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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

Why oh why have I not lost an ounce!

17 replies

LaTrucha · 08/01/2009 11:41

Hi,

I've got 2 and a half stone to lose after having DD a year ago. I've never had to lose weight before and am pretty resistant to dieting.

I have realised that I've only lost 5 kilos since giving birth - and that some months ago so I decided to take some action. So I

  • walk for at least two hours a day.
  • no snacking on cheese
  • early weetabix breakfast at 6.
  • toast at 11
  • most of my carbohydrate at lunch
  • no bread, pasta etc after 5
  • soup for dinner

Wht else should I do? I haven't lost anything.

I am still bf. My GP says that's the reason.

OP posts:
alicecrail · 08/01/2009 12:56

I was always under the impression that bf helps you lose weight, but i lost about 4lbs while bfing and about 8lbs since i stopped. I wouldn't say i looked overweight, as i'm about 10/12 and 5'3" (ish) but weigh over 10 1/2st which puts me as overweight. Are you in the same situation of looking pretty normal and weighing more than you should? Can you do swimming or something? Also mad question, but are you my sister? You sound just like her!

HandbagAddiction · 08/01/2009 13:05

This might sound a bit weird but I think you need to start eating more, and specifically eating more frequently ideally leaving no more than 3 hours between each small meal / snack.

so after your 6am breakfast for exmaple, I would be having fruit / handful of nuts / oatcakes atc. at 9am and then lunch at around 12:00. Another snack again at 3pm - fruit etc. as previously and then a later meal around 6/7.

By eating small amounts throughout the day, you keep your metabolism going and avoid the sugars highs and lows - the lows being the ones that typically encourage you to 'break' and stuff cake, etc.

In terms of exercise - whilst you might walk for 2 hours a day - you maybe need to think about the extent to which it's raising your heart rate and for how long as it is this that will determine how much energy you will using to do the exercise.....

alicecrail · 08/01/2009 13:15

Thats a good point handbag, my sister walks a few miles to and from school a day but complains she doesn't lose weight, the main problem being she walks at her dd's pace, and a 5yr old is only going to go at what her little legs can go! If you don't mind me asking, do you do any exercise? and what?

HandbagAddiction · 08/01/2009 13:19

Don't mind you asking at all. I exercise twice a week in the evenings but am fortunate enough to have the luxury of a personal trainer. I had about 1.5 stone to lose having had dd2, was hopelessly out of shape and approaching 40 and knew that I needed to do something about it. So having gone back to work full-time I decided that my luxury would be training and I have to say, it's been fantastic.

Everything info wise I mentioned in the previous post is stuff that my trainer goes on about ALL the time....

alicecrail · 08/01/2009 13:27

Wow, you are like a guru in my eyes! I have 2 horses and used to keep so fit with them, but doesn't seem to work after having dd. Do you go to a gym? or does your pt come to you? i have a gammy leg so can't jog. Does your pt do an eating plan thingy for you too?

Original poster
LaTrucha · 08/01/2009 14:47

Yes, I definitely don't walk fast enough but other kinds of exercise are a bit of a problem with the baby. DH is already overloaded and helps me a lot.

I do try to do little meals but they probably oftenend up just being meals! Maybe I'll focus on that.

I wish I was your sister, alicecrail. I always wanted one!

OP posts:
alicecrail · 08/01/2009 16:33

Ah, thats the nicest thing i've heard all day
If your baby is in buggy then just walking quicker could make a difference, you could get one of those heart rate thingummy's that go round your wrist and tell you if you are reaching the right heart rate. Also, do you drink enough? (water that is ) sometimes i eat when i'm actually thirsty and having a glass of water fills me up. may help

HandbagAddiction · 14/01/2009 20:58

LaTruche - have you tried doing a food diary for 3 to 4 days to see what you are actually eating and when. It's often suprising what you find out when you actually write it down and might help you to identify any bad habits and the time of the day when you tend to need a 'pick me up'. So - my bad time of day is always aound 4pm and this is when I have the greatest urge to go for the chocolate.....

alicecrail - the PT has a bit of a gym set up in his garage - free weight area and some other bits like rowing machine, treadmill, bike and other weight related bits if kit. Eating plan is definitely looked at too as it goes hand in hand but I refuse to give up my bacon snadwiches, muffins and lattes and he gives me loads of stick - but there are some things not worth sacrificing! For me it has to be a balance. The main thing is being fit aerobically but also changing body shape at the same time through weight related exercises. For me this has been the best benefit - I'm amazed at how strong I am yet without muscle bulk AND it has stopped me from having the back problems I used to suffer with - from all the horseriding I used to do as a child / teen......

RiaParkinson · 14/01/2009 21:01

LaTrucha you gp is right

I have BF 6 babies and have also been told it by a gp

You will lose it when you stop

HandbagAddiction · 14/01/2009 21:07

Actually I missed the bit about you still breastfeeding - sorry!

If that's the case then I'm not so sure I would think about reducing your calorie intake at all. However, you can still look at what you eat and ensure it's all healthy (which I'm sure it is) whilst not reducing calorific value if you get my meaning....

I too found with dd2 that I didn;t really start to shift the wiehgt until I stopped bf when she was around 6 months and I was going to go back to work, but I was still exercising throughout that period.

Judy1234 · 14/01/2009 21:51

If you eat fewer calories than you expend you lose weight so you must be eating too much.

i would add a lot of protein to your breakfast and ditch the toast and weeta bix.

RiaParkinson · 14/01/2009 22:07

i am barley eating atm and not losing weight due to bf

maybe you dont have too much to lose - always harder then

RiaParkinson · 14/01/2009 22:07

barley eating?

barely eating

IwishIwasamermaid · 14/01/2009 22:14

I stopped bf the week before Christmas and have been unable to lose weight until then, now it is falling off. I honestly tried everything but my body seemed to hold onto every ounce.

It was really getting me down and about a week after stopping it started to come down

RiaParkinson · 14/01/2009 22:29

woohoo Iwishiwasamermaid! It is always true for me!

IwishIwasamermaid · 14/01/2009 22:37

I've been pregnant or bf for over 2 years and it was really getting me down, especially as bf is supposed to make you skinny, honestly I want to sue the World Health Organisation for that one

And my 34K breasts are now 34G and still shrinking

RiaP I am so glad it is not just me!

RiaParkinson · 14/01/2009 22:40

i agree totally - trade descriptions b/f

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