To be fed up at lack of weight loss?

[AlmondFrangipani]

Bit of an offload/hope someone has some suggestions. I had my first baby 8 months ago and I'm struggling to loose the weight...but not for lack of trying!! I've always been slim (size 8) and fitter than average (played competitive sport). I will admit I was starving throughout my pregnancy and gave in to my hunger/cravings. I put on 3.5 stone and 8 months later still have a stone to loose. I'm training for my first Triathalon and despite exercising 4-6 times a week and eating sensibly I am not loosing weight?! I've never had this problem before and I just don't know what to do. AIBU to think I should have shifted this weight by now and to think what the bloody hell do I have to do for it to go? I'm fed up and demoralised, especially as all my other Munmy friends are skinny rakes.

What do you eat on average day?

Start with a food diary, write down what you eat and why, e.g. hunger, thirst, boredom, social situation.

Remember that you "can't out walk your fork", that is, i'ts extremely difficult to create a calorie defecit through exercise, it needs to be done through food input control.

Have you changed shape a bit, wider hips, bigger boobs? If so, 'allow' yourself to weigh more due to your post pregnancy shape.

Don't get obsessive over the scales, just weigh in once a week. You are more than numbers on a dial.

Be kind and loving towards yourself and your body, the body that is amazing and has done this amazing thing - producing your beautiful child.

YANBU but if it was that easy we'd all be slim, so don't be so hard on yourself and celebrate that you have lost most of it with only a bit to go.
Are you incorporating one or two sessions of interval training into your weekly programme? They boost weight loss and your body may be used to the level of endurance CV sessions you do.
Well done for the loss achieved so far.

I agree, interval training is the way forward. You have to 'change it up a bit' so your body doesn't get used to 1 way of exercising and adapt to suit. Food diary & My Fitness Pal is also a good idea. You've lost 2 stone in 8 months, thats an achievement in itself. Dont be too hard on yourself.

Are you breast feeding? Periods returned? I know many people don't lose weight for awhile, just a hormonal thing. It might be a few months before your body gets its normal metabolism back and the weight drops off. Mine did without much effort, about two months after I stopped feeding it just fell off. I think lack of sleep can slow down weight loss too.

Are you taking measurements or just looking at the scales? If you are in training and building back lost muscle tone you might not see it on the scale for a bit longer.

Just hang in there and don't quit.

Thanks for the messages. My DS couldn't breastfeed (agony for 5 weeks before stopping) as he had tongue tie that was undiagnosed for that time then I was too ruined to continue! My periods came back about 4 months ago so can't be a factor. My shape is very different. My boobs are huge and I've lost my waist! Carrying most the excess weight on my tummy and thighs.

I'm using my Fitness Pal and I'm eating about 1,500-1,700 calories a day. I was considering Slimming World as I've heard lots of good things.

I did also wonder about some intervals too. Might try that although I play a lot of netball and you'd think that would help as that is a lot of stop, sprint, stop type of running!

I'm struggling to stay positive and appreciate my body. We would like to try for another baby in the Summer and I'm dreading dealing with my body post baby 2!

Im on slimming world and without doing much exercise apart from a bit of walking and dancing have lost a stone in about 6 weeks. 3 inches gone from my waist and 2 from my hips so far. Highly recommend it!

I was in a very similar position! Was slim, watched everything I ate and exercised loads before getting pregnant. I was starving during pregnancy (in hindsight I think it may have been partly due to calorie restriction before preg) so despite only eating healthy food and going to gym I put on the same amount of weight as you.

First stone came of very easily. Second with some calorie tracking and continued breastfeeding. The last stone I couldn't shift.

I got impatient and dropped my calories further and that certainly didn't help. Weight loss stalled. So I took a little break and then did Atkins. Not the strict induction - they say there is no need if you are not overweight. I ate meat, eggs, green veges in abundance as well as controlled amounts of other vege, summer fruits and berries, nuts, seeds, dairy. It meant I could keep up my cals for breastfeeding. The weight came off quickly and added back the other fruits, pulses and some grains and treats and I've kept the weight off since summer.

