Count Calories, Watch Fat Intake, Cut Sugar, No Carbs? HELP!!!!!!

I'm in the same boat you are in, but need to lose more than just 10-15. I have had great success with weightwatchers. It is a good kick start and is a change in how you eat without being a diet. Otherwise, adding more exercise to your day will also help. We have a wii and the fitness games for them are good. One of my favorites is My Fitness Coach because you can determine how long you have to work out and how tough you want to make it. Good luck!

Consider Weight Watchers. You'll learn just what you need to do and that doesn't involve anything crazy like cutting out food groups or ingredients. Just sensible eating, sensible portions and exercise (and this can just be walking).

I had 20 lbs. I couldn't lose after our second child and I lost it in six months with them in their online only program and have kept it off. It's not a diet, but learning how you're supposed to eat to stay healthy.

Good luck!

Hi there.

I hear what you are saying and I think MANY women can relate to how you are feeling. A couple of thoughts come to mind. When did you have your last physical? Did you have your labs checked? You may want to do that, if you haven't. Sometimes our weight has to do with other things because what we eat. It can be related to your thyroid, so it might be good to get your thyroid checked.

If you get a clean bill of health, maybe you can look at Weight Watchers. It totally worked for me. I really liked using the online weight watchers. It was great. I felt like someone was guiding me through my weight loss which was great. Plus, they have great recipes online.

Good luck.

This is hard. I too have been in your shoes. After having 4 kids it took me a solid year to a year and a half to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I wasn't lazy either. But, the fact is, a woman's body changes after having a baby. Whether its age related, or its just not having as much time to devote to exercise, its harder.
While you have a young baby, I suggest you don't go hog wild with the dieting thing. From experience, it can take many months before you are back to where you started. Please don't be so hard on yourself.
But, if you are committed to trying to lose weight, perhaps start by making small, subtle changes...those are easier to adhere to than by going crazy on a diet that you most likely won't stick to in the long run.
For example, for me, I love coffee. I love coffee the bad way, with lots of cream and sugar. So, for me, I cut back on my sugar and cream intake because I know I drink a good few hundred calories over the course of a day. If I cut out one drink a day or switch to Splenda, I can cut out 100 or so calories...which adds up over the week.
So, maybe find one small thing you can cut out. Literally, only cut out 100-200 calories/day. Any more than that and your chances of keeping up with it start to get harder. Make small improvements, and do them gradually.
Also, and I just add this because I have found that it works, if you are craving a lot of sugary foods, your energy will be depleted more quickly. It spikes your blood sugar for a quick boost, but then it will drop more quickly. Store up on high fiber foods which will normalize your blood sugar and keep you feeling full longer.
Drink water before going for food (we often mistake thirst for hunger). After you eat, give yourself 20 minutes before you eat again. It takes your brain at least 20 minutes to signal that you are satisfied or full. It also helps to not eat late at night. Just cap yourself off at a certain time (like 9 p.m. or something).
Lastly, I hope you can give yourself some grace. Being a mom can be stressful enough. Good luck :)

It takes 9 months to put the weight on, so expecting it to come off in less than 9 months isn't ideal.

Eat healthy portion sizes and choose nutritious foods. Cook with less butter and salt, less cheese, substitute plain yogurt for sour cream, snack on healthy snacks throughout the day to help with cravings. Homemade meals are better than anything packaged, frozen or premade. Drink plenty of water and cut out things like sodas (especially diet ones) and such. I eat pretty healthy, but still eat a pizza or dessert or a Dr. Pepper once in a while. Depriving yourself of all special treats will only make you binge out of desperation.

That tummy flab and loose skin take time... often times a lot of time to get rid of, and often times the only way to do that is with plastic surgery, b/c excersize and nutrition doesn't tighten loose skin.

Can you join the ymca? You get child care there and it can really help you a lot.

Your brain is probably so overloaded that any diet you try is bound to cause you even more stress that is counterproductive. What I would do for the next couple of months, is just ADD water to your day. Have 6 oz of fresh cool water with whatever you normally have at breakfast. Have another 4-6 oz midmorning, in addition to whatever your normal routine is. Have a tall glass with your lunch. Another mid afternoon. Another with dinner. And another 4-6 oz before you go to bed for the night.

It doesn't have to be plain water... but calorie free lemon flavored water or water with orange zest, or VitaminWater Zero.... just don;t use diet sodas.

k I say just count your calories. If you do this you will lose weight. So if you are breastfeeding stay at 1500 calories a day. Going less than this can put a drop in your milk supply. If you're not breastfeeding try to stay around 1200 to 1500 calories a day. So this is what I did to shed all those lbs after baby. I am 5'3 and gained 25 pounds with baby #2. After baby i kept a daily calorie journal and stayed at 1500 calories a day. by 6 months I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight and by about 9 months post baby I was down to 107 pounds! So yes counting calories really works. I liked it cause you can still eat whatever you want as long as you factor it into your day and don't go over your limit. I also would drink slimfast, eat lean cuisines, weight watchers frozen meals or the light progresso soups to help take a lot of the guess work out of counting my calories. I also ate every 2 hours to keep from every feeling too hungry. Here is an example of my daily eating habits.

Breakfast-slimfast 190 calories

Snack-yogurt, 2 hard boiled eggs or granola bar around 140 calories

lunch-slimfast 190 calories, lean cuisine around 300 calories or a whole can of soup around 100 calories. With a diet pop 0 calories.

Snack-nuts, granola bar 140 calories

dinner-whatever I felt like making around 600 calories

Snack-weight watchers ice cream 120 calories.
I also drink water all day long to keep me hydrated.

Daily total if you have the 2 slimfast is 1380 calories, about 1290 calories is you have the soup and 1490 calories if you have the lean cuisine for lunch. So again if you eat similar to this you will lose the rest of your weight. Good luck!

As a personal trainer, I do not believe in dieting.
Make sure you get 5-9 servings of vegetables or fruits and only good lean protein, along with plenty of water.
Cut out any empty calories.
I do have a weight management program if you are interested. It is the same one Brad Lamm (from Dr. Oz) recommends. His book, Just Lose 10 is very good. And you can get online support from him.
Try to get some exercise.
Good luck and God bless,
Victoria

SOunds like you are doing great! unfortunately weight loss doesn't happen over night. One thing I would strongly advise is to watch your carbs. At least for a couple of weeks try to eat 60 - 80 grams a day. This will mean no fruit also. And definitely no white sugar/bread/pasta. and look at whole wheat carbs as a side to be used sparingly. The more I learn about carbs the more I realize how bad CAN be and how much they come into play with weight. IF you have a minute you should google it and get the chemistry behind it-its quite interesting and makes perfect sense. South Beach is a great low carb plan if you want to try it. I never do the induction phase because it is too spartan. The middle phase is a good place to start.

Ok, here is my advice as this worked for my MIL and hubbies side (I have health issues that make gain weight an issue so not my issue). She eats ever 2 hours she is awake. She always starts with one or 2 ounces of cheese, meat or other protein and waits 5 minutes for her tummy to settle and it she is still hunger, eats more (though not always protein). She also has the rule that she "diets" on the weekdays and Sat. and is allowed to splurge on Sunday. Want some high cal, really bad for you food, eat it on one day a week though that isn't to say she eats the whole gallon if ice cream, more like she allows herself to eat a scoop or 2.