I am looking for somebody my age for support, losing weight together and getting back in shape. I am a 35 year old part-time working mother of 4 and live in Switzerland. I just gave birth to my last child and have about 44lbs (from pregnancy) to lose... I am interested in fitness and healthy eating (no more crash diets!!!) I am also still breastfeeding and therefore often unsure about weight loss. Love to hear from you!!

Hi Swisslady--I am a 40 y.o. mom of 2--long past the breastfeeding days (tho. I often miss it, and look back fondly on the wonderful closeness of it!). Happy to be in touch with you.

If you have a new baby and are exclusively nursing, I don't think it's considered realistic or healthy to try to lose weight. You need the calories and extra fluids to keep up your milk supply (since this is your 4th child, this probably isn't news to you).

Hope you are getting some rest!

Welcome! You will find tons of support & motivation here!

Hi Elana, thank you for the reply. I have heard that a weight loss of maximum one pound per week during breastfeeding should be ok. I am feeling miserable with all that extra weight and would be a happier and better mother if I would see the pounds slowly coming off. I know I have to be patient and that is difficult because of course I want to be thin by tomorrow (!) and I have no experience in slow weight loss. Like many of us here I am either on a strikt diet or I am overeating.

Hi Swiss lady, I am a 30 y.o mother of 2 (but I don't breastfeed) I am in the process of losing my weight AGAIN! but this time I am setting it up so it is healthy! (i usually do the starvation thing!) but I am not being strict on myself, just keeping the calories lower, and adding intentional excercise. (then after the weight is down to my goal) I plan to start going hard into the fitness! (I have a career goal to meet before next September)

I think it is fine for you to aim at 1 pound a week, if you notice you have less milk make sure your intact of liquids are high. I would just cut the calories down to a reasonable amount (my daily calories requirement for living is about 3300 cal a day) then just take a little off it. say stay at 3000, add gentle excercise (a daily walk perhaps) and you can see how the weight goes. Don't jump into hard excercise you will dry up your milk. Then as the weeks go on, add a little more excercise and a little more intense...

Go into it slowly until you can see what effects it is having on your milk and on your moods. But I am sure you can do well!

]Sonja

What worked for me, in terms of losing the weight and truly keeping it off, was joining Weight Watchers. I liked the accountability of the journal and the tips I got at the meetings.

I still track my food every day--every bite. I write down the points and aim for 5 servings fruit/veg. It's harder in the winter because the fresh fruit selection isn't great. I use frozen berries or cherries in my oatmeal.