Author: Diane Carbonell

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Sweat

How Women Can Lose Weight After 50

When I was on the Dr. Oz show several years ago, I had the opportunity to talk to an attractive older woman. She told me she was 78 years old and had lost more than 125 pounds and kept it off for six years. I was amazed and asked her why she thought she was successful when so many older women seem to struggle with their weight. Her formula to success turned out to be practical and one that anyone can emulate. It also happens to be what I recommend to my over-50 clients. Here’s how you too can lose weight after 50.

Know the hormonal challenges.

Before you try to lose weight or get depressed because you are struggling to lose weight after 50, know that there are real challenges to weight loss as you get older. Many women over 50 are dealing with hormonal changes due to menopause. These hormonal changes make it more difficult to lose weight, but not impossible.
Always talk to your doctor about your health, including asking her to run a hormone panel and assess your overall health and weight issues. In some cases, your doctor may be able to adjust your current medications in a way that facilitates weight loss.

Assess your diet.

Once you acknowledge you’ve got a tougher time ahead of you because of your age and hormonal challenges, it’s time to thoroughly assess your diet.
Make a list of all the foods you have eaten over the past several days, what’s in your pantry and refrigerator right now, and the restaurant meals you regularly order.
Look for common foods you eat. Are you eating a lot of carbohydrates, junky processed foods, high-calorie restaurant entrees, or drinking calorie-filled beverages? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” then you know you’ve got to make some major adjustments to your diet in order to lose weight.
If you are eating relatively healthfully, then you likely need to adjust the amount rather than make drastic changes to the content of your diet.

Commit to clean eating.

Clean eating is always a good idea, particularly as you age. The last thing you need to eat is foods laden with chemicals that may negatively affect your hormone levels and slow your weight loss.
Get rid of processed foods in your pantry, commit to making most of your meals from scratch, and drink water instead of sugary drinks or diet sodas. Many over-50 women benefit from limiting simple carbohydrates and eating a diet slightly higher in protein. That means giving up starchy vegetables, most processed foods, and foods made with white flour.

Get moving.

Many experts (including those at the Mayo Clinic website) recommend that older women exercise vigorously to lose weight. What worked for you in the past may not be enough now. You need to exercise at least 30 minutes a day and possibly more. You don’t need to become a marathon runner, however. A brisk walk or gentle jog, 30 minutes on the elliptical machine at the gym, or a fast bike ride will do the trick.
Put strength training on your calendar along with your cardiovascular workout. You naturally lose muscle mass as you age, and building muscle will help you look better and burn calories more efficiently.

Track every bite you eat.

Track every bite you put in your mouth to make sure you are sticking with a low-calorie diet. Don’t go below 1,200 calories unless your doctor is monitoring you. Most older women I work with do well with losing weight at the 1,200 to 1,400 calorie range.
Track your food using an app or website. Some of my favorites are Lose It!, MyFitnessPal, and SparkPeople.

Put aside excuses.

You can make excuses about how hard it is to lose weight after 50 or you can just work hard. I know it is more difficult to lose weight after 50 but it’s not impossible. When you get discouraged and want to make excuses, remember the 78-year-old woman from the Dr. Oz show. She not only lost over 100 pounds but kept it off for years.

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Sweat

The Frustration Of Nonlinear Weight Loss

Graphs and charts are visually appealing to me. The linear nature of charts and graphs makes sense, and it is oddly reassuring to look at a chart of stock prices or company earnings and be able to see instantly whether the company is doing well. 

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for weight loss. Instead of a nice, neat chart that shows a clear line downward as you lose weight, you might have a chart that goes down a bit, stays the same for a while, and even heads back up as you gain weight. Although the nonlinear nature of weight loss is frustrating, it’s not a reason to quit.

Why Is Weight Loss Nonlinear?

Weight loss is nonlinear because you are not a robot. Your body weight naturally changes slightly from day to day even if you eat the same thing. It changes because of hormonal fluctuations, digestive issues such as being constipated or having an intestinal illness, exercise, sickness, and hydration levels. And—because you are not a robot—the foods you eat likely vary greatly even if you are trying to lose weight.

