Breastfeeding, want to tone but losing too much weight?
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sardelsa
Posts: 9,812 Member
Hi all! I am so happy I found this group specific for breastfeeding support.
I am wondering if anyone has the same issues I am experiencing or has any insight as to what my next steps should be?
First off, I am BF'ing my 9 month old (she eats about 5x per day along with solids). However, I know most people wouldn't mind this problem but I can't seem to stop losing weight. I stepped on the scale last week after and it was too low for my liking.
When I first started I was still carrying extra around my tummy and thighs which I wanted to get rid of so I ate at a small deficit. I calculated my TDEE to be 2000 (based on working out 6x per week) I added breastfeeding to be 400 then had my calorie goal at 2300.I also tend to eat back some if not all of my exercise calories. So as I was doing this a few weeks I weighed myself weekly and I figured I would plateau eventually and maybe start building muscle since I ate over most of the time AND I was really generous with my calorie goal (I don't always work out 6x per week and I eat back those calories and I figured 400 cal is generous for breastfeeding a 8-9 month old) - wrong.. my weight keeps dropping... and I don't even know where its coming off from because I still look in the mirror and see the same problem areas, arg! What do I do?? I put my goal back up at 2400 + exercise calories but honestly, I am not hungry.. I don't think I can eat any more than that without adding too many carbs or sweets (which I try to avoid in excess due to my PCOS, oh ya I have PCOS just to complicate things even more).
Maybe there is a deeper issue at play here? (thyroid, hormones etc). I am scared of losing muscle (which I probably am at this point) so I am trying so hard to weight train and lift to preserve it any way I can. I just want to recondition and tone, be really strong and perhaps build muscle at this point. I know after we wean the weight will probably come back on and I can tone properly but until then, not sure what I should be doing?
My diary is wide open (or it should be let me know if you can't see it) if that helps.
Sorry for the long post, I am just so confused and don't know what to do anymore. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks:)
I am wondering if anyone has the same issues I am experiencing or has any insight as to what my next steps should be?
First off, I am BF'ing my 9 month old (she eats about 5x per day along with solids). However, I know most people wouldn't mind this problem but I can't seem to stop losing weight. I stepped on the scale last week after and it was too low for my liking.
When I first started I was still carrying extra around my tummy and thighs which I wanted to get rid of so I ate at a small deficit. I calculated my TDEE to be 2000 (based on working out 6x per week) I added breastfeeding to be 400 then had my calorie goal at 2300.I also tend to eat back some if not all of my exercise calories. So as I was doing this a few weeks I weighed myself weekly and I figured I would plateau eventually and maybe start building muscle since I ate over most of the time AND I was really generous with my calorie goal (I don't always work out 6x per week and I eat back those calories and I figured 400 cal is generous for breastfeeding a 8-9 month old) - wrong.. my weight keeps dropping... and I don't even know where its coming off from because I still look in the mirror and see the same problem areas, arg! What do I do?? I put my goal back up at 2400 + exercise calories but honestly, I am not hungry.. I don't think I can eat any more than that without adding too many carbs or sweets (which I try to avoid in excess due to my PCOS, oh ya I have PCOS just to complicate things even more).
Maybe there is a deeper issue at play here? (thyroid, hormones etc). I am scared of losing muscle (which I probably am at this point) so I am trying so hard to weight train and lift to preserve it any way I can. I just want to recondition and tone, be really strong and perhaps build muscle at this point. I know after we wean the weight will probably come back on and I can tone properly but until then, not sure what I should be doing?
My diary is wide open (or it should be let me know if you can't see it) if that helps.
Sorry for the long post, I am just so confused and don't know what to do anymore. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks:)
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Replies
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I would definitely have some bloodwork done. Hormones/thyroid could be the culprit, just as you suspect!
If you are looking for healthy foods that are high in calories, I'm sure plenty of us would be able to help with that
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Thanks !!! I think I will give my dr a ring and book an appt just to make sure all my levels are in order.
It just doesn't make sense for how much I am eating, unless of course I am overestimating my intake or underestimating my exercise calories (both seem unlikely I think!)0 -
I don't know if this is your first child or not, but after my first I lost weight pretty easily. Now (after my 3rd), I lost most of the weight, but would like to lose the last 5 lbs. I work out a lot (like you) and I think I wasn't eating enough to start with, so I set my new goal about like yours was. I am encouraged to hear that you lost all your weight (plus some
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Hi 3runr, yes it is my first child. I am sure I will have a hard time after any more kids!
That is amazing after your 3rd you are down to the last 5 pounds.. great job!!!
Hope you don't mind if I add you both as a friend on here 0 -
Wow, I wish I had that problem (although the grass is always greener on the other side). Anyways, I have hypothyroidism, so I believe that is possibly a reason I may have a harder time losing than someone else. I think it is quite likely that you may have the opposite problem. Although, I thought that women with PCOS are at a risk for hypothyroidism, not hyperthyroidism. I could be totally wrong
Hope you find out what's causing this. Of course, the other option is that she is eating more than 500 calories...?0 -
Yes Mshukh hypothyroidism will definitely make things that much more difficult.
No I think you are right about that, I know a few people with PCOS + hypothyroidism, not sure if they are related. In my case, I have the polycystic ovaries, irregular cycles, acne and trouble conceiving (took us about a year and a half to get pregnant with our daughter) however I am more curvy and fit and not overweight nor am I considered insulin resistant (although I believe it was a reduction of carbs and sugar that helped me get pregnant).
Yeah I was thinking about that.. maybe she is eating more than I accounted for. Losing weight/getting fit while breastfeeding requires alot of trial and error it seems, its not so cut and dry as I initially thought it would be!0 -
Your food diary looks great! Your macros look good, calorie goal is good, food choices are excellent. The only thing I can think of is maybe increasing your strength training as adding muscle will help the number on the scale go up. How are your pre-pregnancy clothes fitting? Just like before, or loose and need to go down a size? I'd focus more on that than the scale. After my first I lost the weight by 6.5 months PP, but I was MUCH thinner despite being the same weight. I was eating the same foods (but more of them to accommodate breastfeeding supply) but I was working out differently and it changed my body. Pre-pregnancy I was mostly doing cardio and was skinny fat, but when I got back into shape I increased my strength workouts and became more fit. I'm due with #2 in 8 weeks, and while last time I felt like the weight loss was taking forever (it stalled many, many times), I now look back and feel like I did pretty well. Hoping for similar results this time, but not getting my hopes up as I'll have two little ones to look after/schedule around instead of one! :laugh:0
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Thanks jls!
I think thats exactly what I need to start doing is trying to add more muscle and perhaps ease up on the circuit training and cardio.
My pre-pregnancy clothes fit perfectly actually, except for my pants and shorts they wayy too loose so I think I definitely lost weight in my hips thighs and butt.
I was the same way, I was a cardio junky before getting pregnant, hardly did any strength training. (funny enough I think I did more strength training while I was pregnant actually! Good thing I did, holding baby gets heavy haha)
Congrats on baby #2! You will be able to do it, it might take a little longer but there is no shame in that.. you will definitely get there! Ps. Im adding you if you don't mind 0
