Weight loss after having baby

[Jaz21]

Hi, I'm really struggling to loose weight after giving birth to my second child. I can't keep motivated & need advice on what to eat as well as what exercises to do to help. At the moment I'm using exercise DVDs & a exercise bike. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank u 

[barkerb]

Hi Jaz21. I just wanted to suggest Zumba for a workout. It's amazingly fun and with dance moves you didn't know they had. It works lots of muscles you weren't sure existed. But I myself have lost 75 lbs. I started out with weight watchers, but I got tired of paying to gain weight. I started out with the  write everything you put in your mouth plan. Its really hard to see everything that goes in your mouth in a days time. Followed by there diet. But then I had to just do what worked for me when the salads and certain ways to eat didn't work out. I went back to eating everything I ate before to make me gain weight in the beginning. (Comfort food) Then I took and made my plate at every meal like always and then before I left from making my plate I scooped half of everything off my plate back into the containers. I decided to do portion control instead of torture control. And it worked. I did alter my soda intake to water or adding flavor to my water. It really worked I ate anything I wanted and that includes candy bars, ice cream, pizza whatever just not as much. I heard recently that if you put your food more into the center of your plate your mind thinks you get full quicker.Not sure if that's true or not. Maybe worth a try. I hope this helps. Weight loss journey is really hard but don't give up. Persistence is a key ingredient to your journey to a new you..

[Jaz21 in reply to barkerb]

Hi barkerb. I have thought of trying zumba but wasn't sure if it would help but will have a go thanks for your advice & well done on losing 75lbs yeah its really hard to lose weight but I keep thinking positive so hopefully it works this time 

[barkerb in reply to Jaz21]

Thank you. The biggest thing to remember when your trying to loose weight is when you get on the scale don't always expect to see the numbers getting smaller. The more you exercise the higher the numbers on the scale. Muscle weighs more than fat. So just because you don't see number results the proof will be in the clothing. And keep the positive going I know you can do this. Being a mom in itself is a huge struggle so if you can battle that, then loosing weight will be a breeze. They actually have exercises for mommy and baby. That maybe something else you may want to try. But the exercise actually gives you alot of energy and it sounds like you definitely need that now. Hope everything works out and if I can be of help or support please don't hesitate to ask. 

[Jaz21 in reply to barkerb]

Thanks. I didn't realise about the muscle weighs more than fat thing. Yeah I might try that out. I have been doing an exercise DVD for the past two days & I'm already feeling a difference. 

[Steph737]

Get the pram out in this beautiful weather and go for a  long walk!  Get yourself a vitamin D boost as a bonus and you don't have to worry about childcare! 

[Jaz21 in reply to Steph737]

Thanks. Will try that! 

[Purple_faced_woman]

It's worth measuring yourself when you start as inches lost can help you cope when the scales seems to say you've not lost anything.  One of the hard things with new babies, particularly when you have an older child too is finding "you" time.  I found the Couch to 5K running programme to be a great things to do, and having that half hour or so of head space totally to yourself once every other day can be really beneficial.  (I have seen a mum out running pushing a pram - that's a stunning level of commitment!)  Zumba is lots of fun as said above.  Also try not to set your calories too low to start with, as you may kick your body into starvation mode, and also later you may want to lower them to continue losing.  Good luck with your weight loss journey.  You can do this.

[Jaz21 in reply to Purple_faced_woman]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah its really hard to have some time out. My youngest is 9 months & just started crawling so I'm on the go constantly which is good exercise! Oldest is 4 & goes nursery so I'm back & forth. Yeah that is! Ahh I think I must have been doing that because I'm felling dizzy & faint and after exercise as well but I'm guessing that's my body getting used to exercise again. Haven't used the DVD in over 1yr. Thanx

[Annmurry]

Eat what you want but in moderation, you will fail if you give it up. Say you want a chocolate bar. Well buy a packet of buttons. You want a packet of crisps buy one a week. If you buy the big packs that's definitely when I fail. Good luck 

[Jaz21 in reply to Annmurry]

Yeah I'm the same. Thanks

[Goergigina5]

Don't beat yourselfup about it firstly.  Get ready up and out brisk walk with baby. ....Personally I wouldn't advice anyone to diet when they've had a baby . Lots of veg on your plate n smaller portions of everything else....prepare some carrot n celery sticks for snacks drink plenty of water. Be happy n enjoy your baby watch the weight come off...

