Before children I was always very thin...of course, I was active, too, with work. I am 5'4", and was always around 110. With baby number one (who is almost six) I gained 60 lbs during pregnancy, went back to 150 after birth, then when she was about 4 the weight (well, most of it) just all fell off, so I was about 125. I was happy with that. Then, baby number two. I suppose I put on less weight with her, but still ended up at 170...exactly where I was with number one.
Here's the problem...this time, I am nursing, and I am not losing ANY weight...as a matter of fact, even though I am not GAINING weight, I am gaining inches around the mid section!! In fact, my prego pants don't even fit...can't get the button even close to the hole. What the heck is this? I am not sedentary (of course, it's winter in MN, so I'm not very active, either).
So, I'm investigation options. Obviously with nursing I don't want to "diet" but has anyone had any success with a high protein low carb thing? Baby is allergic to milk, so anything dairy is out...what are some good high protein snacks? I have such a sweet tooth, I can't figure out what to eat that will be good for me!!
But it's weird...I've always eaten the same things (meals are generally healthy and well-balanced), I don't snack all day...could this be something else? Anyone else have this problem after pregnancy?
BTW, baby is nine months old. I would've expected to lose something by now...not a single pound.
***EDIT*** I better not be pregnant!! :) I am exclusively breastfeeding (although she's been on solids for many months) and also using Depo. But I had that same very scary thought.
***I guess I wasn't clear. I do not eat fried foods...ever...and my bread is 100% whole grain (maybe two slices every other day) and I don't tend to overdo high-fructose corn syrup products. This is what I mean...I eat whole grain cereal with rice milk for breakfast, usually tuna salad, or leftovers for lunch, and dinner is always lean meat, veggies, fruits, etc and rice maybe twice a week. Muffins twice a month. I drink decaf coffee and about 2.5 liters of water a day...that's it. Oh, I snack on sweet stuff...that's probably it, but who knows, those only add up to about 300 calories a day. There are a lot of reasons why I can't understand why I keep getting bigger...although, again, haven't gained or lost a pound.
it's very possibly the depo shot you're taking for birth control. That is one of the main side effects of the shot. I was on it for a year after my first son and gained around 40-50 pounds. Everyone I know that's been on the shot has gained an excessive amount of weight. You might want to consider another form of birth control.
After I had my youngest I lost all my baby weight after about 2 months then started the depo shot around month 3. I started gaining a lot of weight right after that. I was eating right, exercising, walked everywhere (3miles to the grocery store for bread) and I still gained weight. I was on the shot for about a year and I gained about 60 lbs. When I got off it was so hard to lose the weight. It wasn't until this past summer that I started losing the weight. I have only lost about 25 lbs of that weight but its better than nothing and I plan on starting the gym soon.
I would make an appt. to see your doctor to have your thyroid and hormone levels checked. It's hard with a new baby and the weather we've been having here this winter, but exercise is important too.
Hey I saw you were on the depo shot and I'm not sure if it was this post or your other one, but I have a friend who mysteriously and rapidly gained 30 lbs in a short period of time after starting the shot. I would definitely consider the shot as the culprit. You should be losing weight a little at a time and definitely not gaining inches around your middle while nursing! I was thin before DD! too and gained 60 lbs and lost all but the last 10 without dieting. It did take me a year though. I think it's the shot.
Hi5 shakes have helped me! Chocolate flavored, full of protein and only 56 calories. Love them!
Yes, you can get pregnant while on depo and when breastfeeding. Even though you are exclusively breastfeeding, now that your baby is on solids your milk demands are different and you are likely showing signs of fertility. Depo is not 100%. No birth control is 100%!
I would go to your doctor and get some blood test drawn. I would have your thyroid levels checked. If everything comes back normal, then I would start exercising and doing some core strengthening. Just exercise alone with help trim up that belly. Keep eating healthy. Watch your white flour and processed foods. Those turn to sugar then fat in your body.
