Can’t Lose the Damn Weight - 2 Years Postpartum

[cyberherbalist]

@morirach It’s sooo different after a kid. Pre-kid I kept myself on the low end of the BMI normal spectrum with not that much effort. Post kid all those things have barely made a dent. I suspect a combo of stress hormones, less sleep, slightly less ideal diet (because of time constraints), and muscle mass lost during pregnancy and postpartum play a role.

I’m making progress now my running/walking/ or jogging 4 miles as many days of the week I can (ideally 7) and doing a combo of Pilates and weight training. Really tightened up the diet, it’s a struggle because the default foods are not the healthiest when out & about.

What hasn’t worked for me, in spite of trying over & over again is eating very high protein. This advice is everywhere, but I never lose any weight doing this. I instead focus on high fiber, as many bright colored fruits & veg I can squeeze in, and minimal processed food.

 

[joshsburroughs]

@morirach It’s really hard, i do a lot of strength training.

I don’t count calories but I do try to really limit the amount of sugar and carbs that I eat. Supplements can be helpful here, for reducing your desire for these kinds of foods - I take one called Sugarless that has been a godsend for reducing cravings and appetite. Caffeine helps too

 

[amameds]

@morirach I was seriously considering writing this post today, as well. Just about to hit the 2 year postpartum mark and still nearly 20lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight (which is 20 additional pounds over my pre-COVID weight). I think that stress (cortisol + bad eating habits) and sleeplessness have been my two main sources of weight maintenance. However, I have my annual coming up and am going to explore more about why I'm not dropping.

My current focus is to build muscle now instead of just focusing on cardio and strength (Barre/Pilates) to see if that helps me move more fat off of me.

I'm sending hope, positivity, and solidarity to you to help you along the journey! IMO, you're in a stage of life where it may be more survival focus and more toddler-centric. Soon you will find time where you can prioritize yourself even more!

 

[leonarduzz]

@morirach I lost the weight after my twins were born, but over the years it came back. By my second pregnancy I weighed almost as much at the beginning as I had at the end of my first. I would lose 15 and gain back 20 until I finally said enough. Got with a therapist who helped me embrace body neutrality, and a dietician who introduced me to intuitive eating. I stayed fat, but I was happier. However, when I hit 40, it was affecting my health. There are people who can be fat and healthy, but I am not one of them.

I’m on Ozempic now and probably will be for the rest of my life. I’m one of the lucky ones with basically no side effects. I’m steadily losing 1-3 pounds a month, nothing spectacular, but 15 months later I’m down 40 pounds, and I didn’t have to change my lifestyle. I’m still doing the same low impact exercise 5-7 days a week, eating a balanced and varied diet, aiming for 8 hours of sleep. But now my appetite is “normal,” and “eat less, move more,” actually works.

 

[jeanettelindsay]

@morirach Yep! Just started on ozempic

 

[dorisk]

@morirach I’m in the same boat too. Old have had one kid but I’m about 25 pounds heavier than my normal weight. I really started gaining weight after I stopped nursing, I was eating the same amount but not burning the same number of calories. I am trying for a second now though so I’m treating this just as a temporary thing. Plan to get back into shape after the second!

 

[newfielove]

@morirach You gotta eliminate the carb intake unfortunately

 

[faith2481]

@morirach Yup! Up 40lbs in the 4 years since having my daughter. Part of its the antidepressant and part of it is probably just being a woman.. it sucks. I feel like I've completely lost myself physically and mentally

 

[betterthandrugs_7]

@morirach Ugh I could have written this myself! I also am still up 20lb 2 years later.