Cannot lose baby weight

A_to_the_Z
A_to_the_Z Posts: 6 Member
edited December 1 in Motivation and Support
Hi there. Thanks in advance for reading. I'm really at a loss right now. I have about 20 lbs to lose to reach my pre-baby weight (I'm 11 months post-partum) and no matter what I try, it will not budge. I am SO uncomfortable. I wear the same things over and over to work because my old clothes don't fit and I'm frustrated that after everything I do, I'm still not losing so I don't want to buy new clothes.
Starting Feb, I trained for my first-ever 5K, ran 4x/week and nothing. I actually gained 2 lbs by April. Now I've been on a 4 week clean-eating streak, counting calories with MFP, using my fitbit blaze like it's my lifeline, and not a single pound has been lost. I'm definitely a good 20 lbs overweight, so I've got it to lose. It's just not budging. I'm currently doing a combo of spinning, jogging, speed walking, weights/squats/lunges/pilates.
Has anyone had this happen or does anyone have any advice. I'm incredibly overwhelmed and could really use some support from stranger (read: not ppl who say, "but you look fine!" because looks are not my concern). Oh, I should add that I DID have my thyroid levels checked and I'm all normal.
Thank you!

Replies

  • chelharding
    chelharding Posts: 16 Member
    Hey girl, I'm with you..3 months postpartum and the last bit is tough. Today I'm starting slim fast shakes to kinda kick start my weight loss. I wanna drop 11lbs by 4th of July.. Not my overall goal but a starting point. I know slim fast gets mixed reviews but I got an awesome deal on amazon and hear they are delicious lol, we'll see!! Also, congrats on the 5k training...i am nowhere near that level lol. I know it's discouraging but you CAN do it... If you stick it out the weight Has to come over sooner or later!
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    Nowhere in that do you say you weigh, measure or log your food.
  • christihubbart
    christihubbart Posts: 23 Member
    Are you breastfeeding? I have hypothyroidism and gained weight breastfeeding both times. I had to quit breastfeeding and get help to start losing. I'm down 24 lbs!
  • RatherBeInTheShire
    RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
    the baby weight is tough. I am 2 YEARS PP, and just finally got back to where I was before I had DD, and I didn't breastfeed. For me personally, I have to stay away from ALL grains, sugar, and processed foods, and I really have to watch my calories. It's tough!
    Possibly you aren't eating ENOUGH? Sometimes when I'm restricting too much, I won't lose but when I bump up my caloric intake, the weight will start to come off.
  • A_to_the_Z
    A_to_the_Z Posts: 6 Member
    Nowhere in that do you say you weigh, measure or log your food.

    Valerie- When I said that I'm counting calories with my fitness pal, I meant that I am logging. I do not weight my food, but I do measure and log.
  • A_to_the_Z
    A_to_the_Z Posts: 6 Member
    Are you breastfeeding? I have hypothyroidism and gained weight breastfeeding both times. I had to quit breastfeeding and get help to start losing. I'm down 24 lbs!

    I just weaned about 5 weeks ago. I was hoping that the breastfeeding was the issue, but now I'm not so sure!
  • KorvapuustiPossu
    KorvapuustiPossu Posts: 434 Member
    edited May 2016
    A_to_the_Z wrote: »
    Nowhere in that do you say you weigh, measure or log your food.

    Valerie- When I said that I'm counting calories with my fitness pal, I meant that I am logging. I do not weight my food, but I do measure and log.

    There is a huge difference between measuring and weighing... I'm sure someone will post a video from youtube that shows it clearly. If you are not losing weight you are eating at maintenance level. It really is that simple. I would suggest getting a food scale and tighten your logging and weight will start coming off. Also keep in mind with all the workout you're doing there might be some water weight masking some *little* progress you've made. But your logging is the issue here..you are simply eating more than you think you are.
  • A_to_the_Z
    A_to_the_Z Posts: 6 Member
    I'm wondering if lack of sleep has anything to do with it. I haven't slept longer than a 3-4 hr stretch in a year and it really wears on me. My baby has some weight to catch up on so he still eats 1-2x a night in a 12 hr period of sleep.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Yeah you gotta weigh that food with a scale.
  • KorvapuustiPossu
    KorvapuustiPossu Posts: 434 Member
    A_to_the_Z wrote: »
    I'm wondering if lack of sleep has anything to do with it. I haven't slept longer than a 3-4 hr stretch in a year and it really wears on me. My baby has some weight to catch up on so he still eats 1-2x a night in a 12 hr period of sleep.

