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postnatal weight loss

342 replies

Bo · 08/06/2001 20:24

Any ideas how to safely shift all that post natal weight? 7 months on after having 2 very close together I am getting fed up with all my bulk, but I'm still breast feeding, so feel I need to be careful, especially as I am very low in iron (at least).

I know I could loose some weight when I stop breastfeeding, but that doesn't help me now! I hate cooking and preparing food, so I can't do anything too complicated. my husband had a fit when I even suggested something along the lines of slimfast. Any words of wisdom gratefully received. (Ireckon I need to shift about 15 Kilos)

OP posts:
Debsb · 26/06/2001 08:53

I lost 4.5 lb last week! That seems a pretty good incentive to stick to it. I'm also wearing the trousers that got shoved to the back of the cupboard as they were too tight round the tops of my legs.

Lizzer · 26/06/2001 09:48

Hi me again! Bo's on her hols for 2 weeks and I'm desparate to get cracking on the weight loss front, we're going to email each other for support so I'm really excited about it all. Actually feeling better 'bout myself in general - think the sunny weather helps, and my weekend away. What I was wondering was has anyone or does anyone know anything about wheat and dairy free diets, or detox plans? I am asking because I feel so run down and bloated at the moment and I was wondering whether to cut these things out to see if it makes a difference to the way I feel ( don't worry I'm not about to turn into Geri Halliwell or anything!)I have heard it can work wonders but don't know of anyone who's had success first hand. It's not so much for the weight loss I'd like to try it but I'm sick of waking up with headaches, having no energy etc and my blood tests came back all negative - what do you think?

Pupuce · 26/06/2001 10:07

My MIL did one of these detox programme - she loved it (matter of speak). I think you need to speak to a nutritionist before embarking on one of these because they might recommend special teas to clean up your system etc.
Generally I limit my consumption of wheat (I am not allergic but I believe that with today's wheat quality... it isn't the best thing for you). I have swapped to spelt or corn pasta. I eat all kinds of breads but all contain NO wheat. And as I don't buy ready-made foods it is very easy to avoid it.

Ems · 26/06/2001 12:55

Lizzer, I can tell you're on a roll now, on a definite weight loss mission. another tip I thought of is write down everything you eat in a day. You'd be amazed how many unecessary things you pop in as you walk through the kitchen! It's a tip also used for overspending isnt it. You can then see a nice pattern emerging, in my case nibbling and biscuits between the hours of 3.30 and 5.30pm. Whereas if I had a banana or a bowl of cereal it would be much better.

A friend of mine followed the new Carol Vorderman detox diet. At the end she was glad she did it, but be prepared to feel very grot at the beginning. Also double check with Dr if you're going to start a diet that does cut out major food groups.

I was like you and had the awful lethargic feeling etc, blood tests came back clear. I think it is the time of year and the life we lead with these little 18month old horrors. I noticed I was drinking ALOT of tea and have stopped. I cant believe I've done it, it was like giving up smoking, cravings and having to do something else at the times I would ususally reach for the kettle etc! Mad but true. It's been a fortnight now, and I do feel better for it. Every health aricle you ever seem to read, always raves about how good it is to drop caffeine and I thought no way, it's my only vice - dont drink, dont smoke, just drink cuploads of the stuff! I had to have a couple of hot ribenas now and then, and now quite like camomile teabags, but now it is so hot, water, water, water.

Finally, another WW tip, start the morning with a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon in, not only does it cleanse the palate (!?!) it clears the skin and takes the edge off of sweet cravings throughout the day. Good luck!

Suew · 26/06/2001 20:58

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

Lizzer · 26/06/2001 21:17

Hi there Ems, Thanks for the tips - I am feeling a lot better about it,thanks I am pleased (sorry, that's the wrong word for it)that I'm not the only one who's felt like this. I thought I was cracking up. To be honest I sort of wanted something to come back in my bloods so it could get sorted out, when the receptionist told me they were clear I was like "oh, great, thanks" and she hung up, I thought "am I supposed to feel well again now or something?!" I may make another doctor's appointment but I am dead interested now in what you say about cutting down on caffeine - I admit that I drink a big jug of v strong coffee a day, if not more - ARGH!! I am like you were about thinking it can't be THAT bad for you, so I guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet and cut it out if it really helps. Oh the thought fills me with dread!! I didn't have a cup of coffee all morning once and had a splitting headache til I got one!
Pupuce - thanks for the advice, I fancy trying wheatfree for a while as I'm sure it doesn't agree with me (sore, bloated stomach) so bought some corn pasta today, what kind of bread do you get though?

Lizzer · 26/06/2001 21:19

Thanks Suew, do you know if 'Which?' is online?

Willow2 · 26/06/2001 21:28

Lizzer, don't know whether this was covered in your blood tests, but check to see if they did a thyroid function test. Your thyroid controls your metabolism so if it is underactive you put on weight very easily and find it hard to shift it.