The combination of these factors makes your weight shift up and down, which can drive you completely crazy if you are trying to drop pounds. I had a client once who was a bit obsessive with tracking her food.

I mean, she even tracked gum.

Even though she was ultra careful with her food, her weight loss was not linear. Her weight loss graph looked like a spiky roller coaster. I constantly reassured her that she was doing great, and she was. Eventually she lost about 30 pounds and had kept it off last time I talked with her.

Weight Loss Is About Long-Term Changes

It’s tempting to quit when your weight loss graph takes a jog upward or stays in a horizontal holding pattern for a time, but giving up is the wrong thing to do.

You must have the mindset that weight loss isn’t about small shifts in a graph but instead about long-term changes. Who cares if you hit a weight loss plateau five times while losing 50 pounds? At the end of the day, your weight loss is about making long-term changes that stick, not seeing the scale go down in a perfect line.

Strategies to Avoid Frustration

It’s all well and good to tell you to not worry about the spiky shifts in your weight loss graph, but I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t give you some practical strategies to make that recommendation a reality.

Here are three strategies you can use to stay focused on the long goal and ignore the short-term fluctuations of a nonlinear weight loss effort.

1. Stop tracking so frequently.

Instead of graphing your weight loss daily, graph it on a weekly basis. The fluctuations will even out and not seem so extreme.

2. Trust yourself.

Your body is like an intricately made machine. If you do the right things needed to lose weight, eventually the weight will come off because your body knows what to do. Don’t rely solely on a graph to tell you if you are on the right track.

3. Be honest with yourself.

If your graph is consistently going up instead of slowly working its way down, you might need to have a heart-to-heart talk with yourself. Consistent weight gain isn’t a sign that your diet is going well, but instead a sign of problems. Be honest with yourself and admit if you’ve been overeating.

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Sweat

Making The Most Of Your Moment Of Truth

Every person who successfully loses weight has a moment of truth they do not waste. It’s the moment they realize that now is the time to make changes to their diet and their life. For me, it was standing on a scale in my doctor’s office. For you, it may be a picture of yourself, an embarrassing moment, or a stern admonition from your doctor. Whatever the moment is, it is important that you take advantage of the momentum you feel right then and work hard to see your weight loss to its completion.

Identifying Your Moment

If you are in the process of losing weight, there was a moment that made you decide that right then was the time for you to lose weight. Look back and identify what that moment was. Try to recapture the feeling of commitment and desire you felt right then.

If your moment is now, don’t lose the feeling of determination and dedication to making permanent lifestyle changes.

Record the Whys

Part of that moment you commit to weight loss is truly realizing that you must make permanent changes. And part of that commitment is understanding and acknowledging why you need to change.

I want you to write down what things in your life you want to change. Be honest with yourself even if it is hard. Your list may look similar to mine:

  • Walk and run without becoming winded
  • Feel in control when it came to food choices
  • Stop avoiding all physical activity like walking to the mailbox
  • Get rid of my size 28 and larger dresses
  • Feel more confident in my appearance
  • Reverse rising blood pressure and cholesterol levels
  • Lower my risk of developing diabetes or heart disease

Acknowledge the Hard Days Ahead

When my clients finally have their moment, I encourage them to face the fact that it won’t always be easy to lose weight but it will always be worth it. Going into the weight loss process knowing there will be challenges—instead of being surprised by them—makes it easier for you to deal with those challenges in a constructive way.

Be Satisfied With Slow Progress

The initial enthusiasm after you have your weight loss moment will fade. For many people, the first weeks of weight loss are smooth and rewarding. After a few weeks though, the weight loss progress slows and diet fatigue sets in.

Remind yourself that any progress is good, even if you are only losing a few pounds a month. Remember that 3 to 4 pounds lost each month is 36 to 48 pounds over the course of a year.

Be Prepared for Plateaus

The momentum you feel in the beginning can be quickly snuffed out by weight loss plateaus. Know that plateaus are common but not deadly to weight loss. When your weight stalls for a week or two, analyze your diet, ramp up your exercise, and know that if you are following your plan correctly, the weight loss will begin again.

