As it often happens, when it rains it pours. In the last 3 weeks, I have had to go through surgery to remove an IUD as it went thru to my tummy. There, they also had to remove my appendix and a fallopian tube as they were badly infected. In addition to that, I have struggled with infections, nursing issues, taking care of my four month old baby and a sprained ankle. I am bed-ridden, basically.

I am really depressed because I was doing so well with my weight loss. I lost 12 lbs and was getting into a workout routine that fit my new mommy lifestyle. And now I'm stuck to the couch, can't carry my baby and am relying on others for quite a lot.

I have lost 5 lbs while just sitting on the couch, but I'm pretty positive it's mostly muscle as my body is all soft now.

Does anyone have advice for me, especially regarding weight loss when hard times hit? Everyone has to deal with life "getting in the way" of weight loss and it's now my turn, apparently. I just need feedback and inspiration! Thank you all!

I am so sorry that you have had all these medical issues. I hope you are on the mend now.The most inportant thing is to be restored to health and it sounds like you are on your way. Don't stress about weight loss just get on plan and do what you can , you will be able to lose despite the unexpected medical problems you have had. Good luck.

Well, they say [who the heck are "they", anyway?] that it is how many calories you eat that determines weight loss. Exercise is apparently more important for maintenance than loss. So, although it sounds like your life is out of control at the moment, you can control what goes in your mouth.

Maybe your doctor would prescribe some physical therapy for you. My husband is getting this for his arthritis, but the people at the clinic are interested in answering his questions about other aspects of physical health and have been very helpful.

I am an old lady - my children are in their 40s, but when I was a new mother, I participated in La Leche League meetings. I can't say enough about their support for nursing issues and just support for new mothers. You might look into a meeting or just a phone call.

I can't remember how long the hormonal effects of childbirth last, but you might be feeling bad because of your hormones. Not that you don't have enough going on...I am not discounting your troubles.

Keep on truckin'...you can do it.

Focus on your health and healing... Trying to lose weight after what sounds like major surgery, infections, and not to mention a sprained ankle... Could very well be quite counter-productive when your body needs to recover from all of that... Weight loss is stressful on the body... and it sounds like your body is already under enough stress...

Would you rather lose a few pounds now and possibly delay your recovery or take the time that you need right now to just focus on getting well sooner... Which will hopefully put you in a much better position so you can focus on actively losing weight again...

TripSwitch is right. Your body needs extra calories when confronted with such heavy need to make repairs! You have to nourish yourself to heal well. In particular, try to up your protein as much as you can to assist with your body's healing processes. Try to shift gears from thinking about food and losing weight to thinking about how best you can nourish your body right now. Eat as healthy as you can! Making food your #1 medicine will pay dividends - not just in the recovery process, but in setting you up to go full-bore once you're healed.

I had to take a break back in March to recover from infection/surgery, and I was at the peak of mindfully counting my calories, etc. I didn't stop counting, but instead kept track to make sure I was getting enough nutrients. My weight fluctuated all over the place with water shifting, etc as my body healed, but after a few weeks, it was really easy to keep the focus on healthy food choices and slowly lower my calories back down.

Thanks everyone for the advice. You are all right, I just need to take care of myself right now.

I've kind of had a bad couple of days where I've eaten a lot of holiday cookies laying around the house. I'm worried my weight will go back up. I just need to break the vicious cycle, plain and simple. It's frustrating because it's my own fault!

Hugs

Sorry to hear that you have been hit with so many issues at once!!

I would just focus on eating well (and calorie counting if that's your thing). Eating supposedly makes up 80% of weight loss. I hope you're feeling better soon!

Right now, I would focus on the healthy choices to aid in getting better, and when you're feeling better, then you can get back on the weight loss wagon.

This is a temporary situation, and your immediate healing should be your first focus.

Once you're feeling better you can get back to the rest!

Get well soon!