Is anyone trying to lose weight before getting pregnant?

[notasillysausage]

I'm 31, desperate to ttc number 2 but am overweight (bmi 30.1 at the moment). I have lost 26lbs so far but would ideally lose another 2 - 2.5st before we ttc another.

I'm so broody and cross at myself that I have put myself in this position. I have set myself a goal of start of June, but that is 3 months away and not sure I could lose that much weight in that time. But hopefully I will be a lot closer to a healthy weight by then and will continue to diet until I get a bfp.

I don't want to wait much longer as who knows how long it will take (I had 2mcs before my ds).

Is anyone else in a similar position? It would be nice to talk to someone in the same boat

I haven't been that good this week. Slipping into old habits of just grabbing a sandwich for lunch instead of soup/ salad etc. I feel really big too, desperately need to get organised but don't seem to ever get time to do anything for myself. I always have dd with me and ds only goes to nursery for 3 hours. Neither of them nap and by the time I get them both to bed I am shattered and can't be bothered planning/ shopping etc. working 13 hours tomorrow too so no hope of doing it then either.

I have a bit of time off work after tomorrow though so I should be able to start my diet plan and get into more of a routine with meals then. Dh is also busy with exams this week so that should settle down soon too.

Well done to those sticking to it! And a bit of cake now and then is fine, If anything I think it helps you stick to a diet longer as you are not totally depriving yourself of anything.

When is everyone planning to ttc? I am keen to get started but I know I will be unhappy with myself at this weight so I am trying to be sensible and wait a few months. I do a job that means working Christmas though so I am keen to try and work mat leave to give me a Christmas off!

For menu planning, I find it best to use MFP and plan a few days ahead to work out calorie allowances and then stick to that instead of entering as I go. Can you get DH to think about meals using things you already have at home and then work out how to make them better for you?

If you can't eat more healthily, then you need to move more. ;) Those are the options.

It's so hard to prioritise ourselves and our health but long term, that is what's best for your family. Healthy and happy mum.

As for when TTC, for us it will now be at least a three month wait to avoid a Christmas/January baby. If we aim for April/May, then a new baby would be born not long before DS's third birthday.

Sorry everyone, I started the thread and disappeared. I am on holiday this week and it's my little one's birthday so busy with parties and days out. Consequently diet has gone out of the window but I will be back on track come Monday. I have family meals out and an abundance of birthday cake this weekend, it just feels impossible this week!

I will definitely start ttc in June and hope to have a bmi below 30 by then. It would be lovely to be below 25 but I'm not sure it is achievable. I will aim for it though and plan to carry on my diet until I get a bfp and then switch to sensible eating (morning sickness permitting!!)

Can I join this thread? I am trying to lose about 2st before actively trying for no2, though I am not using any contraception now. I'm loosely doing slimming world but it's so slow to come off because I'm doing a bit of a half arsed job! This thread may just be the motivation I need

Welcome, ppandj!

It's hard when there are family celebrations happening - but it seems you are getting a few out of the way in one week, which is handy :)

Hi ppandj more the merrier! When are you planning to ttc?

Kp86 that's true and makes me feel a bit better as there is nothing significant for a while after this week. It's just hard getting back on the wagon after taking a break from the diet but if this isn't a good reason I can't think what is

Had kettlebells class yesterday night. It's so tiring after a full day with DS but I know it will be worth it! I've had a baguette from pound bakery today & im going to nandos later with a friend so overall not good food wise but I've weighed myself & I've lost 11lbs so far! Woo hoo!

I like to treat myself to a meal out a week as long as I don't ruin it & have mountains of chocolate & crisps along side it I tend to be ok. I also try to pick something a little healthier off the menu, it's easier for me to do that then cutting out eating out altogether as hate depriving myself!

Thanks for the welcome!

I think we will actively "try" in June/July, then baby would be due just before DS's 2nd birthday. We conceived DS pretty quickly last time but don't get much chance to DTD these days! Plus I am still bfing and haven't had a period yet. So we'll see, best laid plans etc.

OP I think planning makes all the difference! You'll get back on track and be fine. Think we all have blips.

Do any of you do a food diary?

I use My Fitness Pal.