Never Give Up

The initial moment of commitment to weight loss lasts just a short time, but your weight loss effort itself will likely last a while. For me, it took 14 months to lose 158 pounds, and I’ve known people who took six months to lose 20 pounds.

It doesn’t matter how long it takes—just as long as you are going in the right direction.

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Nosh

Is Your Wallet A Diet Disaster Or A Diet Savior?

Have you ever heard the saying “If you build it, they will come”? The phrase is frequently used by business people who have an idea for a product or venue. That phrase popped into my head as I was walking through the grocery store the other day. I noticed that some of the foods people were purchasing were great, some foods were so-so, and a lot of foods were just plain terrible.
This observation made me realize that a person’s wallet can be a diet disaster or a diet savior. The phrase that came to my mind was this: “If you buy it, you will likely eat it.”
Like many women, I am the primary food shopper in my house. My husband and older children sometimes pick up things from the grocery store, but I purchase most of the food that comes into the house.
The same was true when I was morbidly obese. All the candy, ice cream, cakes, chips, and other unhealthy foods that came into our house were purchased using my wallet. I’d load up my grocery cart with all kinds of treats, swipe my debit card, and bring all the junk home. And then I ate more than my fair share of it. When we went out to dinner as a family, I usually paid.
At that time in my life, my wallet was a diet disaster.
I’d like you to take a hard look at your purchasing habits. Are they helping or hurting your weight loss efforts?
Everyone needs to eat, but you don’t need to spend your hard-earned money on foods that spell disaster for your dieting attempts. Here are some things to think about the next time you are food shopping or getting ready to eat at a restaurant.

1. Is this food the best choice I can make?

Before you check out or finalize your restaurant order, rate the food in terms of how diet friendly it is. Does it help or hurt your overall weight loss goals? For example, a box of sugary cereal isn’t as good a choice as rolled oats that you can use to make smoothies, oatmeal, or grind up and add to a healthy casserole dish. And that fried food platter at a restaurant definitely won’t help you lose weight.

2. Am I saving or wasting money?

Many people are budget conscious in this challenging economy. When you buy food that isn’t healthy or diet friendly, you aren’t saving money, but instead wasting it. Eating unhealthy foods not only slows down or stalls your weight loss but also contributes to health problems. Over time, you could end up spending a lot of money at the doctor’s office because of your poor food purchases.

3. How else could I spend this money?

If you have ever said you can’t afford to hire a trainer, join a gym, or enlist the help of a life coach, you might want to look at your food purchases. Looking back, I realize I could have afforded individual weight loss help if I had cut back on expensive, unhealthy restaurant food and junk food at the grocery store. Perhaps you can too.
Viewing your wallet as a diet disaster or a diet savior can really make a difference in the choices you make when eating out or grocery shopping. After all, if you don’t buy the junk, it doesn’t come into your house. And if it’s not in your house, you won’t be able to eat it.

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Nosh

Frozen Foods: A Dieter’s Friend

Frozen foods often get a bad rap. Some people say they aren’t as tasty, are too highly processed, or just plain cheap. I say the opposite: Many frozen foods are tasty; they are often frozen at the height of ripeness; and I think cheap is good. If you are trying to lose weight but you turn your nose up at frozen foods, I want you to take a second look at this underrated dieter’s friend.

I purchase quite a bit of frozen food—but not highly processed frozen foods. You won’t find any frozen diet dinners, boxes of frozen lasagna or macaroni and cheese, or frozen breakfast foods in my freezer. I buy frozen fruit, vegetables, chicken, veggie burgers, fruit popsicles, and sometimes ice cream.

If you aren’t sure how frozen foods can benefit your weight loss efforts, I’ve put together a short list.

1. Long Shelf Life

Frozen foods have a long shelf life, which can save you money and ensure you have healthy food on hand at all times. Have you ever bought a container of fresh strawberries and forgotten about them? They go bad very quickly. If you have frozen strawberries on hand you can still make that smoothie or add strawberries to your oatmeal.

2. Nutritionally Sound

Some people believe that freezing makes fruits and vegetables lose their nutrients. But the American Frozen Food Institute indicates that many frozen fruits and vegetables have almost identical nutrients as fresh because of the methods used to quickly cool and freeze the foods.

