Hard to Loose Weight After 2Nd Baby

I also had a similar "problem" after my 2nd daughter was born. The gained weight came off - mostly - but nothing else. I tried a few things, but nothing worked for me except the South Beach Diet. I didn't do anything else (maybe walked 1 or 2 times a week)and after 6 weeks the pounds came flying off...it was hard for the first month or so, but I lost the fat and now look better than I did before the babies were born! :) Try it???

www.sparkpeople.com has tools you can use to lose weight

The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno

Lifting weights 3-4 times a week will give you the quickest results, do cardio on the days you don't lift weights.

And remember, healthy wt. loss is 1-2 lbs. a week.

If you can afford it I totally recommend weight watchers I did it after my 1st son was born and lost all my pre preggo weight and then some in about 6 months. it costs roughly $40 a month and that can come with access to their web site.. Now I just need to get going back after #2 =-)

I also had a problem losing weight after my last baby. I lost 23 pounds and then gained 13 pounds after having her. But I found this wonderful website called SparkPeople.com. I love this place. I lost 14 pounds in a month. They teach you how to lose the weight from food and fitness. They also have teams online that can answer your questions. The best part is its all FREE! They have every group you can think of, from new moms to emotional eaters. So stop by and give it a try, you have nothing to lose but weight...LOL

I see you've gotten lots of responses (and people trying to sell you stuff! LOL). I didn't read them all so maybe this was mentioned already.

I joined a FREE online weight loss community called SparkPeople.com. There is no catch. It is supported by advertising so they will never ask you for money. I'm not trying to say that it will be a miracle cure. It sounds like you are doing the right things and this will reinforce that. (eating right... exercising etc). Some that use it have used weight watchers but have found that this site is just as good and there is no charge so I would try it first.

The things that make SparkPeople successful is that they have a place to log your daily food. This is a great first step and can show you if you are sabatoging your efforts in some way. Also there are MANY teams you can join of people that have things in common with you. We have a team for Snohomish County, so you're welcome to join that if you're in the area. It can make all the difference when you have the support of others in the same situation. My login there is wagysgirl so look me up if you join!

Hi L.,

Although exercise is great and I think you are on the right track, consider seeing a nautropath. The lactose difficiency could be related to parasites. You and your family can get tested and it helps so much! So many people have them. I had them for over 15 years and did not know. I was very surprised. Now that I am being treated with 3 lac and a few other alternatives, the weight is coming off.

I had them so bad, that they contributed highly to infertility and actually most likely caused 3 or 4 miscarriages. 3 Lac is a phenominal probiotic! You can google it or go to www.globalhealthtrax.org My weight is now gradually getting back to normal and my energy has increased more than ever. I am so grateful to God for this. We are working on more kids starting this fall we hope. :) Blessings to you and your family!

K.S.

I do weight watchers and it is really the best thing out there, you can eat whatever you want. You just need to be accountable for it. I am also a 30 almost 31 year old stay at home mom with two children. I get up at 5 am to get on the treadmill for a half hour before they wake up and then follow the weight watchers plan online. I just went down a size and could not be happier about it.

I had the same problem after my second. I thought it might just be the way it was with a 2nd child and it takes more time to bounce back. My question to you is, are you on any birth control? I have found that a lot of them can cause these issues with some women especially if they are resumed soon after the birth. With me it was an IUD, the hormonal not copper one. I was losing my pregnancy weight and getting back to normal and about a week after I got it placed I became depressed and gained weight and my libido was non existent. Needless to say I got it out and within a week and a half I was already feeling better. This may not help as you may not be using bc but I would consider this as a problem if you are. Some women just do not respond well to them and if that is the case don't let your doctor tell you otherwise!

Are you on hormonal birth control? That can lead to both the loss of sex drive and a difficulty losing weight. If so, you may want to talk to your doctor about different forms.

Weight Watchers has worked for me.

I had to lose 20-25 pounds after having each of my kids. I did it in 9 months - 1 year. Started by keeping a food journal for 2 weeks (writing down everything i ate/drank + how many calories). I bought a used double jogger off craigs list and ran/jogged with the kids as much as possible. Sometimes in the summer - they were still in their jammies when we went out for a jog. I also purchased an eliptical trainer for my garage and workout there during nap time. Now my older son doesn't nap - so he plays in the garage on his tricycle while I work out. I worked out about 3-4 days a week to start (1/2 hour of cardio + 15-20 minutes of stretching and some small weight lifting). After I plateaued - I added one more day and lost the rest of the weight. Hope this helps! Also, I have friends who joined a gym that had child care - so they could work out without the kids.

