POST-PARTUM PACK - October 11
carolina_r
Posts: 359 Member
OCTOBER 11-17
The numbers are in! The POST-PARTUM PACK is 23 members strong!
THIS WEEK’S TASK: MEASURE UP!
Have you taken your measurements? MFP allows you to record data about various measurements, and you can adjust it to track the measurements that you are interested in. Often, the measurements tell you more about your progress than the scale! If you haven’t taken your measurements yet, try to do it this week.
THIS WEEK’S POLL: WHAT ARE YOUR WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGES?
Losing weight and improving your lifestyle can be tricky, especially when you are caring for children. Share with us your personal weight loss challenges – what are the biggest barriers for you? What foods are the most tempting?
MY RESPONSE: I have multiple barriers...
First of all, I tend to get really excited about a new goal / project, but my motivation tends to wane after a while (this is one of the reason's I started this group - I'm hoping that the sense of obligation will keep me coming back and sticking with it!)
Also, I have never been a particularly athletic person, and my fitness level is quite low. I have tried going to the gym, jogging (with my runner husband), exercise classes, biking, swimming, etc. None of these activities have stuck, since I don't particularly enjoy them (or I get so out of breath that I lose motivation....)! This time around, I am trying to stick to walking (with the baby in the stroller) and light weights - something that I can easily incorporate in my day...no excuses!
Furthermore, I am definitely an emotional eater, with chocolate being my number one weakness. MFP has been helping me to curb my eating habits, though it is a daily struggle. I have found that making room for a little treat each day has helped me stay under goal (usually).
IFYOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING US, HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
- Add “The POST-PARTUM PACK – It took us 9 months to pack on the pounds…Watch us take them off!” to your signature, so that we can recognize fellow PPP members.
- Respond to this post and introduce yourself to the group.
- If you start a topic on the discussion boards intended for members of the “PACK”, please put “The POST-PARTUM PACK” in your title so that we will recognize it. Post to the “General Diet and Weight Loss” forum.
- Have fun! The idea is not to add stress to your already busy life, or that you participate in every challenge or poll. It is just another way to connect with other moms, without ending up with hundreds of friends…
- Although this group was originally envisioned for mothers of children 3 and under, all moms are welcome to join!
The numbers are in! The POST-PARTUM PACK is 23 members strong!
THIS WEEK’S TASK: MEASURE UP!
Have you taken your measurements? MFP allows you to record data about various measurements, and you can adjust it to track the measurements that you are interested in. Often, the measurements tell you more about your progress than the scale! If you haven’t taken your measurements yet, try to do it this week.
THIS WEEK’S POLL: WHAT ARE YOUR WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGES?
Losing weight and improving your lifestyle can be tricky, especially when you are caring for children. Share with us your personal weight loss challenges – what are the biggest barriers for you? What foods are the most tempting?
MY RESPONSE: I have multiple barriers...
First of all, I tend to get really excited about a new goal / project, but my motivation tends to wane after a while (this is one of the reason's I started this group - I'm hoping that the sense of obligation will keep me coming back and sticking with it!)
Also, I have never been a particularly athletic person, and my fitness level is quite low. I have tried going to the gym, jogging (with my runner husband), exercise classes, biking, swimming, etc. None of these activities have stuck, since I don't particularly enjoy them (or I get so out of breath that I lose motivation....)! This time around, I am trying to stick to walking (with the baby in the stroller) and light weights - something that I can easily incorporate in my day...no excuses!
Furthermore, I am definitely an emotional eater, with chocolate being my number one weakness. MFP has been helping me to curb my eating habits, though it is a daily struggle. I have found that making room for a little treat each day has helped me stay under goal (usually).
IFYOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING US, HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
- Add “The POST-PARTUM PACK – It took us 9 months to pack on the pounds…Watch us take them off!” to your signature, so that we can recognize fellow PPP members.
- Respond to this post and introduce yourself to the group.
- If you start a topic on the discussion boards intended for members of the “PACK”, please put “The POST-PARTUM PACK” in your title so that we will recognize it. Post to the “General Diet and Weight Loss” forum.