When I got preg with my first I gained 30 and never lost a pound not even when I gave birth. A week before my sons first bday I got preg with my 2nd and gained another 30 pounds. Months later still hadn't lost a pound! I was so disgusted with myself! I was so depressed and got sick of looking in a mirror. My hubby has always thought I was beautiful and I actually was insulted that he could be attracted to me. I finally gave myself an ultimatum. Either be happy at my weight and buy all new clothes that fit and never think about it again or lose weight. I decided to lose weight. At first I got a weight loss pill (phentermine) which helped me change my habits but then realized I didn't need it. I switched to all wheat, drank TONS of water, counted calories and increased my fiber intake. I lost 70 pounds in 8 months. I have a plastic cup with a straw that holds 20 oz of water that I use. I drink more with it, I think bc it has a big straw. I drink at least 120 oz of water a day and normally crave it! I buy smart choice meals for lunch bc they are so quick and easy and alot of them are super yummy (steamed chicken and brocolli and marinara is my fav!) for b-fast I eat a granola bar, they are 100 calories. Dinner I would normally eat what Ive always eaten just more veggies and less of the main portion. Ive learned that when you wake up and you feel hungry, you normally just need water. Being dehydrated makes you feel hungry so I drink at least 40oz of water before any meal and it makes me eat a ton less. Before I would have 6000+ calories a day! I had never worried about calories. I was literally shocked when I added up my normal day!! I went down to about 1500 a day and filled my tummy with more water. My body felt great! Watching my calories has been so easy and has completely changed my life. Im so excited about my new knowledge and weight loss I want to tell everyone I meet! I was so addicted to food before. I honestly thought I could never give up sweets, sodas, pasta. I loved it too much. Now I eat them when I want but I don't want them very often! Look up how many calories you should have a day while BFing, choose healthy choices and you can eat more! For example, grilled chicken is about 120 calories compared to eating 3 slices of frozen pizza being 400 calories. You could eat 3 chicken breast and still get less calories then a few slices of pizza!! You can eat tons of low calorie foods and be full all day!!
By all means, start cutting out the refined sugars and flours. I have a major sweet tooth as well. The more sweets I eat, the more I crave! The best thing for me is to cut them out. Fill up instead on produce, protein, lots and lots of water. I find that when I eat lots of veggies and fruits and cut out the processed foods, my belly deflates, even if I am eating the same amount of calories.
If your baby is allergic to milk, almond milk might be something you would like. It is yummy and low calorie, and lactose free. To curb my sweet cravings, I like to eat sweet potatoes (especially baked and topped with some cinnamon and a bit of agave nectar or honey) or a banana, topped again with cinnamon, agave nectar or honey, and sunflower seeds. Or dehydrated apples. I also really like fruit smoothies.
Lastly, I think it gets harder to lose weight after baby #2! You may have to work harder than you did after baby 1. I would suggest writing down everything you eat and see if you are eating way more calories than you are burning. I know a lot of times I will think I am eating reasonably and then I will add up my calories and have eaten 2-3X more than I should have!
are you sure your not pregnant?
Welcome to motherhood :). Some of us just don't have the good fortune of a personal trainer and/or genetics...you aren't pregnant...you are normal.
I agree with MB - I have heard of people gaining weight on the Depo shot. Maybe change your birth control for now and see what happens. The only other thing I can suggest is adding in some cardio.
Good for you for wanting to make changes! You have already made some good ones.
You really need to have protein for breakfast.
A week of detox would be great - nothing "fancy" and elaborate that keeps you in the bathroom. Send me a message if you'd like more info. Yes, you would have to cut out all rice and all sweets. 300 calories of sweets is NOT the same as 300 calories of protein and fiber.
I have DELICIOUS protein shakes for breakfast that are designed for us to keep muscle and therefore lose FAT, especially around the middle. They have 24 g of protein!!!
I am 10 lbs lighter than a year ago, and it hasn't involved "dieting", so to speak.
Muscle = metabolism. You want your metabolism going strong all day, especially starting in the morning.
Adding strength-training, a little at a time speeds up the process.
Send me an email if you are interested in more info - I don't want to spam anyone.
You can do this! :)
I know others have said this, but Depo was a killer for me personally. I worked out 5 days a week and couldn't lose a pound, I actually gained!!! Also, I had my thyroid tested and found I had Hypothyroidism (overactive thyroid) which also causes weight gain by affecting metabolism. I've gone off Depo and gotten on Thyroid meds in the last few weeks and already stopped gaining weight and seem to be even losing a little even though I'm not back on my workout routine yet. So try the Ortho Evra patch instead of Depo maybe and get your thyroid tested if you can.