Welcome ppandj. We're looking to ttc in June / July as well. I'd like to start sooner but we have a holiday booked for April and its my birthday in January & my husbands in February so we'd prefer to wait until after. We also wouldn't want our kiddie to have a birthday around Christmas so June / July it is :)

Slipped into old bad habits today but going to get right back on it tomorrow.

I managed to stick to my 1000cal limit today very easily. I felt nauseous this morning, not sure if that was still a sugar after-effect, but almost back to normal tonight.

I had a pretty lazy day with DS, so no proper exercise. Maybe tomorrow (ha!)

Wow KP86, 1000 cals is not a lot well done! I couldn't do that! I think I'm just putting a bit too much pressure on myself which is making me rebel if that makes sense so I'm just going to chill out & not be so hard on myself.

1000 isn't much, I agree but I'm only cutting back until Sunday to make up for my sugar-filled day yesterday. After that it will be back to 1500.

I wasn't hungry today until dinner time at 6:30pm. My tummy is still not 100%, so I think that's why.

I eat when I'm hungry and I'm not writing it down (although it has worked in the past for me so it is useful but I'm trying not to this time round as I figure I can't do it for the rest of my life!).
I weigh in on Saturdays so I'll try and be extra good today after the blowout yesterday!
Tiredness is really not helping here though, I crave chocolate when I'm tired but the little one has me up during the night 😴 Oh I wish I could book a hotel for myself for one night!!

KP86 well done for sticking to it! I am terrible I'd never be able to stick to that. How often are you weighing?

Cestlavie you have my sympathies about the tired eating! I find it so much harder to stay focused when I'm craving stodge or sugar.

I weigh too often, eek! Maybe every couple of days. But I'm only tracking in the app every week.

It is nice to see the scales go down, albeit a bit at a time.

I use a food diary, soon weight watchers propoints as I have lost weight on this before.

I have been weighing too much, I'm going to try and just weigh once a week so I'm not disappointed if the scales fluctuate during the week!

Right well I have had 3 weeks off, eating whatever I wanted, but have been weighed today. 2lbs gained in the 3 weeks. Before that I had lost 2 stone. Back on the wagon now!

Back on the bandwagon ppandj! Two stones is a great achievement, keep it up :)

Tracking last night's dinner was a pretty big wake up call. I didn't have much food throughout the day (working in a cafe so busy and didn't feel like eating much while surrounded by the stuff) and planned a fairly calorific dinner of hamburgers without the buns. Granted, I had all of the trimmings like cheese, bacon and egg (as I said, trying to up calories) but it still amazed me that it was almost 1000 cal for that meal - WITHOUT THE BUN! Pre-'diet', we would have had two burgers each, without bacon and egg, and it would have easily been more calories than last night. Plus I would have had a glass or two of wine to to with it. Is it any wonder DH and I need to lose 30+kg each?

I ended up having close to 1500cal yesterday, but I count work as low-intensity exercise so it came down to 500 after exercise. One more day of 1000 cap and from tomorrow back to normal.

Today is going to be a fairly quiet day, but I will make time to go for a walk or similar. I feel so much better having exercised and it will definitely be better for me when I'm eventually pregnant again.

BTW, does anyone here have any experience with PCOS? I had a mild case, but it seems since periods have returned after DS was born they have been fairly regular at 5-6w, which is great. I even get fairly obvious cervical mucus some months. But how do you know if you are actually ovulating? I assumed that if you bled that meant you ovulated, however I've read that it's not always the case.

Hello!
Hope you don't mind me joining.
We need to TTC no. 2. DS1 is 2.8 now.
I am 12.5stone. & bmi is just under 30 so almost obese!
All my weight is round my middle and i have PCOS both of which put me at risk of gestational diabetes and later, diabetes.
Really want to get my weight down before we conceive and feeling the pressure now as I am 35 next year and feel my DS is more than ready for a sibling!
But I am finding it really hard to get myself in a routine of exercise and healthy eating!

KP86 my periods have returned and are more regular since I had a baby. Previously had much longer cycles and when i did conceive it was much later around day 20/21.
It sounds like you are most likely ovulating as you are regular and have the right signs! You can have blood tests to confirm this quite easily if you have a good GP.

ppandj wow 2 stone that's amazing! Well done! Definitely jump back on the wagon while you've only put 3lb on, I lost 4 stone a couple of years ago & then put 2 back on & then got preggers so I'm just as heavy as I was then!

