17 months post partum - NEED HELP/SUPPORT!

jmacdow

Hello mommies!

I am 17 months post partum and overweight I feel like I need some support/kind words or inspiration to get me going. I am over 40, with 2 kids (the little one still wakes at night), working full time and have a husband who is away from the house 4 days of the week. I gained WAAY too much weight this time around (Im 40 ounds overweight) and I need something magical to help me loose weight. I feel ashamed to see anyone I knew from before I had my kids and I had to go out to buy new suits for work because the pre baby #2 ones dont fit How do I get the fitness in? Every night its the same routine - cook, get kids to sleep, clean and then finish my work (I have a demanding job). I am restricting calories (1500 a day) and am still breastfeeding (only twice a day) but nothing is happening. Any good success sotries out there>

Signed,
Middle aged, tired, overworked and over weight!

apreslar27

Remember that it is 80% diet and 20% exercise. Work on your diet first and find little ways to fit the exercise in. I work on the 3rd floor of an office building and I have outlawed the elevator. I always take the stairs and I make sure to get up from my desk at least every hour and walk around a bit. I go and talk to people instead of email them. Try eating smaller meals throughout the day and drink lots and lots of water. You can do this! Slow and steady but you can do it! Could you put the kids in a stroller and take a quick walk after work? Just getting up and moving will help. Good Luck!

sabgoe

Don't give up! I agree with the previous poster. I find it much easier to work on my diet. I have been eating very healthy. I always eat three full meals and several snacks a day, usually not going over 2000 calories. I eat whatever the family eats. I eat healthy, they eat healthy. I find that is great for my children. My son eats everything healthy and he will actually spit out fast food. It is wonderful and very encouraging! I hope his younger brother (3 months) will be a great eater, too! With two children under the age of 2, I simply do not have the time to go to the gym. I exercise by going for walks with the children or even family walks at night, baby wearing (burns lots of calories and is great for core muscles!), some jump-roping, jumping jacks, etc. Maybe you can do some of these things too? Or just go outside and run around with your children. They will love it and you will get in some great exercise! You can do it! Just hang in there!

HotMama_33

I am in the same boat as you. I am 9.5 months post partum and my weight will not budge! I have always eaten healthy and before getting pregnant I was eating around 1400 calories per day and running. In order for me to lose weight I'm supposed to only eat 1200 calories a day but I am starving and my weight is still not budging. I've tried eating more but then I gain weight. I have a demanding baby and it's hard to find time to exercise. I just started Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred workout. It's only 20 minutes a day for 30 days. It's a tough workout but I'm willing to try anything. I ordered it through Netflix so I can try it before buying it. Hopefully it will help me lose the extra weight! Good luck!

danifo0811

You should be able to lose weight with your diet. If you aren't in your current diet, try switching up the foods you eat.

If you go awhile with honest tracking with no change then I would talk to your Dr.

For exercise you could try a short DVD like 30DS or 10 minute trainers. You could also try one of the challenges like 100pushups.com. I'm currently doing classes so I can't procrastinate or put other duties infront of it.

j1wright

I am 5 months post partum. I gained 48 pounds and I actually had people look at me in shock while pregnant and make nasty comments about how much weight I gained.

I used that for motivation.

I too have a demanding job. I come home and cook, make sure my 6 year old does her homework and try to feed the 5 month old and put him to bed. I had been working out 20 mins after that but been slacking. I vowed that once older child is out of school next week I would wake up earlier and work out and do my Zumba on Wii (it is so much fun) before work a few days a week. I also do one class on Sat morning before everyone wakes up even baby and I love it.

I restrict myself to 1200 cals. I have lost 48 pounds and 11 extra pounds since baby was born in 5 months. I was DETERMINED. If you have the right attitude then you can do it. You can add me, I am on here everyday. I have tracked every single calorie that has entered my body since January 31st 2012. I have tried new excerises, done a zumbathon, started running, and challenged myself.

