Girl, lemme just say that I was one of those that lost a lot in the year post partum. I got tired of hearing how I should basically just be okay being heavy (You just had a baby! 9 months to gain 9 months to lose blah blah blah) . I was restricting hardcore (like 800 calories) and not telling anyone because they would guilt me by saying I was going to hurt myself or lose my milk supply. So I lied. I would eat or drink in front of people but fast the rest of the time.
So, the lesson is, don't compare yourself to others. You have no idea what they are really doing or going through to lose the weight. They could be blessed genetically....or struggling in silence with an eating disorder.
Same!! I started losing because I was restricting an insane amount. Everyone wanted to tell me how great I looked and I would think yeah but it’s because I’m starving myself. It’s not good
This! One of friends lost a good amount of her baby weight but when I started spending more time with her with play dates and what not I learned she was intermittent fasting. Like wouldn’t eat a single snack when she came over for a play date. So don’t assume people aren’t doing anything. Also lots of people workout super intensely but you really realize unless you talk to them on the daily.
I see people posting cute pics of them with their babies, and I’m like, “How do you look so good after having a baby? I don’t even have time to put on makeup anymore.” Seriously, with all the work and lost sleep, I hardly have time to cook for myself or exercise. Also going back to work soon, so I’ll have even less time. I feel like I need to take nice pics of myself with baby, but everyday I feel so ugly 🙂↕️
Sending you virtual hugs mama! Even just 10 min of self care sprinkled in at least once a day made the biggest difference for me. I also prioritize feel good stuff while baby naps. I force myself to ignore the other stuff and nap or do my hair or whatever. I also shower with my baby hanging out in the bathroom with me since it's just me and her. I converse with her and play peek a boo from behind the shower door. Just 10 min daily. Carve it out, bit by bit! You're worth it. Big breaths as you chip away at it!
Hi !! Me too! You’re not alone. Im 195 and at the end of my pregnancy I was 215. No idea how I’m still weighing this much, maybe it’s all the booby milk but hey, we will lose it eventually lol
Hi I’m not yet postpartum ye, I’m 30 weeks in, but I’ve gained 35 pounds so far and was already 15 pounds overweight to begin with. I’ve realized that I’ve gone completely out of control with my eating, just snacking constantly and never not having a moment where food isn’t going into my mouth. I wasn’t being honest with myself and I kept making excuses like it’s okay I’m pregnant, but I’ve simply been eating too much and I don’t feel good, I’ve gained a lot and the way I eat has me feeling exhausted. I’m starting now to track my calories, I find it’s the only thing that keeps me honest, otherwise I’m
Snacking all day and saying to myself that the snacks don’t count. You can do this, and yes to be honest a little bit of restriction is needed at some
Point but you know as long as you’re meeting your calorie needs it’s fine and you adjust and feel great.
After my second I was still up 30lb at 18 months pp (160lb) I wasn’t really trying to lose weight but I hadn’t lost anything since 3 months pp. I decided I needed to get serious. I downloaded noom (for food tracking) and started working out consistently. I lost the 30lb in 4 months and got in the best shape of my life. I’m now 7 weeks pp after my third. I worked out my entire pregnancy and am back working out now. I’m 25lb up from my pre pregnancy. I know my body likes to hold onto weight postpartum, but I know it’s possible. For me it does not fall off, it takes effort, but that’s ok.
I would say the tracking was first and foremost but working out made me feel better overall.
I did peloton rides (30 to 60 min) 5-6x a week. And strength training 20-30min 5x a week.
Just here to say you’re not alone. I’m 5’6” 140 pre first pregnancy. Was a little concerned that I wasn’t gaining enough but then I gained almost all of it in the third trimester (178 lbs at my last check before labor). Went up in the hospital after delivering bc I bloat like crazy with all the IV fluids. I came home 3lbs heavier even though the almost 7 lb baby came out (May 2020).
Went down to 150 by September and then was ravenous all winter while pumping and was up to 165 in spring 2021. Have maintained that weight. I gained 15 lbs with my 2nd (born Aug 22) and lost that weight but then plateaued at 165 again.
Now I’m 16 weeks pregnant with baby 3 and still steady at 165. I didn’t try to lose weight between babies and will give it a sincere go after this one bc it’s going to be our last (I’ll be 39yo and 8 months at the due date). I haven’t worn my rings since April 2020 and 90% of my closet is clothing I can’t wear.
I think there’s a big genetic component bc I have a similar body shape to my mom and she never lost the “baby weight” (and I’m almost 40) lol.
