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I had a baby two years ago, gained thirty pounds, and haven’t been able to shed it at all, in fact I think I’ve even gained an extra five or so since then. Well, I did try a low-carb stint out of desperation and lost fifteen pounds, but four months of carb deprivation made me miserable and obsessed with food. Eventually it triggered a binge and I gained it all back. Then I discovered HAES, intuitive eating, and RRARFing, and had a great time going crazy with ice cream. But here I am at 182 and 5’4″ and I look and feel terrible. Plus the weight is all around my belly, which is really not a great look.
Will someone please tell me that losing baby weight is an exception to the rule that ‘diets don’t work?’ I don’t really want to do low carb again, but I thought I’d post to see if anyone else has had success shedding the baby weight and keeping it off.
How are your energy levels? Are you eating to appetite and still gaining weight? if so, has the weight gain slowed down?
I wouldn’t go on any crash diet, but if your energy is good, you might try incorporating some sensible, sustainable movement into your life. Focus on getting stronger, fitter and more capable instead of the scale weight. Generally the safest weight loss comes as a side effect of getting healthier in general, with quality rest, reduced stress, a sense of meaning and purpose, satisfying food, all of that being a bigger priority than dietary deletions to reach a goal number.
I am frustrated too, bagelpower. I have an 18 month old and was just starting to fit into my old clothes in May. Then I stumbled onto this site and read Eat for Heat. My morning temps are between 96.8-97.3 so I began eating a lot more in an effort to raise my metabolism. My son still breastfeeds 6-10 times a day. I do feel I have more energy, but have gained 20 or 25lbs. I am getting depressed about my weight. I need advice.
I gained baby weight too. I’m not saying this is a good thing to do but if you want to know what worked for me then here it is.I couldn’t however sustain it because I’m still breastfeeding and it is my back up plan should this fail me or should my husband threaten to divorce me should my weight get astronomical. Simply fruit or a smoothie in the morning, light lunch, a healthy snack in the afternoon and a good satisfying dinner. But no binging. I find that if I cut calories by having light meals and am still eating everything basically then I can cope and sustain it forever. This is basically what I have been doing my whole life anyway, but with babies and trying to sustain this sort of eating whilst breastfeeding, it has backfired and i ended up 10 kg heavier. I wish I just ate rather than analyse my hunger, now I wouldn’t have that problem. My mother never breastfed, however has 4 kids, this is how she eats and it is totally sustainable for her and she is tiny and happy. BUT, she has low temperatures and she feels the cold. So, it’s a choice between a true health or a size. Sometimes I wonder if this whole concept of rrafing and gaining weight backfires because you get so stressed gaining weight, the very same thing that we are trying to avoid? Anyhow, I hope I don’t get crossed off the forum for sharing this!!!
Thanks, scarlettsmum. Maybe it is a choice between an “ideal” weight and true health, but you raise an important point about mental health. It is very difficult to gain weight as a woman in this culture. I am also on another site called youreatopia. I suggest checking it out. But, nevertheless I am tempted to just say “#### this” and go on a low calorie diet, like your back up plan.
But…..I don’t want to do that! I never want to starve to be thin again! Can anyone give examples of women who gained and then actually lost using eat for heat principles while breastfeeding?
Thank you, Rob, mangosorbet, and scarlettsmum for your replies and input.
Rob–I’m going to print out your post and put it on my bulletin board. I think you’re so right about a sense of meaning and purpose being important. While I was low-carbing I spent all my limited free time surfing the web for palatable protein recipes instead of pursuing things that are more meaningful. I’m a painter and during that whole time I didn’t do any artwork at all, instead I spent hours on failed experiments with coconut flour and ended up with a lot of really horrible-tasting muffins.
My energy’s fine, and I’m starting to do yoga and pilates a few times a week so I’m hoping that will help. My weight, despite being high, is pretty stable at this point, and my temps are in the 98s after years of being in the 97 degree range. So for now I think I will take your advice and try to add more exercise and build strength.
I feel your frustration, mangosorbet, and scarlettsmum. Scarlettsmum, thanks for sharing your strategy–it sounds better than restricting certain foods or severely cutting back calories. I agree about no bingeing, that seems to be what makes me gain weight the most.