- Have fun! The idea is not to add stress to your already busy life, or that you participate in every challenge or poll. It is just another way to connect with other moms, without ending up with hundreds of friends…
- Although this group was originally envisioned for mothers of children 3 and under, all moms are welcome to join!
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Replies
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Hello! My name is Lacie an i just had my baby girl 07-28-11 so a little over two months ago! I have lost 31 lbs since i had her and my last weigh in right before she was born was 278! I am determined to lose this baby weight. I have down well to make the small changes for lesser calories and lesser portions with my food. Lesser portions were the biggest challenge for me because i somewhat still had the apetite of a prego woman. I think i have that more under control now but my biggest addiction is Starbucks coffee! I have made the change so far as to go from whole milk to nonfat and that cut out half the calories already so im on my way to sugar free syrup to cut out more calories and sugar. I am so happy to see other moms out there in a pack to work together to lose this weight! WE CAN DO IT! :happy:0
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Now we are 24!!!0
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Welcome to the group, Lacie!
I am a sucker for chai lattes at starbucks...sugar free syrup, you say? I should look into that!0 -
Welcome to the group, Lacie!
I am a sucker for chai lattes at starbucks...sugar free syrup, you say? I should look into that!
YES! Sugar free syrup, but im not sure how it'll taste though im going to try it! You can also go to www.starbucks.com, click menu, click the link for what your drink will be under, find your drink and then you can play with it to see the nutrition when you change things like milk, sugar free syrups, ect. My weakness was a Caramel Frapp but when i found out it was 490 cals for a Venti i switched to a Iced Caramel Macchiato with nonfat milk and now its only 270 cals so when i finally get the courage for other drinks or mine for sugar free syrup then we will see!0 -
Now we are 28!!0
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My personal goals are to be fitter, mostly stronger so i can more easily handle daily tasks without going "oh my back!" or "ow my knee!" etc. Time is my barrier. I get up at 5am, leave the house by 6am for work, hubby gets baby girl to daycare, carpool to work, work until about 4-4:40 and get home at 6pm after picking her up from daycare. Make dinner, feed her and get her to bed by 8pm, take a shower/do dishes/laundry or anything else that needs doing and fall asleep next my husband watching tv by 9pm (don't usually actually watch it, i am just winding down and drifting off to sleep). I am at a loss as to where i can insert exercise into all that? Biggest food barrier is chocolate sweet things. And i get massive sugar cravings when i am tired. I also tend to get hungry right at 4pm, but i can't really do anything til i get home at 6pm, then its another hour or so til dinner is done and i have already eaten half the kitchen by then. I tried snacking at 4pm but that doesn't really help, I end up still hungry.0
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Hi everyone! I didn't know you could add other measurements, which I've just done. Thanks for making me investigate, Carolina!
My biggest challenge is stopping at just a few pieces of chocolate.
While I was pregnant and nursing I had a HORRIBLE M&M addiction (we're talking like a pound a day!). I sometimes have a binge-type personality and either go all or nothing. I'm trying to find the middle ground (in eating and exercise) that will last a lifetime instead of just until I reach my goals.
I'm also lazy. Hahaha. I'd rather read or nap than work out, even though I always feel great after exercising.
But I'm seeing a difference in the mirror and my clothes now, and that's a huge motivator. My first big goal is to get back to ppw by the boys' first birthday on November 15. I don't know if I'll make it, but I'm trying!0 -
Wow - I can see how time is a challenge! I am currently on maternity leave, and I am not looking forward to going back to work and having to balance it all. I completely understand your challenges...Is there a way you could insert activity into the day? (i.e. take the stairs, take a walk during your lunch break, park at the far end of the lot, etc.)0
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I've already measured up a few days ago ready to start the 30 day shred so I don't need to worry about that.
My biggest challenge really is finding the time to exercise although I've been trying my hardest to do something before my eldest wakes up in a morning and doing a dvd or something. I feel like I should go for a walk more too, but there arn't any parks close by where I live now and I don't drive. It's too much money to be paying out getting on buses and trams everyday and the idea of walking around the streets everyday doesn't appeal
I do feel quite sad about that.
