Losing weight post birth - notes in brief please!

[Carriel]

Hi there

Having spent the last day or so trying to edit the collective losing weight threads - and there are many - down from well over 80,000 (literally) words to around 1000 I've finally admitted defeat (and gone on a diet but that's another story..) Weight loss - the trials and tribulations is obviously a mumsnet speciality, but what I really want to know is what really worked (or didn't work) for you - all your top diet tips and suggestions - what you wish someone had told you. It's to go in the mumsnet book (anyone unfamiliar with this concept see www.mumsnet.com/s/Talk?topicid=9&threadid=1365&stamp=020517153121 -) It's not often we complain that we've too much material, but in this case it's true! So apologies if you feel you're repeating yourself, but if I keep on ploughing through the existing threads I'll be a year late for our deadline (rather than the month behind I am already.....)
All help appreciated. Carrie

Everyone says that you'll lose weight if you breastfeed, but that wasn't the case with me. I didn't lose my post-baby weight until I had given up breastfeeding, then it all seemed to come off quite easily.

Thanks enid
I'll add that to some of the other common sense stuff I got from you before I gave up the trawl. Your comments - copied below are just the sort of thing I'm looking for: You wrote....
Last year lost pounds by having porridge for breakfast, beans on toast (no butter) for lunch and something from the Good Housekeeping Low fat cookbook for supper. Oh and no alcohol. I managed to shift a stone and a half (stubborn pre pregnancy fat - am I the only person who put ON weight while bfeeding??) over about four months. Just used common sense really, it was supposed to be low fat - porridge with water and a spoonful of maple syrup (nigella's suggestion!) and beans or egg on toast. No snacks except twiglets and the occasional muffin with jam (no butter).

I did exercise quite a bit with a yoga video and long walks with the buggy.
Glad to hear teh weight stayed off!

I lost 2.5 stone after having dd by going on an ultra-low fat diet (Rosemary Conley) and signing up for a charity cycle ride from London to Paris. Once I'd told everyone I was going to do it, and had paid my registration fee, I had to - and that gave me the motivation to get out and take plenty of exercise. I started when dd was 5 months old - I was still breastfeeding her, but she had started taking solids (I thought that if the diet etc affected my milk supply at all she would still be getting plenty of calories).

Oh yes, they are my little words of wisdom. Looking forward to doing it all again after baby no 2 arrives in October

my advice: don't try until you've finished breast feeding. Then, cut down on all carbs (none if poss.), fruit for breakfast, salad with cheese/ tuna etc for lunch & meat / fish & veg (no potatoes) for dinner. As much exercise as poss. I lost 10lb in four weeks so far.

My not very helpful tip is dont put on excessive weight in pregnancy, then there wont be so much to lose afterwards. I only put on 1.5stones with my 2nd pg (2.5 with my first) and was back in my normal clothes after a couple of weeks, no effort. And thats despite eating a galaxy bar a day plus a huge wodge of cambazola cheese in a sandwich in between my 3 main meals!!

Remember to stop eating so much when you stop or cut down on breastfeeds! I was relatively happy with my weight when fully breatfeeding- the babies seemed to be absorbing all the extra calories I was shovelling in- but larded up like billyoh once weaning began.

I just can't get on with diets and loathe the gym, so all I did was banish all the chocs, cakes, crisps etc. from the house, (HUGE willpower involved here!), switched to low fat or fat free dairy products and salad dressings etc, just a scrape of spread on toast and walked, walked, walked everywhere with the buggy.

I gained 45 pounds during my first pregnancy. I was very thin before I started. I lost some of it soon after the birth (25 lbs), but the rest didn't come off until after I stopped breastfeeding and then it came off really quickly and without dieting. I went back to 5 lbs more than my prepregnancy weight which is actually where I wanted to be. However I am pregnant (and fat again) so oh well.

