program has Lots of accountability! And great motivation too because other people around me here at work are also doing the program as well...plus we offered it to people in the community as well. The gym here also offers two fitness classes weekly so those are great too, plus they are great exercise self-starters...and the trainer is always available for a pep talk!

I commend you for starting something like that..it is a BIG thing to commit to. And I wish you a lot of luck with it. So far I have done really well on the program and have lost 10 pounds so far and have lost inches in my bust, waist and thighs.