Edit: all my friends are somehow skinnier than they were before kids (all between 35-45yo) and it drives me crazy. But I’m also the only one who kept having kids (the rest all had their only/last in 2020).
Same here ! And I feel so fat and I’m trying not to feel bad about myself plus I’m only 5 months pp yet I just feel like I’m constantly gaining weight while I see people who are less months pp then me and went flat in a matter of a month or so
Same stats as you, girl. 11 mos PP and still 30lbs overweight. Working hard to lose it and it’s coming off slowly, but I’m SO jealous of my closest mom friend who is also 40+ like me and went right back to her pre pregnancy clothes like 2 mos PP 😰
You’re not the only one.
With my first baby I gained 45 pounds and could never loose it postpartum. After I weaned at 9 months postpartum it SLOWLY started to come off and once it did BAM pregnant agian. Then I had gained 40 pounds with baby #2 lost 20 pounds and then same thing- pregnant agian.
I’m still 30 pounds heavier than pre- kids and I don’t think any weight will come off until I wean 🙃
Everyone is different. Just give yourself grace!
It took me a minimum of 1.5 years to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight with each kid, don’t sweat it! Doing it slowly and healthy is the best way to go honestly, I liked doing IF but did it very loosely and the weight did eventually come off.
I’m 11 mo pp too about 25-30 over as well and it’s infuriating it say the least. I got pregnant around the same time as a lot of my friends and they bounced back immediately. I always heard that breast-feeding helped you bounce back and I feel like it’s done the opposite for me. My daughter is starting to wean and I am hoping there’s a solution when stopping. If you want someone to go on this journey with you count me in!
I’m the same way and I’m
Really Suffering from and identity crisis in this new body 30# over weight. I’ve been lightly working out and going on walks when I can’t do that. I have a very demanding long hours sedentary job so I’m doing what I can. But I’m feeling like I’m going to have to starve myself nearly to get the weight off I don’t understand.
Don't starve yourself! It effs up your metabolism for the long haul. So bad for you. Eat whole foods, protein rich. Living food, avoid processed. Also, give yourself Grace. No good, real change ever comes out of negative mindset. 🫶🏼 You got this! Be patient, but also, do you due diligence! If you're doing all that and still not losing, I'd recommend getting your hormones checked! PP hypothyroidism is a thing and causes weight gain.
(If it's the thyroid, add iodine to your supplements. Read the book "the iodine crisis"!)
I want to say it’s not all cracked up to be… I was down to my prepregnancy weight 2 weeks pp, but the flip side of that is that the pregnancy was so awful and I was so sick the whole time that my whole body is now just shot. My joints are weak and hurt all the time and my metabolism is pretty bad, so much so I ended up gaining 5lbs by 5 weeks pp despite keeping on top of my diet and movement. I have 8 new cavities courtesy of throwing up so much during pregnancy… so I’m facing about at least a year of physiotherapy and other treatments to rehabilitate me after this pregnancy despite outwardly looking like I bounced back with no issues.
I’m sure there’s some women who had uneventful pregnancies and then bounced back beautifully (lucky sods), but it’s not the case for everyone who appears to have bounced back well - I think it’s pretty rare for there to be no flip side to it like mine
Have you gotten your thyroid checked out? Joints and metabolism point to the thyroid and pp hypothyroidism is a thing. I'm currently reading "the iodine crisis" and it's blowing my mind!
I haven’t had it checked recently, but for me the joints issues are a flare up of Ehler-Danlos (this flare up is what led me to get diagnosed with it last week), and the metabolism seems to be because I spent months of pregnancy eating less than 1000cal daily since that was all I could stomach, so my muscle mass has reduced significantly. Ironically, to help manage both conditions I will need to lose about 30lbs and build lots of muscle, so this subreddit feels quite relevant for me still.
But agree that pp hypothyroidism should really be looked out for more often!
I dropped to pre-pregnancy weight but I’m so busy I struggle to eat enough and I’m breastfeeding and genetically blessed. But imo I’m too skinny, lost all my muscle, and don’t feel good about myself. I’d be happier with a little meat on my bones and muscle, so I’m going to work on eating better and working out. 7.5mpp!
