trying to lose the baby weight-- would love some help!!
hi everyone!
I am a new mom to my son, who is now 11 months old. I gained 43 lbs while pregnant and now still have 6 lbs to go to be at my goal weight. I haven't been able to lose it on my own, so I decided to try counting calories or WW-- I used the online WW a few months ago but I thought it was too expensive, so I bought a points calculator and book so am going to do it with your help!
I exercise lightly for 30 min/day and eat healthy but can't lose these 6 pounds-- have plateaued since Feb. I have been busy as a fulltime working mom and am almost always exhausted.
Based on my calculation I think my daily point allowance is about 18-20. I have had a hard time sticking to that and usually end up at around 23/day, even eating all healthy food! I am not breastfeeding.
Questions:
-I remember that you are allowed 35 optional pts in addition to your usual allowance-- do you use these regularly?
-How many points does gum count for? what about i can't believe it's not butter spray?
-I don't like to go to bed hungry-- can't sleep that way! So that's where the extra few points come in. Has anyone stuck to a 20 points schedule, and if so any tips out there-- it seems really low!
-tips on avoiding grazing on my son's food when feeding him-- I often snack on his yogurt, bread etc.
I calculated separately that with my activity level I should eat 1200 cal/day to lose weight. That seems impossible! I am so tired that I don't know if I can up the exercise.
I appreciate your help-- it is inspiring to work with you guys. I don't mean to complain-- sorry-- will do my best to stay motivated! Thanks for reading!
18 to 20 points is roughly 900 to 1000 calories a day. That is not enough!
I would try upping your points to 24 a day plus the 35 flex points per week and eat them all.
At 18 to 20 you're not getting enough to eat and your body thinks you are in a famine and the mammoth have left the building.
It's the one thing I don't like about WW. The formula for calculating the points you should be eating daily is ok for most, but anything that comes in under 1200 calories a day is just not enough.
When I first started WW 4 years ago the calculations for points, given my age, weight, height and activity level gave me 24 points/day.
They changed it and now I should be at 22. That's about 1100 calories/day. There is no way I can do that. Even though I'm 49, I work for a veterinarian and I'm on my feet all day, lifting dogs, restraining, grooming, assisting with surgeries, hustling during emergencies, etc. and 1100 calories/22 points/day is not enough.
I do best at 24/day plus I use the whole extra 35/week.
I count gum as zero, unless you're chewing bubble yum or something equally sweet, butter spray is like 10 calories for 8 sprays or something. There's an exact breakdown in one of the mens forums.
I always save a few points or used some of my flex points for a late evening snack. I also make sure it's an indulgence, like Blue Bunny fat free yogurt or WW chocolate cake, or the light, mini bags of popcorn, with a few spritz's of butter spray. With the ff frozen yogurt, I put it in a cone, only 20 cals, help control the portion and makes me feel like I'm getting something sinfully bad, but it's really not.
When you're feeding your son, try baby carrots, or celery, I dip in ff ranch dressing, or maybe 1/2 cup of cheerios, ONE at a time. A bite for him, a cheerio for you.
Congrats on your son and only gaining 43 pounds, I had twins and gained 60. OMG. They're 29 now and I've gained and lost the baby fat 4 times. *rolls eyes*
I was very careful, to give them good eating habits from the get go, and kept the baby fat off of me until they started jr. high. My mother has always been obese and we were forced into the "clean you plate club" as kids. Later Mom did lose some weight with WW, but after Dad died, she gave it all up. Now she's still obese and non insulin diabetic, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gall bladder surgery, 3 heart stints, bad knees, yada, yada.
One of the funniest food things that happened with my boys, when they were about 4, I had bought a bunch of fresh veggies to make a big salad for a family get together, Dale loved green peppers and I told him to leave them for the salad, well, I went to make the salad and was missing a pepper, I found Dale, hiding in his bedroom closet, eating the pepper raw, like an apple. I didn't have the heart to get after him. How many Mom's have kids who hide to eat their veggies?
Anyway, I'd up your points to 24, eat the extra 35, and work in 20 minutes of exercise, even if it's only a walk, 3 times a week, and on days off, load the baby in the stroller and do 30 to 45 mins., at a brisk pace.
Wow, thanks so much! Appreciate all the replies.
I am usually a calorie counter but thought I'd try weight watchers-- I keep defaulting back to calories though. so busy as a working mom.
I agree, 20 points is too low (as is 1100 calories). But I can't seem to lose when I eat 1500-1600 calories which is what I usually end up doing. What is a reasonable goal? To give some background, I am 5' 3.5" and weigh 123, hoping to get to 117. I don't have much muscle tone, sit at a desk most of the day and try to do light elliptical a few x/week, which has fallen by the wayside since we started day care last week. But I plan to get back to it.
Any thoughts on the question re: gum and I cant believe its not butter spray? How to count those? Just looking for hidden things that are keeping the pounds on. Sneaking bites of my kid's food isn't helping...
There are 8 calories in 5 sprays of I can't believe it's not butter.
At your height, and currently 123, I think I'd work more at maintenance, firming up and setting a goal of losing the last 6 pounds over 8 to 10 weeks. Journal, modify current food intake and look toward the long term.
You may find that even when you get back to 117, your body may not have the same shape after having a baby. Mine sure didn't. I did get back to 135 at 5'5" until about 6 months after the boys were born, but my hips and abs have never been the same. The twins weighed, 6 pounds, 1 3/4 ozs., and 6 pounds and 1 1/4 ozs., 19' 3/4" and 19' 1/4" long.
thanks so much everyone!! and congrats on the twins!!
appreciate all the info. I know that my body probably won't look the way it did before, so have to be realistic about that.
will start journaling and see what happens.
It's great not to feel alone in this!
Welcome, I am also trying to lose the baby weight! (although my son is 17 months and I have way more than 6 lbs to lose....)
When I first started watching what I ate, I noticed myself popping my son's food into my mouth too. I didn't think much of it, til I wrote down everything I ate. Those little crackers do add up! I know 11 months is just that age where they are starting to eat almost everything, but you are still nervous about them choking. I place my son in his high chair, place his meal/snacks on his tray, and move away. I keep him in sight, but do something else, such as dishes, sweeping, or prepping my meal. My son loves watching me move around, and I'm not within reach of his food. Feeding him yogurt? Give him the spoon to feed himself! He'll love it, and well... babies also love baths.
trying to lose the baby weight-- would love some help!!
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