Back in July 2011, as I was sitting on the couch dropping a small fortune on Beach Body DVDs that promised me the skinnies post-baby, I swore I’d be back to my pre-baby weight by Christmas — if not sooner. I was so over my whale-ish figure that I just knew I’d bounce back in no time. I mean, that’s what vain girls do, right? Yes, I’ve definitely lost a lot of weight since giving birth — 47 lbs to be exact, orrrr about the average weight of a 6 year old child. EWWW! Fast-forward 7 months and 4 uses of those Beach Body DVDs later, and I still look 3 months pregnant! WHY! WHY! WHY? Sadly, I still have 10 lbs more to lose!! WHAT!
I’ve made no secret of the fact that I gained WAY too much in pregnancy, namely in my 3rd trimester where I was so uncomfortable that the only thing that brought me comfort was yummy food. I totally overindulged. My bad. And now I’m paying the price for those daily Wendy’s Frostys. I’m so sick of these 10 lbs hanging on for dear life. I try to blame it on breastfeeding; since I read somewhere that breastfeeding can keep on about 10 lbs to aid in milk production. But I know it’s really just my inability to eat healthy and make time for going to the gym. It is SO hard eating whatever you want for a year and a half and then suddenly trying to say no to French fries and eat healthy again. Not to contradict what I just said about breastfeeding, but thanks to nursing, I’ve been able to eat whatever I want and slowly shave off the preggo pounds for the last 7 months. Unfortunately, now I’ve plateaued and it’s going to be up to me to do the rest. Hmph!
I never thought I’d say this; but I wanna look like Jennifer Hudson!
I’m strongly thinking about joining Weight Watchers. Have you seen Jennifer Hudson in those WW ads? Geez! I did WW before my wedding and lost 13 ½ lbs and never looked better. I know it works but it’s definitely a commitment and if you want to be successful, you’ve gotta stick with it. What makes WW even more successful is working out. And since going back to work from maternity leave, I’ve been terribly inconsistent with exercise. I work in the office 3 days a week and half days at home on Mondays and Fridays, so it kind of forces me to get all my gym time in on the weekends, and that’s when I want to be out doing stuff, I don’t want to be on the treadmill! Of course I’m just making excuses.
My problem is that I’ve gotten complacent about my weight loss. But I def don’t want to keep these pounds on and then add the poundage from baby #2 on top of it. What’s frustrating about this weight is that it’s all concentrated right in my tummy, making me STILL look 3 months pregnant! DRATS! Can’t it be nice and evenly distributed throughout my body? I feel like I need a personal trainer to lean out this gut of mine. My 90 crunches once a week aint cuttin’ it. I’m so sick of wearing the same 4 outfits to work; just rotating what days I wear them. They’re the only things that fit! I want to get back in those skinny jeans — and with no muffin top! Pipe dream?
So this is my dilemma. It’s time for me to change my lifestyle if I want to get the skinnies. Am I ready? I don’t know. I’m ready to feel confident again; to look good at my friend’s wedding in May. But can I give up the mindless eating? I mean….I guess I can. Where the heck is my motivation? Where’s that vain girl within when I need her? Did she get a sweet tooth too? *face palm*
Any suggestions on how to lose these last 10 lbs of baby weight? Success stories?
Ugh, I am right there with you. About 7.5 months postpartum here, and I don’t look back to normal yet. I’m thankful that breastfeeding has helped me drop the majority of the baby weight, but I also blame nursing for keeping those last 5-10 lbs around, mostly in my midsection! I am desperate to lose all the baby weight and then some before I even think about having my second child. Otherwise, I know it’ll just snowball out of control! My problem is, I’ve tried to cut back on caloric intake, and I notice it affecting my milk production. Breastfeeding is very important to me, but I’ve actually considered weaning sooner primarily for the weight loss and health factor.
I keep telling myself I’m going to lose these 10 lbs before I stop nursing so I can double up the calorie burning from BFing and exercising! So I’m kind of looking at weaning by May.
It’s tough when you are losing the weight and then you plateau….sounds like you need some extra motivational help. I would suggest for the next 2.5 months (pre-wedding fitness challenge) that you hire a fitness trainer at your workout facility to help you knock off these remaining pounds AND you set up a weekly meal plan. You are eating unhealthy (as you said) because you don’t cook. Get on the food channel and find some healthy meals – not Paula type – but food that is good for you and easy to fix.
