[Redonkulous]

Hi everybody,

I must be the only person on the planet who gains weight while nursing. DD's 1st birthday is coming up next month, and then I am CLOSING UP the milk bar! As much as I love breastfeeding, I want my body back - and to lose weight!

I am going to go on IP in 4 weeks. The awesome thing I've discovered from reading your posts about IP is that weight tends to come off pretty quickly. The bad news is, is that BF is contraindicated while on the diet - too few calories to support milk production. So I have to wait 4 weeks before I start, which is a long time to wait considering I want these pounds to fall off like YESTERDAY. I've had people ask me when the baby's due....pretty awkward since the baby was born almost a year ago. My belly just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

As excited as I am to start IP, I'm also pretty nervous. It's a huge lifestyle change, and I've had some pretty unhealthy eating habits during the last several months. CRAP I GOTTA CHANGE!!! I'm 100% accountable for my poor food choices, I get that. But for the past several months, food has been my coping mechanism, and I don't know how I'm going to manage once I don't have the "I'm breastfeeding, I can eat anything" mindset. I figure, since I am in "limbo" so to speak before I start IP, I can do some behavior changes to help make the transition easier.

So, anyone care to give me some advice ? (gentle advice please! tender heart here!) I feel like I'm baring my soul with all these bad habits, but here goes:

1) Fast-food or drive-thrus twice a day - Port of Subs daily, McD's breakfast 3x/s week (because I'm too stressed/lazy/tired to make own food, but going to have to change)
2) 48-60oz diet coke/diet dew everyday - mostly after baby goes down at night so she doesn't get hyper from the breastmilk lol (I can't have diet soda on IP, how am I going to survive w/o my pop??!)
3) Lazy bum throughout the day - napping when baby naps, low-key lifestyle
4) Don't drink too much water right now, but have to change that since IP is all about drinking water

Love to you all, thanks for your help.

[Redonkulous]

P.S.

5) Right now I have desserts every night - absolutely going to have to give this up. I think my pancreas is sending out an S.O.S. because my sugar cravings are so out of control. I know after day 3-4 on IP, the sugar cravings will go away, but I'm going to need some major will-power dust to keep me going strong.

[jmanovich]

You sound much like me before I started 6 weeks ago...and look where I am now. You can do this! Just set your mind to it- failing is not an option. Make small changes leading up to starting the diet...slowly wean yourself from sugar and carbs. Honestly the first few days are the hardest, and then you will be well on your way, and once you see some results- it will keep you motivated to continue! You got this!

[JLUS]

Think of these four weeks NOT as being in limbo - think of them as being "in training" for your IP start!!

Make a daily commitment to READ READ READ as much as possible on here so you learn more and more each day. There are ideas for things to take the place of almost everything you mentioned as your habits... Big Mac in a Bowl is your new McD... Rutabega fries are a go to FF substitute... IP restricted bars... Your dessert (or maybe you prefer whoopie pies or mug cake or rhubarb custard). Pancakes... No problem! Recipe threads will provide you with Tons of ideas. Several threads have great ideas for soda substitutes. It's like a wonderful treasure hunt to find each and every nugget of info that will help you on your journey!!

Use this time to make a couple healthy changes each week .. Add 16 more oz of water each day. Cut out several FF visits each week. Prepare at least 2 meals at home each day. And focus on cutting down your carbs each week (starch, sugar, pasta, potatoes) each week cut out a little more. This will help tremendously to lessen your withdrawals when you start IP.

And every day look at that sweet little baby of yours and then consciously decide that you want to pass on positive eating habits and healthy living by being a role model.

You are definitely NOT in Limbo, but rather training for a new way if life!!

We are all here to cheer you on!

[IdealProteinNewbie]

Originally Posted by Redonkulous

But for the past several months, food has been my coping mechanism, and I don't know how I'm going to manage once I don't have the "I'm breastfeeding, I can eat anything" mindset

JLUS gave fabulous advice but I will just add, gently, that is probably not the right mindset.

Through breastfeeding, your baby is eating what you're eating. Think of it this way...if you wouldn't give ____ (whatever food) to your 1 year old, you probably shouldn't eat it either.

[Redonkulous]

Jmanovich, thank you! It helps so much to have someone understand what I'm going through. And congrats on your weight loss! 24 lbs in 6 weeks is AWESOME!!!!

