Weight loss stall after baby

[Sasmac2017]

Hi all. Just after some advice/help,if anyone can offer some please?
I gave birth to my DC2 four weeks ago. I gained 20kg and that was with 5-6x a week workouts (weights, hiking, swimming.....you name it I was there!). I've lost about 11kg as of 2 weeks postpartum and I haven't lost a bloody thing since. I am so keen to be back to normal, I want to wear my clothes! I am breastfeeding, started working out again 1 week after birth and this week I even incorporated some HIIT workouts again. I am eating very well 80/20 ratio for 'bad' foods and I'm not under eating (I know that can be a problem when breastfeeding). I gained 40kg 😳 With my first DC and lost it all very fast, about 5 months pp I was back to normal. I also started the mini pill nearly two weeks ago, although I didn't think that would be an issue as did that after first birth and the weight fell off.
Sorry to ramble, I'm just so pissed off. I want 'me' back! Please help xx

[OwlinaTree]

When I was ebf

B omelette with mushrooms and tomatoes, bit of cheese, small bowl of raisin wheats with milk.
L big salad with for eg, tuna, egg, or chicken or ham, bit of dressing
S couple of ryvita with a bit of low fat cream cheese/cottage cheese, maybe some fruit through the day if hungry
D for eg spag bol/chilli/curry/with lots of veg, lean meat, a portion of pasta or rice (60g uncooked). Fruit and yoghurt for pudding. Sometimes a freddo.

Usually a cappuccino at some point in the day.

Lost about 1.5lb on average.

[OwlinaTree]

That's with a normal range bmi BTW.

I'm only feeding a bit now so I eat quite a bit less!

[OliviaD68]

@sasmac2017. You should normally be experiencing water weight loss right now. So it’s strange.

Are you counting macros and restricting carbs to 30g per day and protein to say 70g? It’s best if it’s a shock to the system rather than a progression. If you’re still burning glucose then you won’t get
Rid of inflammation and you won’t begin burning fat. You will also need to restrict calories at Some point so you burn body fat vs dietary fat.

It’s our posable though unlikely at this point that your body is retaining water - normally the initial water loss is inflammation from the carbs.

Away from that you can find tons of recipes in lots of places. To be safe and ensure you are low carbing look for ketogenic diet recipes. Dietdoctor.com has some I use but the internet has literally thousands.

But u should still count macros! Use MFP

PS I’ve looked up breastfeeding and keto diets and it doesn’t seem to be a problem. There’s no evidence I’ve found that you need carbs for breastfeeding- makes sense I suppose . What would we have done as hunter gatherers during winter?

[OliviaD68]

PPS: Hard workouts (which I interpret as being higher intensity) are not going to burn a lot of fat - they may help but it's 80 or even 90% diet.

What does it for me and other judo athletes I work out with is fasted aerobic work. So heart rate at about 70 to 80% of max - slowish and steady - for about 40 minutes. Only after 20 minutes do you burn fat. After 60 minutes it seems the effect is less pronounced.

Fat needs oxygen to metabolise so if you're too anaerobic with workouts you tend to burn muscle and liver glycogen (sugar).

It does appear to be true that anaerobic work burns fat for a few days after working out but the consensus seems focused on steady medium effort aerobic work to achieve a greater fat burn with exercise.

But I go back to my first statement: you need to kick your body into ketosis to get the most effect and that's primarily through diet and once you're fat adapted - getting into an intermittent fasting routine (ie timing and frequency of food intake).

[Sasmac2017]

@olivia - thanks for the reply. I definitely haven't been over eating, I'm not counting calories, but trust me.....with two older DC and a 5 week old baby, I really don't have time to sit around eating all day. 😂😂
Water weight..I think that time may have passed as I dropped the first 11kg super quick. In saying that, I sweat like a pig every single night. I wake up drenched, it's so gross. What is that?? As for the macros. I couldn't tell you. I don't know where to start with that! I can give you idea of what I have been eating...
B - 2 boiled eggs and 1/2cup,oats soaked in water
After workout - that protein thing we talked about
L - big salad with broccoli, 1/2 avocado and small tin tuna
D - while the DH and kids had bloody McDonald (not every night lol) I had another big salad and fish.

