Anybody successfully dieted while having very little sleep at night

[iwantitnow]

DS is 7 months old and has slept long stretches only 3 nights in his life . I am still breastfeeding him, although only once at night mostly but he wakes other times too. Im shattered plus I have a toddler also at home so cant sleep during the day. I put on less weight this pregnancy but the weight is not coming off. I'm not eating vast quantities of biscuits or cakes but not exercising as much as usual as too tired and stuck in the house alot as the baby naps in the cot not in the buggy. Long walks not possible with a toddler either she gets bored.

Anybody suceeded under these circumstances - if so how. I have tried dieting and really cut down on snacks and only snack on fruit and cut down portions but the weight hasn't shifted. I'm despairing have a wardrobe full of clothes I can't fit into and refuse to buy nice "big" clothes.

Only got a stone to probably fit into my clothes but would like to lose a few pounds more but it won't shift.

Can't you wait? For goodness sake, he won't be a baby forever, is it really drastic that you are a stone heavier than you want to be?

You have the rest of your life to be thin. Dieting when your body is on the edge of destruction is not only stupid, it's selfish.

No it's not selfish - don't be ridiculous. Unless she's going to force her children on to a diet too, its not going to hurt them. I'm sure she's not going to diet herself into hospital.

What a bizarre level of vehemence you've mustered.

Sympathies OP - I'm no expert but I'd recommend three proper meals a day (be honest about portion size - so easy to creep up)so you can be confident you're getting enough calories but no snacing at all, even fruit, so you're not getting empty extra ones. Sorry if that isn't at all relevant!

Charitygirl thanks for your advice I think I just don't get a chance to eat a decent breakfast or lunch as I am shovelling food into the children. I'm not sure I am registering that I am eating at all. Also I'm guilty of eating their leftovers, something I never used to do, I must just throw it into the bin straightaway.

I am depressed about my lack of sleep it would be good to be less depressed about my weight!

So

She's shattered.

Has a small baby

And a toddler.

And thinks it would be a good idea to significantly lower her calorie intake in order to lose weight, and you, charitygirl, are advocating that she doesn't snack at all, therefore forcing her already unstable (through exhaustion) bloodsugar down.

And doesn't think that pushing herself beyond physical endurance is going to imp[act upon anyone but herself.

Mmmhmm. Ideal.

It's not selfish to want to feel your best and surely having a happier more confident mum is far better for the children. Also the more you put it off the more weight may creep on so you'll have even more to lose. I think you should go for it but be gentle with yourself!

Can't advise you too much I am afraid, I have one ds who is 2 and sleeps well but like your dd he gets bored on long walks so excercising has to be done when he's in bed.

Make sure you do allow extra calories for breastfeeding and don't miss any meals. Good luck!!!!

Just want to sympathise. I'm so tired sometimes (similar situation - 3 year old at home every day, doesn't nap and 8 month old only just started sleeping better but still up at 5.30) that I feel like the only way I can get through the next hour is another coffee (I take sugar) or a biscuit.

I was at my sisters the other week and realised at 4o'clock that at home I would be grabbing the kit-kats but cause I was there I could go and sleep for an hour while she made tea and watched the children! It was amazing

Anyway, I don't know the answers. I want to be half a stone lighter at some point but I make myself be sensible and not go running when I can hardly keep my eyes open, or just eat cause I need the energy.

I lot of people I know have found that your body will hold onto fat while you're breastfeeding and you'll lose it naturally when you stop.

Just be kind to yourself

this might actually help, iwantitnow

Could you try preparing your lunch ahead? The night before? If you make yourself a sandwich and put it in the fridge, and get some pots of yoghurt or something in, then you;ll have an easy breakfast and lunch to grab, which may make it easier to not snack on kids leftovers etc.

I certainly don't know much about nutrition etc, but could it be that your body is 'refusing' to lose weight because your eating is a bit sporadic? Perhaps if you actually ate more regularly (healthy things) then the weight might come off easier?