    If you were eating at a deficit you would lose weigh... calories in, calories out. Simple math. There are some factors that could slow it down for a little while... like stress and similar. But not stop it completely.
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
    When was the last time you recalculated your goal? If you've lost 5-10 lbs since then, you may need to lower your calories to compensate for that. Have you checked out this recent article on weight loss plateaus? http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/what-causes-a-weight-loss-plateau/
  • christihubbart
    christihubbart Posts: 23 Member
    Agree with weighing your food.
  • A_to_the_Z
    A_to_the_Z Posts: 6 Member
    edited May 2016
    When was the last time you recalculated your goal? If you've lost 5-10 lbs since then, you may need to lower your calories to compensate for that. Have you checked out this recent article on weight loss plateaus? http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/what-causes-a-weight-loss-plateau/

    I have not lost more than 4 pounds since giving birth. I lost the initial 20 lbs of baby/placenta/water right away but I've been stuck at 4 lbs less that that initial 20 lbs since July of 2015.
  • christihubbart
    christihubbart Posts: 23 Member
    I did wait to stop nursing until after she was 1. I probably would have kept going if she was only nursing 1-2 times a day, but she was still nursing alot, it was wearing on me, and I was miserable. We went for 13 months. That was 5 months ago, I've lost 24lbs, with at least 20 more to go.
  • tomatosoup3
    tomatosoup3 Posts: 126 Member
    please listen- weigh all your food with a scale!!
  • A_to_the_Z
    A_to_the_Z Posts: 6 Member
    please listen- weigh all your food with a scale!!

    Got it. I never considered doing this. Thank you all so much. Looks like i'll be shopping on amazon for a food scale today.
    Any tips on how to make this a time-effective process?
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    edited May 2016
    I use the USDA food list web site. You can Google it - I don't have it handy to post here but I keep it as a bookmark on my home laptop to verify all MFP entries since there are some that are very very off. The good thing is that once they're in your diary they're there so you can just refer back to it.
  • AlyssaAnne03
    AlyssaAnne03 Posts: 79 Member
    I don't weigh my food but I used to do nutrition and personal training so I can kinda eyeball most things, I do measure things like quinoa, half n half with measuring cups
  • AlyssaAnne03
    AlyssaAnne03 Posts: 79 Member
    Make sure you are drinking as close to a gallon of water a day as possible
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    Hey girl, I'm with you..3 months postpartum and the last bit is tough. Today I'm starting slim fast shakes to kinda kick start my weight loss. I wanna drop 11lbs by 4th of July.. Not my overall goal but a starting point. I know slim fast gets mixed reviews but I got an awesome deal on amazon and hear they are delicious lol, we'll see!! Also, congrats on the 5k training...i am nowhere near that level lol. I know it's discouraging but you CAN do it... If you stick it out the weight Has to come over sooner or later!

    What can slim fast shakes do to "kick start" that controlled calorie intake cannot?
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    I don't weigh my food but I used to do nutrition and personal training so I can kinda eyeball most things, I do measure things like quinoa, half n half with measuring cups

    This is your problem. I guarantee it.

    Eyeballing and measuring can easily put your over your caloric deficit. A food scale can be bought for 10-20 dollars. Start weighing and it will change everything.

    Weigh. Log diligently. Plan. Stick with it and be patient. When you have only 20lbs to lose it is advised you eat to lose .5 per week. It will come off.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Make sure you are drinking as close to a gallon of water a day as possible

    Why? And then I'd like to see your source of this information.

