Advice with weight loss after having a baby?
I gained a lot of weight while pregnant. I am 5'7" and went from weighing 135 to now weighing 180 lbs. eight weeks after the birth of my son. Ever since we came home from hospital I have been watching what I eat (1200 calories most days with two days per week at about 1500 calories) and drinking lots of water. I take vitamins and fish oil, gave up soda and sweet tea and I have also started doing the "Walk Away the Pounds 4 Mile Express" DVD when my son is asleep.
Am I on the right track? I am depressed about my size and want the rest of this weight off now! It's not coming off fast enough, I am only losing about 1/2 lbs. per week. What else can I do?
p.s... I know it's my own fault for gaining so much weight while pregnant - most foods made me sick and I could only keep down macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and peanut butter. Not exactly the picture of good health! Thanks for your help.
I am no longer breastfeeding.
September 30th, 2010 - 16:11
Do you have, or can you get a used jogging stroller. It would be fun for baby, and good for you, If that’s too much, use a regular stroller, and walk quickly with baby. You’ll be out of the house, and away from junk food temptation. If there is a nearby park, stop there to rest. You may run into other new moms with the same problems, and talking with others can help the loneliness of new motherhood. You should be able to lose about two pounds a week. Make sure that those 1200-1500 calories include three or four vegetables and two fruits per day, and stay away from the fat stuff.
September 30th, 2010 - 16:11
Dont be so hard on yourself. If you are breast feeding the pounds ought to come off quickly.
September 30th, 2010 - 16:11
Run everyday. I used to hate running, but I do it everyday. Things to help: run with a friend, play tag with a bunch of people in your neighborhood, run different routes (beach, your neighborhood, trails, etc.). THe hard part about running is it is definitely not fun but once you do it for about 2 or 3 weeks (5-6 days a week) you start getting in shape, and you don’t get tired. In fact, you’ll be surprised when you FEEL like running or you get cranky when you don’t. It’s called a runner’s high. When you exercise you release chemicals called endorphins which make you happy.
Another part of losing fat is eating healthy, but eating enough food! If you don’t eat enough, your body goes into starvation mode and your body holds onto as much fat as it can. So if youre hungry, eat!!!
And don’t weigh yourself. When you first start exercising (running or whatever), you gain weight because you’re gaining muscle. So judge how you’re doing by how your clothes fit. Numbers don’t mean anything! And remember it takes about 2 weeks to see a difference. You’ll get discouraged because you won’t see results right away, but trust me, do you ever see overweight runners?
Buy a running stroller for your baby. My nephews loved it when they were younger.