How Long?

[whitnessforhim]

How long should I expect it to take for my body to go back to somewhat of a normal state? I gained 40lbs with my pregnancy and lost 30lbs of that within the first 2 1/2 months...I am happy about that but I can't get rid of this last 10lbs!! It sucks. I feel chunky and I hate it. I workout regularly (always have) but I don't really want to diet b/c I am exclusively BFing. I've heard that your body can hold on to a little extra weight if your BFing. Is that true?
Just wondering what a realistic time frame is to lose this weight?!

[Crabbie]

MY extra 10 is still around and my dd is 4. BUT you gotta remember that every body is different. When you work out do you do the same routine each time? If so try changing things around. Our bodies get used to following the same pattern then they get 'stuck' so it is a good idea to change things around.

[whitnessforhim]

Well I thought I was doing different things...maybe not enough.

[RedheadbyChoice]

Some bodies *do* hang onto an extra 10 or 15 pounds while nursing, no matter what momma does. For others, it takes ramping it up a bit, tweaking the diet or workouts. A common rule of thumb is that it took 9 months to put it on, it may take 9 months for all of it to leave.

[thirtyeven]

i'm in a similar situation. With dd1 I gained 30lbs, 20 were gone by 3 weeks postpartum, and that last 10 hung on for another year, despite working out and eating reasonably. The good news is that once i started the weaning process the pounds came off with no conscious changes on my part--i think i was just less hungry. dd2 was born three months ago, and again i gained 30lbs, 20 came off right away, and the last 10 are hanging on for dear life. i feel chunky, but at the same time i'm ravenously hungry. I'm hoping these pounds will go away slowly on their own as well, but at the same time I'm worried, since my metabolism has slowed even in the last few years, and with two kids it's harder to exercise regularly. So I'm trying at bare minimum to curtail my sweet eating (with only a little success) and exercise a couple of times a week.

[whitnessforhim]

Yes, I've noticed i'm hungrier now then I ever was preg. It's crazy how much I eat. And I know what you mean about the sweet eating...thats the hardest for me too.
Well maybe after I wean the lbs will come off...
Thanks for the response...nice to know someone else has had the same experience.

[shayanders]

I just stopped nursing and had 9 pounds to go and I have to say I am WAY LESS HUNGRY and losing it fast now. Of course- I had a hospital stay for pneumonia to help out... (the only upside to that event!) But really, wait until you are done nursing... it will disappear then.

[jgassa]

I thought bf was supposed to help you loose weight. I gained 27 lbs and lost it all by week 6. I wish I could take more off. I am about 50-60 lbs overweight as it is.

[Jennalicia]

I gained about 40 pounds and it is now week 3, and I lost 31 of it. I normally lose all by week 6, but everyone is very different.

To lose the remaining weight, I got extreme. I trained for a marathon and certified to teach fitness classes. By the time 6 months had passed, I had lost an additional 20 pounds. I want to finish losing those 9 pounds in the next two weeks, and hopefully another 45-50 pounds (I was halfway to my goal weight when I got pregnant again) within the next 9 months.

Being a fitness instructor, I can really tell you that everyone is different. But beyond thinking about diets and such, just remember the following: if you are willing to exert the energy to excercise, you can eat almost anything in a decent proportion within reason.

Keep a journal. Budget what you eat and make healthy choices. Above all, try not to go to long without food. When you have something in your stomach, it helps you make sound choices.

By changing my lifestyle, I was not only able to get pregnant, but I was able to to help others better their fitness levels.

And yes, nursing can make you famished. I am feeling that too, now.

Good luck!