[Jaz21 in reply to Goergigina5]

I'm trying not to but its getting me down sometimes but on the plus side I'm enjoying spending time with my kids. Thanks for the advice

[Venusflytrap]

You have a lot on your plate with 2 children.  But you must be coping really well to have got round to thinking about your shape and your home gym sessions.  Planning healthy eating and exercise for all of your young family could become another project for you all.  You don't say what ages the two are.  But if you have one walking and running around and one in a pram, your local park might be a good place to visit so that the runner can be off the leash a little.  For exercise, you might want to run around with the child and a ball yourself, as well as walking there and back.  Or if the child is older, ie school age, s/he and you could have a lot of fun planning joint walks with an app and/or a pedometer.  Are you still seeing your health visitor for the occasional weight check for babe?  S/he might well know of local baby and mother exercise schemes.  I know my local gym was promoting one recently jointly with the local NHS.  The local clinic might also be a good place to find a partner for your walks.  If no one else is suggesting it, how about putting your own poster up for a weekly mum's and prams walk?  Exercise is always easier with a friend.  This is a lovely time, when your children are young, if you can maintain the energy and get enough sleep to enjoy it!  So concentrate on packing good nutrition into your menus with the lower fat proteins, dairy, high fibre starch and loads of veg, a couple of pieces of fruit a day and keep the treats for all of you down to one or two a week rather than every day.  There are some great family meals on the NHS website.  And it is so lovely to get YOUR body back.  

[Jaz21 in reply to Venusflytrap]

Yeah it was very hard at the beginning but I'm getting into a routine now & its getting easier even with some off days. My youngest is 9 months & eldest is 4 & going nursery. Yeah was going to take them to the park now the weather is warmer. Luckily for me my 4 year old loves to eat fruit & veg as much as he loves sweets but I'm trying to cut out the sweets its working so far. No I wasn't told I was meant to check his weight. I think there's a 1 yr review coming up. There's a local children's centre so may have a chat to them about what's on. Thanks for the advice will have a look

[Venusflytrap]

Jaz21  

Lovely ages both of them, but a handful.  I only had the one and there were some problems so they probably kept more of an eye on us than usual.  Also we were round the corner from the clinic, so it was a little trip out for us on weigh days.  And the health visitor used to park near us, so if she had time would pop in for a cuppa.  I probably had the impression that our service was more hands on than the norm.  Mind you, the school nurses were just as involved.  Maybe it is just we have an exceptionally good community team.  Or maybe we were parents "needing help".  They probably looked at your first, said she knows what she's doing, and left it for you to raise any issues!  I only ever got to be a learner mum, with just the one.  And you probably can't imagine how we older mums and dads fret.  

With the sweets thing.  Mr Flytrap was very hot on tooth health.  So we had a sweetie box, into which all occasional treats and pocket money buys went.  It came out after dinner and pudding in the evening and I think he got to choose 3.  This meant that he would be cleaning his teeth before bed.  We didn't stop him having sweets, as we didn't want to make them too desirable by being forbidden, but we did want him to clean his teeth after them.  It worked.  He was well into his 20s before he needed a filling.  And I blame Diet Coke for that one.  

Venus

[Jaz21 in reply to Venusflytrap]

Yeah they adore each other. Both are very cheeky! Sorry to hear about that. Yeah I'm guessing from what your saying they must have done. Yeah the teachers are very helpful especially when my eldest was late potty training. It took him a while to get used to it and I'm still getting there slowly. I worry a lot too but after the first you know what to expect so its kind of easier the second time around & you can change the way you do things if they don't work with the first! That's actually a good idea. Mine just likes to eat everything in one day then crys when there's nothing left but I don't give in just tell him to have something healthier. Hopefully with my changed eating habits he will eat more healthy. I hate sweets so I don't know where he gets that from, the father! 

[Venusflytrap in reply to Jaz21]

How lovely that they get on.  Always a secret fear that they mightn't.  Play counting games with his sweeties. (Might be better with wrapped ones than choc buttons!).  So he gets the ideas of how many days they have to last.  Or just have sweets on Friday nights because it's the weekend.    Or on Wednesdays because it's the middle of the week!  Or Mondays because, well, Monday's!  If you put it on a calendar, it would support him learning about how weeks work.  So win, win.  

Hope you enjoyed your DVD as much as your walk.  

[Jaz21]

This exercise regime is working! I just walked for half an hour without getting out of breath & I'm ready to do my DVD! Looks like I just need to keep on going & stay focused. Thanx to everyone for the support & advice