As far as food is concerned, my biggest nemesis is bread. It's always in the house for the other half and my eldest is sandwhich mad so I just can't get away from it. The reason I put on so much weight in the first place is because whenever I got bored I'd just make myself a quick sandwhich. I've cut down a lot this past week and I think I'm slowly getting out of the habit of doing it all the time.0 -
I will measure up and post this week-thank you for motivating me to do so!
My biggest challenge is avoiding weekend indulgences-particularly alcohol. I live on an island where there is not an awful lot to do at weekends apart from beach, eat and drink (it sounds good-but when you've put on a lot of weight and are a bit 'over it' then can get a little boring)-and when the weather is not too great, I am EXTREMELY limited! My husband and I have cut down our drinking nights to 1 per week, and that seems to be working, so long as I am very very careful with my food intake over the weekend.
One bad habit (although under control at present) is having a 'taste' of my daughter's tea-particularly when she's left some of it untouched like a small piece of cheese on toast!
My greatest barrier to weight loss is binge eating. I know that I cannot just have one square of chocolate, one biscuit or one piece of home cooked bread. For that very reason, I avoid touching it in the first place. When I am closer to my weight goals, then I will start working on my self-discipline!0 -
I need to measure up, thank you for reminding me!
I find it easy enough to plan and eat healthy meals. My biggest challenge is snacking - when I am tired and the kids are whining / crying, I find it nearly impossible to resist something sweet & comforting. After they are both (finally) settled for the night, I end up 'rewarding' myself with another sweet snack. It inevitably ends up being chocolate or biscuits...
I completely agree about there never being enough time for exercising, although I am lucky enough not to be back at work yet. I try to walk somewhere every day - even just 15 minutes must help!
Is anyone else still breastfeeding?? With my first child, I only lost the last of my baby-weight when I stopped beastfeeding, which made dieting extra-challenging (And less effective!). I am interested if anyone else had//has the same experience.0 -
I can see we all have a lot in common when it comes to barriers.
TIME! I need more of it!
Mommy guilt: I've been gone at work all day, how am I supposed to leave my baby in the evenings to go exercise? By the time I get done and showered it's his bed time.
Food: This isn't as difficult because I tend to get distracted easily by work, and I just eat a quick lunch that is portion controlled. Dinner's usually cooked by my husband (I KNOW I'M SO LUCKY) and he makes sure we eat right (usually). Weekends are my downfall because I just want to eat everything that's in sight. I try to distract myself with my baby and tending to his needs first (isn't there always something?
Exercise: My goal is to exercise every day on weekends (when I have more time to do so) and twice during the work week. Husband has been a great support with watching the baby while I do that.
Breastfeeding: To answer the previous poster's inquiry- I JUST weaned my 5 month old (sad, but it happened naturally after I went back to work). Anyways I think it definitely is easier to lose the weight now, as opposed to before. I was always concerned I wasn't eating enough calories, and it also may have contributed to why my milk dried up too. Don't mean to scare you, but just stay conscious of it! If breastfeeding is important to you, I would err on the side of caution for awhile and worry about losing big later. Also, don't forget to log your breastfeeding calories!
So far I've lost 70 pounds, and it's still coming off slowly but surely. I gained 80 with pregnancy, and ideally I'd still like to lose another 15-20 pounds after I get to goal. MFP is a life saver and I'm excited to be apart of this group. We can DO IT LADIES!!0 -
My biggest challenge is restraint! During pregnancy, I figured it was my time to indulge and I definitely did. Now I just eat whatever I crave without a second thought and that definitely needs to change. I am still breastfeeding my 10 month old, but only in the morning and night. Breastfeeding definitely helped me get back to around pre-pregnancy weight but I still have about three pounds to lose and my body shape is totally different. Time is an issue for me too, but mostly ENERGY! By the time I'm home for work, I just want to go to bed. I'm hoping that I can get off my butt and go running with my baby at least once a week.0
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I would love to join you ladies!! I have a 1 yr old boy and a 2 1/2 year old girl and the back to back pregnancies were very hard on my body. I need some MFP friends who understand how hard it can be to maintain a healthy lifestyle and an exercise program with little ones added to the mix.
