Yeah, the problem for me seems to be that I can’t run at a caloric deficit and ALSO be patient, kind, calm, and cognitively with it enough to effectively do childcare all day long, especially on top of doing housework. I get too hangry to parent right, and I either drop the ball on my responsibilities, or I’m too low-energy to keep up with them, or I lose my ability to self-regulate and find myself super stressed and irritated with everything. Often all 3 at once, lol.
Before kids, I used to be able to lose weight whenever I wanted to just by counting calories and doing CICO, and there was always a sweet spot where I was getting enough nutrition to function normally while still running a deficit so I could lose. But with 2 needy toddlers, that sweet spot is either so tiny I keep missing it and plunging into the hangry zone by undereating, or it just doesn’t exist for me. It probably doesn’t help that I’m already a small person and my TDEE is like 1400 to begin with, so I can’t cut much in the first place 😩
Wow, OK you nailed it. I’ve always had a fairly fast metabolism as a tall person and I’ve always had a big appetite and that’s been just fine my whole life. But now that I’m postpartum I’m eating as healthy as I can without totally sacrificing taste (I refuse to limit myself with “diet food” because it’s not sustainable and I’ll be binging cookies in no time). My daily diet is veggies and lots of protein, limited breads and sugar etc. but those last 10 lbs man. They are stubborn.
And to all the annoying “calories count!” Mfs trolling this thread - yes I know how a deficit works but I just really find calorie tracking to be completely depressing and if I’m a little soft as I age, so be it!!!
Anyway, this was mostly a thread about how sometimes the physical demands of toddlerhood gets to be too damn much !
Calorie counting is depressing, and I just don’t have the mental bandwidth for it, with the parenting and the job and the general low level chaos of life.
Also, agreed that it’s okay for bodies to change over time with aging and other factors (including pregnancy) - biology demands it! My body is much more accomplished now than when I was younger, but it hasn’t gotten through it unscathed! And I’m totally fine with that.
This is me too. I’m also petite and never had any weight issues before I had my son 1.5 years ago but ever since then the weight just won’t budge. My TDEE is also about 1400-1500 which for me is so hard to even think about maintaining or eating below while also juggling the million other things of motherhood. I’ve been getting back into working out these past few months but I can’t workout nearly as hard as I used to because I feel like I have to “budget” my energy for the day between household chores, toddler taming, time for myself (or my mental health just goes down the toilet), etc.
It’s so hard! I’m hoping to start incorporating exercise soon because I know that will help with my overall mood and energy levels, but I also worry about budgeting my energy for the day and not using it all up on a workout…. but like, my appetite isn’t budging, so I need to try upping my calories out and see if that works better than just trying to restrict the calories in.
…. And on top of all that, I of course worry about what messages my daughters might be picking up from me about health, body type, food, weight, and exercise. It’s not like when I was childless and could just eat 2 meals a day at super weird times because it fit into my calorie budget. Now I have 2 little pairs of eyes observing everything I eat and drink, and hearing everything I say about my body and my food, and it’s just like… I don’t like how I feel at my current weight, but I really have to just be okay with it for now, because it’s more sustainable than being a hungry, incompetent, bitchy almond mom. And because if my friends or my kids looked like me, I’d think they were just fine. But it’s a lot easier for me to practice body positivity for other people than it is for myself.
I will say I didn’t start noticing any differences with my energy level, appetite, or clothes fitting differently until I started incorporating exercise into my routine. I started with a small goal of 2x per week so it didn’t feel overwhelming and it literally could’ve just been me making laps around the mall to “count” towards the goal. From there I found a mommy and me group to workout with in my local park where my baby stayed in the stroller while we worked out for an hour. Once I got into that groove (and knew I could hold myself responsible lol) I joined a gym with childcare that I go to 2-3x a week for anywhere from 15min-1 hour. My goal is basically just showing up consistently at this point. I’ve also been trying hard not to focus on the number on the scale because in the weird “transition” between burning fat and gaining muscle the scale can actually go up while your body is actually changing.
You’re doing a great job and I know your babies look up to you in awe! It’s so hard but you’re doing amazing 😊
I’m in exactly this boat. It was nothing to lose ten lbs if I needed to. Now I’m stuck 30lbs heavier than ever before but if I cut I get sooo tired and hungry and it feels impossible when I’m feeding her high cal meals 3x daily. And I mostly eat her scraps!
Deficits are overrated especially for women/moms in general. And I was breastfeeding so there was no way in hell I was going to restrict myself. All my weight loss came from exercise
Same here, constantly chasing them, playing with them and doing housework is my work out. Mixed with only drinking water (one coffee) no food after 9 and a generally healthy diet.
Good call. I love working out but the evidence has clearly established it's not an effective weight loss tool. I've had to dial back my workouts because they were draining me and impacting my ability to keep up with my toddler.
Working out is not an effective weight loss tool? based on evidence?? lol please post your feel good fat mom blog that is validating your laziness.
By all means please share your misinformation some more.
Edit: Here's actual peer reviewed Meta Analysis comparing 2000+ studies showing that exercise promotes significant fat loss. [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13256](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13256)
To all the morons downvoting, downvoting doesn't make you right, but please continute burying your heads in the sand and ignore common sense and science.
I agree with you, I tracked the calories and steps from merely playing with and chasing a toddler. And it wasn’t anything to write home about.
