Losing weight after pregnancy is HARD. Sure, there are the select few who somehow look better after they’ve popped out a little one (not fair!), but those ladies are few and far between. For the great majority, the old rule of, “Nine months to gain, nine months to take it off,” holds true and even then it might take a little longer. But what happens when you give weight loss your best efforts and you just aren’t seeing the results you’d like? Here are four reasons why your weight loss efforts could be stalled and how to fix them!
Weight Loss Stalled? What Gives??
You aren’t working out enough.
You make it to the gym when you can, which often equates to twice a week. Aim for at least four days of moderate to strenuous exercise – five days would be optimal. If you’re short on time, you can try TABATA training or HIIT, two wonderful training methods that burn a great deal of calories in a short amount of time. Try to leave the gym with some sweat on your brow!
You live at the gym!
Working out has become your daily escape (and for some, a way to be able to eat whatever you want). If you’re spending hours a day working out and not seeing results, you could be exercising TOO MUCH (read here for signs that you might be overexercising). When we don’t allow our bodies time to rest and recover, we can actually damage our metabolism which makes it really hard to lose weight. Make sure you aren’t overdoing it by incorporating at least one, if not two, rest days per week.
You’re snacking too much!
A post workout smoothie, nibbles of our toddler’s mac and cheese and a daily bedtime snack of ice cream – innocent enough on their own but when made into daily habits, these 200-300 calorie snacks can be the underlying culprit. If you’re looking to lose one pound of fat per week, you’ll need too end the week with a 3,500 calorie DEFICIT, or a 500-calorie per day deficit. One of the best weight loss tips? KEEP A FOOD JOURNAL and write down every single thing that goes into your mouth. Not only will provide insight into exactly how many calories you’re consuming, but you’ll also be more apt to forgo those spoonful’s of Junior’s mac and cheese!
You aren’t eating ENOUGH.
Just as one can eat too much, it’s also easy to overly restrict calories, especially when we’re hoping to lose weight quickly. Please beware: If you fall under 1,200 calories per day, you could send your body into “starvation mode”, decreasing your metabolism and telling the body to hold on to whatever you feed it.
For an active 150-pound woman, you’ll need to aim for at least 1,500-1,800 calories per day. If you’re nursing, you’ll want to aim for 1,800 to 2,200 calories per day! Dropping below your daily caloric requirements might actually be leading you to GAIN weight! Try focusing on whole foods (think vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and healthy fats) and steer clear of processed, prepackaged foods.
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I’m currently sitting about 3 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight. I only know that because of this Advocare Challenge (I don’t normally weigh myself). In the end, I think it’s really important to stress SELF LOVE when it comes to postpartum weightloss. Your body isn’t SUPPOSED to look like it did before. It’s just done the most magnificent and complex work that it will ever do!! So say thank you, nourish it with healthy foods and daily movement and focus on the NEW, IMPROVED you! Stretch marks, belly pooch, mom jeans and all.
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QUESTION: Any HEALTHY tips that you’d like to add that other mamas might need to hear??
splendid…lindsay
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