Did I totally screw myself?? Weight loss after giving birth...

nandmcook · 06-30-2009, 09:36 PM

So, I just joined here yesterday and have been reading and reading posts and my head is about to explode.

I had a baby mid-April and in the 10.5 weeks that have followed I have lost 47lbs basically through dieting alone (along with what I like to call boobilates...breasfeeding...the best cals you can burn while sitting on your butt ;-) )... anyway, I started lifting again about about 1.5 weeks ago.

I used to be really in shape and muscular before I got pregnant with my first child, 3 years ago, and gained 70lbs during that pregnancy... and only lost 30. When my first son was 1.5yo I got pregnant with the second one and gained 36lbs. Long story short, two weeks post partum when I got on the scale I weighed 194 at 5'5". I freaked. For some reason the time I was overweight in between children never registered to me so I did nothing.

Basically from one day to the next I went from who knows how many calories a day to about 1100-1250 for about 7 weeks. At about 9 weeks post-partum I went up to 1550 after I started lifting/exercising. I now weight 147 and I"m sure my body fat is somewhere between 30-35%. My goal is 130.

I guess initially (even though in my dense little head I knew better) I just wanted to get that # down FAST. Not really thinking about how I would look when I got there, kwim? Now that I don't feel so huge I need a plan of attack but am worried that I totally screwed up my metabolism by what I did for those weeks??

What would be my best plan of attack to be around 130 and 18%BF(ish.. I def want to see some definition at rest)?? Like I said, I know how to workout b/c that's all I did when I was in the Marines for 6 years, I just never kept a good diet!

ftnz · 07-03-2009, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nandmcook

So, I just joined here yesterday and have been reading and reading posts and my head is about to explode.

I had a baby mid-April and in the 10.5 weeks that have followed I have lost 47lbs basically through dieting alone (along with what I like to call boobilates...breasfeeding...the best cals you can burn while sitting on your butt ;-) )... anyway, I started lifting again about about 1.5 weeks ago.

I used to be really in shape and muscular before I got pregnant with my first child, 3 years ago, and gained 70lbs during that pregnancy... and only lost 30. When my first son was 1.5yo I got pregnant with the second one and gained 36lbs. Long story short, two weeks post partum when I got on the scale I weighed 194 at 5'5". I freaked. For some reason the time I was overweight in between children never registered to me so I did nothing.

Basically from one day to the next I went from who knows how many calories a day to about 1100-1250 for about 7 weeks. At about 9 weeks post-partum I went up to 1550 after I started lifting/exercising. I now weight 147 and I"m sure my body fat is somewhere between 30-35%. My goal is 130.

I guess initially (even though in my dense little head I knew better) I just wanted to get that # down FAST. Not really thinking about how I would look when I got there, kwim? Now that I don't feel so huge I need a plan of attack but am worried that I totally screwed up my metabolism by what I did for those weeks??

What would be my best plan of attack to be around 130 and 18%BF(ish.. I def want to see some definition at rest)?? Like I said, I know how to workout b/c that's all I did when I was in the Marines for 6 years, I just never kept a good diet!

Somehow I get the feeling you know exactly what to do.

arbit · 07-03-2009, 03:47 AM

That is a lot of weight to lose in that short a time.

To bring your metabolism back up, I'd recommend getting the weight up to 157 SLOWLY (spread out over at least two months), and keep the lifting and exercising in the meantime. That should gain you some muscle, and bring your metabolism up. Doing it slowly will be the hard part. And doing it cleanly. You goal should be to mostly gain muscle.
Then after two months you can start losing weight again

Eileen · 07-04-2009, 04:09 PM

Give yourself time, and stop freaking. You haven't ruined your metabolism by undereating for a while, any more than a period of over-eating raises it for eternity.

Just get back on track, eat the right amount of nutritious food, work out and you'll find it all comes back to you.

By the way, love the Boobilates. Breastfeeding is my favourite way of losing weight!

terracotta · 07-04-2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eileen

Give yourself time, and stop freaking. You haven't ruined your metabolism by undereating for a while, any more than a period of over-eating raises it for eternity.

Just get back on track, eat the right amount of nutritious food, work out and you'll find it all comes back to you.

By the way, love the Boobilates. Breastfeeding is my favourite way of losing weight!

Ditto this. Remember a lot of the initial weight loss was probably baby and water weight as well. Also, breastfeeding will preferentially take from fat stores.. it is not as if you lost that weight under "regular" conditions. For breastfeeding eat at least 1800 calories a day. I eat around 2000 a day, and I'm losing slowly (had a baby mid april as well).

terracotta · 07-04-2009, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arbit

That is a lot of weight to lose in that short a time.

To bring your metabolism back up, I'd recommend getting the weight up to 157 SLOWLY (spread out over at least two months), and keep the lifting and exercising in the meantime. That should gain you some muscle, and bring your metabolism up. Doing it slowly will be the hard part. And doing it cleanly. You goal should be to mostly gain muscle.
Then after two months you can start losing weight again

She doesn't need to gain any weight, she's fine just upping her calories to where they should be.

sweetthing351 · 07-05-2009, 07:36 PM

thanks for all the responses guys...

yeah, this is me... I created the first account simply to order some protein since I had never ordered on here before and didn't realize it was for everything! That is the 'screen name' my DH and I use for stuff... But that is how I found this website... by searching for the best place to buy mine and my husband's stuff in one place!

Yeah, I was freaking out after reading for like 2 days straight! And typed that post in freak out mode! I am actually in the process of getting my NASM CPT so I'm not TOTALLY clueless! I'll post a little intro since I plan to be spending a lot of time on here!

wyntersmom · 07-12-2009, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetthing351

thanks for all the responses guys...

yeah, this is me... I created the first account simply to order some protein since I had never ordered on here before and didn't realize it was for everything! That is the 'screen name' my DH and I use for stuff... But that is how I found this website... by searching for the best place to buy mine and my husband's stuff in one place!

Yeah, I was freaking out after reading for like 2 days straight! And typed that post in freak out mode! I am actually in the process of getting my NASM CPT so I'm not TOTALLY clueless! I'll post a little intro since I plan to be spending a lot of time on here!

Go heavy on the weight training. Thats what I did after my first. The fat falls off slowly while the muscles are growing.