Postpartum Weight Loss - Arnold,MO

I have a great plan that is healthy and easy and I'm happy to help you with coaching ideas, but it is a total plan. If you would like details just email me and I'll send you the info. You will feel good on this plan. My husband is diabetic and he has done it and feels like a million dollars when on it. He lost 2-3 pounds a week. You would probably lose 1-2. You may hit a plateau and not lose for a week or two and then lose again. I'm glad to hear you are patient.

The exercise you are doing is great and will help with depression. Can you squeeze in a 20 minute walk (or 2 ten minute walks) on the days of the week you don't do a long walk? A little bit can go a long way.

Have you considered adding some strength training to your routine, to build up muscle? Extra muscle tone would help burn more calories. Could you go in for a general physical and/or get your hormone levels checked, to make sure nothing is out of whack? That does sound very frustrating ;-(. I don't have much advice, just wanted to say hang in there & I hope your body starts to respond soon!

You're freaking out. It has only been six weeks after Baby #4 and you are expecting miracles! I'm sorry you don't want to hear that it just takes time, but that's the only answer for you. Six weeks post partum is nothing! What I've always heard is "Nine months up, nine months down." It's going to take several months, but the weight will probably start coming off even w/o extreme efforts from you. Stop tearing your hair out! It sucks, but we all have to deal with it. What do you think the all-knowing Internet has to say about the matter?......

Weight loss tips

*Be realistic
Moms who set themselves realistic goals do much better than those who don't.

*Be patient
Allow yourself 3 months before embarking on any strict weight reducing diet. Allow yourself at least 8 months to regain your pre-pregnancy weight. Under no circumstances try to starve yourself thinner. It's guaranteed to fail.

*Avoid all fad diets
Choose a low fat, healthy eating-plan.

* Get whatever help you can
Involve your partner or join a local support group

I have found that 20 pounds will fall off and the rest you have to work for! It sounds like you have 20 pounds to loose. I know you don't want to hear be patient but if you do it the healthy way it will take a few months. It took me six months and I breast fed!

It sounds like you are eating well and drinking a lot of water. Continue to do so and always have your meals planned so you don't feel the need to eat unhealthy! I would also try switching up your workout. Keep your muscles guessing and not get in a comfort zone with only walking. Not sure if you are a member of a gym but zumba classes are a blast and burn a lot of calories!! Try not to stress and be too hard on yourself!

I wanted to agree with Karen about not having to stop breastfeeding, but counter that even if your milk has dried up if you want to you can still develop a breastfeeding relationship. Adoptive mothers breastfeed, and it is easier for someone to lactate if they have breastfed before. Just wanted to throw that out there.

I know how frustrating not loosing weight is, I had my third 6 months ago and am still a good 25 pounds over my between baby weight. It sounds like you're doing a lot and people have given you good suggestions, but patience is very important. I don't know how I would find 45 minutes 4 times a week (and I only have 3)! Way to go!

Ahhh....blessed are you to have four children! How wonderful. My advice would be to try to carve out (I know it is difficult) one full hour per day of exercise, keep cutting your calories, and it will come off. It's only been 6 weeks so you are doing great! Good luck, and Happy Easter.

OMG - I feel like this was my exact situation!! I too had baby #4 about 6 mos. ago and am having the darndest time losing the weight. I am however winning the battle, no matter how slowly. I too nurse and gained 40-50lbs. each time but the weight was nearly gone at 6 wks. with the first 3. I was having such a hard time this time, I figured it was my thyroid or something! Alas, it was not. It's just my body saying "Hey lady - I've given you 4 kids in under 5 years - leave me alone." : )
I run, workout etc. and wasn't seeing results. So I changed my routine and am now seeing some change. The weight certainly isn't "melting" away but as time goes by I can see definite improvement in my muscle tone etc. I know it's annoying to work so hard and not "see" anything but trust me it's happening. Your sense of worth and beauty should not rest on your weight but on how you FEEL about yourself. Working out promotes adrenaline, hormones, etc. which will in turn make you feel good regardless of what the scales says.
In short - relax and do small things to change your daily routine. I work out at different times of the day and that REALLY throws your body a curve - early a.m. one day, midday next day, night the next, then night again. (Mine are of course contingent on work, naps, etc.)
Best of luck and remember you are your own worst critic. : )