KP I find it amazing how many calories are in foods compared to how long it takes to burn it off. My trainer told me to buy a book Lean in 15 as it apparently has loads of great recipes so I'm going to get it when we move house. DP is currently the cook but he puts oil in EVERYTHING (isn't remotely overweight - bastard ) & i want to start cooking healthier food for myself.

Lou I felt unmotivated until we had a chat & set our date for ttc. Once the month has been set (August) I know now if I lose just 1lb a week I'll have a BMI of 27.7 & if I manage 2lb a week it will be 23.7! So I'm aiming for 1-2 off a week which is doable really & I will hopefully continue into the early stages of pregnancy (if I can stomach it) & be in the 'normal' range at booking in. Had a slightly traumatic labour in the labour ward (couldn't go to the midwifery led unit due to high bp/etc) so really want to be as fit as possibly for DC2 so I give myself the best chance. 40 hours is a long time for a fit person, never mind being overweight!

Has anyone tried those pee sticks off Amazon for tracking fertility? DS was a 'surprise' baby so never had the issue of ttc & I'm worried it's going to take ages because I'll be concentrating on it if you know what I mean!

I put on between 4 and 5 stone while pregnant after losing 3 stone in Weightwatchers a few years ago. I was so, so cross with myself! I just used pregnancy as a bit of an excuse to indulge and I wasn't doing nearly as much exercise! Plus I was in a different job which was emotionally taxing but office-based so I just piled it on through comfort eating at my desk. Lesson well and truly learned for next time!

Cestlavie93 I wondered about doing some tests, too. I didn't monitor dates before but I am totally unsure of my cycle and not sure if I am even ovulating at the moment due to breastfeeding! Let me know how you get on if you get some?

I've had an ok day eating wise. Had a roast dinner and tried to do roast potatoes in my airfryer. They were OK considering how much less fat was in there but not great. Does anyone have one of these gadgets and have any tips?

How are you all doing? Hi loumac

I gained 25kg while pregnant with DS, after losing 35 about a year before I pregnant. I had already gained about 10kg back pre-pregnancy so actually ended up heavier than ever before :( The 15kg of baby/fluid disappeared pretty quickly (within a month) but the non-baby 10kg from poor pregnancy diet and exercise stuck around, and was added to!

I've yoyo-ed, going up 5kg, getting strict and going down a few, then the last four months up another 9kg but now on my way back down. I know how and why... eat too much, lots of junk and sitting on my arse all day.

Pretty good day today, we wandered around the shops for an hour, and balancing that off I still stuck to my 1000cal for the day including eating some nandos (chicken breast and haloumi) for lunch.

I'm going to look into a gym tomorrow. I've found a local that is £23/month no contract, and I'll be able to go in the evenings when DH gets home from work. Last time I lost a lot back in 2012 I think the exercise really, really helped. When I am fitter I am happier, eat better and am more incidentally active. Less sitting around!

PS. Welcome, louthemac!

Cestlavie yes I bought the pee sticks from Amazon it was a combined set of ovulation and pregnancy tests and the ovulation test worked really well for me. It helps if you get a faint line to keep it and then you can track it getting darker over the days leading up to your LH surge. Ppandj you might want to try these if you have a long cycle? I don't love using them as I think it's better to just have regular sex and try not to obsess but the reality of our sex life post baby is we need all the help we can get!!

I also want to prevent another complicated birth, really want a VBAC next time and if I had my way it would be at home. Having high BMI or worse developing gestational diabetes is not going to go in my favour!

Thank you KP :) you seem really committed to your diet! Have you tried just LCHF without the calorie restriction? Just that is usually works for me and I don't even think about the calories. You go into ketosis and burn fat that way regardless.

I have been pondering weight loss strategies and making excuses left, right & centre. I have done every diet over the years. Considering 5:2 - has anyone done this? I have dabbled and got horrendous headaches but may need to persevere. I also need to dig out the Fitbit and get down the gym!

Oh god the thought of getting pregnant and being even heavier than I am now after does not bare thinking about!!
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