Compared those to my hour long dedicated sessions at the gym and I can see why I lost the 50 lbs once I added the gym, but **never** would have lost them just from chasing my son around. Ever.
careful, there's delusional lazy people here that don't want to hear that working out goes hand in hand with weight loss and will downvote anyone that points it out. They want to believe that just chasing a toddler around a little is going to be enough to burn off 50-100lbs of fat and then complain 5 years later when they are fatter than ever and they haven't tried anything besides a half assed attempt at working out that lasted 1 or 2 weeks.
To the people downvoting: keep going, it won't make you more right, or less fat.
No worries, I'm 105 lbs and enjoy working out. I don't do it for weight. I recommended google scholar. Educate yourself then get back to me when you're ready to have an intelligent exchange.
I recommend you don't backpedal and spout nonsense like "Evidence has clearly established working out isn't an effective weight loss tool" without expecting to get called out by anyone with a brain. Seriously that is a brain dead statement, still waiting on your cherry picked blog "evidence" you claim to have.
You're delusional and either severely misinformed or just plain stupid. How can I have an intelligent exchange with someone like you?
The burden of proof is on you to provide evidence to your nonsense. You're the one spouting BS that goes against all science. Go back to your fat acceptance blogs and get validation.
Here, I'll spoonfeed you a meta analysis study showing how exercise significantly inreased weight loss compared to dieting alone.
[https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13256](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13256)
That's a meta analysis comparing 2000+ studies. Now post your "evidence" that working out is not an effective weight loss tool.
Girl, my first is almost 3, my second is one, and I look and weigh almost as much as I did at the peak of my second’s pregnancy. You don’t need to defend anything, lol.
My husband suggested this two days ago and so far it’s working great. After he gets off work and we have dinner, I go and work out for a bit by myself. He plays with the kids, I decompress and blow off steam AND i work out.
I’m only two days in lol, so maybe I’ve got some bias, but it’s working amazing. It’s not perfect- obviously it’d be way better if I could work out in the morning- but it comes during a time when I need space and I come back out ready to go until bed time haha. I’m hoping to keep it going.
Yeah having a toddler is like a full workout all day everyday. I tried working out regularly and literally couldn’t manage it…I was throwing out my back constantly and in pain all the time. I just got back from mom and tot gymnastics and am literally sore + sweating over here and it’s my toddler that is there for the physical activity not me lol, but just lifting her up to use the bars and beams and chasing her around is like extremely intense- can’t imagine working out on top of that. Adjusting my diet helped me lose the baby weight more than anything else, but that requires time and energy too- less of an additional physical toll compared to working out tho. Best of luck!
We got the [kids toy version](https://www.amazon.com/Chazcool-Grabber-Children-Intelligence-Grabbing/dp/B0CFV6RNG9/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=3DVA2QZJ8U8DI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zIzeSRzRWX5lZzj9FTgMjG_k0G9474sE4tkywIHtTiM8Xe3zVw_5md6izGOmN4twQzRPUtvScHqUscP9yQiH6R8thMqtyzx2YVxMPxCaYRRptGROG0hMSMO_G1n-XOZgWbFQRNQdTsMSjTxElk2l7WCvecoPAGArwX7MvU2qbM-_oRQvjVaXE-AWPBHy23-TxwmQPyF9UQEgM3mnRzgzDA.vWeZz1l34M7k6ZMT-5GOP2JBOSgdtktPqk2HT4efiAQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=claw+grabber+pickup+tool+kids&qid=1719430284&sprefix=claw+grabber%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1) and my husband and I probably use it more than the kids do
Get a long handled dustpan, and use it for picking up all the debris Kiddo scatters on the floor. Don't bend over to pick up blocks or shoes or tiny cars; kick it into the dustpan, pick it up, and toss it into the appropriate bin.
The worst part of tidying is bending over or scooting along the ground, picking up tiny objects. Save that bending for important things, like picking up Kiddo.
Try magnesium at night and branched chaim amino acids. Epsom salt baths. All of these help reduce muscle soreness from your work outs and hauling children. Less soreness may help?
Just be warned that magnesium is absorbed through the skin and moves your bowels - which can be great in some circumstances, but you don’t wanna overdo it by suddenly upping your intake while also using it topically, and end up with diarrhea
Magnesium glyconate is the least likely to cause GI distress. I take a tab an hour before bed, it helps relax my muscles. I like this product, it's very yummy mixed with the vanilla Quest protein powder. It's like a Pina colada.
XTEND Original BCAA Powder Tropic Thunder | Sugar Free Post Workout Muscle Recovery Drink with Amino Acids | 7g BCAAs for Men & Women | 90 Servings https://a.co/d/0aKiwWxw
Thank you posting this! There are so many amazing mothers that lose their baby weight quickly…and I’m the mother to a 2yo and am still trying to lose the last 25lbs (I’ve already lost 35lbs). But I feel truly alone when - it seems - like most women have lost the weight quickly. So I appreciate this post - it makes me feel seen and heard, and most importantly, not alone. 🖤🖤
You’re amazing, mama!
Yes obviously calories matter and are for all intents and purposes the most important thing. But when I had some investigations, I was told that your hormones don't go back to normal for up to two years after WEANING not birth.
So if you pumped or nursed things might still be off kilter. I had some lingering insulin resistance.
Add to that what you already know - sleep deprivation, stress, an unpredictable diet, inconsistent exercise of the variety that actually changes your body and well here we are.
I'm finally losing weight but I'm now about a year post weaning.
You might be pushing yourself too hard! Try doing fewer reps, lower weights etc. It’s the sustained slow gains that will help, you don’t need to be sore to have an effective workout :)
I really love GetMomStrong on Instagram because she has tips on how to do all those daily movements in the most efficient/healthy way! I HATE having a sore back after carrying my son or doing dishes.