I just returned to work full time last week and I'm finding it challenging to spend time with my children and my husband and still find time for myself. Another challenge I'm facing is maintaining healthy eating habits while working shifts. I crave junk food in the middle of the night when I'm working.
So far I have lost 13 lbs and while it's been slow I am determined to lose this baby weight and then some!0 -
Will measure up asap--great idea (and, well, embarrassed to admit i didn't notice it was a feature...)
Barriers and challenges:
nibbling the tot's leftovers--before I started tracking, I imagine i probably added about 300 per day just from nibbles of macaroni, chicken, cheese, fruit, etc. Not that it's ever "bad-for-you" food, but certainly additional calories i don't need. Now I feed one of two disposals: garbage or hubby.
ICE CREAM. we have an intimate relationship; given the amount of money I spent on it yearly, it's more likely a mutual dependency. (I think I factor into Edy's stock portfolio...) I now plan for this "fix" each day--and am both still happy and still losing weight.
emotional eating. *sigh* since I am tracking and have a "community" here and message boards to read, it's been much better. usually it's when tot's in bed, I'm too tired to work, and hubby is gone until wee hours working. I find that if I troll here, I can avoid lots of temptation...0 -
I really enjoyed reading your responses!
I see that many of you are back at work already...What a huge challenge to balance work, motherhood, maintaining a home, paying attention to hubby, friends, family, and (somewhere) trying to fit in time for self-care...I return to work in February, and I must admit I am dreading it. As a high school teacher, I will need to take work home, and I am worried about how I will manage.
Courtney_0_0 - I TOTALLY get the ice cream thing...and I agree that reading stuff on MFP helps me stay the course
Jaytee32 - Welcome! I love your signature (the abs thing cracks me up!)
mgblood - Yes - Energy! I remember this being an issue for me before the baby...I can't imagine what it will be like when I'm back at work!
franciscoj1 - I like your approach to balancing exercise into your schedule...I will definitely try that when I'm back at work.
namibiangirl - Yes, I think even 15 minutes counts! (I too try to walk everyday). I am also breastfeeding, and I enter it into my food diary to make sure that my calories don't go too low (but I can still see the "under calorie" message on my wall). So far so good - I have been losing weight, and my milk production hasn't been affected.
feydruss – I agree – I’d rather nap or read too!! I’ve been trying to work exercise into the day – i.e. taking a long, convoluted route to the grocery store – but I feel like I’m going to need to kick it up a notch once I reach a plateau.
NiennaMarie – I don’t like walking around just for the sake of it myself…I’ve been trying to give myself tasks to do each day (even as small as “getting more ketchup”). I don’t have to do any big grocery shops anymore because of it! I do it little by little each day instead…
katgriff – I’m impressed that you can just avoid things like chocolate! Good for you! Unfortunately, it seems I need to bribe myself with it to keep going…0 -
Hi, I am finding it hard now I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight as I have less motivation to keep going, I would like to lose another stone though so I am trying to keep with the good habits and not let too many bad ones creep back in!
I find I have to exercise in the morning or it just does not happen, I try to go to bootcamp twice a week, sometimes this means taking my daughter with me in her pushchair, then I feel guilty but make up for it later by doing something with her like the park or swimming.
I breastfed for 16 months and didn't loose any weight untill after I stopped, I found it took 18months almost before I had the drive to do anything about the weight I was carrying. Once I decided enough was enough I have actually lost it fairly quickly and wish I had done it earlier.
I am now wondering when to start trying for the next one - although it seems a shame when I am only just back to how I was, I am determined not to put 4 stone on next time!0 -
Caro239 - Wow, you have done really well!!! I don't know about you, but I was not the most careful during my pregnancy when it came to eating. I am hoping that I will be a lot more careful with the next one, so that I don't gain as much. It would also be nice to have more core strength so that things go back to normal faster.0
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Hi. I'm Cindy, mom to two boys ages 2 and 11. I gained 70 pounds when I was pregnant the first time and have lost 50. I have a hard time sticking to diets.
