need some "motherly" advice.

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craftzilla
craftzilla Posts: 29
in Health and Weight Loss
I just stumbled upon this site a few weeks ago and have already grown to love it! I am currently about 4 months into an attempt to lose weight. Throughout high school and college I was an avid athlete - basketball, softball, weight training. Since getting married 7 years ago, being diagnosed with depression/anxiety, and having two kids, my weight is not where I want it to be. I am currently at around 180. While I've never been a "skinny" girl, I've always had an athletic and muscular build, 180 is above where I'd like to be. Since about April, my hubby and I have been trying to lose some weight. We started with the South Beach, which, though it had worked previously, did NOT work for me this time. In june, we decided to start p90x. We are in week 8 of the program! So far, I have seen no weight loss. While my body is changing and I am getting stronger, I had hoped for weight loss as well, especially around my mid-section (My last baby was a c-section and left my tummy a bit...um, out of shape.) I wonder why I am not losing any weight. Currently, I am still breast feeding my 6 month old. Does this have something to do with it? I am consuming a lot of calories throughout the day, usually right around 1700. Am I not consuming enough? Can BF cause someone to actually struggle to lose weight? With P90X, we're working out/lifting weights at least an hour a day, sometimes closer to 2. I've always been able to drop weight when I start working out, so I'm really trying to figure out what's going on. Any advice/help would be appreciated! Thanks!

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  • jrob76_99
    jrob76_99 Posts: 1
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    I didn't begin to REALLY lose weight until I stopped breastfeeding my second child-- this was the total opposite of my experience with my first kid. The weight fell off with breastfeeding the first time. My second little guy was much hungrier and I think my body responded by holding on to fat- particularly around the middle. When he weaned, I immediately began losing weight and I didn't change up my diet/exercise. I have 20 to go to where I'd like to be, but the loss is coming much easier than a few months ago while I was still bfing.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    I would imagine you're not eating enough. Try setting your MFP settings to lose .5 lbs per week, and then add in breastfeeding in your exercise diary and eat all your calories every day, including the ones you burn through exercise. Make sure you're drinking enough water. Breastfeeding burns a lot of calories (up to 500 per day), and if you're not eating enough it can cause problems with your metabolism and/or your supply.
  • Fitladyboo
    Fitladyboo Posts: 22
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    Hi! I'm not sure of details but I have read other mommy's from forums on breastfeeding that they state they can't lose weight while breastfeeding. Luckily for me I was the opposite and had no problem losing weight using weight watchers. Try not being too hard on yourself for now as your giving your baby the best right now and your body is working overtime just to make sure that it can continue to provide for the little one. Your hormones are out of wack and your metabolism is probably being affected too. Just make healthy food choices and don't kill yourself exercising... take it slow. Good luck to you.
  • noexcuses1218
    noexcuses1218 Posts: 332 Member
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    Nursing will totally change your hormonal balance and although there are those lucky ducks who drop weight like crazy when they nurse, there are lots more of us out there who hang onto the weight. And kudos to you for nursing, btw. I think it's fantastic that you're doing p90x six months after childbirth - and given that you're working really hard and seeing results in strength and form and stamina, you might consider adjusting your goals for now to focus on what you can do instead of what you weigh. It sounds like as soon as your baby is weaned (whenever that may be) you'll be in a great position to shed the weight. As far as calories go, I've heard that nursing mothers actually need more calories than pregnant women - along the lines of 1700 a day sounds about right, especially since you're exercising like crazy and nursing at the same time. If you drop much below that, I think there's a good chance your milk supply would suffer - and of course I have no idea how long you plan to nurse.

    Whatever you decide, here's my applause, and good luck!
  • hhan
    hhan Posts: 74
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    "An exclusively breastfeeding mother, on average, needs to take in 300-500 calories per day above what was needed to maintain pre-pregnancy weight. "
    http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/mom/mom-calories-fluids.html

    I'd suggest that doing the strenuous exercise you are that your calorie intake may well be too low.
  • MrsStrom725
    MrsStrom725 Posts: 6 Member
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    Sleep. Inadequate sleep causes a rise in cortisol, which makes losing weight next to impossible. Try sleeping in complete darkness: heavier curtains, a towel over the alarm clock, tape over the light on the fire detector....
  • ericarey85
    ericarey85 Posts: 312 Member
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    hMMM :grumble: I heard that you usually lose weight like crazy when you breast feed, sounds like you may not be eating enough, i would research that if i were you. Good luck!!!
  • sp53
    sp53 Posts: 40
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    My concern (and I'm not a lactation specialist!) is that you may not be consuming enough calories if you are breast feeding. Just a thought. Don't deny yourself nutrition, especially if you are sharing it with a baby. Some women feel that breast feeding actually helps them get back to pre-pregnancy wt, but others say that it's harder to lose wt during that time. Don't be mean to yourself, please--your body has been through a lot. Can't remember if you mentioned doing any cardio?
  • JessicaRaeD
    JessicaRaeD Posts: 15
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    If you are going from no muscle to having muscle your weight probably isn't going to change right away. Muscle weighs more than fat! 1700 calories isn't a great deal it depends on what you are burning total daily! Also I have had 2 c-sections and 2 laporoscopies both are invasive I don't care what anyone says! My laporoscopies were much more difficult to recover from than the c's! This being said it is not impossible! The scale is the devil and will make you crazy, have you taken any measurements? You could have lost inches and not known it!
    Also take progress pictures this will make a great deal of difference on how you are feeling I subway doing it every two weeks or so! Just remember to look at how you feel and the changes you see and feel in your body as well as how your clothes are fitting!
    As for breast feeding idk I only bf my for a few months before getting thrush and having difficulties!
    Good luck and remember if you want it you will do it!!
  • jmkrauss
    jmkrauss Posts: 4
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    For breastfeeding, they say you're supposed to eat your pregnancy calories (usual calories +300) + 500 extra cals. I know, it seemed like too much. I actually had to get a big milkshake everyday to meet those caloric needs. My weight didn't really start going down until 6 months into breastfeeding and it fell off until about 2 months after that --- I got down to 5 below my prepreg weight. It was good until I stopped (which was about 14 months into it). The weight started to creep back up, until I was 15 pounds over my prepreg weight. The problem is that I had gotten so used to eating that much that it took a while to curb some of that appetite. I had already formed the habit and it was really hard to break. This tracker is actually really really helping me. I've already seen about 5 pounds since I started (about 3 1/2 weeks ago).
  • craftzilla
    craftzilla Posts: 29
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    Thank you all for your responses. I am going to keep trying different things and see what works.

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