Good luck, you can do it!!!!

smileupeople

As a mom of 2 as well, with a full time sit down job I understand how hard it is to lose the weight! My oldest is 3 and my youngest just shy of 1 year.
I try to work out with my kids! That way you never have the excuse that no ones there to watch the kids for you.
Now I have only been on this journey for a whole day, but I think it's a great idea, my son(the 3 year old) is a great personal trainer. I put him in the stroller and go jogging, and whenever I slow down or stop because I think I'm too tired, he tells me to run, and will not give up until I start running again. He's a good help

lwoods34

My son is 19 months old...I might not have such a demanding job (I work part time at a hospital) as some of you but I do have stay I shape as part of my job as a personal trainer/fitness instructor. I only have 1 child but I do still find the time to workout 6 days per week. I usually wake up at 5:30-5:45am to do my own workout before my son wakes up. Then I get dressed for work, get him dressed and fed and then I'm off to work.

Despite working out everyday while pregnant, I gained 36 lbs but lose 22 lbs after the first week. I had to work my butt off to lose the rest. I was back to pre pregnancy weight by about 6 months post partum and am currently weigh 10 lbs less than my pre pregnancy weight. With discipline and a little motivation, you can do it. Feel free to add me for support and motivation.

jmacdow

Ladies: thanks for your advice! For the past 3 days in a row, my 17 month old has been sleeping through the night! I think this was part of the problem: I was TOO exhausted to exercise after/before hours because I was running on 4-6 hours of sleep. On the weekends, we are pretty active as a family (I love my bike). What Im most afraid is that as I near menopause, this weight loss thing will be even harder. Lets see how this pans out.

candygrl26

As someone else wrote, finding time before your children wake up is a great idea. Go to bed a little earlier so you can wake up early to get a workout in before the kids wake up.

I don't know if there is childcare at a gym near you, usually there is nowdays, but it is a great idea to put your kids in there for an hour while you get a workout in and some time for yourself. I have a 14 month old and that is usually what I do, or I will take him for a walk for an hour in the stroller, as well as doing Insanity in the evenings when he is asleep.

:happy:

kjbbdoll

I agree with the previous posters-your diet alone will help a lot. I have a high enerygy/sensory disorder 2.5yr old that still doesn't sleep through the night, run my own business and have 4 older children that makes it near impossible to exercise as well as having a dh that works nights. My advise to you is to take at least 1 class a week to give yourself YOU time (I go to Zumba at Brickhouse Cardio club that lets you pay per class so no membership needed) and you will be amazed how much better you feel as well as more motivated. If you can't get to a class then ask for 1hr a week some time that works for you that your dh can watch the kids and go for a walk etc. You will both benefit from this, I promise! You can do this! Best wishes to you!

evelynfarmer

I would say another BIG thing is your ATTITUDE and STRESS.... don't let this weight and weight loss stress you out. I am 10 weeks post pardum and I am gradually changing my eating habits and trying to get into the gym at least 5x's a week, but I don't stress out if I have a bad day or don't hit the gym in a week. I know that the weight will eventually come off if I don't quit and keep pushing for my goal. I know if I get more determined that it will be easier, but that will come in time. Yes, diet is more like 90% and the gym is 10%. Start doing one thing different at a time, make it a LIFESTYLE change, go for the long run not a quick fix because if you go for the long run, all your work will pay off, if you go for the quick fix, you'll be right back in the same boat a few months from reaching your weight loss goal Good luck. I try to get on here and log and post frequently, but again, I don't stress out if I forget to log what I ate, as long as I know I ate the best that I could for that day. Add me as a friend if you'd like. We could never have enough support & motivation.

KWKY

I totally agree with the suggestion of doing the 30DS. It's a good cardio workout and a spare 30 mins is not too hard to find (most of the time).

I also go through youtube to find other cardio workouts of around 20-30 mins to mix them up with the 30DS.