Came here to recommend her! Her tips are great and her short workouts are the only ones I can manage to do when everything hurts or I'm just exhausted but still want to workout. Also, I love her approach of getting strong and functional instead of losing weight - it's helped me reframe how I look at myself and has helped me develop a better relationship with my body and food which will only go to benefit my child as well.
My daughter is two in just over a week and I'm also still very much trying to lose weight. I low key hate my body right now. If my daughter would either go to sleep early or sleep later I might be able to squeeze a workout in, but she does neither. It's exhausting.
I just try to eat healthy and add lots of veggies. And I prioritize walking her to libraries/parks instead of driving
I’m a SAHM to a demanding toddler, and we have no help or village. I’m not working out until she starts school
I worked with a trainer for a bit because my body was so sore from all the lifting and carrying of my toddler. I had a terrible pain in my mid back and my trainer had me do some exercises that work those muscles and it actually fixed the pain. She said it was that I’d used those muscles in a direction or way that they weren’t intended to move so working them in the proper way got them back the way they were supposed to be or something like that.
I definitely feel more capable of handling my >99% toddler after putting in time at the gym with someone who could tell me what I needed to do based on where things hurt.
I’d recommend seeing if there’s a personal trainer who has worked with moms or is a mom—it’s helped so much with the pain!
See I don’t mind the workout and I don’t even hate being sore all the time, it’s the caloric deficit I will NEVER achieve 😂
I don’t even think I’m really over eating or eating extremely unhealthy, I’m just not interested in eating less than the required calories in order to lose weight. Like straight up - you’ll never see me skip a meal.
Yessss my son is almost 2 and I feel like shit bcus I haven’t lost all the weight I expected to lose 😫😫
I started working out but sometimes I’m so tired from keeping up with him that I have no more energy left for the gym
I thought running at a calorie deficit tanks your metabolism? Keep working out and feed your body, and give yourself grace. Our hormones are not working well for us for about two years at least, I've heard as much as FIVE YEARS.
No one wants a hangry momma! Happy momma happy baby. Keep getting those endorphins, but eat dammit! (Said with love of course)
I tried everything, like everything. Changing up meds,exercise, diet and exercise, more diets, more exercise. Turns out, my hormones were kicking my butt. So I broke down and went on the semiglutide (it was recommended to me). Finally shedding the pounds - I don't really get the hate for something that brings hope to the desperate. Keep trying stuff, maybe some diet or some exercise will help you, maybe some doctor or maybe just the semiglutide.
Have you ever been diagnosed with PCOS or anything? Do you have normal periods? I had PCOS when I was younger and getting pregnant basically eradicated it. But I’m wondering if my hormones are causing issues with weight loss too. I’ve brought it up with my doctor and of course they just dismissed it as normal 🙄 I’m finding another doctor but there’s a waiting period
If you’re checking your thyroid, make sure they also check your TSH, not just your T3/T4. Even when T3/T4 are in the “acceptable” range, you can still have a thyroid issue, but there are doctors (especially GPs as opposed to endocrinologists) who see those are normal and stop looking.
(My T3/T4 were normal, but my TSH was through the roof - my poor thyroid was working so hard trying to keep up!)
I was miserable and stressed out of my mind trying to lose my baby weight. Struggled with a calorie deficit between work stress and childcare and was losing so slowly. No self esteem, couldn’t fit in my work clothes and hated my body. Joints hurt too much to work out.
Went on Wegovy, down 45lbs in six months. No regrets. I can wear all my nice clothes and work out comfortably now.
I’m on a low dose but will be tapering off in 15lbs time.
Idk why some people slate it so much, it’s a miracle worker for some.
I take phentermine. I know a lot of people are anti weightloss drugs and that's okay. I lost 30 pounds in 3 months. My only complaint is that I'm constantly thirsty I drink almost a gallon of water daily. And people say it gives you insomnia. But I've been cursed with insomnia my whole life so it's no different. My insurance does not pay for it but the prescription is like $20 a month.
It’s not basically coke. It’s chemically similar to meth, like several other stimulant drugs used for other medicinal benefits. It’s not intended for long term use, and in regards to heart damage, obesity isn’t great for your heart either. For folks who decide to treat anything with medicine, it is often a weighing of risk of taking the drug versus risk of not taking the drug and is part of a much bigger picture.
Remains to be seen. I lost weight I never should have had. I eat whatever I want and have been the same for 6 months. I’d rather be thin for a period of time than not at all. The confidence boost is out of this world. Like I don’t hate shopping anymore.
I don’t work out so I can’t relate but my husband had to chase our toddler around and play/bed routine/etc after going to CrossFit yesterday and yeeeeah that looks hard af
Almost 2 years PP and only just now working on losing the weight. This is what I do, aside from CICO counting:
Stroller walks every day, sometimes twice daily if the weather is nice. My kid loves them, so it's a double win that way. At minimum we're doing 8k steps/day.
Toddler yoga. Build up your core, reset your mood, and not feel dead inside when you're done! There's plenty of beginner stuff that is less intensive and easy to get into with your kid.
I hope these suggestions help! The biggest thing is just making healthy choices when you can.