Regarding excersize, maybe an aerobics dvd you could do 1 or 2 evenings a week?

Best wishes, be kind to yourself.

I think what would really help you would be trying to eat three (or more) proper, healthy-ish meals a day. But do watch portion size. It is hard, I remember, but only vaguely as too was so sleep deprived. I don't know whether you are not much more than a stone over your normal healthy weight, or more than that.

Can you do a bit a meal planning, so you can manage to eat better? I have to say it was the only time in my life (other than when extremely, life-threateningly ill) that I've regularly "forgotten" to eat, so I'm not really one to talk.

I ended up buying some expensive but at least nutritionally decent waitrose and similar "healthy" ready meals for three or four meals a week, just to make sure I ate properly. They are expensive but I knew I couldn't live on snatched mouthfuls of cheese on toast. Now my children are older I do have time to "just pop" a bit of salmon in the oven with some garlic, ginger and soy sauce, and steam some pak choi but you don't, and you won't for a few months yet.

I would drop the fruit snacks (unless bananas) as they're rubbish for maintaining a stable blood sugar level. What about toast with nut butter (almond is nice), decent rice cakes, oatcakes with a thin sliver of cheese, humous and pitta bread? These are all really, really quick.

No. The weight only started coming off (after the birth of my first child) after a year. Directly related to him starting to wake less often. I really don't think you can diet / do huge levels of exercise when you are suffering from sleep deprivation. The most you can aim for is to maintain your wright and stay healthy by eating healthily (lay off sweet stuff and quick-fix carbsy stuff) and get some fresh air and a good walk each day.

I know it's frustrating, but honestly, once you are getting some sleep you will feel human again and have heaps more energy - and it will happen soon.

weight not 'wright'!

colditz I would say that suggesting someone eats three large meals a day (which will help her blood sugar stay stable) is more helpful, and certainly less cruel, than calling her selfish and insinuating that he is a bad mother for wanting to lose some weight.

Nice guilt-tripping!

Thanks Charitygirl I just feel sorry for her and her children for that comment. I do need some snack midafternoon as no way can I last from lunch with DD at midday to 8pm when I have dinner. I had a couple of oatcakes with homous which did help this afternoon. I'm so shattered think I am eating hoping it will make me feel better and give me some energy as caffeine doens't even touch my level of tiredness. Its a viscious circle.

No - you can't go 8 hours, definitely not. Hummus and oatcaes sounds good. You havenlt said what you weigh but I assume you're trying to get to a sensible weight, and not anything crazy!

It wasn't cruel or guilt tripping, it was true. Neglecting your p[hysical needs in order to be thin when you have small children to care for is selfish/.

Hi iwantitnow

I think if you're sensible then a change of diet (I hate the word dieting!) is do-able.

The one thing I noticed in your post was about eating the kids leftovers, that is something I was VERY guilty of and as I am a childminder it was more than one childs! I now keep a packet of baby wipes on the table and as soon as the kids have finished I put a babywipe in the bowl, puts me right off scoffing what they've left!

I have lost just over 2 stone in the last 3 months through sensible eating and LOTS of excercise (at the gym) although my youngest is almost 2 so a lot easier to manage than a baby.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

Ive stopped eating the leftovers now baby wipe tip good though. Managed to go to a cafe and watch DD scoff a bit of chocolate muffin and not eat the half that was left. Having a snack while DC are having supper is working too to avoid eating therea.

Im 9 stone 8lb and that is a stone more than when I got pregnant but ideally want to be 4lbs less than that. Im only 5ft tall and having to wear sixe 14 bottoms with a wardrobe full of sixe 10 clothes. I was under 7 stones until my mid 20s so not aiming to go back there! Im not huge but a stone does show much more when you are as tiny as me.

Losin weight = happier mummy = happier children

I would exercise if I had the energy - both kids up at 5.30am for the dat 2day