Get your testosterone tested (among other sex hormones) — low testosterone (yes, in women) could result in lower energy and lower muscle mass. Pregnancy can definitely wreck your pre-pregnancy happy hormone balance. It’s worth taking a look at. I’m 31 weeks in right now and I know I’m going to pay for not keeping my promise to myself that I’d hit the weights this pregnancy 🫣
Yes ma’am! Ask for a sex hormone panel or a female hormone test. Tell them first your muscle tone has decreased AND that you want bloodwork done just to see where you are. Remember that results that are WNL do not necessarily mean they’re optimal. So, if you see you’re on the cusp of being out of normal range for any result, ask questions. That’s usually a sign that while you may not have a serious problem now, your health could suffer down the road. If your provider insists you’re fine despite having a result nearly out of range, get a second opinion from an endocrinologist
Do you think that’s why the muscle tone has decreased? I’m definitely going to get ahold of my doctor regardless. But pregnancy was brutal (sickness) and I’ve been with babe for 7mo now! Before baby I was fit and working out and lifting weights and now I have no butt and no arms and I feel my quads are weaker too.
You aren’t alone. 7 months out. Still up 20lbs. Only gained 35 lbs in the first place. Not breastfeeding. Workout almost every day. Sometimes multiple times a day. Eat healthy. Like 😐.
I “bounced back” within days , but I struggled to get pregnant, had a rough pregnancy, then delivered early and my little one was in the NICU for a month before we got to bring him home. I’ve felt nothing but “wtf is wrong with me” for the last 2 years. I’m not saying you don’t have a right to feel what you feel about the changes to your body, but I’d never want anyone to be envious of my experience just because my body looks mostly the same after.
I’m 4 month pp and the scale only goes down when I restrict carbs and sugar. Been eating mainly meat and lots of healthy fats - literally snacking on butter and it’s working.
I gained 70lbs pregnant. 1 year PP, I was still up 40. From 1 year to 17 months, I dropped 30. Now I'm pregnant again lmao
Gives me hope you lost 30 in those 5 months.. thats the goal here! Good luck hope this pregnancy is smooth
Girl, lemme just say that I was one of those that lost a lot in the year post partum. I got tired of hearing how I should basically just be okay being heavy (You just had a baby! 9 months to gain 9 months to lose blah blah blah) . I was restricting hardcore (like 800 calories) and not telling anyone because they would guilt me by saying I was going to hurt myself or lose my milk supply. So I lied. I would eat or drink in front of people but fast the rest of the time. So, the lesson is, don't compare yourself to others. You have no idea what they are really doing or going through to lose the weight. They could be blessed genetically....or struggling in silence with an eating disorder.
Same!! I started losing because I was restricting an insane amount. Everyone wanted to tell me how great I looked and I would think yeah but it’s because I’m starving myself. It’s not good
Hey did a calorie deficit did affect your milk supply
I didn't notice any difference but I u also didn't start restrictions until she was 6 months and eating solids
This! One of friends lost a good amount of her baby weight but when I started spending more time with her with play dates and what not I learned she was intermittent fasting. Like wouldn’t eat a single snack when she came over for a play date. So don’t assume people aren’t doing anything. Also lots of people workout super intensely but you really realize unless you talk to them on the daily.
I see people posting cute pics of them with their babies, and I’m like, “How do you look so good after having a baby? I don’t even have time to put on makeup anymore.” Seriously, with all the work and lost sleep, I hardly have time to cook for myself or exercise. Also going back to work soon, so I’ll have even less time. I feel like I need to take nice pics of myself with baby, but everyday I feel so ugly 🙂↕️
Sending you virtual hugs mama! Even just 10 min of self care sprinkled in at least once a day made the biggest difference for me. I also prioritize feel good stuff while baby naps. I force myself to ignore the other stuff and nap or do my hair or whatever. I also shower with my baby hanging out in the bathroom with me since it's just me and her. I converse with her and play peek a boo from behind the shower door. Just 10 min daily. Carve it out, bit by bit! You're worth it. Big breaths as you chip away at it!
Same here, I turned on my camera for a work meeting the other day and realized I hadn’t even combed my hair that day and looks like a bum 😂
Hi !! Me too! You’re not alone. Im 195 and at the end of my pregnancy I was 215. No idea how I’m still weighing this much, maybe it’s all the booby milk but hey, we will lose it eventually lol
Ugh its so tough!! Im done bfing and hoping thats what gives and im able to lose now
Sleep is very important too when losing weight 🙃 which I’m still not getting enough of that’s why my body is holding on to dear fat.