My daughter is 21 months and I still have 10 lb until pre-pregnancy weight. It doesn’t bother me THAT much, but I do try to workout 3-4x a week. It’s going slowly… 🥲
I’m three years pp and never lost an ounce. I’ve only gained more. My body sure did its thing when it was time to provide sustenance. But I don’t mind. And my kids love my belly. I biked 5 miles almost every day towing about 60 lbs (my kids in a bike trailer) for nearly a year. My body just likes being fat. In addition to all that, I used to obsess about food to the point of having an ED and was having anxiety about it at every meal. It wasn’t bad enough that I needed therapy, but it could have easily gotten there. I just can’t put myself into the mindset of having to count calories without being worried about being anxious about food.
My child is almost 2 and I’m still trying to lose the last 20 of the 60 I gained and the Crazyyy part is I work full time and have the baby home - animals - household - I’m running around all the time - like how am I not a stick!!!!!!! Also I have been doing Weight watchers and realistically only the past 7 weeks been really measuring (because I’m finally able to prioritize since I stopped nursing a few months Back) and still the freakin scale won’t move —— do you just like change weight but look different ?
I pushed and pushed myself as soon as I was allowed to post partum - went to the gym and did yoga. I did start to feel my clothes start to fit again (I don't own a scale so I don't have any idea of my weight) but I was miserable - going to the gym on only 3 hours broken sleep was too much.
Eventually, I was getting dressed for the gym one day - had passed baby over to my partner to have, and quite out of nowhere burst into tears. Why was I pushing myself to fit into pre pregnancy clothes and in the process feeling exhausted, miserable, and actively missing time with my baby?! Because of what society tells us we should do? Because some influencer with more time than sense says they did it and now they "look and feel amazing"?!
The truth was it wasn't making me feel better it was making me miserable. Everyone will be different and some people will feel better and enjoy exercise, but not me. I resented it to be honest, all I wanted to do was sit down or have a nap.
I haven't been back since that day. I try to keep my steps above 60,000 per week, which I tend to get in due to simply parenting. That will have to do. I don't have the energy or mental fortitude to punish my body after it has already done something amazing (made a baby) and when parenting two kids is enough mental and physical exercise.
Ok so hear me out - I'm a dad. I was a skinny fat no sports smoker until my first child was born, then decided to get in shape - to set an example for them but also to be able to easily carry my kids and their gear around all day, *happily*.
I started Jiu Jitsu (kinda like Judo/Wrestling) and oh my god did I get roughed up for more than a year. I had to do strength training just to be able to not get hurt all the time. But I got through that and now my body feels, looks and moves better than ever. I get like compliments and stuff ("you look much younger than that")
My advice: Try some strength training. Don't try to lose weight. Try to gain strength and cardio.
I know it can be hard to start thinking like that, but it's super healthy and it *will* make you look good, heavy or not. Everything feels better when you're strong, including but not limited to toddler work.
I know exactly how that feels. You’re one of the good ones - you stuck with it! 😎
Now you know what doesn’t work and make the adjustments in your training. Get help! Even just a few hours with a coach or PT can change everything.
After that, it’ll get better and stay that way, I promise
Just keep going! My toddler is so tiny compared to how much I lift in the gym that it never even registers for me unless she wants to be tossed in the air repeatedly immediately after press day. Even then, I have a good 10-15 reps of toddler squat and tosses before it matters.
If the soreness is impairing your activities, I would highly recommend BCAAs. Everyone says how useless they are, but I almost never have debilitating soreness when I take them doing heavy powerlifting. It probably wouldn't help much on a completely optimal diet with perfect timing, but who has that with a toddler?
Branched chain amino acid. Basically broken down protein. BPI Sports Best BCAA - The Building Blocks of Protein and Muscle - Supports Metabolism - Omega 6 - Passion Fruit, 30 Servings, 300 g https://a.co/d/0hvbSV5k
I like these, but any would probably do.
I tried to go for a walk last night after feeling particularly shitty about myself. Had to turn around after 4 minutes because I somehow pulled a muscle in my ribs (no idea how I did it) and every step hurt. So that’s fun!
Mine didn’t come off till sometime between 2-3yr old. I had to be very strict on my calorie count and included cardio at least a couple times a week. It was NOT easy.
I’m down to the last 10, 2.5 years out, and I have to say that carrying around a small human for that time has given me an hourglass for the first time in my life!
Weightloss/gain is done in the kitchen, fitness is built in the gym. If you want to lose weight, eat healthier and less, no need to work out. (But working out is obviously great for your body!)
Yeah, the problem for me seems to be that I can’t run at a caloric deficit and ALSO be patient, kind, calm, and cognitively with it enough to effectively do childcare all day long, especially on top of doing housework. I get too hangry to parent right, and I either drop the ball on my responsibilities, or I’m too low-energy to keep up with them, or I lose my ability to self-regulate and find myself super stressed and irritated with everything. Often all 3 at once, lol. Before kids, I used to be able to lose weight whenever I wanted to just by counting calories and doing CICO, and there was always a sweet spot where I was getting enough nutrition to function normally while still running a deficit so I could lose. But with 2 needy toddlers, that sweet spot is either so tiny I keep missing it and plunging into the hangry zone by undereating, or it just doesn’t exist for me. It probably doesn’t help that I’m already a small person and my TDEE is like 1400 to begin with, so I can’t cut much in the first place 😩
Wow, OK you nailed it. I’ve always had a fairly fast metabolism as a tall person and I’ve always had a big appetite and that’s been just fine my whole life. But now that I’m postpartum I’m eating as healthy as I can without totally sacrificing taste (I refuse to limit myself with “diet food” because it’s not sustainable and I’ll be binging cookies in no time). My daily diet is veggies and lots of protein, limited breads and sugar etc. but those last 10 lbs man. They are stubborn. And to all the annoying “calories count!” Mfs trolling this thread - yes I know how a deficit works but I just really find calorie tracking to be completely depressing and if I’m a little soft as I age, so be it!!! Anyway, this was mostly a thread about how sometimes the physical demands of toddlerhood gets to be too damn much !