Pupuce · 27/06/2001 08:42

Lizzer

Rye bread and spelt bread . If you only shop in supermarkets you will notice that the organic ranges have different bread, just check the ingredients list - I find the Village Bakery (organic) VERY good.
Also I buy my bread in a small shop and they have no-wheat bread. By the way consider no yeast bread as well - sour dough is better for you.
Again check organic brands if you can.

You'll be amazed at the taste!

Lizzer · 27/06/2001 10:41

Pupuce - mmm... going shopping in a bit so will check it out

Willow2 - yeah, they checked my thyroid in the tests, I did wonder if it could be as my aunt has underactive thyroid and it would explain a lot, however it was fine....

Esme · 29/06/2001 14:16

Jo - I had an extra point a day for breastfeeding which doesn't seem much but I never felt particularly hungry on the WW diet except for the first week whilst my body was getting used to eating less. I lost weight gradually so I knew that I wasn't over doing it. Hope that helps.

Lizzer · 29/06/2001 14:57

Mmmm...just bought some rye bread made by the village bakery, you are right when you say they are good, Pupuce!! I am doing v well so far this week, I have just changed my diet so I am not eating wheat, using very little milk (but have soya instead and I take a calcium supp. so feel I'm balancing it out). I have made sure I'm getting my 5 fruit and veg a day, drinking lots of water and cut out the processed rubbish (although I'm still drinking a couple of coffees a day - just couldn't live without it, Ems!!), but feeling full and well. I'm not sure if I'm imagining it but yesterday and today I have felt on top of the world (besides PMT making me want to perform torture on hairdresser who wrecked my hair last week!) I'm back to doing my exercises at home plus walking with the pushchair, and will go back to gym classes on Monday (have not been able to go for 4 weeks, I've felt so rotten) I'm BACK, and hopefully can carry on feeling good and dropping dress sizes - I still need you girls for moral support though (thanks) and if anyone needs any inspiration out there let me know - I've enough to share at the moment!!

Joe · 29/06/2001 20:20

Thanks Esme, having just one extra point didnt effect your milk then. Crunchies friend had 7 extra points, are you going at the moment? Perhaps it depends on your weight

Ems · 29/06/2001 20:30

Wow Liz! Sounds like lots has happened. You are sounding really focussed. Have a good weekend/week with it.

Lizzer · 30/06/2001 20:08

Thanks Ems, I'm trying so hard! I will let you know if I've lost anything when I weigh myself on Tues morning -argh!

Pupuce · 02/07/2001 08:57

If you don't lose weight after all of what you are doing ... then I'd give up (just kidding). I am really impressed with your efforts... go for it !
I am no expert on dieting but I have always heard that coffee doesn't make you gain weight - quite the contrary (all is in the moderation of course)...
I think the nice weather should also help you eat fresh veg and fruits in bigger quantities. So keep at it !

Spring · 03/07/2001 10:25

Lizzer, have you weighed yourself yet?? Let us know !!!

I've been trying to eat more sensibly and drink less (wine) and walk more, I've lost 8lb in just over 3 weeks. 10 days of that was on holiday too so I know that if I really made an effort I could do a lot better. Today I've noticed a difference in how my clothes feel. My dd just turned 2 last week and I can't believe it's taken me this long to shift the extra stone, low priority in daily life I guess, you forget what 'normal' feels like............

Winnie · 03/07/2001 15:09

Hi everyone, this thread has been really interesting to read… you are all doing so VERY well. However, I have a confession to make: I DON’T BELIEVE IN DIETS!

Fundamentally I object to conforming to the myth that beauty=thin; secondly I truly believe that the diet industry is dangerous and makes billions by playing on peoples fears, and thirdly ‘diet food’ sucks; it is largely full of preservatives and air and is about as tasty as… well…diet food!

However, before you all tell me to bog off (which would be fair considering the above) I have to tell you all that I really need to loose weight! If I was healthy and fat I would have less of an issue (or so I tell myself) but I am not a few pounds overweight; I am 5.5 stone overweight! You are all doing so well, I know you can help!

From other threads you will have gathered that I eat a healthy wholefood diet most of which is prepared by me. We are veggie and the amount of vegetables we consume is huge. I go for long walks several times a week and walk everywhere (as I don’t drive), I also practise t’ai chi but it is obviously not enough. Basically my weight has remained the same for many years (except when pregnant – and then I returned to pre pregnancy weight in a matter of a month). I breast feed twice a day now and will continue to do so until my little boy weans himself. I do sometimes wonder about wheat content as it can make me feel incredibly bloated and whilst my diet is really healthy I bake all our bread and eat too much of it!

The crunch has come for two reasons; firstly my baby boy is so energetic that I can’t believe I’ll be able to keep up with him once he is a toddler and secondly whilst I had High Blood Pressure in pregnancy controlled by reflexology and meditation it is still not low enough and my GP wants me to take medication! Homeopathy is working, bringing my blood pressure down but it seems crazy to be taking prescribed drugs if all I need to do is loose weight! I owe I to my children as well as myself to get well otherwise I have a fear I’ll not be around for them… which sounds rather melodramatic but a possibility nonetheless.