I have to say though: always read the ingredient label. Look for fruits and vegetables that don’t have sauces or added sugars. And when purchasing frozen meats or grains, look for those with little or no preservatives.

3. Versatile

Frozen foods are incredibly versatile. Vegetables can be used in soups, as side dishes, and in salads. I buy large bags of frozen stir-fry vegetables and use them in fajitas, Asian stir-fries, and soup. Frozen fruits are great in smoothies, eaten by themselves, or used as a base for homemade popsicles or drinks. Remember that making meals from scratch, whether with fresh or frozen foods, is a way you can control your calories.

4. Always in Season

If you try to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season, you know that it is almost impossible to find locally grown cucumbers in the dead of winter unless you live in a very southern region. Frozen fruit and vegetables allow you to eat foods that aren’t in season year-round.

5. Diet Friendly

If you choose wisely, you can find a variety of frozen foods that are diet friendly. For example, here are 10 diet-friendly frozen foods:

  • Black-eyed peas
  • Lima beans
  • Mixed vegetables
  • Strawberries or other fruits
  • Rice and grains (usually partially cooked)
  • Plain potatoes
  • Fish
  • Chicken, natural beef, or organic vegetable burgers
  • Bread products such as Ezekiel Bread
  • Sherbet or sorbet

6. Easy to Repurpose

You can repurpose and repackage frozen foods into individual homemade frozen diet meals very easily. Put some frozen vegetables, chicken strips, and homemade sauce into a divided container and freeze. Take the container to work with you and microwave until cooked through. It’s cheaper and healthier than purchasing a traditional diet meal.

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Nosh

What Drives You To Make Bad Food Choices?

If you are like many dieters, you sometimes experience that inevitable feeling of disappointment with yourself after eating a food or meal you know isn’t good for your diet. Do you ever stop to wonder what drives you to make bad food choices when you know better? Here are six possible reasons and solutions to go along with them.

1. Tired of So Many Decisions

A top reason for making bad food choices is being tired of having to make so many decisions when it comes to food. Throughout the course of your dieting day you may have to decide:

  • What to have for dinner, snacks, lunch, and breakfast for yourself and maybe even your family.
  • Where to take the kids for a quick meal and whether you will eat whatever fast food they do.
  • Whether you have exercised enough.
  • Do you weigh your food or not?
  • Did you remember to record your snack from this morning?
  • Should you eat just one of the doughnuts your coworker brought?

That’s a lot of decisions just for food alone. Sometimes you may just give up thinking about making good choices and eat whatever you want—even if it is bad for you.

To avoid falling into this trap, try sticking to a similar diet each day and plan your meals ahead of time. Having fewer food decisions to make each day can make it easier to say “no” to bad foods that tempt you.

2. Stress

Stress is a known trigger for bad food decisions. One client of mine said that eating candy was like a sedative when she was under stress. In some ways I think she’s right. Eating candy or whatever bad food appeals to you can make you feel better—temporarily.

To combat stress eating, you need to do two things:

First, identify stressful situations while they are occurring.

Second, wait 30 minutes before eating anything.

Once you have trained yourself to wait until eating after a stress-filled situation, you will be able to remove some of the emotional eating and make reasonable food choices.

3. Food Cravings

Food cravings come on strong and fast. And that can make you eat whatever you want right then, whether it is cupcakes, chips, or a large coffee dessert from Starbucks.

The good news is that the strategy for fighting food cravings is similar to handling stress. Train yourself to identify situations that trigger cravings and wait awhile until you eat. Often the cravings will pass and you will feel successful and in control.

4. Burning the Candle at Both Ends

If you are the type of person who stays up late and gets up early without much sleep in between, you may find it very difficult to resist junk foods. Sleep deprivation increases your appetite and lowers your ability to make good food choices.

Fix this problem by establishing a regular bedtime, not trying to catch up on sleep on the weekend, and managing your workload. I know it’s easier said than done, but it will help your weight loss once you figure out a healthier sleep–wake cycle.

