In July of 2009 I gave birth to my son. The day I gave birth I was around 275 lbs. In October 2009 I was about 250 lbs, and that's when I started making a real effort to lose weight. I'm now at 189.

So my question is - how much weight have I lost?? Do I make my starting weight 275 lbs or 250 lbs? People have been asking me how much weight I've lost, but I honestly don't know what to say.

When I was pg - my highest weight was recorded at 169 about 4 days before I gave birth. But when I got home from the hospital I was down to 159. (8lb baby, plus water) I got down to 155 within a couple weeks. Once I was healed up and allowed to exercise that is when I considered my "Starting weight" and my all time high.

For me - it was "post baby high" weight so it actually accounted for the fat/weight gained during pregnancy, minus the baby and water.

Start weight is when you started your efforts, so 250 is your start weight.

BTW, you don't have to tell people how much weight you have lost. It's really not their business unless you choose to make it so.

Jay

I think it's totally up to you- if you chose to tell people, I think you can use either one as your high weight. Whatever feels right to you.

My two cents, though, is that if it were me, I'd use the post-pregnancy weight. If you know your weight right after giving birth, I'd use that or the 250 from when you started intentionally losing weight. I'd feel like I was cheating if I counted the actual weight of the baby, etc., but I wouldn't judge someone else for choosing to do so.

I think the 250 since that's when you made a choice to start losing weight. I plan on doing this when I have the baby, just going by what the scale will say a month after childbirth.

215 is technically my highest weight, but about 2 months after I had my son I was down to 187. That's when I really started my weight loss effort, so that is what I consider my starting weight. But, it's really up to you!

Answers:
A whole bunch!
I lost track.
Why? Do you want them?
NOYB.

You should start counting where ever you would like to. Whatever number sits with you the best and makes you feel confident, motivated, and beautiful!!

I would consider 250 to be your starting weight. I think it's misleading when people say their highest weight was their pg weight, or even right after the birth, because everyone loses some , naturally, without trying, after the birth. I would go by the weight after 4-6 weeks after having the baby.. because at that point you've released the fluids, shrunk your girlie parts, etc and weight has pretty much stabilized.

I would tell them the weight from the 250 but then add ten, such as "50-60 pounds" 50 pounds from 250 but add in that extra 10 pounds if it makes you feel a bit better.

Thanks! I'll be sticking with 250 as my starting weight

It's still a momentous loss at 250 and downward, but yes, I agree that post-baby weights aren't really accurate, especially given the fluids they often pump you full of and natural swelling/water retention. Congratulations on your HUGE loss!

unfortunately, my pregnancy weight wasn't my highest weight - I had 9 full months of "morning" sickness while pg and ended up losing weight!

But for the question, I'd say to use whatever number motivates you the most. If being able to claim a larger loss makes you feel better about yourself, then claim it! The scale did say 275 at one point, and while a certain amount was baby weight, there are plenty of people who don't lose a lot of their pg weight even after they deliver.

On the other hand, if it makes you more motivated to use 250 because you know that every pound gone from there was hard fought, then let that be the number that motivates you.

In the end, it's where you are going and not where you were that matters.