In desperate need of encouragement!!

[Boo44]

Quick background - First preg I gained like 45lb (usually a size 8-10 UK size) and he was emergency section so after 6 wks I went to gym and in 6 months was back down to normal size if not a bit smaller

I gained 35lb in this pregnancy. My gorgeous boy is almost 8 weeks old and was born by emergency C section (failed VBAC sob sob)

The initial baby loss happened in the first week (lost 14lb with baby and fluid etc) and have been left with 11lb to lose

Because of section I couldn't exercise until 6 weeks PP and anyway it was Christmas etc so I didn't worry. I stayed at exactly the same weight despite breastfeeding

I've now stopped breastfeeding. At 6 weeks I re joined my gym (2 weeks ago). I do at least 30 mins cardio and then some toning machines. I lost nothing at all last week despite going 3 times. I put that down to the fact that I didn't really change my diet at all. I don't eat particularly badly but I do have a sweet tooth!!

This week I put all my details into myfitnesspal and it recommended 1200 kcal per day. I've stuck religiously to this all week. Have also been to the gym 3 times (not easy to fit in with a small family but I'm determined!). And guess what - not even a single lb lost!!! In fact I actually put a lb on this week

Have checked on 3 sets of scales and they all say the same

Am feeling v demoralised!!!!!!!

 

[dgirllamius]

If you don't have much to lose then your body is just going to be stubborn and make it difficult for you to lose weight.

When you go to the gym, do you eat back your exercise calories? Let's say you are eating 1200, and then you burn 400 at the gym - you would have only taken in 800 calories which is far too low for your body to even function. You need to NET at least 1200 (so you need to eat that 400 back). Strange as it may sound you need to eat more when you start exercising - but knowing what you burn helps.

Don't rely on the machines at the gym to tell you how many calories you've burned - they are very inaccurate. Invest in a heart rate monitor (Polar do good ones, I have an FT4 which I highly recommend).

Are you drinking enough? If you do any form of weight lifting either free lifting or with machines, then your muscles need water to repair. If you don't give your body the water it needs it will just hold onto every last drop you give it. Up your intake by a litre or 2.

I've been going to the gym for 6 MONTHS and only just had my first loss - and that was all down to not drinking enough. I was only taking in 2 litres but after reading what some web site I should be taking in just under 5! You'd be surprised on how much you need and how much it really helps.

 

[Boo44]

Thanks so much for replying dgirllamius!

Interesting what you've said. I googled it this morning after another disappointing moment on the scales and it said about water retention and to drink more. So I'm trying to drink more water. Once you started that did the weight come off?

I will watch my calories more closely. So are you saying I need 1200 net, so it should be 1200 after taking my exercise calories off?

 

[dgirllamius]

When I started going to the gym I was 203lb (yikes) and I did manage to lose 1lb but I was stuck in that same zone for 6 months. I've been doing certain things to try and eliminate what the problem would be. First off I went to the doctor for a thyroid exam and it came back fine. So I started tracking my calories and nothing was working. I then ate less, nothing. I then ate more, nothing. So I didn't think it was a food issue.

I've never been one to drink tonnes of water and someone told me it is so important to drink. To start off with I was drinking 2 litres but nothing was happening, even though 2 litres is the recommended amount. However, when you think about it, the heavier you are, the more you need (just like food in a way). I worked out I need 3.7 litres a day (with an additional 350ml per 30 minutes exercise). So I was only drinking half of what I needed.

I only learnt this a week ago, and I've dropped from 201 to 198. My scales are also showing body fat loss and an increase in water. It's so important it's unreal. There are calculators online which can tell you what you need, you just answer a few questions and it works it out.

As for food, I'll try and explain as well as I can. Myfitnesspal is telling you 1200 a day. I assume you have set your activity level to sedentary (1200 is the kind of amount for that activity level). Myfitnesspal already calculates a deficit based on your activity BUT does not include any exercise you do. Other web sites may already calculate this in for you.

So let's say you eat 1200 calories today, and then you hit the gym and burn 400. You've only really eaten 800. So you need to eat back that 400 to get back to 1200. That's why mfp wants you to add in exercise so it can tell you what you need to eat. If you don't net 1200 your body will just hold onto whatever you're eating.

 

[Boo44]

Ooh thanks you're really helping me!

So funny as I'm clearly thinking how you did originally - we have our postpartum check at the drs this week and I'm planning on getting my thyroid bloods done!

I am going to up my water intake. Will check out online how much I need!

Is English your second language? I sure wish I was as beautifully fluent in a second language...

 

[dgirllamius]

I would get your thyroid checked that for sure, so many people have an underlying problem but have no idea they have it. My OH have recently just found out he has an underactive thyroid and you never would have guessed so. He doesn't have a weight problem though (git).

Nah I'm British but I live in Germany. I wish my German was as good as my English xD

 

[Boo44]

Ahh that explains it then lol

Yeah my mum had thyrotoxicosis and then hypothyroidism after treatment. So it may be that I have inherited something..