5. Social Pressure

Friends are terrific but they can pressure you into making bad food choices. When I was losing weight I had situations where friends came out and told me to “loosen up and enjoy the moment.” And in case you were wondering, they didn’t want me to go zip lining or participate in a crazy game but instead eat the same bad foods they were eating when we were out together.

I came to realize that my weight loss and health were more important than my friends’ desire to have company when they made poor food choices. It took some time but eventually my friends realized I was serious about my health and they respected my decisions.

6. Living in the Moment

It’s easy to get carried away and eat more than you intend when you are celebrating holidays, toasting a retiring coworker, or on vacation. It’s okay to indulge now and then, but regularly doing so will always backfire when it comes to weight loss.

Before you head to the party or take off for vacation, decide how strict you will be with your food choices. Allow yourself an indulgence or two but place limits on yourself. You will be glad you did when the event has passed and you are still on track with your diet.

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Wellbeing

How To Say Goodbye To The Last 10 Pounds

The last 10 pounds can be the most frustrating to get rid of. You are sailing along losing weight fairly regularly and you get super excited when you realize you only have 10 pounds until you are at your goal weight. Then, for no reason at all, you can’t seem to drop those last pounds. Here’s how you say goodbye to those last 10 pounds once and for all.

1. Understand What’s Happened

It’s not something you did in a past life that is punishing you and making it hard to drop those last 10 pounds. It’s something you did in the past months. You’ve recently lost weight and your body’s caloric needs have changed. For example, according to the calculator on the Baylor College of Medicine website, a 40-year-old, lightly active 250-pound woman needs an average of 2,600 calories to maintain her weight but a 175-pound woman needs only 2,250 calories to simply stay the same weight. As you lose weight your calorie needs go down, which makes it harder to create a calorie deficit.

2. Increase your vegetable intake.

To make sure you aren’t eating too many calories for your slimmer figure, ramp up your vegetable intake. Vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, carrots, celery, salad greens, and beets are very low in calories but fill you up and help you avoid constipation, which can affect your weight. Aim for 50 percent of your lunch and dinner plates being filled with vegetables.

3. Ramp up your exercise.

It’s just a fact that it’s harder to create a calorie deficit and still eat in a healthy manner when you are close to your goal weight. Ramp up your exercise intensity to increase your calorie burn. When I was losing my last 10 pounds, I increased the time I exercised from 40 minutes to 60 minutes. I also lifted heavier weights when strength training, used interval training as a way to burn more calories, and always exercised with intensity.

4. Don’t skimp on water.

One way to keep your calories under control is to stay hydrated. Don’t skimp on drinking water. Drink regularly throughout the day and especially after working out.

5. Cut out junk food completely.

Sometimes you’ve got to make the hard choices when trying to lose the last 10 pounds. While an occasional piece of cake or bowl of ice cream didn’t seem to slow your weight loss in the past, it just might slow it down now. So be prepared to skip junk food completely until you finally reach your goal.

6. Buy a goal weight outfit.

If you are like me, wearing smaller and more flattering clothes is one of the most fun rewards of weight loss. Go ahead and buy a goal weight outfit before you drop those last 10 pounds. Choose an outfit that is just slightly too small knowing that 10 pounds will make a huge difference in how it fits.

7. Be patient.

Those last 10 pounds are stubborn but not stuck to you forever. Expect your weight loss rate to slow down toward the end. It took me slightly over 2 months to lose my last 10 pounds, which was a huge change from the average of 2 pounds a week I enjoyed for much of my 150-pound weight loss journey.

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Wellbeing

Don't Rush: Why You Should Take Your Time Losing Weight

Our world is a fast-paced entity. We can travel from one side of the globe to another in less than a day, access information on the internet more swiftly than you can open a book, and cook food in minutes instead of hours. While getting things done quickly is often a positive, when it comes to weight loss, faster is not necessarily better. If you are in a rush to get to your final weight, take the time to consider what you are doing and how the process will affect your life forever.
Most of my clients and people I talk to about weight loss want to lose weight yesterday. They are in such a hurry to get to a smaller size or lower number on the scale that they will do anything to get there.
Although I certainly understand the feeling behind this, I also know from experience that rushing through the weight loss process usually results in problems instead of progress.
Here are some of the potential problems that come when you rush the weight loss process:

  • No long-term change of habits
  • Unhealthy food choices that can harm your health
  • Choosing to take supplements or weight loss drugs that don’t work in the long term and may be dangerous
  • Exercising beyond your capabilities and becoming injured
  • Health concerns such as gallbladder attacks, eating disorders, suppressed immune system, and thyroid problems
  • Imbalance of nutrients if you don’t eat the right types of foods
  • Excess skin may not tighten up as well if you lose weight very quickly.

