Losing Weight/Fitness After Baby Number 2 - Grove City,OH

I think it is far too soon. My Dr. and Nurses told me to think of the "fourth trimester", the three months after the baby is born, as the time to work on my family and my bonds with my baby and not on myself. Has it even been three months since the baby was born? How do you even have time to run 8 miles a day with a baby in the house? The people in Hollywood can snap back because they have a nanny and a cook and a house keeper and a personal assistant and a trainer.

Have you met with a personal trainer? Usually a gym membership includes some training. It sounds to me like you are over doing it and your body is no longer responding. So it is true that the more you work out the less effective it becomes.

If you are looking for sympathy... I totally get it. I long for the days when my hip bones stuck out and you could see my ribs.

If you are looking for advice...Talk to someone about body image, it sounds to me like there is more to this story than you are telling us. My husband says he like me better now. Making love to me when we were first together was like humping a bag of rocks. Now I am this beautiful woman and my body was what nourished the lives we created together and no matter what I look like compared to what Hollywood says, he loves every part of my body for what we have done together.

I don't know about the pooch, maybe some pilates? However, the bone structure changes you can't undo. That is what happens when you have kids. Frankly, a small price to pay. On the days I get down a little about my body after two kids, I think of my friends who aren't able to have kids, and would give anything to have to deal with after effects such as wider hips.......Good luck to you

Great job with all the physical activity! I wish I had that much ambition to work out, let alone the energy!

You say you are eating right, and I'm sure you are. However, in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in. That said, how big are the portions you consume each day? Also, certain drinks like juices have a high caloric count which mainly consists of sugar. If I were you, I would take a look at how much you eat everyday and where you may be able to cut some calories. For example, if you enjoy a glass of juice, pour less into the glass and add water to it. Juices are way too sweet anyways. Simple things like that.

Lastly, high complex carb foods can sabotage any diet. There is nothing wrong with carbs, and you definately need carbs because of the necessary energy you get from them to run. However, do you eat starchy foods several times a day? Check to see where you may limit your consumption of high complex starchy foods when possible.

It is not about dieting. It is about a lifestyle change.

Good luck to you! My hat goes off to you for being so active!!

You are doing cardio workouts and weights which means you are fit and healthy. Weight put on around the hips and thghs is supposedly the hardest weight to lose physiologically speaking. If you are breastfeeding, your body might not be ready to give up some fat reserves because that is emergency energy. Since its just been since October, I would relax and give your self more time. Stretch marks aren't going away anyway, so do yourself a favor and be a little easy on yourself. Also, getting your husband's honest opinion might do you a world of good. He's been with you for a long time, and might have a healthier view of your body than your own body image. Just an idea.....

The important thing is you are healthy and you'll be around a long time for your kids!

A., I have 3 kids. After number 2, I realized that it just takes longer to bounce back to what I used to be. It took me a couple of years to stretch the extra skin around my tummy area. I pretty much started to ignore my tummy area since I felt it would never go back to what it used to be. After baby number 3, I started a class at the YMCA in Springfield called the Fitness Challenge and it has done miracles! The instructor says that she uses the workouts by Tony Horton. The ab work is especially great! His website is www.beachbody.com but you can purchase his dvds on Ebay much cheaper. I also found a few videos on YouTube of people that used his workouts and documented them over a period of several months to see if they really worked and all of them were very successful stories. I hope they can help you too! And if you need any extra advice, maybe look up the instructor at the YMCA. I've been very impressed with her knowledge and her workouts tend to be like fitness bootcamp - immediate results!

A.,

Did you know muscle weighs more then fat. Sometimes the weight doesn't seem to be coming off because the fat is turning to muscle. Also, the tummy & hits are the hardest places to loose weight. I personnal believe we are who we are & sometime we do carry more then before kids.

I was 128# when I got pregnant with my first 15 yrs ago... I was over 200# and have been for a long time (about 12 yrs or more). I just lost about 35# since I lost my job in July & have doc's yelling at me cause I'm due in July and still loosing weight :( Not sure why other then we don't have the $ for fast food & we always cook at home now.

