OK, I have a question for all of you ladies out there! What is your best advice for losing those pregnancy pounds (or any pounds, for that matter)? I've been talking with other post-partum friends and also some other ladies recently, and the topic of weight loss has come up. I have about 27 lbs that I want to lose (this is my long-term goal), which would bring me back to my pre-Sam weight. I need to lose about 14 lbs. to get back to my pre-Josiah weight, and about 17 lbs. to get back to my pre-Julia weight. Confused yet? Let's just say that I'd love to lose at least 10 lbs. for starters, LOL. :D I recently added a weight loss ticker at the bottom of the blog, to help me track my progress and hopefully give me some motivation, since I know other people can see how I'm doing. :)
Now, I know nursing is supposed to help burn calories (and I'm sure it does), but it is not helping me lose the weight very quickly. So I know I need to cut out some junk and add in some healthier things, plus work on upping the water intake and exercise. Here are some things I'm hoping to put into practice: drinking at least 3 full bottles of water each day (total of 66 oz.), Pilates or some other exercise at least 3 times a week, no sweets except on weekends, healthier snacks (fruit, muffins, crackers, etc.), no eating after 7 pm except possibly on weekends.
What do you all think? Am I on the right track here? Please weigh in (hee hee) with your tips and advice. It would be nice to know what helps others and that I'm not alone in the journey! :)
Thanks!
9 comments:
OK, somehow I lost all 40 lbs of my preggo weight in 4 1/5 months. However, since we moved, I've gained 10. I know what my issue is: snacking on junk. I do fine if I eat scheduled meals and only fruit/veggies as snacks, plus get some regular exercise like walks with the stroller. It's when I sit down with the cheese & crackers or a PBJ that I get myself into tighter & tighter clothes :)
As much as I hate to admit it, I guess I have to- the ol' teenage athlete's metabolism is long gone for me!
BTW, I love, love, love the apron. For that matter, so does my son- he touched it and was like "Oohhh!" when I put it on. Too cute! Thanks again Carrie!
What helps me is to:
- eat nothing after 7pm
- only eat at mealtimes
- drink at least 96 ounces of water per day (or about 1.5x the "recommended" daily amount)
- walk for around 10 - 15 minutes per day (I do laps around the kitchen/dining room with the children screaming and yelling as they tear along behind - they think it's a lot of fun!)
- drink two cups of green or oolong tea each day
When I stick to this 'diet plan' I lose weight. however, it does take a long time to lose anything noticeable. I was averaging around 1 - 2 pounds every week/ week and a half. But that weight was staying off and although I haven't been doing much lately, it hasn't piled on again.
I am curious to see what others say! With Aaron, I gained 21 pounds during the pregnancy and while I was nursing the pounds would NOT go away despite 17 months of careful scrutiny of my food intake and regular 3+ times a week of exercise!! As soon as he weaned, 13 pounds were gone in a matter of 2 weeks. The weirdest thing I've ever had happen. I hope it is not the same for you, because it's awfully hard to say no to things like ice cream when it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. I'm hoping that this time around, a natural delivery and quicker recovery will jump start the weight loss. But I'll let you know...
Carrie, I can't speak from the post-baby perspective, but weight loss/managment is such the life long thing. What seems to work for me is as much physical activity I can pack into each day. I try to do some form of exercise daily (even Sundays). It helps me function better on so many levels. Then I also try to eat really moderately with as much variety as possible - packing in the veggies more even than fruit. And finding accountability or workout partners is helpful. Plus if you can find a goal - like a 5k race (which lots of people walk instead of run) to work towards, that can be a great incentive. My prayers are with you, friend! ;-)
I'm having the same problem. I'd LOVE to get back to where I was before George, but that is a dream. LOL! I was a size 2. My waist was so tiny that Nathan could almost circle his hands all the way around it. THose days are BYE-BYE!
My problem is the snacking. I have cut back on it, but I think I need to just eliminate it all together. When I do do my pilates dvd, I do lose weight, but it is so hard to stay consistent. I have switched to skim milk. I drink a lot of milk, so I think that that has helped.
My sister says that she loses a lot of weight as soon as she finishes breastfeeding.