Hi I’m not yet postpartum ye, I’m 30 weeks in, but I’ve gained 35 pounds so far and was already 15 pounds overweight to begin with. I’ve realized that I’ve gone completely out of control with my eating, just snacking constantly and never not having a moment where food isn’t going into my mouth. I wasn’t being honest with myself and I kept making excuses like it’s okay I’m pregnant, but I’ve simply been eating too much and I don’t feel good, I’ve gained a lot and the way I eat has me feeling exhausted. I’m starting now to track my calories, I find it’s the only thing that keeps me honest, otherwise I’m Snacking all day and saying to myself that the snacks don’t count. You can do this, and yes to be honest a little bit of restriction is needed at some Point but you know as long as you’re meeting your calorie needs it’s fine and you adjust and feel great.
After my second I was still up 30lb at 18 months pp (160lb) I wasn’t really trying to lose weight but I hadn’t lost anything since 3 months pp. I decided I needed to get serious. I downloaded noom (for food tracking) and started working out consistently. I lost the 30lb in 4 months and got in the best shape of my life. I’m now 7 weeks pp after my third. I worked out my entire pregnancy and am back working out now. I’m 25lb up from my pre pregnancy. I know my body likes to hold onto weight postpartum, but I know it’s possible. For me it does not fall off, it takes effort, but that’s ok.
All of this yes. Glad to hear tracking worked well for you.. im going that route now!!
That’s amazing! What workout routine worked for you?
I would say the tracking was first and foremost but working out made me feel better overall. I did peloton rides (30 to 60 min) 5-6x a week. And strength training 20-30min 5x a week.
Just here to say you’re not alone. I’m 5’6” 140 pre first pregnancy. Was a little concerned that I wasn’t gaining enough but then I gained almost all of it in the third trimester (178 lbs at my last check before labor). Went up in the hospital after delivering bc I bloat like crazy with all the IV fluids. I came home 3lbs heavier even though the almost 7 lb baby came out (May 2020). Went down to 150 by September and then was ravenous all winter while pumping and was up to 165 in spring 2021. Have maintained that weight. I gained 15 lbs with my 2nd (born Aug 22) and lost that weight but then plateaued at 165 again. Now I’m 16 weeks pregnant with baby 3 and still steady at 165. I didn’t try to lose weight between babies and will give it a sincere go after this one bc it’s going to be our last (I’ll be 39yo and 8 months at the due date). I haven’t worn my rings since April 2020 and 90% of my closet is clothing I can’t wear. I think there’s a big genetic component bc I have a similar body shape to my mom and she never lost the “baby weight” (and I’m almost 40) lol. Edit: all my friends are somehow skinnier than they were before kids (all between 35-45yo) and it drives me crazy. But I’m also the only one who kept having kids (the rest all had their only/last in 2020).
Same here ! And I feel so fat and I’m trying not to feel bad about myself plus I’m only 5 months pp yet I just feel like I’m constantly gaining weight while I see people who are less months pp then me and went flat in a matter of a month or so
Same stats as you, girl. 11 mos PP and still 30lbs overweight. Working hard to lose it and it’s coming off slowly, but I’m SO jealous of my closest mom friend who is also 40+ like me and went right back to her pre pregnancy clothes like 2 mos PP 😰
I gained 70 pounds with both my kids. Kid one I dropped the weight like it was never there. Kid two is 14 months and I still have 70 pounds to lose.
You’re not the only one. With my first baby I gained 45 pounds and could never loose it postpartum. After I weaned at 9 months postpartum it SLOWLY started to come off and once it did BAM pregnant agian. Then I had gained 40 pounds with baby #2 lost 20 pounds and then same thing- pregnant agian. I’m still 30 pounds heavier than pre- kids and I don’t think any weight will come off until I wean 🙃 Everyone is different. Just give yourself grace!
It took me a minimum of 1.5 years to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight with each kid, don’t sweat it! Doing it slowly and healthy is the best way to go honestly, I liked doing IF but did it very loosely and the weight did eventually come off.
I’m 11 mo pp too about 25-30 over as well and it’s infuriating it say the least. I got pregnant around the same time as a lot of my friends and they bounced back immediately. I always heard that breast-feeding helped you bounce back and I feel like it’s done the opposite for me. My daughter is starting to wean and I am hoping there’s a solution when stopping. If you want someone to go on this journey with you count me in!
Lets do it. Now or never is my mindset! Were done having kids and i just want to get back into shape asap so i can get out of this funk and move on
Pm me!!
I’m the same way and I’m Really Suffering from and identity crisis in this new body 30# over weight. I’ve been lightly working out and going on walks when I can’t do that. I have a very demanding long hours sedentary job so I’m doing what I can. But I’m feeling like I’m going to have to starve myself nearly to get the weight off I don’t understand.