My weight lost challenges- Food! I like to eat. I like to taste food. I LOVE chocolate. I have no will power.
-Exercise. I don't have the money for a gym or any type of classes. I go for walks or use the treadmill. I like walking but sometimes I don't have the energy or am just feeling lazy.
I finally took my measurements. I've been meaning to do that. I'm ready to watch those numbers shrink!0 -
My biggest challenges are time and boredom. With two children (18 weeks and 3 years) even being a stay at home mom doesnt afford me much time for myself. Boredom is a HUGE killer for me. I crave variety, without it, I give up. I try and keep my workouts varied (save the Shred!). In case you are interested...
Sunday - nothing unless the garden needs tending
Monday - 30 Day Shred, 2 hours of roller derby practice
Tuesday - 30 Day Shred
Wednesday - 30 Day Shred, 2 hours of roller derby practice
Thursday - 30 Day Shred
Friday - 30 Day Shred, Zumba (Wii)
Saturday - 30 Day Shred, mow the lawn0 -
Hi! My name is Ruby. I had a son on January 13, 2011. He's going to be 9 months old tomorrow. I'm currently breastfeeding so dropping pounds is actually very hard to do. My doctor told me to make sure I keep my calories up and drink tons of water. I've noticed that working out makes me so much hungrier and I've also noticed that dieting and working out means a drop in milk supply so I'm trying to balance them out. I want to breastfeed my son until he's a year old but in the meantime I want to be able to lose some of the baby weight I put on. I've never been 200 lbs until I had the baby. My first goal is just to be able to fit into my pre-pregnancy pants. If I achieve that goal then I'll only have 20 lbs to lose until I'm in my normal bmi range. So far I've lost a total of 8 lbs in the last 10 days. I'm really hoping I can stay motivated to achieve my goals. This is the first time I've ever thought about diet and exercising.0
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HELLO!! My name is Amanda. I had a baby girl, Reina, on 8/2/2011. She is my second child. I also have a boy, Daniel, who is 2. I am a stay at home mom. I exclusively nurse Reina. So I am not allowed to have less than 1800 calories a day. Like Ruby, I am trying to figure out how to balance everything out so I won't have a drop in milk supply. I have just started going to the apartment complex's workout room with my sister in law a week ago. For the last 3 days we have been doing a 30 minute cardio dance dvd in the morning and a 30-40 minute workout at the the workout room at 7 pm. I am already feeling a lot more active than I was before. I also increased my water from 2-3 glasses a day to 10 glasses a day.0
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Welcome Amanda and Ruby!
Did you ladies know that you can account for breastfeeding? When logging in your food, look up "breastfeeding". You will find various options that will minus a certain amount of calories from what you have eaten. I myself am nursing a 7 month old. Since he is starting on solids, I make sure to "minus" 300 cals a day. This means that if I meet my calorie goal (or just under) I am getting the necessary calories to maintain my milk supply. If you are exclusive, you'll need to add more - just make sure that it works out to a minimum of 1800 cals a day (or better yet, talk to your doctor...I am no expert!!!). I would say that even if you don't lose a ton of weight, just getting into the habit of tracking your food / exercise, being aware of what you are doing, is a great investment of time. When you do stop nursing, then you will have the habits needed to put the weight loss into a faster mode.
I have been aiming for 1 lb per week - I don't want to lose too quickly so as to jeopardize my health / milk supply. It has ended up going a little faster (around 2 lbs per week) - so I make sure to eat my exercise calories, and I am cautious to make sure I get enough calories. If I am hungry...I eat! Just trying to make healthier, smaller portioned choices (though I indulge in chocolate every day....can't help it!).