When pregnant my ds I became huge but it just fell off during the first few weeks following the birth - constant bfeeding and sod all sleep! With dd, I looked perfectly normal apart from a discreet bump and so was thrilled. As it turned out she was the most placid baby ever (slept through the night from 8 wks) and by the time she was 6 mo I had put on nearly 2 stone!! The moral of the story is watch those chocolate biscuits and make yourself go for at least a half-hour walk every day from as early on as possible.

I also didn't put on much weight when pg (felt too sick/too full to eat), and found b/feeding helped ? seemed impossible to eat enough! Once I stopped, yes it is important to stop all those extra little snacks. But I also kicked out coffee and alcohol and drink lots of water. And top tip is to keep exercising ? by which i mean not head for the gym (tricky) but rather run upstairs whenever you need to put something away, dance around the living room to the Teletubbies and push that pram! Have gone from pre-pg size 16 to size 10/12 after 2 babies ? it's a new lease of life! ? and am determined to stay that way!

Sorry Carrie, my message should read 'stubborn POST-pregnancy fat', not pre. Ta.

I didn't put on loads of weight either but put on probably about a stone of excess. I was determined not to put too much on because I didn't want the headache of trying to lose it all. I also found I wanted to eat healthily anyway.

It took me 6 months to get back to pre pregnancy size but most of the weight fell off in the first 3 - 4 months and then there was some stubborn stuff.

I found that eating a sensible, well balanced diet with good exercise is what did it for me. I have always found it's really important to have a healthy 'lifestyle' rather than a diet which is often really difficult to maintain because eventually you want to enjoy things you used to like to eat and it's impossible to diet for the rest of your life. I spent years doing this when I was younger and have no cracked a great lifestyle that is easy to maintain.

I eat plenty of fish, chicken vegetables and fruit, pasta and rice and really enjoy eating freshly prepared foods. It's still easy to cook even with a baby I find if I'm organised and cook healthy but quick food.

I don't eat much red meat because it's high in fat and difficult to digest, however do eat some, say once or twice a month.
I find it's most important to eat well during the morning when im hungriest and not eat too late at night. Missing breakfast is not an option because if you do this your body goes into starvation mode and then stores everything you eat after that as fat for energy. This is a classic dieting mistake I used to make. I eat a good breakfast now and I lose weight rather than put it on.

I try not to eat too much high fat food like cheese (although I love this), or high sugar foods like sweets or biscuits but it's important not to totally deprive myself otherwise I feel unhappy and I can't sustain it so everything in moderation, I buy yoghurts for deserts and still eat some fatty foods like crisps but only when we are entertaining or I am going out etc, I don't buy them.

Another thing I have found very successful is cutting down on the amount of carbohydrate I eat with an evening meal. Therefore I tend to fill up on veges and protein and keep the carbs low at night.

The other really important thing is exercise. This is key, I try and go 3 times a week although sometimes its really hard to find the time and / or motivate myself I feel great after.

BTW, I never cut down on the wine ! A girls got to have some pleasures and I think it aids digestion

One thing I forgot. Straight after dd was born I used to go out walking with her everyday for at least an hour in the morning. She would sleep and it was great for both of us. Really helped shed the initial weight when I didn't feel ready to start the gym again.

Each time I stopped breastfeeding, my clothes became noticeably tighter. I estimated I was approx 10 1bs over my pre-pregnance weight.

I didn't diet one iota. Each time my weight returned to its pre-pregnancy level. That's the good news. The bad news? after each baby, it took two years for this to happen.

I went through a very active phase just when my sons hit toddlerhood - surprise, surprise! Running around after them got rid of the excess pounds in no time.

IME, my weight, shape and muscle tone ( what there is of it!!) took at least two years to return.

I believe that the old adage "9 months up, 9 months down" is very true. Don't force your body to lose weight - mine just seemed to want to hang onto that last 1/2 stone until it was ready to let go even though I ate healthily & exercised regularly.
I can also highly recommend Weight Watchers (at home) - I did an 8 week plan when my dd just turned 1yr and lost the last 1/2 stone and another 1/2 stone on top - really works.

