Someone on my Facebook timeline gave birth a couple of months ago and has posted her photo. She looked stunning. The comments below the photo affirmed that look:
“Wow, looking great, after baby!”
“So hot mama!”
“Sexy mommy!”
“Looks like nothing happened!”
The last one got to me best.
LOOKS LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. How come? When you look at me, it seems that so much has happened. Even a year after delivery, I *still* so look like I birthed a heavy human baby. And I so look like an elephant after that. No offense to elephants!
She replied,
“Breastfeeding made me lose weight.”
“Sleepless nights and with a new baby, I sometimes forget to eat!”
Seriously?? People can forget to eat? I never have no time to eat. If at all, breastfeeding did nothing on my body but dictate it to eat more! As a mother with another kid and a husband with a big appetite, I am always surrounded by food. I cannot not eat. Ever.
If you’re having that hot post-baby body and I ask you how, please respond like:
“I’ve been hitting the gym already.”
“I started walking to keep the weight off”
“I’m genetically blessed!”
Or even the dreaded, “I’m dieting and moving more.”
Those I can make peace with but don’t tell me that breastfeeding and forgetting to eat are the magical ways to lose weight post-baby!
I’ve been there. I know that’s not it. If you worked hard for it, tell the truth. Why make it sound like a piece of cake?
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I am about to wean my 2 year old from breastfeeding her (will stop after her vaccination in 2-3 weeks time), and for the past 3 weeks I started taking normal vitamins, not the one that boosts milk production. I noticed that my clothes are a little looser now, and my appetite had diminished. Even after some work I am not feeling hungry to snack in between meals. So I guess there’s a chance I can go down below 60 kg again
Cheers to that!!
Haha!
Yeah, it’s not a piece of cake. Breastfeeding probably helped me lose those 3kg, but still a long way to go to fit in my old jeans.
I sure lost some weight on the first months but it sneaked up on me again!
My weight gain was low (when I was still pregnant) and that made it easier to lose the excess after giving birth.
Why low?
1. I made a conscious effort to be careful about what and how much I ate. In addition to that, my body had a way of complaining whenever I overate – difficulty in breathing.
2. During pregnancy, I exercised by walking almost everyday. I walked about 20 minutes everyday to and fro the office and I climbed up 10-15 floors a day (depending on how many I could manage). My body would complain if I didn’t exercise enough – difficulty in breathing.
3. I took what my OB would tell me seriously – when she told me I gained more weight than I should, I consciously exerted efforts to control it.
4. On my first trimester, I lost weight (due to evening sickness/no appetite/very choosy). My second trimester, therefore, was spent recovering the weight I lost.
During pregnancy, I was already thinking about post-pregnancy.
Please don’t beat yourself up about this. You are a small woman, and I think this also makes it tougher to lose the weight. My daughter is having a tough time, and she has been so upset. I’ve been there. I’m trying the relax and be kind approach to myself so that I do not sabotage my attempts to drop the 25 pounds I need to lose.
OMG Maribeth, by “small” you mean short by American standard! LOL
But by Philippine standard, I am big.
All the best to Mandy! I’m making 2013 my year in terms of fitness and health! It will not be a piece of cake (yummm cake LOL) but I will do it because I know and believe that I can!
Honestly, I’m a person that forgets to eat all the time. That’s because A.) My chronic illness causes all sorts of weird bodily behavior and B.) I literally forget sometimes.
Other times, I can’t STOP eating o.O
I just think it’s based off the individual; like you said, genetics, willpower, and drive, as well as lifestyle and time are all factors that go into healthy living and weight loss.
I can’t really say because before I got pregnant, I was already big.
I lost my pregnancy weight within three months after giving birth (breast feeding exclusively)
However, my body is not the same. Although I am at my “normal” weight (which is still overweight, if not obese), my body is no longer proportional. I’m bigger in other places (like thighs and arms) … it sucks.
Time to hit the gym?
I hit the gym yesterday. It hit me back HARDER.
I hear you… it’s so hard to lose weight no matter what age you are or what you eat or how you exercise. Don’t feel bad about how you are doing…… I’m still trying to lose the baby weight and my “baby” is 22 years old. =p
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