When you’re a new mommy, breastfeeding, working, and keeping up a home – it can be very challenging to find time for yourself. Maybe if you have your written goals/daily plan in front of you with a BIG red or yellow highlighted spot that says “fitness workout time” then you will do it!! But if it’s not really part of your daily plan – written in – it’s so easy to gloss over and find other things that seem more important at the time. Until you go look in the mirror and start to feel unfit again.
You are on the right road – you know you want and need to do this – so just do it! Make an appointment with a fitness trainer – he can get you set up on a cardio/abs/strength workout. Having an accountability partner like that encourages you to workout harder…especially when you’re paying too! Then watch what you’re eating. Take the healthy stuff in your lunch bag. Eat small amounts 4-6 times a day including fruits and veggies. Eating in between meals curbs the hunger for the real meal. Then layout your meals thru the week. If you need some help, I can help you put some plans together.
Remember you can get back to where you were. And those skinny jeans will feel great again!!
Mom
I can totally relate to the extra ten pounds hanging on for dear life! I lost every bit of my weight with 1st baby in the first 6 months! Now with baby # 2 I’m still hanging on to those 10 extra pounds. I attribute some of it to age since I had my son 6 years ago. I don’t work out, though I need to and if I could stop my Pepsi addiction I think that would help me!!
Mom, can you just move in with me and make me 3 healthy meals a day + 2 snacks? I think that would be easier for everyone. 🙂
@Krista – I have a Diet Pepsi addiction and though there are no calories, soda makes me want to eat while I’m drinking it! So this is not good either! I cut out Diet soda for Lent one year thinking I’d lose weight, but I didn’t!
Those last 10 pounds are the toughest, especially if you’ve lost momentum. All those things you say you love about Weight Watchers are the things that you have to adopt as your lifestyle if you really want to lose (and keep off) those last pounds. I have never done WW personally, but all the principals in my own fitness plan seem similar. You should check out my book, Baby Weight, to help you get back to your pre-baby shape. After all, it’s not the pounds so much as how the blue jeans fit! Many women lose the baby weight but not the baby flab. That’s why it’s as important to exercise as it is to diet.
Those last 10 pounds are the toughest, especially if you have lost momentum. All the things you said you like about Weight Watchers are the lifestyle changes you have to implement in order to take off (and keep off) the last of your baby weight. Although I have no personal experience from WW, I think the principles are similar to those in the nutrition aspect of my own fitness plan, which has helped many women get in shape during and after pregnancy. You should check out my book, Baby Weight, to lose those last pounds and get back your pre-baby body. After all, it’s not just the weight but also the shape that counts. Many women lose their baby weight but never look quite the same in those favorite blue jeans.
Thanks for the tips, Micky! I love your website, really well done! I wish I would’ve come across your book when I was preggo so I could’ve followed it starting way back then and start the good habits from the beginning!
courtney, love your blog. Have you tried Tracy Andersen’s workout video for after pregnancy? My friend was on her system and she’s now skinnier than pre-pregnancy! I’m due in May but I vow to myself that after the baby, I’ll be on her system religiously. I think amazon carries one of her dvd’s but her website has her whole system. Little price to pay for bye bye flabs. I heard that the muffin top was hardest to get rid of and for some women, it never comes off unless if you do a tummy tuck. I’m not sure how “hard” those women worked but I’m vowing (again) to work as hard as I can before resorting to plastic anything. Actually, I’d rather die than do plastic surgery. I see years down the road where when your natural fat is growing or shrinking that you get stuff worse looking than Lipo. Anyway, ladies, we just need to suck it up and work hard! (Easy for me to say when I’m still preggo…)…
Thanks, Julie! I’ve heard about Tracy Anderson DVDs but haven’t tried them. I did buy the Beach Body Turbo Fire DVDs, but I’m just not really a DVD person. I’d rather go to a class. Don’t worry, you will not need to resort to plastic surgery to lose the baby weight! Just be patient, you’ll lose it all. It won’t happen in 1 month…it may not happen in 3 or 6, but you’ll get there. 8 1/2 months post-partum, I’ve finally lost every last baby lb! They say it takes 9 months to gain the baby weight and about that time to take it off, and it’s true! Don’t stress yourself out about getting skinny so fast post-baby. You’ll end up setting your healing process back after birth if you try to force exercise on your body. Relax and give yourself a break. I suspect that once you’ve got that little baby in your arms your belly flab won’t be a top priority! Congrats, mama!