Need help - diet related

Hello all! This is my first post on this board. I recently gave birth to my first child 10 weeks ago. Before getting pregnant, I was VERY overweight, close to 300 pounds. During my pregnancy, I did not gain any weight and remained within 5 lbs of my prepregnancy weight.

After having DD, my weigh has gone down to almost 250 lbs It has leveled off now and I am no longer losing any weight. However, I am very slowly starting to gain some of the weight back. It's only been a couple of pounds but I don't want to let the weight creep back on, a few pounds at a time and before I know it, I'll be right back where I was before.

I don't have the best diet and do not exercise regularly. I feel like I have been given such a gift, first with my daughter, and secondly with losing nearly 50 lbs without trying. I don't want to squander it.

What advice can you give me as far as eating well? Even some things that may seem like common sense, for me, it is not. Also, I'd like to start doing some kind of exercise. Can anyone make some recommendations for someone who is starting from scratch?

Thank you if you have read this whole thing and thank you in advance for your advice. I look forward to chatting with you ladies and losing lots of weight

Re: Need help - diet related

First off- congrats on both accounts (your daughter and losing 50lbs!)

My best advice would be to find a plan that works for you and follow it. I've tried to diet before without really knowing what I was doing. I would assume I was eating healthier but in reality I wasn't (I would eat 2 packs of 100 calorie snacks and think I was being good!)

If I could make a suggestion- try Weight Watchers. I lost 60lbs on the plan and continue to keep it off.

Re: Need help - diet related

I was very overweight, tried WW and a bunch of other diets. I found I had the best success with Body for Life. I lost and kept off 100lbs for years doing it. I gained it all back during my pregnancy with DD1 and never got a chance to lose it before having DD2. With DD2 though I also didn't gain any, in fact I lost just by eating better. I'm once again doing Body for Life and already losing weight, down 2 pant sizes.

It took a MAJOR shift in how I viewed food, and the book was very helpful with helping me to adopt healthy eating habits and an exercise routine.

Whatever you decide to try, make a commitment to stick to it for AT LEAST 3 months before you say it's not working.

Good luck

Re: Need help - diet related

I saw start slow but steady (consistent). Start cutting back on your meals in anyway you know how to first. Smaller portions of the usuals, and swap a few junk food items with fruit instead. Use calorie counting websites to help you track what you do eat so that you can look over it and actually see where your calories are coming from. myfitnesspal.com or fitday.com and then look to see. am i eating the amount of calories i should be having or am i eating too many calories? is that coming from protein or fat or carbs? Try using only evoo when you cook. Try to rid your house of high calories prepackaged junk foods and things loaded with fake, unnatural ingredients.

For exercising walk on a lower speed on the treadmill for an hour or get the biggest loser workout dvd's with bob and jillian. they are two of my favorite trainers and the videos are great. i like cardio max and some others. plus, they use contestants from the biggest loser tv show to workout with them, so you see realistically what you should be capable of and don't have to workout while seeing people with their 6 packs "trying to lose weight" (im on the skinny side and i still hate that!!)

Re: Need help - diet related

I just wanted to say congratulations on becoming a Mommy and losing weight!!

I think it is great that you are feeling motivated and I agree with pp who said to make a plan and stick with it for 3 months.

I think something like weight watchers would be perfect for you, I am doing it now too.

Some easy things to do are:

- Cut out soda and sugary drinks. If you hate water try flavoring it with fruit.
- Eat breakfast! I make steel cut oats in my crock pot almost every night (with apples, cinnamon, etc. fm if you want recipe) it is delicious and helps start my day off right. I am less likely to go off course with a good breakfast.
- Try to eat smaller meals more often, it will keep your metabolism up so you will be able to lose weight.
- Drink more water! I have a camelbak that I keep with me everywhere!
- make food ahead. I make a dozen hard boiled eggs every few days and I eat the egg whites when I want something.
- bring food with you. I always have a cooler with something in it so I don't get desperate while I am out and eat badly.
- get the junk out of your house! I cannot do well with anything around me, it is too tempting. Snack on fruit or nuts instead.

Good luck on everything!! You seem motivated and you can definitely do it if you put your mind to it.

Eta:
Some great books I recommend are:
The eat clean diet this is ny Tosca Reno and I think she is great, she also has family books, cook books, etc.

Master Your Metabolism

Eat, Drink and be Healthy

Message edited 5/29/2011 10:09:25 AM.