dieting and BF....?

[summer rain]

I really need to go on a sensible; calorie controlled diet, I am now about a stone above my pre-pregnancy weight despite going to well below it soon after I had my LO, when I get too heavy (or indeed too thin but no chance of that ATM!) my hormones go really wrong, leading to me piling on more and more weight really easily, terrible acne, hair loss and just generally looking and feeling awful. We also want more children and I don't think it would be safe for me to get PG at this size and my cycles are messed up anyway. I have been scanned for PCOS and they found nothing but never got round to having the blood tests and they say since I had a baby recently I can't have any blood tests until I have been actively TTC for at least a year, grr. Anyway I need to lose at least a couple of stone just to get back to normal, I accept I will never be a size 10 (wasn't a size 10 since I was aged 10) and I am happy to wait as long as it takes to lose the weight but its totally for my health. I do get a lot of exercise and inadvertent 'weight training' with the kids and all the housework, I have massive biceps for a lady lol (and yes its all muscle not bingo wings) but it isn't enough for me to lose anything unfortunately.

I've tried eating more healthily from home but I really need something that is mainly ready-prepared for me so I was looking at diet chef, OH and I plan to do it together (he was advised by the GP to do something of that ilk alongside being referred to a dietician). It says on their site that their diet isn't suitable for when BF but on Kellymom it says in most cases with a baby older than 2 months it is fine to go down to 1500 calories without affecting supply or you, and that was the diet chef programme I was going to do the one based on 1500; the foods don't add up to 1500 calories but I would be adding in a few of my own fruits, veg, pitta breads and healthy snacks to get it up to there-it also isn't low-carb or missing major food groups like many of these diets nor does it have excess added vitamins etc and all the ingredients are natural as far as I can see. Anyway some days I don't even eat enough calories now; I've figured out on some days I am having way less than 1500, but just eat the wrong things. I know people may think its a rip off but we waste so much money on junk food and quick takeaway sandwiches from the supermarket etc that last month it cost us £500 extra on top of our normal grocery bill so no suggestions to do anything else! But anyway do you think it would be ok? xx

 

[austinsmom]

Honestly, I know nothing about dieting... Have you ever had your thyorid tested? I only suggest it because of the weight loss, then gain... and hair loss, etc.
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/postpartum-thyroiditis/AN00153
Maybe worth looking into at least?

 

[summer rain]

Thanks, I have hun in the not so distant past and all tests always come back totally normal, I have chronic fatigue syndrome so they have to rule thyroid and other issues out; when I am at a sensible weight I have none of those symptoms, my skin is clear I have lovely thick hair etc, but when I get to above a certain weight I start having what can only be described as typical PCOS symptoms, my whole body shape changes and I become more like an apple shape, and hormonally things go extremely haywire. So far all I have this time is a few more spots but I know if I put much more weight on; the other issues won't be far behind. After I had my second youngest it got so bad that I got to nearly 250lb, and ended up with a cycle of 70 days, somehow I managed to get pregnant despite that but ended up miscarrying and that was almost like a huge reset button-the stress made me lose weight as well and I had 6 very normal cycles before I got pregnant with my youngest. I've had the same problem since before having kids but it seems after I have had kids the threshold at which the problems start; is a higher weight than before. In the US I probably would have been diagnosed with PCOS based on the symptoms but over here most doctors will only diagnose it based on scans showing cysts, blood test results and symptoms xx

 

[TennisGal]

Pcos can manifest without showing up on a scan. I was lucky to be treated by one of the leading experts in pcos...and the first person who really listened to me! My 'only' symptom was no af, so GP ignored it pretty much. When I was scanned, my scan showed cysts, but my bloods showed that I wasn't IR.

Sounds to me like you could be suffering with pcos...or at least being borderline. It can be triggered by weight, so perhaps you could be borderline, as it comes and goes?

Def don't worry, 14lbs isn't lots...it will come off no problem. I thought 1800kcals was the lowest you could go (I had a stomach bug, couldn't et and needed to know minimum cals I had to eat...was so worried)

How about doing the plan, but adding in a cereal bar, fruit salad, filled pitta etc.

