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September 2015 Moms
freshiebop
member
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hard time coping with changing body, afraid weight won't just "fall off"
freshiebop
member
I've had a hard time with my body image for most of my life. never had an eating disorder, but my weight and keeping it at a place in content with has often consumed my thoughts. I know this is a whole different ball game now that I'm pregnant (17 weeks), and I continue to eat mostly healthy...I have continued going to the gym a min of 5x a week (proud of myself) but when I feel my thighs getting heavier, my arms feeling thicker/softer, or my waist straightening out -losing my curves... I feel defeated. having a hard time understanding why I'm gaining weight in other places other than my belly/breasts.
my close friends/family keep trying to reassure me that the weight will just 'fall off' once I have the baby, and breastfeed... but... what if it doesn't? what if it just sticks?--it had taken me so long to get my body to a place i was happy with--without a newborn--how would I ever AFTER the baby?! it's consuming me.
anyone?
my close friends/family keep trying to reassure me that the weight will just 'fall off' once I have the baby, and breastfeed... but... what if it doesn't? what if it just sticks?--it had taken me so long to get my body to a place i was happy with--without a newborn--how would I ever AFTER the baby?! it's consuming me.
anyone?
Re: hard time coping with changing body, afraid weight won't just "fall off"
It may not just fall off after. That's part of becoming a mother. That's not to say with hard work you can't get back to a pre baby body. I just think society puts ridiculous expectations on mothers to look the same. Your body won't be the same. It grew a PERSON. Not to mention, I find for many moms, your priorities change. After my #1 (who was enormous), I had a very squishy tummy and mother's apron. Do I love it? No. Am I ok with it? I'll live. Stretch marks and C sections scar are my battle wounds. It's my proof that I'm a member of the sisterhood. I'd rather spend my time with my kids than at a gym all day and worrying about every morsel I eat. I Worry too much about babys eating to worry about mine!
As for weight loss after baby is born remember you will be losing between 6-9lbs of JUST baby, plus the weight of the placenta, amniotic fluid, blood, and over the week or two after delivery your blood volume begins to decrease again and you begin to lose any fluids you retained. All in all you do end up losing a decent amount and any that is left over can come off. Having an infant doesn't mean your life will be over. I lost 50lbs over the span of 6months with 3 kids underfoot. You just prioritize healthy eating choices and staying active. It can be done. I do want to warn you tough your body may not ever look the same. Even once you lose the weight (I actually ended up weighing less post partum after #1) but my shape had changed slightly. My hips had spread and part of that never went back. I have always had a curvy body shape and I'm tall so I hold my weight well and I'm pretty proportioned. Having kids just made a bit more curve to my body.
Try to view your body as this amazing vessel that is doing incredible things. Pregnancy is truly a miracle when you think about what our bodies are doing. You have 2 heart beating in your body right now!! How can that not blow your mind?! Try and maybe work on shifting the perspective of what your body's role and use is. It's pretty spectacular.
Like a PP said, you do lose a significant amount from birth alone. But I breastfed my son for 13 months and the weight didn't just fall off for me. It was like my body decided it needed to hold onto the extra fat. I joined a baby boot camp when my son was 4 months old and that helped so much. Is a great way to get an intense work out in with your baby and with women going through the same thing as you, I made some great mommy friends that way. There might be one or something like it in your area.
It all kindof fell into place for me last summer, DS was sick and I had so much trouble carrying him from the couch to the bed.. And I thought to myself "I'm carrying twice this on me all the time, no wonder I feel terrible."
I joked at myself about my weight with my chiropractor, and he mentioned Atkins diet in passing, because that's how he had lost nearly 100 lbs and kept it off.
Something just clicked for me, and after research I started on the Atkins induction, I lost 22 lbs, 4 pants sizes and 10 points of my blood pressure in 1 month exactly. I ended up losing 48 lbs in 3 months before putting myself on the "maintenance" portion of the diet for the holidays. . Then, surprise BFP! I am about 20 lbs overweight right now, but I keep an eye on my carb intake and have yet to gain one pound so far this pregnancy. (gone down another pants size but gaining a belly.. And making sure I stay OUT of ketosis).
I guess what I'm trying to tell you with my story, is even if the worst happens, and your fears come true, you lose weight in the kitchen and get fit in the gym. Its going to be okay, one way or the other. Its just another journey. You are growing a person and that is a beautiful and incredible thing that not everyone gets to experience. You'll never be the same person, inside or outside. You'll be better, you'll be superwoman. Feel free to pm me if you ever need to chat!
Sorry for the novel... Oops!
It helped me to start using an app to track my activity and calorie intake for each day. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that, if I do my best (and know that I'm not being gluttonous and lazy), I shouldn't let my weight tear me down. I've estimated that I've gained about a pound each week so far (now in wk 20). Which would scare me if my husband let me worry about it. But his encouragement and the testimony of other ladies has helped me understand that God knows how to build a healthy baby, and He knows how to teach me about life priorities. Maybe pregnancy is teaching me to focus on being more lovely inside than I ever could be outside.
I've struggles forever with my weight. At my heaviest I weighed 280. I was engaged and wanted to feel pretty, I shed 140 lbs. Shortly after I found out I was pregnant, and started gaining. I've never gotten close to my heaviest again, but I'm mortified that I'll let that happen again. I was 19 lbs away from my lowest when I found out I was pregnant this time. I just try to remember, I've lost it before, I can lose it again. Allowed I might have jiggles I didn't have before, but I can have a body that I can be proud of!
Motivation! !!! Super awesome! Short video
Most of our bodies will store fat all over, but just keep at your routine and that will limit excessive weight gain. The weight usually doesn't fall right off without effort, but you can get your body back without a doubt, lots of women do it!
Just remember that it takes 9 months to grow the baby and gain the weight, so give yourself at least that long to get your body back. That's my goal anyway.
A pregnant woman is a beautiful thing, so try to see yourself that way and stay positive. All will be fine :-)
Passed few weeks baby had deffo shown whos boss and my bump has grown (which I'm in love with) but my thighs have spread, my butt is the size of a small country and my waist is slowly going. I got so upset about it I ended up going through my clothes like a crazy women and now I have barely anything left!
This time last year I was a few months away from getting married, I was kickboxing, horse riding, running and bootcamping every week. I was a vetry tidy uk size 8 and felt amazing. Now I'm pasty white, slowly creeping to a uk size 12 and generally feel out of shape and frumpy.
However this post has just helped me kick myself in the butt and give my head a shake!! I'm pregnant, I have the joy of a baby inside me, I'm growing because they're growing, it's not fat it's nature and it's beautiful. Yeah ok I'll need to change up my style to suit my shape but why is that a bad thing!
From frumpy to fierce, thanks ladies xx