Went to Weight Watchers last year then had to stop when I got pregnant. However, I bought all the WW guides (shopping guide and eating out guide) and have now started again on my own (dd's 9m). I count out my points according to the WW booklet I started with and I've also made 2 additional purchases: a portable TV and an exercise bike for the kitchen! It's certainly made it seem not quite such hard work and the WW plan doesn't make you go without. I've lost 6lbs in 2 weeks and feel lots better already...

I'm like many of the others here. I now weigh less than I did before I fell pregnant. It did just fall off.

However, my downfall is that I like a glass of wine or two (not fatty in itself, apparently, but stops fat breakdown or something, so you store it).

So in my own mind, I would still like to lose about half a stone - anyone been able to cut out alchohol completely and lose weight?

Believe me I'm no lush, but was wondering how anyone had the willpower to forgo a little liquid pleasure!!

Monnie, I cut out alcohol (plus meat, just for the hell of it)& ate unlimited veg, rice, pasta, bread, fruit, salad etc - but no dressings at all - and the weight simply disappeared over a few months. I also did a callanetics class (simple, controlled stretching - dunno if it's a bit like pilates??) twice a week.
what's that about breaking down fat? surely the alcohol is just extra calories on top of what you're eating, so you put weight on?
I was thinner than before dd when exclusively breastfeeding, but now could do with losing a couple of stone so maybe I should join you on this. I remember last time it was just sheer willpower which got me through but I wasn't as much of a wine drinker as I am now, I used to just stick to beer.

Monnie, I don't try but just have this deal with myself that 3 glasses of wine = same number of cals burned off when I walk fast for 25 mins or run for 15 so if I drink it I make sure I work it off the next day.

I put on less weight than dd + amniotic etc while pregnant but despite breastfeeding for a year managed to pile weight on afterwards (no, walking to bakers with pram does not mean 3 cream cakes are justified..) and have only just got rid of the excess. Achieved this by mainly following a low-fat eating plan (Rosemary C) plus loads of exercise. I'm now hooked on the exercise and doing the 'Race for Life' soon which keeps me focused - like Azzie I've told everyone what I'm planning to do so can't give up now.

When dd was 7 months old I joined a gym that had a creche. I really enjoyed getting out and doing something for myself while knowing dd was happy playing for an hour without me. It helped my self confidence and I also managed to tone up and lose a bit of weight.

(I am saying this but have actually spent most of the afternoon scoffing biscuits and choc! Must try harder...)

As my bump grew bigger, my arms, legs, face grew thinner...nausea, heartburn, going off absolutely everything except mashed potato, and eventually the fact that although I was hungry, my babes seemed to be taking up my entire stomach, leaving room for just a few mouthfulls at atime, all contributed. A week after the birth I was back in pre-pregnancy jeans, and then as I BF, I grew, and grew, and grew! And I was soooo hungry all the time, I just couldn't diet. Now I'm trying to eat healthily, lots of fruit, veg, nuts, seeds, pulses, lean meat,natural yoghurt, and no sugar, little cheese, pasta, bread. Trying to drink more water...My clothes are feeling looser, but it's a slow process! As Tillysmummy says, a girl needs her pleasures...and wine is good for the heart! as

I'n a Weight Watcher I'm afraid. Couldn't believe how much I could eat when I was b'feeding. Still manage to trough for England a year and 36 llbs later! It's v. expensive though, but I seem to need the public humiliation.

My tip is, don't expect the weight to come of quickly. If it takes a year (like mine did) so what. I knew it would be a long haul and didn't give up, even after the Christmas, Easter, birthday binges (boy did I go for it!)and I still treat myself to some Cadbury's on a Friday.

After first baby I used a rule... for every biscuit or crisp or sweet I ate, I had to throw one away. That drove me nuts because I hate waste. and I just had to eat less junk food.

There are good studies to show that lactating mothers can lose weight by following moderate weight loss diets and taking some exercise, all without affecting the milk supply. I know that Weight Watchers has a diet especially for breastfeeding moms.

2nd baby I just walked everywhere and the weight has fallen off again.

good luck -j