@owlinatree - I think we are eating fairly similarly but I'm just not losing anymore :(
I workout too. As my other post mentioned though I can do up jeans I couldn't a week ago. I am strength training. I wonder if I am getting smaller but any muscle gains would mean that any fat loss won't show on the scale? I really should take measurements 🤔

[Sasmac2017]

@olivia - yes I am limiting Anh kind of hiit to 2x a week very max, I'll do two fast paced 45min walks a week and the rest is strength training. I'm not using heavy weights - I just don't have them at home and don't think I'm quite up to cross fitting it yet 😂
In saying that, I am pretty fit for a woman who had a baby 5 weeks ago!
I actually wonder if the workouts are making me go backwards? Like my body is t recovering properly and holding onto it all?

[Sasmac2017]

@olivia - interesting point you make about the hiit burning muscle not fat?? Everything I have read implies that hiit/tabata style training actually encourages the body to maintain muscle?

[OliviaD68]

@sasmac2017: I didn't say HIIT burns muscle not fat, just that HIIT does not appear to be as effective as steady state cardio in burning fat.

And pls don't stop training. That's not the issue. It's the food though what you've eaten doesn't sound nuts. I would cut the post workout protein mix - that could contribute to glucose. See how that goes - performance could suffer but your objective is fat burning not competing in the Olympics.

Also, bear in mind insulin spikes every time you eat, unless you eat a food that's 100% fat. So you should keep to 3 meals a day to reduce the spike.

So to track macros, use MyFitnessPal.

• net carbs to under 30g. Fibre - technically a carb - is 'free' so to speak.
  
• protein (animal not plant please) to about 60 or 70g per day
  
• rest in fats. Try to make these mainly saturated and mono unsaturated mainly.
  
• Calories. Cap at 1700 net to start. Net means you add back an estimate of what you consume during exercise. So I budget about 300/400 for a 35 min erg session; 750 for 90 minutes of judo; 300/400 for circuits etc.
  
• Once you know you're burning fat (when you no longer have any hunger pangs for example), dial down net calories to 1400 and see how you feel.
  

-Then come back to me and we get you going on intermittent fasting for huge fat burning (you get v lean) and - counterintuitively muscle growth. Probably a few weeks away. You can always try IF now but you risk being hungry and grumpy and tired if you're not burning body fat yet - up to you

[OliviaD68]

Further observations on reflection: lots of protein in your diet ... Not enough fat. that's where the macro counting comes in - people are bad at estimating macros.

You may also not be eating enough for the training you do so your body could be protecting you. Eat more!

[OliviaD68]

Sorry. Only just saw you eat oats ... these are carbs so there's no way you're burning fat for fuel.

Also in the morning: our cells are more insulin resistant in the morning so that is no good. You are effectively still a fat storing machine because of the insulin you produce.

Eat protein and fat only in the morning: cheddar, eggs, bacon, avocado, smoked salmon, cream cheese

[Sasmac2017]

@oilvia - ok thanks so much. I will definitely up my fat intake and cut the oats. And if we are being totally honest, I'll also skip the few biscuits here and there too.
My gut feeling keeps.telling me to train. More so for my mental health than anything else. It's 45mins alone.time and i always feel refreshed.
Can I eat veg in the morning too? Eggs and carrotnsticks with cottage cheese? That was a favourite when I was pregnant!!
As for the calorie counting...it's such a mare. I have used the mfp one in the past but you can't be 100% sure its totally accurate. They may say 1avo is 200cal for example but the avo I have could be huge and be 400cal. I also dont have scales to weigh food. I do however use sensible portions. A fist of veg/serving etc.
On another note..aside from breakfast I read that eating fat and protein with

[Sasmac2017]

Oops....with carbs negates th Effie of carbs on insulin and glucose ? Or Is that more pure BS 😂

[OliviaD68]

@sasmac2017. No need to go OTT on measuring stuff down to the gram. But you do need to have a sense of macros overall and calories.

Eggs and carrots and cottage cheese look ok.

What you read about mixing carbs and proteins and fats to negate the effect of insulin doesn’t make sense. Excess of protein over what is needed for amino acids converts to glucose ==> insulin spike. Carbs==> insulin spike. It’s human physiology. You’re not a rabbit or a cow or a snake.

And insulin blocks mainly glucagon. Glucagon would normally signal your liver to use its glycogen then when depleted to break down fat. But glucagon does not get secreted if insulin is hanging around in your blood.

And pls don’t stop working out. It’s great for health obviously your mental health too!. Just don’t expect any weight loss miracles from exercise. Your nutrition needs to be right and it’s not right now.

[OliviaD68]

By the way your carb intake should be almost 100% because of the veggies you eat. Lots of veg needed for nutrients just take take to avoid the carby ones. Salad, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, courgettes. Almost never enough.