You have inspired me so much and I do believe that, as someone has pointed out on this thread, one has to do what works for you… so rather than ‘diet’ I am embarking on a ‘Getting fit Plan’… (a cop out I know). Can I ask has any one managed to loose weight without weighing themselves every week? I am wondering if it is possible to weigh less often, once a month say…

Cleansing your body for a period is something I’ve done in the past but I am not sure it is a good thing to do with a small baby as it can at least for the first day or so stop one in ones tracks with headaches and going to the loo due to the toxins being released.

Like Chelle I don’t think I could deprive myself of all the things I love all of the time and I certainly don’t want my daughter to cotton on to ‘dieting’ in the household she is already surrounded (at 11) with friends who are “dieting”! I think I know what I have to do: I have to completely stop snacking throughout the day, eat three smaller portion meals and I have to increase my exercise levels! One tip of Jane Clarkes I read in The Observer recently is to split each day into three sections: morning, afternoon and evening. This way, if one has a ‘bad’ section the day is not ruined only the section and the next part of the day can be approached afresh… It’s amazing how much of the food thing is psychological!

I don’t want to become obsessed (but probably will). All advice greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading this, writing it all down has made me feel very focused!

Bugsy · 03/07/2001 15:30

Winnie, I am also very against dieting. I think that although it works in the short-term that long-term it is not the solution. Personally, if I want to tone up and lose weight I step up the exercise. This means that your metabolism speeds up (slows down when dieting in order to conserve reserves) and that you gain muscle, which also burns more energy - it is a winner everyway you look at it. However, it does require a bit of dedication. I am currently a prisoner in my own home 5 nights a week as my husband works away from home, so I can't go to the gym or go out running (couldn't justify the cost of a babysitter), so I use exercise video tapes. I have a about 5 tapes and depending on what mood I'm in I try and do one 2 or 3 times a week. If I'm really trying to loose weight I jog with the pushchair, climb every stair I can, walk some of my way to work, go for a walk during lunch breaks rather than sitting at my desk or going for a coffee.
To me dieting is hell. I have done most diets, high protein - low-carb, high fibre, low fat, 3 day cleansers, cabbage soup and way back in the 1980s the Cambridge Diet. All of them worked in the short-term but the weight always went back on and usually a couple of extra pounds.
I don't want to be down on those doing diets - if it works for you - go for it and I know that some people find they have more energy for exercise when they loose a couple of pounds but personally I think they are depressing.
I hope you find something that works for you Winnie. Good luck.

Pupuce · 03/07/2001 15:55

Winnie,

First suggestion : why don't you bake your bread without wheat - try spelt or rye... maybe you could find recipes for non-wheat bread on the web. By the way try sour dough !
Also pasta without wheat (easy to find but more expensive). See if that helps 9at least the bloating).
Good luck.
P.S. I do not diet either

Bloss · 03/07/2001 19:52

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Bloss · 03/07/2001 19:52

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Bloss · 03/07/2001 19:53

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Lizzer · 03/07/2001 20:57

Hello, hello, hello! I'm here and guess what....("get on with it" I hear you cry!)...I've lost 2 pounds!! Yeah! I know it's not a great deal but I haven't been counting calories or denying myself that much (by that I mean I ate a whole green and black's plain chocolate bar last Friday - no, the huge one - 100g )Just have cut out the wheat and cut down the dairy (as I said before I have calcium supps and soya, incase any of you are tut-tutting )I'm totally into it, even though I've a long way to go. I've totally made an exercise program where I'm doing aerobic workouts 3 times a week (lovely gym has creche - bonus!) and trying to do weights at home, not much, maybe 10 mins a day. Plus this week the weather's been great and living in the Lakes I really don't have any excuses not to go for a walk (except F+M restrictions, but I need to take the pushchair anyway so can stick to the roads). So to answer your question Winnie I think you CAN do it with a 'get fit program' rather than a diet ( although that said I'm still thinking about slimming world - just to give me some structure)I'm certainly going to stick with this for a while longer though. I'm definitely feeling better, and my jeans are a bit looser and everything seems to be on the up. I'm sorry if my cheery optimism is the last thing you want to hear but I hope that I can do some good now as it does feel great to start tackling a problem that was really beginning to interfere with my self-worth. I'm sure I'll have some bad days/weeks too though.....

Winnie - great tip about the cutting days into 3 I'll try that! I think you are right about the snacking and portion control too. I always end up with a plateful of food that I could easily lose a third of and still be full. With snacks I found I still needed them and so I've been eating fruit and crackers and sucking sugar-free sweets (Sula) a lot! Plus my Friday night chocolate - it's, like, an important part of my life! Oh, and since it's been so hot instead of having an icecream (or 10!) I've been eating Tesco value ice lollies, there's nothing in 'em!!

Bloss - do you really think a food diary would make a difference?

Spring - well done you. I hope I can say the same in another two weeks!

Winnie · 04/07/2001 07:44

Lizzer, Pupuce, Bloss and Bugsy thank you all for your advice and encouragement! Here goes... I will keep you all informed (hard luck!)...

Lizzer, well done on this weeks wieght loss...