new mom needs help for new body

hi my names taryn. i just had my son nicholas 10 weeks ago. everyone told me that for the first 6 months after i had the baby i would lose all the weight i gaind. but honestly i have done nothingbut gain 10 pounds. i am now 50 pounds more than i weighed before i had the baby.me, my husband and my roommate are all on a diet right now. chocolate carnation instant breakfast and a yogurt for breakfast every morning (sometimes also a piece of fruit). I'll have a small 100 calorie snack a couple hours after that. For lunch i will have a turkey and cheese sandwhich with lettuce and no mayo. i'll have another 100 calorie snack between lunch and dinner. and for dinner everyday i have a diet microwave dinner (either healthy choice or lean cuisine). I try to get as much excercise as i can, but between bathing him, me showering, cleaning the house, feedings for him and my self, diaper changes, and errand running i don't really have time to get much excercise in. I do walk to run all of my errands, but i still can't figure out what else to do. can someone help me?!?!?!?!?!?!

honestly i think what your doing is just great. that is basicaly the insact same thing i am doing and slowly losing weight. i dont think there is a healthy faster way to lose it so hang in there and over the weeks you will start to see a difference and if anything you will feel better within yourself for losing weight the right way.

just remember some weeks will be better loses then others that is just how it works so dont give up stick with it and look forward to your new healthy body that awaits

Edited to add: Congratulations for your little one :)

Lies! LOL! Not everybody can lose the weight we gain in 9 months in a 6 month period. I'm EXACTLY 6 months postpartum today and still have 5-6 pounds left with an additional 10 to lose that I put on before having my second baby.

This may sound strange but I don't think you're eating enough. Are you breastfeeding or formula feeding? If you're breastfeeding, you need to be eating 300-500 calories more EACH DAY than you did while PREGNANT. For me, that's about 2,000-2,100 calories a day; that's 600-700 more than I would eat to maintain my current weight (I'm breastfeeding).

I'm not certain the EXACT calorie content of some of the foods but I know rough estimates. The Carnation breakfast has roughly 200 calories plus 80 for milk and another 100 for yogurt while the microwave dinner is roughly 300 calories. So: 200+80+100+100 (snack)+300 (sandwich)+100 (snack)+300=1180 daily calories. WAY TOO FEW especially if you're exercising and breastfeeding.

In order to lose weight, we need to burn more calories than we take in. However, if we burn too many calories and don't take in enough, our body will think it's starving and hold onto extra weight. The best way to lose weight is to have no more than a 500 calorie deficit daily. In other words, burn 500 calories more than you eat. There is a catch: you don't want to eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day (this is typically the point where your body will think it's starving).

I don't know your stats but let's just say you burn 1500 calories a day doing nothing but daily activities. Let's say you burn 300 calories walking. You're now burning 1800 calories a day. In order to have a 500 calorie deficit, you need to eat at least 1300 calories daily (300-500 more if you're breastfeeding). *This is just an example, I'm not sure what you actually burn or need to take in.

As far as the food you're eating goes, I'd say the Carnation breakfast isn't the best choice. It has a lot of sugar (as does yogurt). My favorite thing to eat for breakfast is a bowl of plain oatmeal with some honey, egg beaters with feta cheese and a glass of soy milk. It has lots of protein and fiber so it keeps me full for 5-6 hours. I have a banana as a mid-morning snack, a Lean Cuisine or soup with an apple and granola bar for lunch, toast with peanut butter and apple butter for an afternoon snack and about a 500 calorie dinner (whatever we make for dinner that night). I also drink a TON of water--500 ounces a day--and one cup of coffee in the morning (I don't drink soda).

If you're eating those 100 calorie packs for your snacks, I think those aren't the best choice. They're pretty much empty calories. Try eating things that are high in protein and fiber (fruit with Wheat Thins and cream cheese, veggies with hummus, whole wheat toast with peanut butter). 25-30% of your calories should come from "good" fats (avacados, olive oil, nuts), 15-20% from protein (lean meats like skinless chicken breast or fish) and 50-60% from carbs (whole grains and fruit/veggies are the best source).

Hope that helps!

Original Post by bier:

Edited to add: Congratulations for your little one :)

Lies! LOL! Not everybody can lose the weight we gain in 9 months in a 6 month period. I'm EXACTLY 6 months postpartum today and still have 5-6 pounds left with an additional 10 to lose that I put on before having my second baby.