Best wishes!

Hi, L.. It seemed like I was reading my own story in your request. Wow! And I thought I was the only one...
Well, I weight about 115 and after my first daughter who is now a little over 2 and also was brestfed I lost the pregnancy weight right away. It tood me roughly 2 months to go from 130 to 112. I used to think it was also because I had a cesarean and the healing tood a lot from my body. But with my second daughter who is now also 8 months, well, the story was totally different. She was born 1 month early and we had some complications, therefore; we were never able to breastfeed. I was devastated and very depressed because of that. The weight wasn't coming off. In an act of dispair I went to puremed spa and spent 2 thousand dollars on mesotherapy. Of course, it didn't help either. It was the most painful thing I endured after giving birth naturally, of course. It burns like hell and your stomach is sore and bloated for over a months. One day I heard a patient who had had 7 treatments say that she still had not seeing any result. After my second one of 4 I decided to stop. Self esteem was below zero, insecurity levels skyrocking, and no solution. I decided to just accept it and try to get used to my new body. I put all my clothes in the shed in an attempt to forget that I once was skinny. Well, my milk supply is drying now. Before I could still express some. I never quite understood that, since they say that it is supply in demand. But anyway, it wasn't until milk started drying that weight started coming off. I am now 116 and going down. It just takes more time when you are not breastfeeding. Give it a full year, is what I heard before and didn't believe until now.
I know exactly how you feel, but I hope to bring you some comfort and the certainty that the weight will come off, just not as quicky as the first time when we were able to breastfeed. But hang in there.

Dear L.
Look at www,getfitlivsxinney.com I'm also posted in the biz section
Best regards
C.

try adding coconut oil to your diet. it can easily replace butter and other cooking oils. i use it for cookies and it tastes amazing. if you are still breastfeeding, it will help your supply. but the best thing about it is that it raises your metabolism by stimulating the thyroid. i've been trying to lose weight for a while now and that has really helped me. the other thing i would try is deep breathing. the breath is directly related to your energy. so if you practice breathing deep and slow, you will develop a stronger and lasting store of energy. lots of luck to you!

Hi L.,

I too am having a hard time losing weight after my second child. I am retaining water... A LOT of water! I haven't lost 1 pound since I had my son 7 months ago! My dietician has told me to reduce my sodium intake. It's amazing how much I balloon up after having a meal with a lot of sodium. She told me too avoid canned foods, like soups and veggies. Look at the cans, you'd be amazed at how much sodium is in canned food. She suggested I switch to fresh veggies or frozen. Make sure you are drinking enough water. I was told to drink atleast 64 oz of water day. Drink water like you did when you were pregnant. Next thing is weight training. If you can start doing some weight training... you will see results. Take your little one for walks... try increasing your distance each week. I did buy one of those natural fat burner products that have "hoodia" in it, but I haven't taken it yet. I used dexatrim after my first baby and lost 20 pounds in a couple months. It gives me a headache now, so I can't take it this time. I'm starting to ramble now... but one last thing. Make sure you EAT... you need to eat 3 healthy meals a day! If you like fish, eat tuna and salmon... it's really good for you! Snack on fresh veggies in between meals...

I wish you great success!!!!

I only have one child and lost the weight fairly easily like you. However, I gained 50 pounds with my daughter and lost it all. The workout routine I loved and still love, is very simple. If you can get to a gym, nothing fancy, I just go to a gym that has machines, no classes or anything, so it is really cheap (unless you can afford more). Anyway, i would do three days(Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) of cardio (I worked up to 45 minutes) and two days (Tuesday and Thursday) of weights, lifting weights will help you lost weight. I started slow, I would only do 20 minutes or so the first week of getting to the gym then would slowly add more and more time. Also, I honestly don't like working out, so for the cardio I mix it up, like eliptical, stairs, bike, so I don't get bored.
Hope that helps!
Sue

Hi L.,
Sounds like a lot of differing, good advice out there. You need to find a "program" (eating right & exercise routine) that fits your lifestyle and your schedule. Our bodies are amazing--if we eat the right things that our body needs, we have a lot more energy than just exercise alone. Some things I've found have helped me along the way:

1) Putting the TV in a separate, "boring" room of the house.
2) Playing actively with my son. He wants to throw balls or chase the dog...we do it together.
3) Going on walks throughout the day--why limit ourselves to one? There is lots to see, smell, and hear outside.
4) Simple food education. Learning what different foods do to your body can change your eating habits in an instant. My favorite book is Joel Fuhrman's "Eat to Live". Very informative and life changing as far as food goes.
5) Don't even think of "dieting"; think of the type of lifestyle you want to live and pursue habits to acquire that lifestyle. Diets are only temporary--and depressing!
6) Find a good, natural supplement to enhance your energy and fill-in those nutrients that have been depleted. I take some great vitamins through Shaklee. They have changed my family's life.

These are just some of the things I've done that have worked. Like I said before, you need to find something that works for you. Nutritionists and trainers can help you with a personal plan if you don't know where to start. Many will do consults for free. Good luck! The weight will come off if you want it to.

Hi L., I think you are doing everything right, you might incorporate strength training into your excercise routine, that works best for me. Another thing you might try is an organic weight loss supplement called Slimmetry it contains Green Tea which contains ECGC which not only boosts your metabolism but it increases your sex drive. This is one of the products that I market, you can find it on my website drago.mychoices.biz.
Most importantly is to not get caught up worrying about your weight love yourself and your baby and take good care of yourself and it will come off, be patient your body has been through alot and it will take time for it to get back to normal.

I use an all natural nutritional cleansing program that rids the body of impurities (that's where the fat stays), replenishes the body with vitamins and minerals and revitalizes your life with energy! I slept better, had great energy and lost 4 sizes from a 12 to a 6. I will use the delicious shakes, bars and other supplements (even a healthy chocolate) for life. My website link is www.wendyfitzgerald.isagenix.com
I would love to talk with you about it!

One thought you may not have considered - are you on any hormonal birth control? That really affects me, and certain types do have side effects like what you described (weight gain, low sex drive, etc) It's something to check into with your doctor. I feel your pain, it is very hard work for me to lose weight after my babies are born, I still have an extra 10-15 lbs from my first pregnancy (am now in my third). I can never fully get rid of it until I am done bf'ing and off the mini pill. It also gets harder the older we get. Good luck, it can be a while to feel normal again after a baby is born!!

you need to get ahold of me. Send me an e-mail ____@____.com I have a natural secret!!

I have struggled with gaining baby weight too. I am currently trying to lose about 50lbs, so far I have lost about 15. I see a nutritionist, her name is Emily Edison and her website is momentum4nutrition.com. She has helped me soooooo much! My name is T. I am 30yrs old and I have a 3 yr old boy and a 10 mo old girl.

Don't stress for a year to two years. Continue eating healthy propper proportioned meals and your activity. It seems for me that each pregnancy is harder to loose than the first.
Also is it possible to work in reverse on your sex drive? Sex is great excercise!

First of all hang in there you can do this!
I would suggest Yoga! It sounds nuts but Yoga really helped me to lose weight. You can't do it in a full stomach so I stopped eating by 8PM to do my Yoga by 10PM. IT makes you stand taller and lengthern and lean and tone your whole body. Also twisting and upside down poses can really help boost your metabolism. I would recommend starting with a class but after that you can safely handle 15-30min per day at home. Doing something every day can really help.
Check with your doctor but green teas and chromium(200mcg/day) can help burn fat and boost a sluggish metabolism.

L.-
I just wanted to let you know that it was probably when my 2nd turned 1 that I finally felt my body was 'back to normal.' I had the same problem and I guess it was just a matter of time. So you're doing everything right, just try to be patient!

If you decide to write a food diary, I also suggest writing how you feel about an hour after you eat. Continue to tweak and work the meals changing the combinations of fats, proteins, and carbs. After about an hour after meals you should feel great, full of energy. If you feel hungry even though you ate until you were satisfied, are sluggish etc, then you need to rework the combination of food choices. It seems like you may need either more protein or fat in your diet. Healthy fats, not hydrogenated. Virgin Coconut Oil is very good for you, too. Stay away from processed foods.