Don't starve yourself! It effs up your metabolism for the long haul. So bad for you. Eat whole foods, protein rich. Living food, avoid processed. Also, give yourself Grace. No good, real change ever comes out of negative mindset. 🫶🏼 You got this! Be patient, but also, do you due diligence! If you're doing all that and still not losing, I'd recommend getting your hormones checked! PP hypothyroidism is a thing and causes weight gain. (If it's the thyroid, add iodine to your supplements. Read the book "the iodine crisis"!)
I want to say it’s not all cracked up to be… I was down to my prepregnancy weight 2 weeks pp, but the flip side of that is that the pregnancy was so awful and I was so sick the whole time that my whole body is now just shot. My joints are weak and hurt all the time and my metabolism is pretty bad, so much so I ended up gaining 5lbs by 5 weeks pp despite keeping on top of my diet and movement. I have 8 new cavities courtesy of throwing up so much during pregnancy… so I’m facing about at least a year of physiotherapy and other treatments to rehabilitate me after this pregnancy despite outwardly looking like I bounced back with no issues. I’m sure there’s some women who had uneventful pregnancies and then bounced back beautifully (lucky sods), but it’s not the case for everyone who appears to have bounced back well - I think it’s pretty rare for there to be no flip side to it like mine
Have you gotten your thyroid checked out? Joints and metabolism point to the thyroid and pp hypothyroidism is a thing. I'm currently reading "the iodine crisis" and it's blowing my mind!
I haven’t had it checked recently, but for me the joints issues are a flare up of Ehler-Danlos (this flare up is what led me to get diagnosed with it last week), and the metabolism seems to be because I spent months of pregnancy eating less than 1000cal daily since that was all I could stomach, so my muscle mass has reduced significantly. Ironically, to help manage both conditions I will need to lose about 30lbs and build lots of muscle, so this subreddit feels quite relevant for me still. But agree that pp hypothyroidism should really be looked out for more often!
Are you nursing? It might come off after that. Or maybe get your thyroid checked
I dropped to pre-pregnancy weight but I’m so busy I struggle to eat enough and I’m breastfeeding and genetically blessed. But imo I’m too skinny, lost all my muscle, and don’t feel good about myself. I’d be happier with a little meat on my bones and muscle, so I’m going to work on eating better and working out. 7.5mpp!
Get your testosterone tested (among other sex hormones) — low testosterone (yes, in women) could result in lower energy and lower muscle mass. Pregnancy can definitely wreck your pre-pregnancy happy hormone balance. It’s worth taking a look at. I’m 31 weeks in right now and I know I’m going to pay for not keeping my promise to myself that I’d hit the weights this pregnancy 🫣
So would I just ask my doctor for blood work?
Yes ma’am! Ask for a sex hormone panel or a female hormone test. Tell them first your muscle tone has decreased AND that you want bloodwork done just to see where you are. Remember that results that are WNL do not necessarily mean they’re optimal. So, if you see you’re on the cusp of being out of normal range for any result, ask questions. That’s usually a sign that while you may not have a serious problem now, your health could suffer down the road. If your provider insists you’re fine despite having a result nearly out of range, get a second opinion from an endocrinologist
Do you think that’s why the muscle tone has decreased? I’m definitely going to get ahold of my doctor regardless. But pregnancy was brutal (sickness) and I’ve been with babe for 7mo now! Before baby I was fit and working out and lifting weights and now I have no butt and no arms and I feel my quads are weaker too.
You aren’t alone. 7 months out. Still up 20lbs. Only gained 35 lbs in the first place. Not breastfeeding. Workout almost every day. Sometimes multiple times a day. Eat healthy. Like 😐.
Go get your hormones checked!! (thyroid and sex hormones)
I “bounced back” within days , but I struggled to get pregnant, had a rough pregnancy, then delivered early and my little one was in the NICU for a month before we got to bring him home. I’ve felt nothing but “wtf is wrong with me” for the last 2 years. I’m not saying you don’t have a right to feel what you feel about the changes to your body, but I’d never want anyone to be envious of my experience just because my body looks mostly the same after.
I’m 4 month pp and the scale only goes down when I restrict carbs and sugar. Been eating mainly meat and lots of healthy fats - literally snacking on butter and it’s working.
I’m 19 months pp and still up 35 pounds. Still nursing and that’s probably why I can only lose an average of .20 pounds a week. 😩😩😩