You might not be eating enough for all the exercise you're doing. There was a good thread called something like 'Eat more to lose weight' that advocated never eating below you basic metabolic rate and I am a convert.

You could try having a break of calorie restriction. What's the point if you're not losing? Use MFP to track your cals and eat for your basic metabolic rate plus activity. And then start reducing the cals slowly to see what the max is you can eat and lose weight. It might be something like 1800.

How tall are you?

I probably wouldn't loose weight on 1700 calories.

Can you half your carb intake? Breads, potatoes etc. Its protein you need for excersise.

Slimming World didn't really work for me, but I know it can work for others. I found it took trying a few diets to find one that suits me. 5:2 gave me the kick start I needed, and I used MFP to track the 5 days so I wasn't overeating during those days. Now I just use MFP and I find it really helps me avoid the hidden calories that are easy to miss.

2 stone in 8 months is a fabulous weight loss, and maybe you've just hit a bit of a plateau? You'll be gaining muscle as well, with the exercise, so don't forget to take that into consideration.

One last thing on your last post - I found shifting the weight/the body changes after my first DC were really hard, but my pregnancy with dc2 was totally different. I didn't put on any weight except a mahoosive baby bump, and it was much easier to get back to normal after the birth. My body is now much closer to my original body except my cs shelf and smaller boobs than it was after dc1.

You're not eating enough a day for someone who has just had a baby and is in training AND is trying to lose weight. Your body will be able to make all the changes you are expecting of it if you eat a bit more (about 2000 - 2500, depending on your height and build, more if you are tall). Slimmimg World should know this and should have told you that.

In training, you're asking your body to use all the protein you eat to build and maintain muscle, and if your body keeps using up what you eat and it senses it isn't getting enough food, it lays down fat supplies.

I think you should stop weighing yourself.
Use your clothes as a guide.
You have done so well to lose 2 stone after having a baby.
Don't lose sight of that.

Also. How the hell do you have the energy for all that sport?????

You are training hard for a tri on only 1700 or less cals a day! That is not enough. You will end up suppressing your metabolism. How is your training going? Can you not forget the scales for a bit and concentrate on your goal of the tri for a bit?

I have been there, I was very obese after my kids. It took a while but I have lost it all, and more, and not messed up my metabolism. I am nearly in my forties, train hard 6 days a week, eat 2500 cals a day and keep my 5"8 body at 125lbs on that, I prob could eat more if I needed. I also do not restrict any food groups.

I'm only 5ft 2 so I guess an extra stone feels worse to me than someone tall! My clothes are feeling better (although still can't get my fav pre pregnancy jeans past my thighs)! Davina that is really encouraging to hear about your 2nd pregnancy. I guess I'll be running around after a toddler too!

I'm really pushing myself to exercise. Some days I wonder how I do it but the motivation to loose weight is strong!! I also had a reflux baby who didn't sleep for 6 months either!

Your body does change after kids. Two stone is an amazing achievement. Throw your scales away. Train and stop worrying if your 14 pounds heavier its probably muscle.

Have a look at the 5:2 threads, as there are useful links for calculating how much you should be eating given your height / weight / age / level of activity to ensure that you are eating enough to keep your metabolism fired up. There is also info on the effects of different types of fitness training for weight loss.

I also found my second pregnancy completely different to my first - I was back in my jeans 10 days after DS2 arrived (although the I did have to replace the button with a big safety pin).

This is why I think that focussing on weightloss isn't helpful and focusing on healthy choices and control is. The aim is to be fit and healthy, being smaller is side effect of that.

If you are introducing exercise into your lifestyle then it might be worth going on measurements, rather than weight.

I remember my personal trainer from years back saying that when she focused on the scales and neglected her exercise then her clothes told her. She'd still be the same weight but get bigger because her far percentage increased and that made her bigger for being the same weight. If she was tined and maintaining weight she could drop a size.