I can understand wanting to get back to what you were before the little one, but if worring is only making it worse - let life play out and see what happens.

My question to you is - how do you manage 2 little ones & the up to 8 miles a day plus 2 extra workouts? I know I have 3 little ones 2 1/2 - 5 years living with me & I don't have much spare time... after getting 2 ready & to/from school, laundry, cooking, cleaning, dishes, playing w/ them, homework, shopping & all the other things - I don't have much time for myself.

Hi A.
I have the perfect weight management program for you. It is from Shaklee and it helps you mantain you muscle while shedding pounds. It is actually guaranteed to work and you can check it out on my site. livingwithsolutions.com I believe you will be very happy. Once you get to the weight you want then you have learned to maintain it. It is very cool. Give it a look and please let me know what you think.
Good Luck
S.

Try doing "bursts" when you are running, or changing up your routine. Like add some pilates or something new, or do the elliptical some days instead of running. Try to activate some new muscles. For the bursts, do some light to moderate activity, then for about 2-4 minutes go as hard as you can, then take it back down to a moderate level for a couple minutes, then back up, etc, etc. It really helps. I know, it stinks when you want someone to give you suggestions and everyone tells you to "accept it" or "it's not that bad" - totally not what you want/ need to hear!

You might also consult a personal trainer, they can give you some great suggestions. My friend is a fitness national competitor and she has wonderful suggestions whenever I get into a rut. Good luck and keep us posted!

I also just had a baby boy in October (and have a 2-yr old little girl!). First of all, I think it is amazing that you are already so active! I have barely made it to the treadmill and certainly not 8 miles a day. I am very impressed! It is early to expect to look back to "normal". The only thing I can think of (except that it might just take a bit more time) is that you may want to get your thyroid checked. A good friend who has been thin her whole life could not get rid of the extra baby pounds and found out her thyroid was out of whack - she is now treating the problem and lost the weight easily. It sounds like you are a very busy woman with two little ones and working hard on your health - don't forget what your body has already done for you - two miracles!

Hi A.! Have you thought about maybe meeting with a personal trainer for a few visits to get you pointed in the right direction? A lot of women want to get rid of the "pooch" on their tummy after having a baby so they exercise their stomach like crazy. What they don't realize is that will build the muscle in your stomach & in some cases can actually make it seem a little bigger. Another point is muscle weighs more than fat does.

Having said that, I know how frustrating it can be to not like your body & be doing all the right things and still see no results. Which tells me what you might think are the right things probably aren't. Talk to a pro & see if you can get some help.

Good luck!
A.

It took 9 months for your body to stretch out, give yourself more than 3 months to tighten it back up. You seem obsessed with your body image, and as we all know, we are our own worst judge....is it because you don't want your husband to lose interest? I struggled with losing my weight after I had my daughter and got very depressed about it too, so I understand. But seriously, think about the blessing you just received. A temporary extra 10lbs and wider hips is a small price to pay for a lifetime of joy and happiness. Just keep working out (within reason), because that's what makes you feel good, but not because the obsession of losing the last 10lbs has taken over your life. Don't miss out on the greater pleasures happening all around you. The weight will come off, because you're determined. Just don't be so hard on yourself. You're perfect in the eyes of your 2 wonderful children :)

I agree that you need to give yourself a more time. But after a few more months (when your baby is closer to nine months old), if you still don't see results, talk to a Dr. My youngest is 13months and I wondered why, even though I was eating healthy and chasing after two children under 4 years old, I had gained weight since I had my baby. After seeing my Dr about an unrelated problem she checked my thyroid levels and boy are they out of whack. The thyroid controls metabolism and it's not uncommon to have postpartum thyroid problems. If that is the case it will most likely work itself out in the coming months so there isn't much reason for testing right now. But always talk to a Dr. when you feel something just isn't right.

To really get your shape back, you have to understand it will take time. I have been going to a trainer for a year and it took about 10 months to get down to my desired weight. Plus, because I took it slow, I have built up more muscle and can see the difference in my shape. Remember that it takes time.