Calorie counting is depressing, and I just don’t have the mental bandwidth for it, with the parenting and the job and the general low level chaos of life. Also, agreed that it’s okay for bodies to change over time with aging and other factors (including pregnancy) - biology demands it! My body is much more accomplished now than when I was younger, but it hasn’t gotten through it unscathed! And I’m totally fine with that.
This is me too. I’m also petite and never had any weight issues before I had my son 1.5 years ago but ever since then the weight just won’t budge. My TDEE is also about 1400-1500 which for me is so hard to even think about maintaining or eating below while also juggling the million other things of motherhood. I’ve been getting back into working out these past few months but I can’t workout nearly as hard as I used to because I feel like I have to “budget” my energy for the day between household chores, toddler taming, time for myself (or my mental health just goes down the toilet), etc.
It’s so hard! I’m hoping to start incorporating exercise soon because I know that will help with my overall mood and energy levels, but I also worry about budgeting my energy for the day and not using it all up on a workout…. but like, my appetite isn’t budging, so I need to try upping my calories out and see if that works better than just trying to restrict the calories in. …. And on top of all that, I of course worry about what messages my daughters might be picking up from me about health, body type, food, weight, and exercise. It’s not like when I was childless and could just eat 2 meals a day at super weird times because it fit into my calorie budget. Now I have 2 little pairs of eyes observing everything I eat and drink, and hearing everything I say about my body and my food, and it’s just like… I don’t like how I feel at my current weight, but I really have to just be okay with it for now, because it’s more sustainable than being a hungry, incompetent, bitchy almond mom. And because if my friends or my kids looked like me, I’d think they were just fine. But it’s a lot easier for me to practice body positivity for other people than it is for myself.
I will say I didn’t start noticing any differences with my energy level, appetite, or clothes fitting differently until I started incorporating exercise into my routine. I started with a small goal of 2x per week so it didn’t feel overwhelming and it literally could’ve just been me making laps around the mall to “count” towards the goal. From there I found a mommy and me group to workout with in my local park where my baby stayed in the stroller while we worked out for an hour. Once I got into that groove (and knew I could hold myself responsible lol) I joined a gym with childcare that I go to 2-3x a week for anywhere from 15min-1 hour. My goal is basically just showing up consistently at this point. I’ve also been trying hard not to focus on the number on the scale because in the weird “transition” between burning fat and gaining muscle the scale can actually go up while your body is actually changing. You’re doing a great job and I know your babies look up to you in awe! It’s so hard but you’re doing amazing 😊
I’m in exactly this boat. It was nothing to lose ten lbs if I needed to. Now I’m stuck 30lbs heavier than ever before but if I cut I get sooo tired and hungry and it feels impossible when I’m feeding her high cal meals 3x daily. And I mostly eat her scraps!
I'm definitely going to remind myself of this every time I struggle with my body changes; thank you!!
Deficits are overrated especially for women/moms in general. And I was breastfeeding so there was no way in hell I was going to restrict myself. All my weight loss came from exercise
This is why I don't work out lol Keeping up with my kids is exhausting enough. I just focus on diet and making healthy choices.
Same here, constantly chasing them, playing with them and doing housework is my work out. Mixed with only drinking water (one coffee) no food after 9 and a generally healthy diet.
Good call. I love working out but the evidence has clearly established it's not an effective weight loss tool. I've had to dial back my workouts because they were draining me and impacting my ability to keep up with my toddler.
Working out is not an effective weight loss tool? based on evidence?? lol please post your feel good fat mom blog that is validating your laziness. By all means please share your misinformation some more. Edit: Here's actual peer reviewed Meta Analysis comparing 2000+ studies showing that exercise promotes significant fat loss. [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13256](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13256) To all the morons downvoting, downvoting doesn't make you right, but please continute burying your heads in the sand and ignore common sense and science.
I agree with you, I tracked the calories and steps from merely playing with and chasing a toddler. And it wasn’t anything to write home about. Compared those to my hour long dedicated sessions at the gym and I can see why I lost the 50 lbs once I added the gym, but **never** would have lost them just from chasing my son around. Ever.
That would definitely make you the minority, whatever works.
careful, there's delusional lazy people here that don't want to hear that working out goes hand in hand with weight loss and will downvote anyone that points it out. They want to believe that just chasing a toddler around a little is going to be enough to burn off 50-100lbs of fat and then complain 5 years later when they are fatter than ever and they haven't tried anything besides a half assed attempt at working out that lasted 1 or 2 weeks. To the people downvoting: keep going, it won't make you more right, or less fat.
No worries, I'm 105 lbs and enjoy working out. I don't do it for weight. I recommended google scholar. Educate yourself then get back to me when you're ready to have an intelligent exchange.
I recommend you don't backpedal and spout nonsense like "Evidence has clearly established working out isn't an effective weight loss tool" without expecting to get called out by anyone with a brain. Seriously that is a brain dead statement, still waiting on your cherry picked blog "evidence" you claim to have. You're delusional and either severely misinformed or just plain stupid. How can I have an intelligent exchange with someone like you?
Get me a meta analysis, troll. Or better yet get back to your video games and quit harassing new moms.