Although rapid weight loss isn’t always bad, I advocate losing weight in a sustainable way that gives you plenty of time to prepare yourself for maintenance in the healthiest way possible.
When you lose weight at a reasonable pace you give you mind a chance to catch up with the changes that are taking place in your body.
For example, if you lose 10 pounds in two weeks by drastically cutting calories and exercising like a fiend, you will likely drop a dress or pant size, but have you learned anything?
Probably not.
All you’ve learned is how to drop weight quickly—not how to prepare nutritious meals day after day or exercise in a way that you enjoy and can keep up. Nor will you learn what long-term weight maintenance might look for you.
In my experience, people who rush through the process of weight loss are more likely to gain it back. That’s exactly the opposite of what you want to happen.
If you find yourself trying to rush the process, I want you to slow down and do the following:

  • Take time for yourself and get in touch with the whys of your weight gain and why you feel ready to lose weight at this time in your life.
  • Practice planning a week or two of meals and stick to your meal plan the entire time. This gives you practice for planning later after you reach your goal.
  • Break down your weight loss goals into 5-pound increments. Be satisfied with every 5 pounds you lose and reflect on what you did to lose those pounds. Examine what worked and what didn’t and apply the lessons to future maintenance.
  • Monitor your physical and mental health. Be on the lookout for improvements in both as you gain control of your eating habits and see the scale drop at a reasonable pace. Seeing improvements will help you convince yourself that you are doing the right thing by taking your time losing weight.

Embrace new experiences that you wouldn’t or couldn’t have done at a higher weight. I loved being able to hike and swim with my kids, walk without being winded, and shop for regular-sized clothing with my friends.

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Wellbeing

5 Secrets For Exercising During Your Lunch Break

Who has time for exercise? Well, if you want to lose weight, you should. But if you are someone who has tons of obligations between your family schedule, work responsibilities, and a busy social life, you might need to work out during your lunch hour. If a lunchtime workout is your best option, here are the realities of working out at lunch and how to make sure you get your workout done no matter what.
It’s easy to say you will work out during your lunch break but sometimes the reality is tricky.

  • Do you change clothes?
  • Is time on your side?
  • Are your coworkers supportive?
  • Do you have flexibility?
  • How close are you to a gym?

For some people, working out at lunchtime is easy. Their company has a gym on the premises and encourages employees to exercise. That’s your best case scenario, but it’s not all that common.
If your workplace doesn’t have a gym, here’s how to overcome some of the real challenges of working out during your lunch hour.
1. Determine how long you have.

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If you get a 60-minute lunch break, you will be lucky if your workout runs to 30 minutes. By the time you leave your office, change into workout clothes, get to where you are going to work out, get your workout done, and reverse the process, an hour will fly by.
Be okay with a good 30-minute workout because that’s better than nothing. Make the most of your time by doing a workout that burns calories fast and gets your heart rate up. For example, if you are walking or running, alternate your speed using fast and slower intervals to burn more calories. If you are at a gym, use circuit training to increase your calorie burn.
2. Have everything you need.
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It stinks to be ready to work out during your lunch hour and realize you’ve forgotten your shoes or don’t have the right undergarments. A friend of mine who regularly works out at lunchtime has two workout bags, one she keeps at home and one she stores under her desk. That way she is never caught without her shoes, socks, or other workout equipment.
3. Explore workout options near your work.
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There may not be a gym within driving or walking distance of your office but is there a kickboxing studio, a barre workout studio, a yoga studio, or a martial arts dojo? Any of those options can give you a great workout and likely has a changing area.
If none of the above is available, hit the streets and take a walk or run.
4. Get freshened up.
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After a good 30-minute workout, you will be a bit sweaty. If you are at a facility that doesn’t have showers, you’ve got to clean up in your office bathroom. It’s not impossible to feel fresh after a workout if you are prepared.
Have a clean towel in your gym bag, deodorant, a bar of soap or body wipes, and extra makeup if needed.
5. Enlist management support.
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If you find it challenging to work out during lunch because of a lack of facilities or time, ask for support from your office management.
Talk about options like converting an unused office into a gym with a few treadmills and a set of weights, being flexible with lunch times, or offering discounts on health insurance for people who exercise regularly.
The reality is that many businesses are facing increasing health care costs and having employees who are healthier improves their bottom line. For this reason alone, you may be surprised by the positive feedback you get when making your request.

