New mom, new figure needed...

JLSchmetterling

A little about me...

When I was young, I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain an ounce. I was always between 120 and 130 and a size 6, and at 5'8" that was pretty skinny. Then I turned 25 and it was as if my metabolism decided to take a permanent vacation.

By 30 years old, I was 160. But since I'm tall, I still looked pretty good, just a little curvier and in a size 8. I accepted my weight but wanted to get toned up, with a goal weight of 140. I began a fitness program which involved high-intensity interval training, and I was just starting to notice a difference when I found out I was pregnant.

So at the end of 2010 I gave birth to my baby girl, and by the end of my pregnancy I was 215 pounds! I lost a chunk of that after having her, but I'm stuck now at 32 years old with this mushy belly, flabby thighs and fluctuating between 175 and 180 pounds. I feel gross. I need to do something about it... not just because I want to look better and fit into all my old clothes, but I want to be healthy so I can live as long as possible and watch my daughter grow up and have a family of her own. Plus I know that how I take care of myself will influence her later.

I've been using this site for a little over a week now. I like it, but I need motivation. I can't afford a personal trainer so I have to rely on myself, which is hard because I hate sweating and I will admit that I'm lazy. Any suggestions? What have you done to get as far as you have?

debbiepa

Welcome to MFP! I've used it on and off and now I'm refocused on the last 10# after baby #3. I'm doing a challenge with a few people from work--it's 12wks long and I'm hoping on losing all 10# during that time. Slow, but steady.
Don't like to sweat? Try going for a walk with your baby in a stroller or swimming. Start small with just moving more often.
Good luck! You can do this!

wannabahotmom

Welcome! You are in the right place for motivation! I'm a new mom with almost an identical story to yours and this site has helped me sooo much with my motivation. Between this site and using my HRM as my "personal trainer" nagging me to keep going and work harder I have lost all my baby weight from my son who is now three and a half months old. I've still got 20 pounds to go to my pre-preggo with my daughter but I never thought I could actually lose all of my baby weight this time in such a short period! My advice is to get a HRM and join a challenge or start a challenge of your own for others to join! Good luck!

dawnrford

Hi there!! Sounds like me. I'm almost 43 and have been through the roller coaster you are talking about. After my third boy, I weighed over 200. I also lost a chunk of it right away but then got stuck at about 160. I'm not quite as tall as you at 5' 6" so I didn't feel like I carried it well. At one point, I did hire a personal trainer and saw fantastic results, but then fell off the wagon again for about two years. I hit 40 and the wheels started falling off the wagon. Knee problems, back problems, slower metabolism. I gained almost 35 lbs. Finally I decided I just wanted to be healthier, like you. I discovered this website and started tracking my calories and running again. I don't do much with weights like I should but found that just watching my caloric intake and running worked wonders!
They say it's harder to lose weight after 40 but was amazed at how well this site worked. I discovered that I was really over-eating. My portions were WAY too big. I lost over 30 lbs in about 8 months. It came off slow but I've kept it off. You can do it too. Just stick with it. You don't have to run if your not a runner, just get out and move. There are so many ways to burn calories. Walking, swimming, house work, gardening, etc. Just move...every day! This is also a great place to find motivation. I'd be happy to "friend" you if you'd like.