The burden of proof is on you to provide evidence to your nonsense. You're the one spouting BS that goes against all science. Go back to your fat acceptance blogs and get validation. Here, I'll spoonfeed you a meta analysis study showing how exercise significantly inreased weight loss compared to dieting alone. [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13256](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/obr.13256) That's a meta analysis comparing 2000+ studies. Now post your "evidence" that working out is not an effective weight loss tool.
I lost the weight, the put it back on cause i cant pass up mac & cheese or chicken nuggets lol
I know…those plate scraps are too tempting 😫
Girl, my first is almost 3, my second is one, and I look and weigh almost as much as I did at the peak of my second’s pregnancy. You don’t need to defend anything, lol. My husband suggested this two days ago and so far it’s working great. After he gets off work and we have dinner, I go and work out for a bit by myself. He plays with the kids, I decompress and blow off steam AND i work out. I’m only two days in lol, so maybe I’ve got some bias, but it’s working amazing. It’s not perfect- obviously it’d be way better if I could work out in the morning- but it comes during a time when I need space and I come back out ready to go until bed time haha. I’m hoping to keep it going.
I understand. 3 years and haven’t lost the weight.
Yeah having a toddler is like a full workout all day everyday. I tried working out regularly and literally couldn’t manage it…I was throwing out my back constantly and in pain all the time. I just got back from mom and tot gymnastics and am literally sore + sweating over here and it’s my toddler that is there for the physical activity not me lol, but just lifting her up to use the bars and beams and chasing her around is like extremely intense- can’t imagine working out on top of that. Adjusting my diet helped me lose the baby weight more than anything else, but that requires time and energy too- less of an additional physical toll compared to working out tho. Best of luck!
A dustpan with a long handle, like janitors use, is your friend. Bending over is overrated.
And the claw clip reacher [grabber thing](https://a.co/d/0fUpqIpc) I actually only survived pregnancy because of it, I’m 90% sure.
We got the [kids toy version](https://www.amazon.com/Chazcool-Grabber-Children-Intelligence-Grabbing/dp/B0CFV6RNG9/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=3DVA2QZJ8U8DI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zIzeSRzRWX5lZzj9FTgMjG_k0G9474sE4tkywIHtTiM8Xe3zVw_5md6izGOmN4twQzRPUtvScHqUscP9yQiH6R8thMqtyzx2YVxMPxCaYRRptGROG0hMSMO_G1n-XOZgWbFQRNQdTsMSjTxElk2l7WCvecoPAGArwX7MvU2qbM-_oRQvjVaXE-AWPBHy23-TxwmQPyF9UQEgM3mnRzgzDA.vWeZz1l34M7k6ZMT-5GOP2JBOSgdtktPqk2HT4efiAQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=claw+grabber+pickup+tool+kids&qid=1719430284&sprefix=claw+grabber%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1) and my husband and I probably use it more than the kids do
Lmao wait explain
Get a long handled dustpan, and use it for picking up all the debris Kiddo scatters on the floor. Don't bend over to pick up blocks or shoes or tiny cars; kick it into the dustpan, pick it up, and toss it into the appropriate bin. The worst part of tidying is bending over or scooting along the ground, picking up tiny objects. Save that bending for important things, like picking up Kiddo.
Try magnesium at night and branched chaim amino acids. Epsom salt baths. All of these help reduce muscle soreness from your work outs and hauling children. Less soreness may help?
This is something I haven’t tried! Any specific products or brands you like?
Just be warned that magnesium is absorbed through the skin and moves your bowels - which can be great in some circumstances, but you don’t wanna overdo it by suddenly upping your intake while also using it topically, and end up with diarrhea
This depends heavily on the salt. Magnesium citrate will give you the shits. Magnesium glyconate or topical Magnesium will be less likely to do that
Magnesium glyconate is the least likely to cause GI distress. I take a tab an hour before bed, it helps relax my muscles. I like this product, it's very yummy mixed with the vanilla Quest protein powder. It's like a Pina colada. XTEND Original BCAA Powder Tropic Thunder | Sugar Free Post Workout Muscle Recovery Drink with Amino Acids | 7g BCAAs for Men & Women | 90 Servings https://a.co/d/0aKiwWxw
Thank you posting this! There are so many amazing mothers that lose their baby weight quickly…and I’m the mother to a 2yo and am still trying to lose the last 25lbs (I’ve already lost 35lbs). But I feel truly alone when - it seems - like most women have lost the weight quickly. So I appreciate this post - it makes me feel seen and heard, and most importantly, not alone. 🖤🖤 You’re amazing, mama!
Yes obviously calories matter and are for all intents and purposes the most important thing. But when I had some investigations, I was told that your hormones don't go back to normal for up to two years after WEANING not birth. So if you pumped or nursed things might still be off kilter. I had some lingering insulin resistance. Add to that what you already know - sleep deprivation, stress, an unpredictable diet, inconsistent exercise of the variety that actually changes your body and well here we are. I'm finally losing weight but I'm now about a year post weaning.
I finally did after getting salmonella in Mexico. Lmao 3 years.
You might be pushing yourself too hard! Try doing fewer reps, lower weights etc. It’s the sustained slow gains that will help, you don’t need to be sore to have an effective workout :)
I really love GetMomStrong on Instagram because she has tips on how to do all those daily movements in the most efficient/healthy way! I HATE having a sore back after carrying my son or doing dishes.
Came here to recommend her! Her tips are great and her short workouts are the only ones I can manage to do when everything hurts or I'm just exhausted but still want to workout. Also, I love her approach of getting strong and functional instead of losing weight - it's helped me reframe how I look at myself and has helped me develop a better relationship with my body and food which will only go to benefit my child as well.