Try not to be down on yourself. You are doing a great job in staying active. You can burn calories by doing nearly anything, including vacuuming. A recent study on housekeepers/and cleaners showed by considering their work as working out they were able to lose more weight than those who did not consider it as proactive to losing weight. Just consider that every movement you make, it is taking energy. And keep moving towards the goal of helping you lose weight. Weight training and resistant training is great and really challenges you and your body. I like to include the children as much as possible. Walks in the stroller. Or just running around chasing them and wrestling. Be creative, I'm sure your four year old will put you to the challenge. :)

I also have been struggling with 5-10 unwanted pounds that came on after I weened my 3rd child at 15 months. I also have a low thyroid that I was diagnosed with after my first child 8 years ago. Here's what I'm doing now. I am taking a liquid multi-vitamin called Omnitrition. I lost 4 pounds in the first 9 days. I was shocked becaue I ran out of my thyroid medicine for these same exact 9 days. This product gives me the essential vitamins that my body absorbs at 96-98%, unlike pill forms. It also flushes out any bad toxins and just puts your body in balance. When your body is in good working order you feel better overall and have way more energy. You're already exercising, so check your thyroid for sure and look into a good mulit-vitamin. You can email me for more info, go to my website www.scentsy.com/angelf and click contact.

Hi L.,

Just want to let you know about my experience. I was feeling very low energy, slightly depressed, and couldn't lose weight for the life of me. I did my research on the symptoms I was experiencing and determined the most likely culprit was low thyroid (hypo thyroidism). I went to "the best" doctor in my area and explained my symptoms. He told me I needed to eat less and work out more. I told him that for 30 days straight I was eating VERY well - lean protein and veggies- and working out daily for at LEAST 1 1/2 hours. I told him that I suspected a low thyroid function. He said "You and every woman in America wants a thyroid problem so they can take a pill to lose weight." He then chastised me for trying to read "professional" medical books, I should "leave that to the doctors"; he told me I was obese (at 170lbs) and to "stop putting food in your mouth". I tried to keep an open mind to what he was saying, and he ordered a thyroid test to make me shut-up. I left his office feeling like a fat lazy pig and became totally paranoid about "putting food in my mouth".

Over a year and a half later (still not losing weight) I went to a more 'holistic' MD with the same symptoms, including the low sex drive, except THIS time I was at the point of being so tired that I would have to pull my car over to the side of the road while doing daily errands and have a nap! I described to this doctor my symptoms again. He said "Sounds like hypothyroid." I told him it wasn't. That I had been tested and the tests came back "normal". He laughed and said "Most doctors do not test for the proper tyroid panel, they can't read the results accurately using ALL the information (including what they DON'T test for), and the "normal" range is not a good gauge of being low /high in thyroid hormone. I have a custom panel we'll do and see the results."

Well, my tests came back in, he read them according to his superior knowledge, saw that I was indeed hypothyroid, and put me on Armorthyroid. Within 3 days I was no longer having to borrow friend's beds to have a nap, I was feeling happier, and within 3 months I had lost 30 lbs.

So, the moral of the story is... don't believe every doctor that tells you your thyroid is "normal". Many women test within 'normal' range but are still hypo. (As a matter of fact, they did reset the range recently, but not enough says my MD.) Do some research on low thyroid symptoms (VERY common after pregnancy) and see if you fit in the category, then talk to some truly good doctors and INSIST on the proper tests!

A good place to start your research is with Mary Shomon. She's a thyroid patient advocate as well as a thyroid patient herself. http://thyroid.about.com/

Give yourself some credit for exercising. At least you are out there and trying to burn off the calories.

In my personal experience, you hit a major body change timeframe for woman. When I turned 28, my workouts didn't seem to work anymore and I started to gain some weight. This happened with all of my friends too. It happens again around 32. You just can't seem to lose it as quickly when you were younger.

You have to challenge yourself in your workouts and include strength training 2-3 days per week, plus cardio. You also need to change up your cardio. Your body plateaus by doing the same thing. In Fitness and Self Magazine, they have great walking and running workouts. They also have awesome weight training workouts you can do at home or at the gym. I hired a trainer to help me for 10 sessions. I told them I wanted a few workouts I could do on my own. We started somewhat easy and progressively made them hard. Now I find moves in the magazines and I change up one move in my routine every few weeks and that helps.

