Thursday, 1/31/08 at 11:35 AM
by Kelli Poindexter
by Kelli Poindexter
Postpartum Weight Loss Challenge
Like all substantial weight loss, it’s a struggle. My daughter, Rylie, will be five months old on January 17th and I started my weight loss plan three months ago. I gained 45 pounds during my pregnancy. That was a lot of extra weight for me to carry around. And so far it’s true what they say, “Your body is never the same”, but we can tackle that another time. At least 15 pounds of my 45 was baby (a healthy 6lbs 6ozs), placenta, and fluids. I wasn’t too worried about the weight as I gained it, after all it was for a good cause, and then it came time to take it off…
When Rylie reached two months old in October, I had lost 25 of the 45 pounds. It seemed the natural weight loss after birth had reached a plateau. At that time, I decided I should start making a concerted effort to get the rest of the weight off. However, I am breastfeeding, so I needed to be smart about losing weight. Consuming lots of fluids are crucial during breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is supposed to help you lose weight because you use 200 - 500 extra calories each day. The experts recommend not losing more than a pound a week while breastfeeding and to give yourself as much time as it took to put the weight on.
I set up a plan with lofty goals. I gave myself 10 months (August 17, 2008 – Rylie’s 1st birthday). I want to lose 35 pounds, four pant sizes, be back in small size shirts, and be fitter than I was before getting pregnant. I would journal everything I ate and all of my exercise (30 minutes to one hour per day was my goal). Then review how things went each week. I started weighing myself twice a week. I never weighed myself before being pregnant. I just relied on how my clothes fit. This plan seemed doable.
I started out so strong, journaling everything. Keeping a weight loss journal is really helpful for me. It keeps me honest. Reviewing what I’d accomplished and where I failed each week helped me to refocus. I kept it up for a month along with weighing myself twice a week. It all fell apart mid November. Weighing myself twice a week got really depressing. I just bounced back and forth three pounds. Sometimes I could only get fifteen minutes in on the trainer because Rylie would need me. And then the holidays hit! I decided I wasn’t going to worry about the weight loss every second through the holidays. I would still try to make good choices and keep active but not deprive myself.
So, here I am in January, the time of resolutions and new goals. In order to make resolutions and renew my goals, I had to take a look at where I am. I was nervous to do this for fear I had slipped back too far and enjoyed Rylie’s first Christmas too much. I stepped hesitantly on the scale the first week of January with my eyes closed. I opened my left eye and took a peak. I was the same weight. I doubled checked with both eyes and sure enough I hadn’t lost anything, but more importantly I hadn’t gained a pound. There must not be any calories in chocolate after all.
One of my girlfriends gave me her “fat” clothes in December. She lost a bunch of weight last year and graciously gave me her clothes. I was so happy to finally be able to pack up my maternity clothes. The worst motivator for losing baby weight is still wearing your maternity clothes. I was really encouraged when had to take in the pants my friend gave me, which means, although I haven’t lost weight, I had lost one size in pants. Those pants are now getting looser. I’ve lost nearly two sizes in pants now with two sizes more to go to get to my pre-pregnancy size.
I have pulled the journal back out and started up my plan again. However, I’ve made a few revisions. I’m not going to weigh myself twice a week. Instead I will check my weight every couple of weeks. I think this will be more realistic and less discouraging. I’m trying to stay away from the evil yummyness of chocolate. I must be lacking something in my diet that is causing me to crave it so much. Jason, my husband, and I continue to trade bike rides on his days off. I try to keep active by getting on the trainer and/or taking a walk with Rylie everyday. My goal is to be ready for the Cinderella Classic (65 mile ride) by April 5th. Last Saturday I rode 32 miles but without any climbing. This was my longest ride yet. As Rylie gets older, it gets easier to be gone on rides longer. I can’t wait until she can sit up and wear a helmet so I can put her in a child seat or trailer. Then we can go out and ride together everyday. I think she’ll be ready in May.
So, I’ve got seven more months to work toward my ultimate goal of M.I.L.F. status by Rylie’s first birthday. I’ll keep you posted on my progress. I’d love to hear from other women out there who are struggling or who have been successful in there postpartum weight loss goals.
Kelli Poindexter
When Rylie reached two months old in October, I had lost 25 of the 45 pounds. It seemed the natural weight loss after birth had reached a plateau. At that time, I decided I should start making a concerted effort to get the rest of the weight off. However, I am breastfeeding, so I needed to be smart about losing weight. Consuming lots of fluids are crucial during breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is supposed to help you lose weight because you use 200 - 500 extra calories each day. The experts recommend not losing more than a pound a week while breastfeeding and to give yourself as much time as it took to put the weight on.
I set up a plan with lofty goals. I gave myself 10 months (August 17, 2008 – Rylie’s 1st birthday). I want to lose 35 pounds, four pant sizes, be back in small size shirts, and be fitter than I was before getting pregnant. I would journal everything I ate and all of my exercise (30 minutes to one hour per day was my goal). Then review how things went each week. I started weighing myself twice a week. I never weighed myself before being pregnant. I just relied on how my clothes fit. This plan seemed doable.
I started out so strong, journaling everything. Keeping a weight loss journal is really helpful for me. It keeps me honest. Reviewing what I’d accomplished and where I failed each week helped me to refocus. I kept it up for a month along with weighing myself twice a week. It all fell apart mid November. Weighing myself twice a week got really depressing. I just bounced back and forth three pounds. Sometimes I could only get fifteen minutes in on the trainer because Rylie would need me. And then the holidays hit! I decided I wasn’t going to worry about the weight loss every second through the holidays. I would still try to make good choices and keep active but not deprive myself.
So, here I am in January, the time of resolutions and new goals. In order to make resolutions and renew my goals, I had to take a look at where I am. I was nervous to do this for fear I had slipped back too far and enjoyed Rylie’s first Christmas too much. I stepped hesitantly on the scale the first week of January with my eyes closed. I opened my left eye and took a peak. I was the same weight. I doubled checked with both eyes and sure enough I hadn’t lost anything, but more importantly I hadn’t gained a pound. There must not be any calories in chocolate after all.
One of my girlfriends gave me her “fat” clothes in December. She lost a bunch of weight last year and graciously gave me her clothes. I was so happy to finally be able to pack up my maternity clothes. The worst motivator for losing baby weight is still wearing your maternity clothes. I was really encouraged when had to take in the pants my friend gave me, which means, although I haven’t lost weight, I had lost one size in pants. Those pants are now getting looser. I’ve lost nearly two sizes in pants now with two sizes more to go to get to my pre-pregnancy size.
I have pulled the journal back out and started up my plan again. However, I’ve made a few revisions. I’m not going to weigh myself twice a week. Instead I will check my weight every couple of weeks. I think this will be more realistic and less discouraging. I’m trying to stay away from the evil yummyness of chocolate. I must be lacking something in my diet that is causing me to crave it so much. Jason, my husband, and I continue to trade bike rides on his days off. I try to keep active by getting on the trainer and/or taking a walk with Rylie everyday. My goal is to be ready for the Cinderella Classic (65 mile ride) by April 5th. Last Saturday I rode 32 miles but without any climbing. This was my longest ride yet. As Rylie gets older, it gets easier to be gone on rides longer. I can’t wait until she can sit up and wear a helmet so I can put her in a child seat or trailer. Then we can go out and ride together everyday. I think she’ll be ready in May.
So, I’ve got seven more months to work toward my ultimate goal of M.I.L.F. status by Rylie’s first birthday. I’ll keep you posted on my progress. I’d love to hear from other women out there who are struggling or who have been successful in there postpartum weight loss goals.
Kelli Poindexter
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