[Oly5]

I find I never lose weight when breastfeeding! It comes off after I stop

[Sasmac2017]

@oly5 - interesting isn't it how different we all are. I lost all the weight BF my first in 5 months and I had gained 40kg 😖
@olivia - what do you mean by 100% carbs??

[Sasmac2017]

Actually I lost a kg this week. That is good! I think I'm just wanting this to happen way faster than is physically possible!

[OliviaD68]

Weight loss does require patience.

I don’t believe it’s possible to have a healthy diet and eat 0g of carbs even if your body could manage it for a while. Veggies in particular have some carbohydrates and are necessary for their nutrients. So the carbs you will end up eating should come almost 100% from the veggies you consume (as opposed to say a biscuit).

[Sasmac2017]

Yes I actually agree with your idea that 0g carbs is really unsustainable. I was just thinking about dinners.....I can't be cooking two separate dinners every night as 1) we can't financially afford to do that (food I very expensive in NZ and all food is taxed) and 2) I can't afford the time either.
I just prepared my breakfast and lunch for tomorrow so I have no excuses to sneak a biscuit 😂 But dinner will include a small portion of pasta for above reasons!
I'll come back in another week and see if I lost another kg.....thanks for all your help and advice 🤗

[OliviaD68]

If there’s a way to time you’re pasta intake that would be ideal. There does seem to be a better time to absorb carbs to restore glycogen- ie after a hard workout.

See red line in graph. Basically shows that glycogen is most quickly restored in the few hours after a workout (also confirms that glycogen restoration is v v slow in a low carb diet).

[Sasmac2017]

@oliviad68 - how are you? Just thought I'd check in :)
I've lost another kg this week, so,sitting at 68kg.
I have been eating approx 2x a day and this is more due to lack of time and appetite! I have been eating fatty breakfasts - carrot sticks w cream cheese, hard cheese and tomatoes and a boiled egg. Early dinner can vary but usually lots of veg, protein and a small portion of carbs. I really need the carbs or I feel very rubbish and don't know how my milk supply will fare.
I had a few weeks where I was losing and gaining the same kg but it seems to be on the downward trend now :)
I am very active too, on top of training I only sit to feed my baby or in the evening. Otherwise I am moving all day long!

[OliviaD68]

Great to hear from you and so glad to hear about progress.

Note that your weight loss may be the result of lower inflammation so water weight. No bad thing by the true fat burning still needs to come.

Watch your minerals. Sodium is often a problem with those who exercise. Shoot for 5g a day if you can. I usually drink a bowl of bouillon with added salt every other day. It will address lethargy. Get your potassium from avocados. You need about 4g a day.

Finally Vit B5 ... will also help with energy.

I wouldn’t sweat eating carbs too much. Post hard workout consumption is best to restore glycogen. I take them too post workout.

But do realise that they will slow down fat burning. It’s a trade off.

Hey one thing I’m not sure I mentioned. Have you done fasted workouts? Typically aerobic is better. They will allow you to use growth hormone and testosterone production from the fast. So you produce more muscle and recover quicker. Give it a go!

[Sasmac2017]

Yes I do salt a lot of food (not to excess) but I do find it helps. I use good quality rock salt. And yes you did mention the fasted cardio, not sure if it counts, but before I'd eaten today I went on a fast hill walk for 40 mins (25 min up, 15 min down). It's funny as I did this walk the day before I went into labour, and hadn't since and geez it was tough! I was Considering interval training it up the hill but no way!? It is a very steep incline all the way up, anywho does that count? I can't run/jog I have a very dodgy knee. Hence the short hiit workouts/power walking.
Of course there are days where fasted cardio won't work....I may have to go until 3/4pm before eating if that were the case 😂 I would likely pass out.
I have also been eating lots of avocado. I hear you on the water weight bit, but a lot of my clothes are fitting a lot better so I must be losing some inches somewhere. I'm pretty pleased as I was 81kg at the end of pregnancy and only lost 5kg with the birth so I've dropped 8kg in 6 weeks. Let's hope the other 7kg drop off before Xmas 😁😄

[OliviaD68]

Slower (70% of Vo2 max) and longer fasted cardio tends to burn fat more. Fat needs oxygen to metabolise. HIIT (hill work you mentioned) is good of course but it seems the fat burning takes place over a few days post.

We all do what we can to manage other priorities. It sounds like you're well on your way!

[mintich]

I didn't start properly losing weight until 4 months after even though I was exercising! I think it was my bodies way of telling me it hadn't recovered from birth yet! Don't worry the weight will go