New mom fighting the weight loss battle—need some support!!

Amanda Ward80 said:Sandy, that pace might be a bit too aggressive; try aiming for a loss of 2 lbs per month.
Even three years after giving birth, my midsection hasn't fully returned to its original shape, but for the last two months, I have avoided sweets, sodas, and all the junk food that caused my weight gain. Additionally, I go for an hour-long walk or run at 6:00 AM before my son and husband wake up. I can confirm that results are appearing; my clothes fit much better, and most importantly, I notice increased muscle tone in my legs and glutes, which is quite encouraging.
Losing 4 lbs a month might be excessive, as I am uncertain if the body can burn subcutaneous fat that quickly.

🙂 I am following your advice by eating balanced meals and simply incorporating more exercise and cardio. Currently, I am losing 1 lb every 10 days—do you consider this too much? I certainly do not want to lose weight too rapidly, as I understand that sudden drops often indicate water weight or muscle loss rather than fat loss.
I am truly not overdoing it. My objective is to demonstrate to mothers that significant progress is possible through a standard diet paired with minor lifestyle adjustments. Wouldn't you agree?

Most experts recommend aiming for a weekly weight loss of about 1 to 2 pounds to ensure you are losing fat rather than muscle mass. Currently, I am seeing a steady loss of roughly 1.1 to 1.6 pounds per week. 🙂
When I read discussions on other forums where people claim to lose 7 to 9 pounds in a single week, 😲 I found it quite alarming. Such results seem unrealistic to me. My approach focuses entirely on sustainable lifestyle adjustments rather than extreme dieting. Simply increasing your daily activity levels is sufficient.

Just one more week and I will be half a pound lighter 😍 I have checked my measurements and my proportions have decreased even further (mostly in my legs). I have also uploaded my new photos if you would like to take a look 👍 Best regards

Week five>>> 156 lbs... total loss of -3 inches!! And that includes my hips and waist!👍

boldcanyon72 said:Of course! Variety is everything. My main focus isn't just dropping numbers on the scale—I want to lose fat, specifically—while holding onto as much muscle mass as possible through a solid, diverse diet combined with regular strength training.
When I mentioned grains, I meant stuff like:
- Whole wheat bread (which I usually bake myself quite often)
- Brown rice
- Weetabix breakfast cereals (wheat-based)
- Using whole wheat flour whenever I'm cooking, and so on

I always make sure to treat myself to a little dessert, though I try to keep it on the healthier side. I log every single thing I eat in my fitness journal on MyFitnessPal, so I’m tracking absolutely everything (even vitamins and minerals).

Anyway, I'm about to head off and write a new post. I think I'll dive into metabolism and all those different ways people try to "kickstart" it, so swing by when it's up. Feel free to leave some comments 😁 so that if some mom stumbles upon this blog in the future, she can see these discussions and get different perspectives from you guys.

You really do take care of yourself.

And once the baby phase passes, you'll probably end up losing even more weight than you originally planned.🙂

brisksailor63 said:You truly prioritize your own well-being.

Once the toddler starts running around, you will end up losing more weight than you originally intended.🙂

That is exactly what my mother and I discuss. 🤣 He is such a little guy, just eager to get moving; he has already started standing up and taking those first slow steps. 😍😍

boldcanyon72 said:week five>>> down to 156lbs... total loss of -2.7 inches!! specifically from my hips and waist!👍

Way to go! 👍

-Steve

briskjackal5 said:Great work! 👍

-Steve

Thanks!!!! 🙂

Week 6 update: weight is down to 154 lbs (-2 lbs), waist decreased by 1 inch, hips decreased by 0.6 inches. The results are highly satisfactory.

Here are some further updates,

I have started incorporating weight training twice a week.
Current weight: I am back at 155 lbs.
Waist: -1.4 inches
Hips: -1.6 inches
Chest: -0.8 inches

It appears my muscle mass is increasing.
Does anyone have experience dealing with a plateau, and what are the best ways to overcome it?

Just keep doing what you've been doing—same old, same old.

quietpilot87 said:Just keep doing exactly what you have been doing.

I continued my routine normally, though I hit a plateau at 167 pounds where my weight stayed stagnant for three weeks. There must be some sort of trick involved. I have recently lowered my carb intake to see if that helps, as I am already exercising quite a bit and do not wish to increase the frequency; perhaps I will simply increase the intensity. We shall see.

Look, if you just stick with it, the weight will drop. It’s a numbers game. Now you gotta decide—cut back on spending, hit the gym harder, try to do both, or just sit around and wait.
A buddy once told me fat builds up in layers, and they basically need time to "re-circulate" through your system, which is why people get stuck at the same weight for weeks without moving an inch. Sounds a bit sketchy to me, but hey, 😁
Bottom line is, staying consistent pays off eventually. 👍

quietpilot87 said:Look, if you stay persistent, you will see results. Now, you have to choose: spend less on food, exercise more, do a combination of both, or just wait.
A friend once mentioned to me that fat is stored in layers that become vascularized over time, which explains why people often plateau at a certain weight without any movement. That theory sounds a bit strange to me, but it is fine 😁
Ultimately, persistence pays off 👍

What does it actually mean for those layers of fat to become vascularized in the meantime? I didn't quite understand that.😁
On another note, I started a new regimen last week and was eating much more than usual, yet my scale immediately dropped to 153 lbs. This proves it isn't wise to push too hard when one hits a plateau, as that simply creates a vicious cycle and compromises the metabolism. It is worth taking a break from the routine occasionally 😉
I did start my P90X workouts today and also added some hip-hop abs because I really enjoyed the dancing 😁 It is beautiful to be active!
Plus, seeing how much my arms and legs have changed from exercising is great; my stomach looks decent too, though there is still work to be done 😉

Look, I don't know—that's just what he told me. 😬
I mean, it sounds a bit of a stretch to me, but whatever.

I mean, people can make up whatever nonsense they want, but this whole thing about occasional binge eating? That part's actually legit.
Just enough to give your metabolism a little kickstart...

It is quite amusing to me, though I realize I may have misunderstood 😁
I find it impossible to comprehend how certain people consume such minimal amounts of food while exercising, yet they act surprised when they don't lose weight; it is hardly shocking when their intake is virtually non-existent.
I had a very productive workout session today; rather than pushing myself too hard, I simply enjoyed it. I completed 40 minutes of cardio followed by some hip-hop dance, which was pure fun. Consequently, I needed to eat quite a bit, totaling approximately 1,600 calories. I actually need to increase my intake significantly—at least to 2,000 calories for now—before eventually returning to 1,700–1,800 calories to monitor my progress.

Hello everyone! I am checking in to say hello after a long absence. I am still working hard every single day and feeling absolutely fantastic!!
Weight: 150 lbs... just 6 lbs to go 😁!!!!! Yesterday I completed the P90X legs and back routine followed by hip-hop abs for my thighs and glutes, which resulted in some significant muscle soreness. Today will consist of a very long walk and stretching 🙂best regards

Go Sandy...
Go Sandy...
😁

-briskjackal5

boldcanyon72 said:Hey everyone!!! I’m popping back in to say hello—it feels like it's been forever!! I'm still going strong, working out every single day, and honestly, I feel absolutely amazing!!
Weight: 150lbs... just 6 more pounds to go 😁!!!!! Yesterday I tackled the P90X legs and back routine, plus some hip-hop abs for my thighs and glutes—and let me tell you, the muscle soreness is real... ouch... today is going to be one veeeeery long walk and some serious stretching 🙂 cheers

Way to go!👍