    I hardly drink that much - I'd be in the bathroom literally all day - and I've somehow managed to lose close to 60 pounds.

    Drink until you're hydrated, that can be the rule of thumb 8-10 cups a day on average, more if you live in a hot climate or working out a lot. But a gallon? Not entirely necessary.

  • fa_10691
    fa_10691 Posts: 3 Member
    Figure
    A_to_the_Z wrote: »
    Hi there. Thanks in advance for reading. I'm really at a loss right now. I have about 20 lbs to lose to reach my pre-baby weight (I'm 11 months post-partum) and no matter what I try, it will not budge. I am SO uncomfortable. I wear the same things over and over to work because my old clothes don't fit and I'm frustrated that after everything I do, I'm still not losing so I don't want to buy new clothes.
    Starting Feb, I trained for my first-ever 5K, ran 4x/week and nothing. I actually gained 2 lbs by April. Now I've been on a 4 week clean-eating streak, counting calories with MFP, using my fitbit blaze like it's my lifeline, and not a single pound has been lost. I'm definitely a good 20 lbs overweight, so I've got it to lose. It's just not budging. I'm currently doing a combo of spinning, jogging, speed walking, weights/squats/lunges/pilates.
    Has anyone had this happen or does anyone have any advice. I'm incredibly overwhelmed and could really use some support from stranger (read: not ppl who say, "but you look fine!" because looks are not my concern). Oh, I should add that I DID have my thyroid levels checked and I'm all normal.
    Thank you!

    Figure out what your TDEE is to calculate the amount of calories you should be consuming to lose 1lb a week. And as many others said be accurate in your food diary so log the exact amounts. Try HIIT for the workout part as it burns more calories is less amount of time than regular cardio, couple that with resistance training to keep your muscle mass and help tone your body. And one more very important tip : look for non-scale victories as in how your clothes fit and differences in your appearance. Take body measurements (waist, thigh, neck, arms ...)to better evaluate your progress. I know its very devastating to work so hard and not see the numbers changing so look for those NSVs. Good luck on your journey !
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    Yeah, me too. Cept my babies are pushing 30.
  • am_change
    am_change Posts: 1,010 Member
    Come and join us in this postpartum group where we encourage each other and do a weekly weigh in.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/113945-fit-fabulous-postpartum
  • tomatosoup3
    tomatosoup3 Posts: 126 Member
    A_to_the_Z wrote: »
    please listen- weigh all your food with a scale!!

    Got it. I never considered doing this. Thank you all so much. Looks like i'll be shopping on amazon for a food scale today.
    Any tips on how to make this a time-effective process?

    @A_to_the_Z
    sure! i just put my food on it and write down what it says!
    you can use the "tare" button to make it faster. the "tare" button moves the scale back to zero, even if there's still something on it. so let's say i want to weigh my cheese and tomato sandwich:
    1) put the bread on the scale. 63 grams. write that down. leave the bread on, press TARE (scale moves back to zero)
    2) put cheese on. scale says 20 grams. write that down. leave the bread and cheese on. press TARE. (zero again)
    3) put tomato on. scale says 52 grams. write that down.

    that's it!
    it's barely any more work than you would be doing making a sandwich anyway.
    (also- make sure to plug into the database the exact type of bread and cheese you are using.)

    it will be a bit annoying at first but you'll quickly get into it. and no matter how annoying it is to do, remind yourself that it literally only adds 5 minutes, maximum. 5 minutes to get results- that i can handle!
  • jenhasit
    jenhasit Posts: 83 Member
    You can add strength training. Get some resistance bands if nothing else... then your muscles will work for you. Sometimes adding strength training kick starts loss plateaus.
  • SamanthaLouiseMence
    SamanthaLouiseMence Posts: 663 Member
    Right with you there, I'm just under a year PP and my baby weight isn't shifting, so I recently joined this app
    You can all feel free to add me if you like x
  • tinywonder25
    tinywonder25 Posts: 148 Member
    Are you nursing? Getting 8 hours of sleep? Nursing jacked me up!
This discussion has been closed.