What's the point of exercising if I am slimmer when I don't?

[lyravoile]

I had a baby 3 months ago by EMCS and I am still breastfeeding. I've noticed a huge difference in my milk supply when I try to eat less, and getting enough milk for the baby is my number one priority, so I'm not adjusting my diet yet to lose the baby weight.

However I am doing some post natal Pilates and swimming to work on my core strength and tone up again. I have found that after I do the Pilates (I go three times a week) my stomach sticks out much more over my jeans, my c section "ridge" protrudes more and I am generally much chunkier around the hips/thighs.

Last week I had a week off all exercise and when I went back today the instructor said what the hell happened to you? you've lost a ton of weight. I hadn't changed anything except the fact I didn't exercise the week before and I was slimmer, I could see it myself.

So my question is, does doing things like Pilates create muscles under the fat which then makes me appear bigger? Is it only diet that will remove the "ridge" and the flab in my belly, even though the muscles are building again underneath? If I continue in this cycle of swelling up every time I exercise, will it eventually settle down? What's the point in doing Pilates/exercise if I am slimmer and fit better into my clothes when I don't exercise at all?

I really don't know, but I feel your pain; the same thing happened to me. Last year I was really hitting it at the gym AND dieting (we're talking 1200 calories a day and burning about 400). I didn't lose hardly anything. Most dispiriting experience ever.

You might be right with the muscle thing, but I just don't know :(. Maybe try cardio and see what happens?

Because if you dont exercise you'll end up "skinny fat" where you have a normal BMI but a high body fat %, plus pilates is really great for muscle tone and post natal rehabilitation. Once you stop bf you can address diet and lose any excess fat. No rush.

As to why you're bigger, it may well be water retention around the muscles - I had a similar thing when I first started weight training. It settled down after a while.

I can't believe that Pilates sessions alone, over such a small space of time, would have had such a huge effect. Is there more to this?

You might have tummy dystasis tummytribe.com/wp/ . Its when your tummy muscles don't knit back together correctly after pregnancy and most of us have it to some extent. A lot of pilates moves can apparently make this worse, your teacher should know about it though?

I read a book about it after dc 2 or 3 but I decided I wanted to do normal exercises rather than follow the tupler program, especially as it seems like one wrong move and it can all pop back out. If I ever do get properly slim maybe I would maybe try it then though.

Ps I just found that link by googling and picked it as a uk company - I don't know anything about them.

The other thing is apparently our bodies retain fluids (more complicated than that but that's sort of what happens) when starting new exercise programs or increasing intensity but apparently this should stop as you get used to the exercise (at least until you make it harder again).

I have noticed I am more likely to have lost weight on the scale after a rest day, but the exercise is helping me keep motivated about being healthy in general...

oops i just repeated what bunting said

It doesn't sound right. Although I get bigger thighs when I excercise, I don't believe that you should be bigger around waist and hips when you don't excercise.

You only had your baby 3 months ago. Although I doubt that excercise is dangerous for you, perhaps you are over doing it a bit? I can understand that you want to get back into shape, but as you point out, you are breastfeeding. Perhaps you body is holding on to all it can because you are stressing it?

So I guess your body is telling you to lay off the excercise whilst breastfeeding ;) If your body is stressed, then stay well away from cardio. Also, not getting enough sleep can affect your weight. I know it's probably out of you control, but just don't expect too much when you have a baby.

And yes, if you want to lose weight, then diet is your best option. While you are berastfeeding, you should focus on good protein (eggs and good meat) and good fat (buttter, avocado, olive oil), good greens (kale, spinach, cabbage) and go easy on the refined carbs (do have rice and potato, but go easy on grains, ie. bread and pasta, and go low sugar).

Just go for walks with the buggy, focus on fresh air and activity. Look after yourself and be good to yourself!