Feel free to contact me if you have ANY pcos questions....I turned myself into a mini expert!

 

[DarlingMe]

Do you feel like your LO is drinking as much as he used to? I am thinking that your LO will get more nutrients out of food that he needs at his age. I keep hearing of all the times of natural disaster/starvation/famine that women nurse through so this should be ok for your LO if you are getting enough liquids and taking vitamins.

For yourself from a weight loss standpoint, your body tends to go into a starvation mode with less than 1200 calories. So if you are thinking you are getting 1500 or less, plus at least another 300-500 less for breastfeeding then that could be why you can't loose weight. You might actually need to add some high quality calories to what you are already eating! Maybe throwing in some extra proteins a couple times a day? I do not think you will lose weight switching to a regimented diet plan with that low of calories while breastfeeding!

 

[DarlingMe]

BTW I have been diagnosed with PCOs based on irregular periods and long cycles. LO was conceived around day 70 in my cycle but no cysts . Anyhow, I got good results with taking high doses of vitamin D because I could not tolerate metformin. I take 10,000 IU every 2-3 days. This is good for LO also. Vitamin D has been linked to PCOS and CFS. For some reason I think you said you already take high doses of vitamin d though!

 

[littlestar85]

I hit this weight dilemma a few months after giving birth too. Within 10 days of giving birth I went to 1/2 a stone under my pre-preg weight... But after a few months of sleep-deprivation, tongue-tie problems and non-stop BFing I ate like a horse and piled on 2 stone!!!

I decided to wait till LO was eating a good amount of solids to go on a diet so when he was 10 months I started being strict. No more than 1500 calories a day, no bread, pasta, white rice, white potatoes, cake, biscuits, chocolate, sweets, fried food, lamb, no junk, no meat skin, only lean meat, limited fruit (cos of sugar e.g no figs, cherries, grapes or bananas), LOADS of salad, veg and fish, only skimmed milk and no food after 8pm and since then I've lost 2.5 stone and want to shift another 1.5.

If anything, my supply has increased and LO seems happier! The healthier diet must be making the milk taste better and my body make it more effectively!

I never let myself get too hungry, I snack on lean proteins and salad and drink at least 2 litres of water a day.

I have tonnes more energy and as a result of that I'm taking LO for long walks most days which is helping me tone up too.

It's all about balance and making sure you keep in tune with what your body tells you it needs. If you're starving, eat and don't deny yourself to the point where your willpower will snap and you'll lose motivation e.g if you're good for 3 weeks and desperately crave chocolate split a bar with your DH but make sure you're good for aother 3 weeks etc.

Good luck!!! X x X

 

[summer rain]

Thanks all, yes I think its borderline PCOS as did the locum GP at my old surgery; and once I get to a particular weight it is a vicious cycle; I definitely do have a slight hormonal imbalance-OPKs never working for me is one manifestation of this, for me they only turn positive when I am pregnant, the rest of the time they are either blank on the test line for those brands which a positive is just any line; and for those lines where a darker test line means a positive the test line is always the same as the control line. I wasted a lot of money on doing them everyday a few years back, before I realised this! I've always had slightly irregular cycles as well; was told as a teen this would regulate as I got older but it never has.

I do take 1000iu of vitamin D a day but am not willing to go above that; as that is the current maximum safe daily recommended dose in the EU for long term use. I have decided I am definitely going to do the diet chef; all it is really is smaller portions of 'regular' food so not missing anything important-it would be ideal to just change my diet or add things into it but I am already making at least two versions of the same meal every time because my 4 year old has a dairy allergy and having to make 3 different meals or variations every mealtime fills me with dread, I will add in a few extra things to make sure it definitely adds up to 1500. I wasn't saying everyday I only eat 1200 calories but on some days and it doesn't affect my supply, I still have an oversupply and leaking even now but yes the 1200 calories on those odd days probably is contributing to me holding on to so much weight as well. Ideally I'd like to lose 4 stone as that will get me to a BMI of around 24; which I have been advised is the ideal for my particular height and build but even to lose 2 stone would be acceptable for me. I am only a stone above my pre-pregnancy weight but my pre-pregnancy weight was just about in the 'obese' category so definitely not good. I'll definitely be keeping an eye on things and if I sense any sign of lowering of supply will up the calories xx