About the water intake. There was a report a few months ago that that much water(8 glasses) wasn't necessary. They said to just drink when you are thirsty (I wonder how much that study cost?). However, if I'm craving something, I will drink a glass of water and that will sometimes do the trick.
Good luck.
Hey, girl, I'm right with you! I find that I have NO extra time or energy to exercise now that I have two little ones underfoot. I've been doing tricep lifts in the shower with shampoo bottles, going for more walks, and doing crunches before bed. More power to you!
Truthfully, the most manageable weight loss plan for me is to follow Weight Watchers Point System. I think you can get the books for $10, and going it on your own is not difficult to follow. They also allow for extra points for nursing mothers. Then you can go a couple of weeks and if you are not losing weight simply reduce the number of points you consume.
Joanna mentioned the green and oolong tea, and I just want to echo that both of those teas (especially oolong) are great for weight loss.
I just wanted to thank you for your encouraging comment on my site. I wanted to let you know that I've decided to keep the blog up, one way or another! So I'd love to have you come visit Handprints On The Wall again soon! Thanks so much for your support!!
Hey Carrie -
I would suggest:
1) Snacking on nuts, seeds and veggies instead of carbs. You can always add some tuna, low-fat (Cabot) cheese, hard-cooked eggs or nut butter to the equation to add more protein to your diet. This will help to curb hunger and keep your blood sugar from skyrocketing. Fruit is great too but it has sugars in it that will cause a rise in blood sugar that most veggies won't. Snacking is actually a GOOD thing as long as you choose healthy options.
2) As much as possible, avoid or cut waaay back on white flour, refined sugar, potatoes, white rice and pastas. These things may taste good but they are as bad or worse for your blood sugar as a candy bar! I still eat these things but I have a small portion instead of making it my main meal. I bulk up on pinto beans (love them!), greens, salads and protein. That way, I'm not depriving myself entirely of what I enjoy and I LOVE potatoes!! :)
3) Recognize what your "trigger" foods are. I don't buy junk food or bake much anymore because if it's in the house, I will eat it. I've found that a a homemade fruit bar, yogurt, fresh fruit, a small piece of dark chocolate or graham crackers will satisfy my "sweets" craving. If having sweets only on the weekends works for you - GREAT! I like a little something sweet each day, I just have to choose healthier options.
4) I don't worry about WHEN I eat, I worry about WHAT I eat. Perhaps a food journal detailing every morsel that you eat will indicate where the hidden culprits are. I eat 4-6 times a day, I just make sure that my snacks are healthy. I also eat smaller meals and try to listen to my "full" signal. It just doesn't make sense to NOT eat when your stomach is growling. It's about recognizing the difference between needing to eat and wanting to eat.
5) Be educated on what a serving size is. I'm always amazed at how much a serving size really is! I used to weigh everything or count out my servings and would end up surprised at how much smaller it would be than I would have guessed.
6) Recognize what situations or scenarios prompt you to eat high fat foods. For me, it's going out to eat. I love food and going out is such a treat that I will often give little thought to what I order. It's okay to indulge once in a while:). I just can't eat like that ALL of the time or I'd be in trouble! It's good to allow and plan a treat for yourself every now and then, knowing that you'll get back on track right away.
7) Exercise coupled with eating right should produce a healthy weight loss in most people. There are those who have other issues that make it tricky to lose weight but often, it's about putting down the fork and getting some good ol' exercise in. Get the kids involved and dance around the room to some silly songs:). We're all crazy busy these days but exercise is important. Every little bit helps.
8) Experiment to find what works for you. I HATE going to a gym but will happily work out on my Total Gym or go on a power walk. I will do DVD's sometimes but I end up bored.
9) Set reasonable goals. I know of someone who tried to go from eating junk and not exercising to eating tree bark and working out for an hour 6 days a week!! Needless to say, she fell off of the wagon shortly after she set these goals up. Be realistic and keep track of your progress.
I know that this is infinitely long but this topic is a great one to discuss. I hope that you find what works for you. I'm right there with you! I have 10 more lbs. to go before I reach my pre-pregnancy weight:).
Post a Comment