Hi I recently had a baby and put on 25lbs. I was a little over weight to begin with. I am interested in hearing tips on how to lose the weight faster and more effectively. Thanks!

Hi Stephanie,

You might not believe this is coming from a guy

Well my wife and I have three kids, and the single most effective and efficient way to loose fat is breast-feeding.

It's so powerful that it makes me jealous

The amount of energy required to produce the milk to feed the baby is unbelievable. Your metabolic rate goes up, as your body is always active, producing and producing, even when you sleep.

Plus, what better way to motivate you to eat right, as you are passing all those great nutrients to your baby.

For the rest, I will let women answer :-D

Good Luck,

Marty

Wow Marty as a mum to 3 young children i couldn't have put it any better!

Stefanie i 2nd everything Marty said, if your already Breast feeding then other than eating healthy theres not much else you need to do,
If you (like a lot of mums) cant breast feed then its just good old fashioned diets i think.

Just remember it took 9 months for your body to get like that so give your self 9 months to return to normal.....take your time hun, being a mums hard work, you should just concentrate on your lovely baby for a while and look after your self with out stressing to much about the way you look

Good luck and congratulations,
Jue xxx

i was going to say exactly the same thing. my wife also lost weight very quickly because she breast fed the little one.

later

I'm currently breastfeeding, and I lost close to 30 pounds in the first 8 weeks with only doing that.

That being said, once the baby is eating solids, you can't just eat everything and still lose the weight (that is where I am at now). My best advice is to keep eating properly, and exercise. Try not to lose more than 1 pound per week, or else your supply could be affected (but don't worry too much about that. Your baby won't strave, it just might nurse longer).

If you are nursing, I would suggest looking up your local chapter of La Leche League International... they should have some suggestions on how to lose it safely!

I had my baby 15 weeks ago. Thanks to getting rid of water weight and breastfeeding, I lost 40 pounds in just two months. But I've got that last 10 that just won't seem to come off, even though I am still nursing. My goal is to lost 20 pounds by the end of the year -- the last baby 10, plus the 10 I packed on before I was pregnant by sitting around too much. I am trying to eat right, but any good tips on how to get back into exercising would be appreciated!

I have a feeling that unless you're already breastfeeding this isn't going to work... unless your baby is just a few days or a week old... switching from bottle to breast, although I'm sure possible... is not likely... However, if you're already breastfeeding... just know that you will reap some rewards... plus it's not time to CUT calories...infact, you usually need to add calories... talk with your Dr. about this... so you really need to focus on healthy foods... I would recommend nothing processed... and if you have the energy to exercise... try to get it in... which will inturn help you get more energy... easier said that done... I know....

I'm with you... I started out overwieght when I get pg with twins... I was 165 when I started... and on D-day weighed 205... WOW! 40 lbs... but lost 30 in one week (babies and fluid) ... and I'll tell you... I've been stuck at 175 for quite some time..... and I think I've lost a lot of muscle as my back and abs are REALLY weak... and my legs.. although almost thin looking are flabby... (not what I'm used to)... So even though I'm only 10 lbs heavier... I think I'm more than 10 lbs fatter!

I'm counting calories with a really cool PC based program ( put in my goals and my current stats... plus the foods I eat... it tells me how to adjust daily...it also tracks the quality of food... you get a letter score...)

I'm goaling for cardio a minimum of 3 times a week and a muscle building workout 3 times a week...

Hope you're getting rest... Good Luck!

Wow I am really gelious of you guys! I tried breastfeeding my baby girl but it didn't work out for me! I have lost some weight but not as much as I would like and yoyo between 140lb and 150lb! I started out at 12olb pre-pregnancy and was 165lb at the end of my pregnancy, in 5 1/2 months I have only lost 18lb!

I keep reaching for the junk food and get lazy I guess! I am now counting calories, but also on an "everything in moderation" diet with lots of exercise!

Keep up the good work guys!
Hazel

I lost about 40 lbs after having my twins by walking 40 minutes a day on the treadmill. At first I walked slowly, but just gradually kept increasing the speed and incline. I also was so busy that I rarely had time to eat much. I think the first year, I lived on apples, crackers, cheese, and hard-boiled eggs. I would just grab something every once in awhile, when I was hungry. I like those things, so I didn't feel upset about the way I was eating. Actually, I don't even think it's that unhealthy...adding some veggies and a multivitamin would probably have made it OK, at least for awhile.

I did not breastfeed because as soon as the kids were born I had to start taking a medication that would not have been good for them. I am still about 15 lbs short of my goal. I feel certain it can be done, although you might have to try a few different things to see what works for you!

Congratulations on your baby!

After my first child, I walked off the weight. After my second child, I have been having a hard time losing the weight.

I recently picked up an issue of Women's Health (the current issue). There was an article about the Abs Diet. In short, the diet advocates lean proteins, nuts, berries, whole grains, etc. In the article, they provided a 7-day meal plan (3 meals and 3 snacks). I have been doing the diet since Monday, and have lost almost 3lbs. I also have been excising (Curves, gym and walking).

I am VERY pleased with the results so far, and I do not feel that the Abs Diet meal plan is anything crazy that you cannot follow or maintain for the long run. My sister recently had a baby (February) and is going to try the meal plan also.

In the end, if you watch what you eat, control your portions and exercise, the weight WILL come off. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. I am breastfeeding so hopefully that will help. I am thinking about doing the 5 Factor Diet & Exercise pregram to help also.

I'm doing the 5 Factor plan now. I started by following the book "5 Factor Fitness" (now there's a "5 Factor Diet," which I haven't read), but I recently signed up for the online program, which is more customized, especially for women. It's a little pricey, though.

Anyway, I like it because I have practically no discipline when it comes to the gym, but it's hard to justify avoiding a 25 minute workout. I think it's probably best for people who either have very easy access to a gym (in your office or apartment building) or who work out at home. I think it would be hard to drive to the gym (and park, and the whole headache) five times a week.

I just started a 5 Factor traineo group at 5factor.groups.traineo.com. Please join!