 

[rachlou83]

Oh gosh I am in the same boat! 4 years ago I weighed 19 stone I then lost 7 stone taking me to about 12 stone. After I had my first daughter I put on three stone and then lost a stone after having her. I am currently 16 stone and 5 ft 9 and can't shift any of it. I used to be so fit and I just feel rubbish now. I used to swim a lot and go to the gym but that just is not possible with a baby. I have figured however that breastfeeding my daughter is a priority at the moment.

 

[summer rain]

I totally sympathise; I am an inch shorter than you and currently close to 16 stone. Most I ever was, was about 16st 10. Its confusing as I have read conflicting things as to a safe minimum amount of calories when BF, anything from 1500 to 2700! But my baby is older now and while we have introduced solids very gradually, he is eating a lot more solids now than ever before and has started sleeping 7-8 hour minimum stretches at night again, as well as gaining weight at an average weight for his age, but even so I will still keep a close eye on things. xx

 

[summer rain]

Well just a little update; I have ordered the diet chef food and will be giving it a go. OH has already got his and it looks pretty decent, they do advise that for someone with a lot of weight to lose they need to be having side portions of rice etc so I will be doing that also. We will have to buy a microwave though as we don't actually have one ATM and its a faff heating it all in a pan xx

 

[patch2006uk]

Hope you manage to find something that works for you

I also could do with losing a good chunk of weight, but all I seem to be able to achieve is to maintain at the mo. We want another baby, and my BMI at the moment would tip me towards another c-section being likely, and I'd like to avoid another one at all costs.

Let us know how the plan thing goes good luck!

 

[summer rain]

Well today was my first day and it has gone pretty well; food is much nicer than I thought, one of the breakfast cookies tastes exactly like the subway cinnamon raisin cookie-which is my favourite cookie in the whole wide world and to be honest the reason why I went to subway half the time! Lunches and dinners are nice too though I can't have all of them as some have non halal meat and/or alcohol in but overall the vegetarian selection is pretty decent.

The programme isn't cheap at just over £200 a month when using a discount code but its cheaper than any of the other food delivery diet services and certainly a lot cheaper than lighter life etc (not that I think VLCDs are a sensible option anyway).

For me being this much overweight completely messes up my cycles-there is quite a narrow window (between about 11st and 14st) where my hormones are not our of kilter. With my other boys I always started semi-regular cycles about 2 months after them starting solids no matter how slowly they took to them and this time although I have had bits of breakthrough bleeding I haven't had my cycles return yet properly. While I know its normal for many BFing ladies it isn't for me, and coupled with the fact I have got really spotty and my hair really greasy I feel like I am back to how I was in 2009. A year after I had my second youngest was the only other time I got this big and my cycles were extremely messed up leading me to have a period every other month and premenstrual symptoms but light spotting in the inbetween months; and I ended up having a devestating missed miscarriage in 2009-while it did act as a big reset button for my weight and cycles it wasn't an experience I'd like to repeat. Also while the cut off BMI in this area for being high risk in pregnancy is 35; if you're anything above 27 many of the midwives give you a lot of grief (I know from last time when my BMI was 29 or 30 by my booking appointment) and acting like you're guaranteed to develop GD and have a large baby who will be guaranteed to get stuck during delivery..xx

 

[Dizzymum]

I hope the plan works out for you and your DH. I've been doing the Slimming World plan (don't go to a group, just do it by myself) and I have lost 2st quite easily. The breast feeding has really helped me to lose it. You also get extra allowances of calcium rich foods if you are B'fing, so I've had plenty to eat! When I've slipped off plan, I've found that the weight hasn't gone back on, but I've just stayed the same.

Good luck with your new plan, I'm sure you'll be seeing great results in no time x

 

[lozzy21]

I was going to say if that doesnt work out that you can do slimming world when pregnant and breastfeeding.