Laurie, what great advice. I have a problem with black-and-white, all or nothing thinking. Which can actually sabotage my weight-loss efforts. So I totally agree with the fact that it's the small changes that make a BIG difference! And yes, I don't want my baby seeing me go McDs multiple x's/week - not cool. I don't want her to think that is normal! And more than that, I want to be an example to her about being healthy and positive.

IPN - yes! If I love my baby and want the best for her, I should extend that same love to myself. So often we forget to take care of ourselves the same way we do to others. It's like the golden rule, except in reverse

[lisa32989]

We have all been where you are, in one way or another. Tired, fat, disgusted.
At some point it becomes a viscous cycle and just repeats itself and keeps spiraling out of control!

I was one who set a drop-dead date for starting IP. I had foot surgery last year and was horribly overweight for many reasons, mostly b/c I was in pain and I cheated on any diet I tried within days. Little cheats always led to bigger cheats

So I knew something had to be different if I was going to do this super restrictive diet.

I spent my prep time reading this forum extensively. I bet I read every thread going back at least 6 mo ( which means now I've read every one going back almost 2 years). I learned packet hacks b/c I know myself well enough to know what I was going to like and not like straight out of the box (I had to add purées to soups from day 1).

When I went on vacation and discovered someone else was on the plan, it was suggested to me I could start early. I declined. I knew I'd have better success if I stuck to the plan in my head.

I had a LOT more weight to lose than you but I lost 30 lbs in about 2.5 months. I'm 50 years old and I have some other health problems so my losses could be characterized as "slow" (especially now).

I told you all this so you'd know that although people are different, we all have our similarities. Being lazy, not wanting to put out any effort were 2 of my biggest downfalls and the biggest lifestyle changes I have made.

My suggestions for the next month (some echo great previous advice):
READ everything you can here. Get VERY familiar with the program and what you'll be doing.

Start drinking more water. Have water BEFORE a soda. Reduce the size of what you're drinking your soda from (maybe no bigger than a 12 oz cup). Drink your water from the size you used to drink soda from (20-32 oz?). Every time the soda is empty, have another water before more soda. Mio may help with the transition. It is pretty good in seltzer or other plain sparkling water.

Increase meal prep at home. Instead of mcd's for breakfast, scramble a couple eggs. My DH pre-cooks bacon so it just has to be reheated in the am before work (easy peasy to cook ahead in the oven on a cookie sheet). McDs mass produced "food" is horrible for us. It contributes to inflammation, gut problems, and disease. It takes more effort to pack that baby up to run to McDs than it would to whip up breakfast at home. If you want to get out of the house, go for a short walk.

FF is so addictive! It is done on purpose. There are added sugars and salt that keep us craving their food. At first homemade food won't fill the void b/c it's not full of toxic stuff. Just keep napping when the baby does. It's a good way to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Start committing to other small changes. Subs have TONS of bread. The more carbs you cut back on now, the easier getting into Ketosis will be. Same with caffeine.

Re:dessert every nite: a step in the right direction could be replacing with sugar-free (example ice cream or pudding) and keeping it to the actual serving size
One of my biggest adjustments to IP was volume. I like my food in QUANTITY. IP servings are very small (to me). Getting used to a smaller size may be helpful

I understand the antsy feeling. There is nothing wrong with having a goal start date. It certainly worked for me!

[Redonkulous]

Way to go Lisa on your weight loss! I always love reading your posts full of practical advice and encouragement. On one of the other threads, the book "Beck Diet Solution" was suggested, and I am now reading it. She is all about the cognitive-behavioral aspect behind dieting. If you change the way you think, you can change your behaviors.

Small changes every day. I will avoid McDs this week. Something you said really rung true with me...it really DOES take more energy packing the baby up to go get FF then it is to make nutritious food at home. As I'm thinking about it, the real reason I go to the drive-thru is because I'm stressed out and feeling cooped up in the house, and need to get out. Maybe I will try just a 10 minute walk and hopefully it will calm my nerves, instead of FF.

[JLUS]

Face it... It is HARD being at home with the baby all day every day and it is natural to want to get out and interact with the world! But there are lots of ways to get out and around without ending up at FF.

Do lots of things with the baby:
Take that walk everyday
Go to a park
Find a Mommy and Me class
Go in the yard and look at bugs, plants, leaves
Visit the library and read a story to her
Go to a local coffe/tea shop that is child-friendly
Go to the Farmers Market

Jam sure it is the getting out and feeding your souls that us what you are really after when you go out and end up at McDs!!