Hi mangosorbet, I hear ya. :( I too will probably stick with it and I have already been reading stuff on youreatopia, but what frightens me is that she just want you to stuff your face whether you’re hungry or not, you have to be meeting the daily minimum calories. Matt is more about biofeedback, hungry – eat, not hungry – don’t eat whilst obviously eating sufficient calories. Also youreatopia talks about this as long term thing, like 18 months!! She doesn’t talk about any specific foods for raising metabolism like salt, etc. So I feel or hope that perhaps with Matt it will happen faster? I’m speaking with Matt tomorrow so if I find out anything more specific regarding breastfeeding I will share it here.
One of my clients lost 36 pounds in 12 weeks postpartum “eating for heat” to the max. She was sweating and uncomfortably hot with the thermostat set on 67F. The only break in her steady weight loss came when she tried to go out and exercise. When she tried that the weight loss immediately stopped. Obviously this is the best case scenario, but it is possible. I wrote about that here. http://180degreehealth.com/2012/11/postpartum-hormonal-changes
If you are still breastfeeding, I wouldn’t recommend forcefully trying to remove excess weight (not that I ever recommend that), as you are already in a compromised state while breastfeeding (high prolactin, which suppresses metabolic rate).
That’s awesome, Matt! I wish I had found you months ago. But, now I feel stuck. I want to get pregnant again sometime in the next year or so, but I want to lose my first “baby weight” before I do so! Is there hope?
I’ll look forward to hearing more from you, scarlettsmum. Maybe we can do it together?
Mangosorbet, btw. I love mango sorbet! I’ll have to make some, or buy some. :) Your name makes me hungry again. lol
The info from Matt is encouraging, I was doing yoga 3x per week but I have just rescheduled to 2, I feel it is too much otherwise. Yes, let’s do it together and moan along the way. :)
I just had 36.4 C this morning and strangely I find that resting increases my temperatures hugely. I can be 36.1 or 36.2 when feeling tired and the I lie down or separate myself from the kids and just resting, not even sleeping and my temperatures are 36.6 or .7 again. It amazes me what happens when I listen to my body and rest rather then keep on going.@bagelpower- Awesome, glad to help.
And weight stability is great; I think any slow, sensible changes you make at this point are primed to help without inducing metabolic backlash.
Many people freak out at the 11th hour, not realizing that the worst of it is behind them, and that once their weight gain slows and then stops, their body’s internal landscape shifts, and starts to favor improved strength, energy levels and favorable body recomposition. Just as long as you don’t go crash dieting and working yourself out to exhaustion, you’re in a good position to make long term improvements. Good luck!
Hi Scarlettsmum! I love mango sorbet, so I thought it would make a good name! So, resting is what we should do to improve temp?
Rob–yes, I hope the worst of the weight gain is behind me. I always get a really low temp around 7:00-8:00pm (around 96.8). Why do you think this might happen?
IMHO, trying to diet while breast feeding or TTC can make your body nutso by sending it completely mixed signals: “Hey Body, you must keep yourself functional PLUS single-handedly sustain (or create) a new life, but you’re not allowed to have all the food you’re hungry for”.
But I know how much baby weight sucks. And I want to encourage ALL mamas to get checked for diastasis recti if they feel they have excess belly fat. This is an under-diagnosed issue that is not only unattractive but can lead to chronic back pain, organ prolapse and future c-sections if not addressed. I had no idea mine had been getting worse (because of improper exercise) and thought the 8 lbs I gained post-weaning had all gone to my belly until I had my diastasis checked by an expert. Fortunately in most cases it is reversible without surgery OR diets.
I lost weight eating for heat while I was breastfeeding. It started to be gradual. I was 64 kg last March and in the beginning of May I was 62kg. But then something happened. In the middle of May my daughter stopped breastfeeding. And I started to feel very tired, sleepy and sick. I felt terrible. I was freezing all the time and one afternoon I checked my temperature: it was 35,2.
I guess that stopping breastfeeding creates a huge change in your hormones and your thyroid might turn off for a couple of days or weeks. And yes, I gained weight. Now I’m 69,6 kg and I’m 1,63 tall. I fell just fine, warm feet and hands all day long and with lots of energy. I really don’t know if I’m going to lose some weight but I just don’t care. I rather be 70kg for the rest of my life than doing something stupid like dieting just to be rewarded with a serious thyroid problem. Now I’m just making the best of it and started to learn belly dancing. Curves and belly dancing are a good match. :D
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