Have you completely dried up or can you start pumping? My baby had jaundice really severe and I continued pumping until we could get back on course she had no problem getting back on the boob. Infact it worked out well that she did formula also cause I was able to build up stock in freezer for sitter. I too am currently working on getting back into shape remember that muscle weighs more than fat. So if you are strength training also you could be building muscle and that is why you are not seeing the numbers fall, it will kick into gear when body starts needing that energy for the muscles. Good luck

After having 8 children I think it's the way we were made to have a little extra weight for a bit after having a baby. It comes off slowly and I am not skinny but not fat either and I never exercised at all, shame on me I know, and so just keeping up with the kids, doing daily work, etc. should do quite a bit and then since you will do the 'right' thing and exercise, as I should have, it will come off. I actually was less than before I got married after my second child but I think, too, as you have more and are older each time it seemed to take a bit longer to come off. Not that you are old but older than before the others. Maybe that's not the case but it seemed that way to me. Just enjoy that baby and other children and don't worry about it and be sure you feel good and life will be good.

It sounds like you have plateaued in your weight loss. Try changing up your routine a little - anything from carrying light weights when you're walking (or wearing ankle weights), to jogging for a few intervals during your walk (walk ten minutes, jog one, walk ten, jog one). Or totally change it up with an aerobics DVD or riding a bike.

Like one of the other mamas mentioned, our bodies get accustomed to what we're doing, so we have to keep our muscles guessing and working in different ways.

Also, avoid "diet pitfalls" like eating carbs at night (try to avoid high carb foods after 4 pm) and drinking your calories (avoid juice, soda, etc that is high in calories).

Your weight loss will kick back up - plateaus usually last a few weeks until you break through with something new.

Whoever told you to stop nursing was an idiot. Breastmilk babies do get a bit more jaundiced than regular babies, but it's not that big a deal. You treat them like any other jaundiced newborn. Putting them on formula doesn't really help. It's too late now. I'm sure your milk has dried up. But that was bad advice. For other mothers in this situation, there are lots of breastfeeding resources out there to consult. Surprisingly, doctors are not very well informed on breastfeeding issues and their knee-jerk reaction when anything is going wrong with the baby is to try formula instead. In most cases this is the wrong solution and it's not one you can take back once your milk has dried up.

As for weight loss, your body is still recovering from the pregnancy. It's not ready to lose weight yet. Your hormones are such that they're not letting you lose much yet. You probably won't lose much more until you start cycling again, which actually shouldn't take too long since you're not nursing anymore.

Plus, it's only 6 been weeks. You shouldn't have even been exercising yet. Doctors generally tell you to wait until 6 weeks before returning to your exercise routine. Anyway, it takes time. Don't expect to bounce back to your normal size like a supermodel after her pregnancy. You've had 4 kids. It gets more difficult to lose the weight each time and the older you get the harder it is.

Advice: Just keep doing what you're doing and be patient. Don't expect to lose it quickly. It will probably take you a year or more to lose it all. I'm at just past 2 years and I still have 10 pounds of baby weight left to lose. I may never get back to my pre-baby size, though I haven't given up yet.

And, come on, being 20 pounds overweight is not the end of the world. Yes, you should try to lose it, but don't beat yourself up about it if you can't. Losing weight is hard.

First of all, I am sorry for your frustration. I am about to have my last (2nd child) and although I have only gained 15lbs this pregnancy, I am already thinking about the post-body challenge! With my first, it was a rough road so, I can relate. The one thing I have realized though, since having my first- some women it takes no time at all to get back to "normal". However, it took me a good year before I started to really see results that made me happy. With this being your 4th, my suggestion would be to let your hormones get back to normal and allow yourself time....I always tell my friends (much easier to say it than to feel it!), "we have the rest of our lives to look DAMN GOOD!". So, try to give your body the time it needs- it may just take it a little bit longer this time than in the past. Good luck and don't get discouraged!

Hi,
I just wanted to add that if you stress too much about losing weight, you won't lose weight. I learned the hard way. :(
Relax, enjoy your baby, and just know that you are doing everything in your power to take care of yourself and your family. You can't do any more than you are? Well, then there is nothing that we say that will help...besides, relax and don't stress about it.
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With the help of Mummy magic weight loss tea I managed to lose 35 pounds extra from my body after giving birth to my little man.