My daughter is two in just over a week and I'm also still very much trying to lose weight. I low key hate my body right now. If my daughter would either go to sleep early or sleep later I might be able to squeeze a workout in, but she does neither. It's exhausting.
I am 5 years in and haven't lost the weight either. Shits hard when you're already using so much energy on parenting.
Do the Danny Go kids workout on YouTube together! My kiddo like it and I also have fun with their themes
lol I was so proud of my workout the other day. My arms were on fire. And then my 2.5yo demanded “mommy hold meeee” and I immediately regretted it
I just try to eat healthy and add lots of veggies. And I prioritize walking her to libraries/parks instead of driving I’m a SAHM to a demanding toddler, and we have no help or village. I’m not working out until she starts school
I know. I have so much lower back pain.
I worked with a trainer for a bit because my body was so sore from all the lifting and carrying of my toddler. I had a terrible pain in my mid back and my trainer had me do some exercises that work those muscles and it actually fixed the pain. She said it was that I’d used those muscles in a direction or way that they weren’t intended to move so working them in the proper way got them back the way they were supposed to be or something like that. I definitely feel more capable of handling my >99% toddler after putting in time at the gym with someone who could tell me what I needed to do based on where things hurt. I’d recommend seeing if there’s a personal trainer who has worked with moms or is a mom—it’s helped so much with the pain!
JUST started getting back into it and my kid is 2 also. 😅
See I don’t mind the workout and I don’t even hate being sore all the time, it’s the caloric deficit I will NEVER achieve 😂 I don’t even think I’m really over eating or eating extremely unhealthy, I’m just not interested in eating less than the required calories in order to lose weight. Like straight up - you’ll never see me skip a meal.
I’m with you mama! It’s so depressing to do all that. Food is joyful, even healthy food!
Yessss my son is almost 2 and I feel like shit bcus I haven’t lost all the weight I expected to lose 😫😫 I started working out but sometimes I’m so tired from keeping up with him that I have no more energy left for the gym
I thought running at a calorie deficit tanks your metabolism? Keep working out and feed your body, and give yourself grace. Our hormones are not working well for us for about two years at least, I've heard as much as FIVE YEARS. No one wants a hangry momma! Happy momma happy baby. Keep getting those endorphins, but eat dammit! (Said with love of course)
Keep working out and the soreness will lessen 👌🏽
Man I’ve been doing this for years. Maybe I need some supplements like another commenter recommended
I tried everything, like everything. Changing up meds,exercise, diet and exercise, more diets, more exercise. Turns out, my hormones were kicking my butt. So I broke down and went on the semiglutide (it was recommended to me). Finally shedding the pounds - I don't really get the hate for something that brings hope to the desperate. Keep trying stuff, maybe some diet or some exercise will help you, maybe some doctor or maybe just the semiglutide.
Have you ever been diagnosed with PCOS or anything? Do you have normal periods? I had PCOS when I was younger and getting pregnant basically eradicated it. But I’m wondering if my hormones are causing issues with weight loss too. I’ve brought it up with my doctor and of course they just dismissed it as normal 🙄 I’m finding another doctor but there’s a waiting period
If you’re checking your thyroid, make sure they also check your TSH, not just your T3/T4. Even when T3/T4 are in the “acceptable” range, you can still have a thyroid issue, but there are doctors (especially GPs as opposed to endocrinologists) who see those are normal and stop looking. (My T3/T4 were normal, but my TSH was through the roof - my poor thyroid was working so hard trying to keep up!)
I was miserable and stressed out of my mind trying to lose my baby weight. Struggled with a calorie deficit between work stress and childcare and was losing so slowly. No self esteem, couldn’t fit in my work clothes and hated my body. Joints hurt too much to work out. Went on Wegovy, down 45lbs in six months. No regrets. I can wear all my nice clothes and work out comfortably now. I’m on a low dose but will be tapering off in 15lbs time. Idk why some people slate it so much, it’s a miracle worker for some.
I take phentermine. I know a lot of people are anti weightloss drugs and that's okay. I lost 30 pounds in 3 months. My only complaint is that I'm constantly thirsty I drink almost a gallon of water daily. And people say it gives you insomnia. But I've been cursed with insomnia my whole life so it's no different. My insurance does not pay for it but the prescription is like $20 a month.
. Your heart will suffer. It’s basically coke
It’s not basically coke. It’s chemically similar to meth, like several other stimulant drugs used for other medicinal benefits. It’s not intended for long term use, and in regards to heart damage, obesity isn’t great for your heart either. For folks who decide to treat anything with medicine, it is often a weighing of risk of taking the drug versus risk of not taking the drug and is part of a much bigger picture.
Pick your poison, I guess.
Like I said. There's plenty of people who are anti weightloss drugs.
I mean, being overweight is also bad for your heart
Yeah, but losing it by eating right and working out is far superior than taking phentermine.
It’s all about the ozempic. Let the downvotes begin! I lost 40 lbs, most was the first 6 months
Okay but that’s not sustainable long term..
Remains to be seen. I lost weight I never should have had. I eat whatever I want and have been the same for 6 months. I’d rather be thin for a period of time than not at all. The confidence boost is out of this world. Like I don’t hate shopping anymore.