You also might want to start a food diary for a week and see how many calories you are eating. You may not be eating enough which in effect causes your body to go into starvation mode. Then the body holds onto the fat. You also want to make sure you aren't 'adding' back in junk food. You want to eat protein, fruits and vegetables.

Hope this helps. I love exercising. I've had 2 kids--2.5 year old and 6 month old. I'm 38 years old and I'm working on getting back in shape. I'm mostly there and I really had to step up the cardio and strength training. I'm into core/stability training. I hear Pilates works wonders (sessions at a studio). My friend does it and she looks amazing.

Hi L.,

I had a hard time breaking out of the size 10 to 14 cycle until I did a couple of things differently:
1. Eat breakfast, especially protein and fruit or vegitables
2. Eat a large lunch, anything you desire!
3. I am usually not hungry dinner after the BIG lunch.
Do not eat anything after 7 pm. Then when you get comfortable with that push it to 6 pm and then even 5 pm if you can manage (that one is hard).

4. Try switching from coffee to green tea. My favorite is Tazo Zen because it isn't bitter; it's just like mint tea. Good Earth green tea or white tea both taste like lemon. I tend to have much more energy or more stable energy in the long run. Every time I drink coffee (I am a real addict) it takes me back to an addiction cycle where I am tired. Why is it so delicious?

5. If you have time and can devote yourself to exercise, I enjoy a combination of Pilates and the Firm. I trade them off for toning and stretching. It is a really nice combo.

Good luck with everything! :)

I suggest buying the CD or the book "The Secret". There's a section on getting to your ideal weight without the "I have to lose it". I would start there. There's also other magic in there that I think you'll find amazing. I listen to the CD when I'm driving to and from work.

My Nutritionist just recommended the Fat Flush Plan to me... may be something to look into.

Weight watchers and Curves worked wonders for me. The body will adjust to things that are routine, so you need to change up your exercise.

Hi L., this is J.. JOIN THE CLUB!!! Sounds to me like you're doing everything right. Are you taking a really good fresh organic vitamin? This helped me tremendously! (you might check ____@____.com.... for info on organic vitamins). This can help kick the lack of energy level and improve your over-all wellness. Other than that, we mommies just are getting older, and our bodies change a bit here and there after having babies. I think our society forces women to think they always have to look like fashion models all the time, and it's a lie. Be comfortable with who you are NOW and keep doing the right things like you are. Then, relax and enjoy your beautiful family.
:>) J.

I couldn't lose weight after my first baby despite breastfeeding. My energy and sex drive were low too. I was tested for a thyroid problem but it came back normal. A few months later another doctor tested me again, but this time tested all three levels (T3, T4, and TSH) and I had a huge problem! I've been on medication for over a year and through another pregnancy. Two weeks postpartum I've lost the 14 I gained and 11 extra! I'd get tested again and make sure they test all three levels! An undiagnosed thyroid condition can be really bad for your whole body and well being..good luck!

Boy do I know that feeling!! :) I think something changes when you hit 27-29yrs. I had no trouble with losing the weight with my first 3 but my number 4 baby really did me in. Guess what though, I have been working out at a local Curves and wow, wow, wow! That place is awesome!! $34/mo. 30 minutes a day and you can go as many times or as few as you want per week. They have a whole weight loss plan you can follow or you can do like I do and just go exercise and come home. I go at 5:30a before my husband leaves for work and then I come home shower while he watches the kids and then I'm ready to face the day! I've already lost 5 lbs in a little less than 2 weeks at 3 times a week! It's been great and it's all women there so you don't have to worry about being oggled by a bunch of weirdo men. :) Good Luck!!

Oh yah, in addition to that...I too was struggling with constant fatigue and very low sex drive and this has done miracles for me already!

joGGING or walking works miracles... try it.. set aside a little time for yourself.. I took off 40 pounds jogging 3 miles a day... three times a week... good luck.. Tammie

It really is difficult...I gained a ton of weight from a thyroid condition that is now regulated, and had to work really hard to get it off. You of course can't do one or the other. You gotta have the diet and exercise if you want to see results. My doctor suggested I eliminate the sugar out of my diet for awhile. It worked,(I would still eat natural sugars...like fruit) and the weight started coming off.

Have you try curves to lose the weight that you want to lose and there a plus with this, its only for women that we can all talk to and, each of them have some good advice, that sometimes we as women cann't talk to our partner in life with.