Hope this is helpful!0 -
THANK YOU!! I have been trying to figure out how to factor in breastfeeding. I kept looking in exercises, not food. Thank you very much for that. Do you have your calorie level set for 1800 or 1200? I have had mine set for 1200, but make sure i'm getting 1800 anyway. But' I also exercise 2 times a day.0
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I originally had it at around 1200, but to reach a minimum of 1800 needed for nursing, I was always over my calorie limit. I wanted to get the "under her calorie goal" message on my wall, so I changed my target to around 1400. I also try to "burn" at least 100 cals with exercise, and then eat it back - meaning that I am at the 1800 minimum per day 0
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Thanks!!! I was wondering if there was a something to account for breastfeeding. I set my goal at 1/2 a pound a week so that it bumped my calories up to 1600. Zeke isn't completely on solids. Some days he'll eat 2 - 4 oz jars and some days he doesn't want anything but milk. So it's important for me to make sure my supply isn't getting low.0
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Thank you for starting this group. I am not as "post-partum" as most members. My twins turned one today, but I still have post-partum weight to lose thanks to a multiple pregnancy and two other pregnancies, so I think this is an ideal group for me.
My biggest challenges are:
1) I've learned this year that I am a "celebration" binge eater. When I have company visiting, or I am out with friends, I am an eat, drink, and be merry kind of gal. As such, I make all sorts of progress in the weekdays, and then destroy it in a weekend binge.
2)) I'm a perfectionist so I want to have "perfect" days with big burns, and clean eating, and when I do less than that, I feel like I am failing.
My husband is military, and I'm 3000km away from family and most friends. He's gone a lot. I hate the weather here to boot. 4 kids make life challenging, but none of these things are barriers to my progress. I think they, in fact, help me because there is less time to celebrate, and exercise feels like fun me-time in comparison to my daily routines with the kids. If I didn't have 4 kids, and I was back at work teaching, and living near my family, I would probably be heavier than ever. Can anyone relate to this, or am I crazy?0 -
NiennaMarie – I don’t like walking around just for the sake of it myself…I’ve been trying to give myself tasks to do each day (even as small as “getting more ketchup”). I don’t have to do any big grocery shops anymore because of it! I do it little by little each day instead…
I shoudl really start doing that. I think about a lot actually, but then I talk myself out of it when I think about when I think about the absolutley huuuge hill I have to walk up to get to the shop. It's all my own fault but jeez, that hill kills me! I think I should make a myself a goal to walk up there a couple of times, just to get me used to it for now. Maybe once I'm used to it then it won't kill me so much. x0 -
How do I join this group?
I had my second son Sept 23. I gained a TON of weight this pregnancy. I started the pregnancy with the greatest intentions but after having two bleeding episodes due to my exercise, I was instructed not to work out and that really was a horrible thing. I gained 60lbs...ahhhhhhh. I lost 30lbs of that by 2weeks post partum and then it stopped. I am 7 or 8 weeks post partum (so little sleep I cant even remember) and I have lost 7lbs from diet/exercise. The killer part is before getting pregnant I gained 15lbs coming off of birth control to get pregnant. so I have 43 more lbs to lose to get to my goal weight. And I want to do it before my husband comes back from deployment in May or June. My biggest daily hurdle is exhaustion; it's hard working out and raising two kids by yourself.0 -
Pancakelovessyrup - you are almost there! Just add
"The POST-PARTUM PACK – It took us 9 months to pack on the pounds.. Watch us take them off!"
to your signature, and you are in! It is a very informal group, and we are just starting off. I plan to post a new task/question at the start of each week. To find next week's thread, just go to the end of the most recent thread and I will have a link posted
No points, no commitment...just a way to connect with other moms without adding a bizzilion friends
NiennaMarie - I wonder if there is an exercise entry that accounts for walking on hilly ground? The calorie count would be higher, and could be a motivator? Let us know how it goes!!!!
robincsmall - Welcome! I know what you mean...I am worried that once I'm back teaching, I won't have the time to stay the course, and that all the work I'm putting in will disappear. This group is an attempt to keep me connected so that this doesn't happen...I figure if I can keep logging in, even if I mess up here and there, I'll have an easier road back
RubiePie - Good idea! I never thought of that - reducing the weight loss goal to make the calorie target more appropriate for a nursing mother
BTW - We just hit 33 members...and counting!!!!0
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