10 weeks postpartum and not dropping weight

I gained 45 pounds during my pregnancy and immediately after delivery lost about 25-30 of that. I was slightly overweight prior to pregnancy (5'5" and 150lbs but I do have an athletic build). So after delivery I was at 165 lbs. I did not exercise for the first 6 weeks to allow healing time but in the last 5 weeks I have been doing an extremely low calorie diet (with taking care of baby barely have time to eat) and walking 2-3 miles on the treadmill 3 times a week with 20 minutes of weight training and resistance training. On a daily basis I am at least taking the baby for walks at the mall or around the block. It seems like my deficit should definitely be 500 but I have not dropped a pound since delivery.

It seems mathematically impossible that I haven't dropped any weight yet. Any suggestions?

RU Breastfeeding. That burns 300-500 calories and your  body can hang onto extra body fat if you aren't eating enough to make breast milk. 

The only way to tell if you are consuming enough calories, breastfeeding or not, you should start logging calories burned vs calories eaten. Otherwise you are only guessing at what you are consuming and burning.

 

HTH.

I agree with weddingmama - you may not be eating enough calories. I have an athletic build (like you), and I find 15cal x body weight is pretty accurate to determine my maintenance calories with 3 workouts a week (puts you at 15 x 165 = 2475). If you are breastfeeding add 300 per day - 2775. So, a safe deficit of 500 to 750 would put you at 2000-2250 or so per day. If you are not breastfeeding, you should be at 1750-2000 So try logging and try eating this much. Try for a couple of weeks to see results before resetting - give it a chance to work!

No, I am formula feeding. I do want to start logging calories (just joined yesterday) but  even though I have not logged as of yet, I always check the packaging of anything I eat to count calories on my own. I am usually below what CC has recommended for my weight loss (CC recommended 1200 intake) on most days (except for the occasional day when I might eat out with my husband).

So with a low calorie diet, even if I don't exercise at all (sedentary) I should still be losing so I was looking at any exercise I did as just bonus on top of that. I am definitely going to start logging on here though to make sure.

CC recommended 1200 calories per day for me (when I marked sedentary) and 1350 when I marked light activity (I'm not breastfeeding). Shouldn't I follow that recommendation? I'm wanting to go from 168 to 135 losing about 1 lb. per week.

Breastfeeding doesn't count as an activity..but it should.

Here's something to think about..even though you are estimating calories you still may not be getting enough all day..or too many.

RIght now I have had three full meals and as snack and I 300 calories under the recommended amount for my activity level.  If I maintained that reduction in calories, I would ultimately stall my weight loss because I would only be consuming enough calories to make my body function.

In your original post you said you are pretty active with going on walks and such..so make sure you are putting that into your profile. Don't set your account to sedentary or light activity if you are doing more. 

HTH.

seems like your calorie intake is too low. i am at 166 (have lost 51lbs since last fall)and am averaging a loss of a lb a week and i excercise 5 days a week . i eat at least 1500 a day and as much as 1900. so maybe youre not eating enough?. Im not sure but i always hear not to eat less than your bmr(base metabolic rate and mine is a bit above 1500 calories. just a thought. good luck to you

Don't get discouraged!  It took me a while to drop the weight after I had my son.  I gained 45lbs too, but lost only 20 lbs of it in the first 3 months.  I didn't really notice a significant change in my body and weight until my son was 6 months.  Yep, 6 months!  And that was with working out 3-5 times a week with 2 of the workouts being very intense and the others being a bit less so.  My son is now 10.5 months and I can finally say that I have my body back.  I have been watching my calories (don't think I was eating enough before) and working out high intensity 4 times a week and 2 a week at medium intensity.  I feel like a workout machine sometimes!

It can take a long time.  The body holds onto the weight sometimes, due to hormone levels, stress and fatigue.  Give yourself more time - just keep up the workouts and make sure you're getting enough calories.  It will come off!!!! 

Good Luck!