My new workout is at Exercise, Inc. and they use a method called slow burn. You work with a trainer who teaches you to slow down your repetitions in order to work ALL of your muscles to the point of exhaustion. What is amazing is that it's only for 20 minutes, once a week because you are working your muscles so hard in a short amount of time. I didn't believe it either, but it has worked!! I do 4 to 5 exercises a week. During the summer I do walk or swim, but other than that...this is it. And, I feel better and can see the definition. If you want more info about it, send a PM and I'll tell you more about it. I lost 10 pounds (which is what I had to lose) in about 10 months time.

Don't get discouraged, though! You can do this! Being healthy is worth the work!!

Good luck!!!

A.,

Hang in there and keep it up.... your metabolism is changing and things will start showing soon. Main thing is to keep it up. I understand frustrations, as all of us women/mothers do.

A.

Don't know what kind of cardio you're doing..changing it, usiing intervals, multiple modes of cardio, etc?? also....same goes for the weight training. There are a MULTITUDE of "full body" exercises you can do that engage/recruit other muscles as you work a certain body part.

i.e. Doing walking or alternating lunges and overhead presses (engages ALL lower extremeties, includinig hips & glultes) uses back, shoulders and triceps. MAXIMIZE your time with maximum muscle recruitment (calorie burn) and make SURE you change your routine every time.

Don't know where you live, but I'm in Fishers and am a personal trainer who's been in the biz for over 30 years. I mentor trainers and teach classes. We currently have a TWO FOR ONE deal going on right now (we do this time of year every year) at the personal training gym where I work)

Let me know if I can help.

You know the more kids you have the harder it is to bounce back. It sounds like postpartem depression. You are being too hard on your self. YOu carried a baby for 9 months why shouldn't it take just as long for your body to get back to normal. Your hormones are still out of whack. Just do your exercises, eat right and get enough rest and eventually you will see something happen. BUT be fair to yourself and give yourself the time for your ENTIRE body to recover. Nine months is reasonable.

You're eating right, exercising, and doing all the right things but don't worry, you're not the only one who struggles this way!
Someone else asked if you're nursing, are you? Some moms lose weight w/ nursing, and some keep the weight on (fortunately, I lost -- gained 50# w/ both pregnancies and lost it all within 3 months.)
Through the company that I work with, I've been able to help many women lose weight in a Healthy way. We offer information, no cost to you, so if you're interested, message me with your information and I'd love to help!
Blessings and best wishes!
(and congrats on the baby in October :)

Someone once told me that if you get to a point where you are exercising and nothing is changing look at other areas. Try your diet. Don't just go on a diet. Change the way you eat. You should also change the routine you are in to see if it will jump start some change.

Are you nursing him? The great thing about nursing is that is uses extra calories and you can eat a little more freely. The bad thing is that to nurse you need extra fat, so many women don't drop the last 10-15 pounds until after they have weaned. Some drop the extra around 6 months when the baby is nursing more because they are bigger.

Your body has been through a big change, it takes time to change it back. It took 9mo to put it on, give yourself 9mo to take it off. You may have to take a look at your workouts to make sure you are targeting the areas you want. I ran a lot after my first and even did a couple triathlons, I never quite made it back down to size 6, but weighed a couple pounds less than when I got pregnant. My body was just shaped different. Good Luck, I am with you, had my second in Nov, and getting back at it!

hey girl - first i want to say awesome job fitting in the workouts you are doing - that is fantastic, and definately gives me motivation to try to work out more as well! :) One thing to remember is the general rule is 9 months up, 9 months down, and I found that with both of my boys - it took me about 9 months for my body to get back to the size it was originally both times, regardless of how much i worked out with each one (i definately worked out more after the 1st one lol!). Also, keep in mind that with all of the exercise u are getting, u have probably added a lot of muscle to your body, and muscle weighs more than fat, so that could account for at least a portion of that last 10 pounds that ur trying to lose. I would say keep up the work, watch what u eat, and give it another 3 - 6 months for that extra skin to get more toned. You're setting a great example for your little ones! :)

sending hugs!
~T.

http://MamaWorksFromHome.NET
http://FamilyBenefitsLive.com