New Breastfeeding mommy wanting to Rock Climb

Options
Instead of focusing on a weight goal, I decided to look to an activity that I've always wanted to do, Rock Climbing. I've always been heavier except when I went on an involuntary "too broke to eat diet." I've never had much upper body strength either. To achieve my goal this year, I want to become leaner but also be able to rock climb with ease.

My biggest struggle is breastfeeding. Yes, I burn an additional 500 calories, but it also makes you hungrier all the time. Then if I don't eat enough my milk supply is affected leaving me with a very frustrated baby that feeds all day. The first week back to exercising, and he was very fussy all week breastfeeding more than normal (he is 4 months old.)

The first week I added exercise and weight lifting to my daily activities and I gained two pounds. I am trying to not focus on my weight but it was truly disappointing. I don't know if it was the 45 minutes of weightlifting five times a weeks or what. I was putting in 20 minutes of intense cardio five days, and we walked around the zoo with the kids on the sixth day (I was carrying the baby in the moby.)

I looking to team up with someone going through the same thing or has been through it before. Thanks!

Replies

  • jusandaiden
    Options
    Hi there, I COMPLETELY understand your frustration. I am exclu-BF my 3-month old and it is incredibly difficult to lose. I have NEVER had a problem trying to lose weight, but now I can't get 5lbs off consistently. I am doing P90x faithfully and adding the treadmill at least 5x's and the scale fluctuates between + or - 1.5 lbs. I am going to continue what I'm doing, but it can be very discouraging. I don't want to compromise my milk supply, so I have been eating back all of my exercise calories. I have noticed that on the days I don't eat back all the calories I gain about a half pound or so. :( I am working hard this week to eat back everything I burn---so I hope it works.

    Hang in there--just wanted to let you know I understand. GL!
  • cokers4life
    Options
    Do you know what is even harder when you are breastfeeding? Trying distinguish between if you are really hunger or just wanting to eat or emotionally eating.

    I didn't know that you should eat back your calories. What does that mean exactly?
  • Tan2410
    Options
    I am also breastfeeding & by watching my calories & going under them has affected my supply. I am trying to eat right & that is HARD!! I also know I need to work out in order to lose the last pounds. I am down to my pre-pregnancy weight but the problem is that I gained about 10 pounds before I got pregnant. My little guy is almost 6 months old & I plan on breastfeeding for 1 year, unless he keeps biting me LOL!!
  • jallgier
    Options
    I am a bfing mommy too... my 17 month old does not seem to want to give it up... EVER! ha ha ha! I lost an extra 20 lbs when she was EBF, but have gained it all back now that she only bf's 3 x a day (more for comfort than anything else) and I am SO very sad that I let myself gain it back! Im looking forward to shedding that 20 plus a bit again!
  • HealthyMom4Fam
    Options
    I am so relieved to find this post! I am also a mommy of 4 & having a difficult time losing the weight with my most recent baby, who is now 5 months old.

    I am doing spin twice a week & pilates twice a week (60 minutes each) & have been doing so consistently for the last two weeks & so far I've lost a tiny, tiny bit in measurements but I've gained 2 lbs & my fat percent has been going up since the first week. I am also finding that sometimes the exercise wipes me out for days. However, when I recover I feel great. So it's kinda like a 1 step backwards, 2 steps forwards kinda feeling. I have been watching my portions & am eating to cover the calories spent, but trying not to eat more than I should (which is sometimes a challenge, especially when I feel wiped out) & I've been trying to drink more water.

    My motivation in losing the weight (besides being able to fit into the wardrobe I had before I got pregnant) is to be a healthier me so I can be more active with my kids & be around longer. I have some new-onset mild arthritis that I think losing the weight will help with & I had gestational diabetes with this last baby so I'm also hoping to prevent the onset of diabetes any time soon. So with these health issues in mind, it's frustrating to not see more changes in my body, but I'm hoping that my body is just slow to respond & that through consistent diet & exercise that I'll soon see more change.

    I will say that this has happened before with my 1st boy. I have 2 girls, 2 boys & with both girls the weight came off pretty easy, but with my boys it seems to be a different story. With the 1st boy I worked out pretty vigorously a few months after he was born, but after seeing no changes in my body I pretty much stopped. I hoped that when I weaned him the weight would come off, thinking that maybe it was just my body's way of keeping the fat that it needed to feed the baby. Even after I weaned him, I couldn't lose the weight so I went on the South Beach Diet & that worked great. However, I'm hoping it won't take 16 months to see my pre-pregnancy weight again though. So I too would love to hear what encourages & what works for other moms in this situation.

    To finish with an encouragement...if the weight doesn't come off like it didn't with my first boy, the upside is that at least my body will be healthier & ultimately, that's the goal. It sounds like ultimately, that's your goal as well.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Options
    Please do not breastfeed whilst climbing
  • cokers4life
    Options
    Please do not breastfeed whilst climbing

    Haha! Darn, I was trying to be in the history books as first mom ever to breastfeed and climb a rock wall at the same time.

    Well, is it sad to say I am glad that I am not alone in lack of weight loss while breastfeeding. Alright girls, lets stay focused and hope this turns around for us. I thought about changing to a more cardio focused routine, but my gut says that an intense weight lifting routing may be better in the long run. I need my body to be more efficient in burning calories throughout the day verses trying to burn it all in one hour making me too exhausted and super hungry or "hangry."
  • surfagirl1
    surfagirl1 Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    Good luck I am also BF and I am trying to just do whatever I can - things that fit in like long walks, pilates, occasional run etc. By doing weightlifting wont that mean an initial gain before loss anyway as muscle increases? Anyway I wish you all the best - and the most important thing is your little person - they are only young once and we are giving them the best start possible by breastfeeding...
  • howardwm
    howardwm Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    Hi, new member. I have not breast fed in over 20 years but I have been rock climbing for 2+ and lost over 30lb about the time I took up climbing. I put on a few lb over Christmas with a son’s wedding on the other side of the country to put me out of my routine.
    I have found that muscle weighs more than fat and after a vigorous work out, like a day spent hiking and climbing, I am up 2 to 3 lbs more for a couple of days. I believe it’s the muscle soreness with water retention because on the 3rd day I find I have lost a pound from the day of the activity.
    Stick with your climbing; add cardio like swimming and/or running, add yoga, for balance and flexibility this will improve your climbing. Your weight loss will not be as fast but your shape and fitness will improve.
    I have a question about the activity tracker. If I go to the climbing gym for 2 hours, I spend about half that time climbing and about half that belaying. Do I only record 1 hour of climbing or do you think the tracker takes belaying into the calculation?
  • princessleia1980
    princessleia1980 Posts: 81 Member
    Options
    Okay I have had this problem and I think I solved it! I have a 4 month old who is ebf and I noticed she was getting more and more frustrated while feeding as I was not eating enough and my body was holding onto the fat stores and finding it harder to produce milk. I was losing about 0.5lbs a week or nothing and exercising loads so was really frustrated. So, I set my calories to maintain and ate all my exercise calories and this week I lost 3lbs!!!
    It's only been one week but I'm continuing!