Arbonne just lost a 30 day get fit kit. The products DO NOT have high fructose corn syrup, addes sugars or fillers etc. They are all healthy all Natural products. I am sending you a PM with my contact info. People are seeing results with this. It sounds like you eat pretty healthy and are aware of and avoid things that aren't healthy this program might just be a fit for you.
I have the same problem and my youngets is going to turn 2 soon. I feel I eat pretty healthily, etc. no major soda habit or anything like that.
I would suggest keeping a food diary, I started doing that on SparkPeople.com ( you cna add the foods and wuantities you eat every day and it will calculate your calories for you - it is free too) and realized how much those little sweet snacks are adding up, and measure everything you eat, at least while you keep the food diary for a week or so. It will give you a more realistic picture. I know I tend to keep eating like I did when pregnant, I think, and although nursing doesn burn extra calories, they decrease with the baby's age and decrease when baby starts eating solids, which yours peobably does, now. But we adults get in a habit/rut and keep doing the same things on auto pilot.
I am trying to downsize portions, and eat 5 times a day in very small portions, compared to 3 regular sized meals a day. It is hard, but I have lost 6 pounds in 2 weeks, from 180 to 174 and I am 5'2". I did lose a little while nursing, down to 160 ish, but it got harder, actually after I stopped nursing, I started gaining weight, and leveled off at where I was at the 8th month of both pregnancies. ;-( SO be prepared to have to cut out a decent amount of calories just to maintain weight when you stop nursing, and even more to drop weight - I also am in the blizzard bound North central IL, and we bought a treadmill, because though I feel I do alot of stairs and lifting with 2 toddlers, I am definitely not active enough. I am starting to walk the treadmill for 30 minutes every other day, and will work my way up to more, so I don't over do it and burn out and quit.
Good Luck,
It is along haul, but we need to get healthy for our kids!
Jessie
Good Luck....
It's most likely te depo shot! I know so many people who gained LOTS of weight from it. Keep in mind, once you go off it, it will still be in your system for month. Just keep eating healthy and doing your best and you will eventually see the wieght come off. Good luck!
You eat a lot of what puts weight on!!!
Seriously.
To lose weight, you need to exercise for at least 30 min a day for 4 -5 days a week. The more high fructose corn syrup and white bread products you put into your body, the hungrier you will be. Google "high fructose corn syrup" and see what you get.....
Go 100% whole wheat and every carb you have should have a min. of 5 g. fiber. More fruit, many more veggies and LEAN protein. Nothing fried. Nada. It makes a big difference.
Hi L.
You do eat fairly well... so the first thing I'd do is find out if you're pregnant.
You might not be eating enough calories to lose-- while breast feeding.. And it sounds like you're NOT getting your protein needs. At 5'4" you need at least 75gm of protein. And likely 1100 calories total plus those burning while nursing- 300? depends on your activity.
You get plenty of water-- you also need 5 minimum servings of fruits and veggies.
So take a look at that. If you lost lean mass while previously 'dieting' after other times, then you'll gain mass but not necessarily weight. And a lb of fat in mass-- is the same as a box of 4 quarters of butter. So-- you have to lose a lot of mass to lose weight. Hope that makes sense. For every lb of lean mass you gain- you burn an extra 110 cal. per day.
Feel free to email me for more info- or just to be on my newsletters--I'm a wellness coach on the side-- do free consultation - and send out informative emails to people who want them. I also coach a nationwide online weight challenge for $$-- we're in our third week of the current one.
Lean proteins-- cottage cheese, yogurt, good bars- not most on market - beans, tofu, light colored meats, healthy nuts, soy ........
Check out the pg test and journal a few days to see what is really going in.
About me: 50 yo perfusionist, coach for challengevictor.com and mom of 9 yo twin girls.
B. J
____@____.com
I had the same problem after my second and third. Weight watchers has the best program out there and they have it for breastfeeding moms, so you can lose weight and still nurse.