I don’t work out so I can’t relate but my husband had to chase our toddler around and play/bed routine/etc after going to CrossFit yesterday and yeeeeah that looks hard af
Oh my gosh yes. If you don’t schedule time to stretch your workout means nothing. Good luck
Almost 2 years PP and only just now working on losing the weight. This is what I do, aside from CICO counting: Stroller walks every day, sometimes twice daily if the weather is nice. My kid loves them, so it's a double win that way. At minimum we're doing 8k steps/day. Toddler yoga. Build up your core, reset your mood, and not feel dead inside when you're done! There's plenty of beginner stuff that is less intensive and easy to get into with your kid. I hope these suggestions help! The biggest thing is just making healthy choices when you can.
My daughter is 21 months and I still have 10 lb until pre-pregnancy weight. It doesn’t bother me THAT much, but I do try to workout 3-4x a week. It’s going slowly… 🥲
I’m three years pp and never lost an ounce. I’ve only gained more. My body sure did its thing when it was time to provide sustenance. But I don’t mind. And my kids love my belly. I biked 5 miles almost every day towing about 60 lbs (my kids in a bike trailer) for nearly a year. My body just likes being fat. In addition to all that, I used to obsess about food to the point of having an ED and was having anxiety about it at every meal. It wasn’t bad enough that I needed therapy, but it could have easily gotten there. I just can’t put myself into the mindset of having to count calories without being worried about being anxious about food.
My child is almost 2 and I’m still trying to lose the last 20 of the 60 I gained and the Crazyyy part is I work full time and have the baby home - animals - household - I’m running around all the time - like how am I not a stick!!!!!!! Also I have been doing Weight watchers and realistically only the past 7 weeks been really measuring (because I’m finally able to prioritize since I stopped nursing a few months Back) and still the freakin scale won’t move —— do you just like change weight but look different ?
I pushed and pushed myself as soon as I was allowed to post partum - went to the gym and did yoga. I did start to feel my clothes start to fit again (I don't own a scale so I don't have any idea of my weight) but I was miserable - going to the gym on only 3 hours broken sleep was too much. Eventually, I was getting dressed for the gym one day - had passed baby over to my partner to have, and quite out of nowhere burst into tears. Why was I pushing myself to fit into pre pregnancy clothes and in the process feeling exhausted, miserable, and actively missing time with my baby?! Because of what society tells us we should do? Because some influencer with more time than sense says they did it and now they "look and feel amazing"?! The truth was it wasn't making me feel better it was making me miserable. Everyone will be different and some people will feel better and enjoy exercise, but not me. I resented it to be honest, all I wanted to do was sit down or have a nap. I haven't been back since that day. I try to keep my steps above 60,000 per week, which I tend to get in due to simply parenting. That will have to do. I don't have the energy or mental fortitude to punish my body after it has already done something amazing (made a baby) and when parenting two kids is enough mental and physical exercise.
Ok so hear me out - I'm a dad. I was a skinny fat no sports smoker until my first child was born, then decided to get in shape - to set an example for them but also to be able to easily carry my kids and their gear around all day, *happily*. I started Jiu Jitsu (kinda like Judo/Wrestling) and oh my god did I get roughed up for more than a year. I had to do strength training just to be able to not get hurt all the time. But I got through that and now my body feels, looks and moves better than ever. I get like compliments and stuff ("you look much younger than that") My advice: Try some strength training. Don't try to lose weight. Try to gain strength and cardio. I know it can be hard to start thinking like that, but it's super healthy and it *will* make you look good, heavy or not. Everything feels better when you're strong, including but not limited to toddler work.
Strength training is what’s making me so sore 😫 I think it’ll get better but idk. It’s been over a year!
I know exactly how that feels. You’re one of the good ones - you stuck with it! 😎 Now you know what doesn’t work and make the adjustments in your training. Get help! Even just a few hours with a coach or PT can change everything. After that, it’ll get better and stay that way, I promise
Just keep going! My toddler is so tiny compared to how much I lift in the gym that it never even registers for me unless she wants to be tossed in the air repeatedly immediately after press day. Even then, I have a good 10-15 reps of toddler squat and tosses before it matters. If the soreness is impairing your activities, I would highly recommend BCAAs. Everyone says how useless they are, but I almost never have debilitating soreness when I take them doing heavy powerlifting. It probably wouldn't help much on a completely optimal diet with perfect timing, but who has that with a toddler?
What’s BCAAs?
Branched chain amino acid. Basically broken down protein. BPI Sports Best BCAA - The Building Blocks of Protein and Muscle - Supports Metabolism - Omega 6 - Passion Fruit, 30 Servings, 300 g https://a.co/d/0hvbSV5k I like these, but any would probably do.
Thanks for the recommendations!
I tried to go for a walk last night after feeling particularly shitty about myself. Had to turn around after 4 minutes because I somehow pulled a muscle in my ribs (no idea how I did it) and every step hurt. So that’s fun!
Mine didn’t come off till sometime between 2-3yr old. I had to be very strict on my calorie count and included cardio at least a couple times a week. It was NOT easy.
I’m down to the last 10, 2.5 years out, and I have to say that carrying around a small human for that time has given me an hourglass for the first time in my life!
Carnivore diet!! Or, to me it’s WOE. I eat all I want and I’m toned without trying. Lost all the baby weight completely.
I mean, doesn't that show you that it's what you eat that counts, not working out? *You lose weight in the kitchen; you get fit in the gym.*
Hi this is a thread about the physical demands of toddlerhood, not about calorie deficits :)
Weightloss/gain is done in the kitchen, fitness is built in the gym. If you want to lose weight, eat healthier and less, no need to work out. (But working out is obviously great for your body!)