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Motherhood

Pregnancy Weight Doesn't Have To Be Permanent

Pregnancy weight can be difficult to lose, but I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be a permanent addition to your waistline, hips, or chest. As a mom to seven children, I know all about pregnancy weight gain and losing weight after pregnancies. If you are feeling frustrated and about ready to give up on losing those pregnancy pounds, there is hope.
One of those most common reactions I get when people find out I have seven children is, “Wow! You look great.” In fact, the other day when my family and I were at a concert, one lady actually said to me, “Why aren’t you fat?” Okay, that was a little rude of her to say, but she brings up a good point. There is often a perception that pregnancies make women fat, especially when there are multiple pregnancies involved.
The good news is that you don’t have to live your life after pregnancy struggling with your weight or feeling fat. You can get the pregnancy weight off, but it takes work.
There have been research studies that show that women who gained too much weight in pregnancy and didn’t lose it within about six months are more likely to be obese for the long term.
That’s depressing.
In case you were wondering, I was morbidly obese during my second and third pregnancies, lost 150 pounds after the third pregnancy, and managed to get back to a healthy weight after each of the last four pregnancies.
To lose pregnancy pounds, you’ve got to focus on two concepts: Patience and endurance.
Patience is required because pregnancy weight doesn’t come on in a single month. Remember it took you about nine months to gain weight. And for the majority of women, it sure doesn’t fall off during the first 30 postpartum days.
Endurance is important because you can’t give up on yourself. Losing weight is never easy and throwing in the towel because you don’t lose weight immediately makes it likely you will just keep gaining weight, especially if there may be another pregnancy in your future.
The process for shedding pregnancy pounds is the same whether your baby is three months old or two years old. However, there are some special considerations if you are a nursing mom losing weight.

  • Eat enough calories. You shouldn’t drop your calorie level too low if you are exclusively breastfeeding. La Leche League recommends at least 1,500 calories a day. When I was breastfeeding, I ate about 1,800 calories a day and still lost the pregnancy weight fairly easily.
  • Wait about 60 days before you actively try to lose weight if you are breastfeeding. This waiting period gives you a chance to firmly establish your milk supply and not stress about weight loss.

All postpartum moms—breastfeeding or not—who want to lose weight should be concerned about nutrition, healthy eating, and exercise.
Here are a few things you can do to drop the pregnancy pounds and start feeling like your old self again.

1. Take your baby on walks.

I lost weight initially by walking, and post pregnancy was no different. As soon as your doctor gives you the green light for exercise, put your baby in the stroller and head out the door. Walking is gentle on your body but can be a good calorie burn if you walk briskly.
Mom tip: Bring a carrier such as a BabyBjörn in case your little one decides he hates the stroller mid walk. Then you can snuggle him close to you and push the empty stroller if he begins to fuss.

2. Count your calories.

Keeping track of your calories and food selections just makes sense. You can ensure you are getting enough calories whether you are breastfeeding or not, and tracking calories gives you valuable information about the quality of your diet.
Mom tip: Do this on your phone right after you eat. That way you don’t forget in the busyness of taking care of your little one.

3. Be satisfied with slow progress.

It’s tempting to want to fit back into your skinny jeans immediately but don’t rush the process. Slow progress is fine. As long as the scale is sliding down, it’s okay.
Mom tip: Remember it took you nine months to gain weight, you aren’t going to lose it all in a few weeks.