This may sound strange but I don't think you're eating enough. Are you breastfeeding or formula feeding? If you're breastfeeding, you need to be eating 300-500 calories more EACH DAY than you did while PREGNANT. For me, that's about 2,000-2,100 calories a day; that's 600-700 more than I would eat to maintain my current weight (I'm breastfeeding).

I'm not certain the EXACT calorie content of some of the foods but I know rough estimates. The Carnation breakfast has roughly 200 calories plus 80 for milk and another 100 for yogurt while the microwave dinner is roughly 300 calories. So: 200+80+100+100 (snack)+300 (sandwich)+100 (snack)+300=1180 daily calories. WAY TOO FEW especially if you're exercising and breastfeeding.

In order to lose weight, we need to burn more calories than we take in. However, if we burn too many calories and don't take in enough, our body will think it's starving and hold onto extra weight. The best way to lose weight is to have no more than a 500 calorie deficit daily. In other words, burn 500 calories more than you eat. There is a catch: you don't want to eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day (this is typically the point where your body will think it's starving).

I don't know your stats but let's just say you burn 1500 calories a day doing nothing but daily activities. Let's say you burn 300 calories walking. You're now burning 1800 calories a day. In order to have a 500 calorie deficit, you need to eat at least 1300 calories daily (300-500 more if you're breastfeeding). *This is just an example, I'm not sure what you actually burn or need to take in.

As far as the food you're eating goes, I'd say the Carnation breakfast isn't the best choice. It has a lot of sugar (as does yogurt). My favorite thing to eat for breakfast is a bowl of plain oatmeal with some honey, egg beaters with feta cheese and a glass of soy milk. It has lots of protein and fiber so it keeps me full for 5-6 hours. I have a banana as a mid-morning snack, a Lean Cuisine or soup with an apple and granola bar for lunch, toast with peanut butter and apple butter for an afternoon snack and about a 500 calorie dinner (whatever we make for dinner that night). I also drink a TON of water--500 ounces a day--and one cup of coffee in the morning (I don't drink soda).

If you're eating those 100 calorie packs for your snacks, I think those aren't the best choice. They're pretty much empty calories. Try eating things that are high in protein and fiber (fruit with Wheat Thins and cream cheese, veggies with hummus, whole wheat toast with peanut butter). 25-30% of your calories should come from "good" fats (avacados, olive oil, nuts), 15-20% from protein (lean meats like skinless chicken breast or fish) and 50-60% from carbs (whole grains and fruit/veggies are the best source).

Hope that helps!

 Thats exactly what I was thinking, honey you aren't eating enough, probably need to go up to around 1800 calories. Check to see what Maintenance calories for your height and weight and eat that, add more if you're breastfeeding.

Yeah I really hated everyone that told me I'd lose that baby weight by about 6 months.  I just sat around thinking it would melt away from breastfeeding. HA! Fat chance!  Well, I gave up on that after 6 months when I weighed MORE than post delivery.

I agree with bier that you need to make sure you're consuming enough calories, and that you need smarter choices.  More protein and veggies, especially your greens.  I have noticed a big different when I eat more things like eggs, chicken, fish, variety of vegetables, and overall watch my carbs and calories.  I don't believe in cutting out carbs altogether, but too many are def. not good on a diet.

It will take a while to lose the wait, and you're going to have times that you really struggle to keep up your efforts, but hang in there! It'll be worth it!  Remember that you didn't gain it overnight, so you can't lose it overnight.  Lose the lbs, not the fight!

on here anyways it tells me to have 1550 calories a day and i eat right around that. i do also have fruit as a snack here or there but i always just grab whatever is right there. i burn a little bit more than i consume, but thats just me doing everything i do like going for walks, carrying around the baby, running errands and everything else that goes with being a stay at home mom. thank you for the tips though ladies and trust me i will take that into consideration. (and FYI I am not breast feeding) but thanks anyways.

Perhaps you should try to not concentrate so much on the calories but where the calories are coming from. Your diet consists of all prepackaged, chemical injected foods. No wonder your body is holding onto the fat, your not feeding it enough actual food. Your body is starving for lean proteins, good fats and vitamins and minerals. Your not getting near enough fruits or vegetables. Your body is holding onto everything just like as if you were in starvation mode from too few calories. Eating a balanced diet is essential to losing weight, you can't just look at the amount of calories. Plus you will have so much more energy for your little one.

oh yeah that makes sense thanks

Talk to your doc about what kind of diet would be best for you, and don't worry. Running around taking care of a baby, a house, and a relationship IS working out!!