Stuck

Hi ladies.

I am wanting some help to try and get over this dreadded plateau.

A brief background of me: Before pregnancy I weighed 69kg which put me at a BMI of 24 I think, but I was very active and muscular and about a size 10-12, people guessing my weight would say less than it was.

When I was pregnant I put on at least 25kg (stopped weighing after that) a lot of that was due to a big baby and terrible swelling as I got pre-eclampsia, but also over indulgence had a part to play. In the weeks after birth a lot of it fell off until I was left with 10kg to lose. I lost 4kg reasonably easily by tracking my diet on my fitness pal, exercising as much as possible and running around being busy.

But I have been stuck at 76kg for months now. I went on hiatus from it a bit during the year when I was having some tough times, and put on 2kg. About 2 months ago I cracked down again and lost those 2kg again, getting back to 76.

Since then I have been watching my calories on my fitness pal keeping them at 1500 a day, exercising as much as possible but I'm just staying the same. Not gaining, not losing. So I think I have hit a plateau or my energy incomings and outgoings are balancing.

So I know I need to do something different. I have added in a 1 hr aquarobics class on a Sunday morning starting yesterday, so it's too soon to see results of that.I also teach dancing for 1hr 2 days a week, and go on 30-40 minute walks as often as possible. I am also always active at home doing chores or running around after my very active 10 month old, I rarely sit down in the day.

Im not sure how much I can change my diet as I have changed a lot already and my focus is on eating in a way that I can sustain long term, ie making it healthy and good choices, as I don't want to do anything to lose weight that I can't keep doing once I get to my goal, as I don't want to put it back on (has happened to me in the past doing extreme things to lose weight). Also I find I need the energy to keep up with my baby and do the exercise I do. I basically eat wholegrains, salad, nuts, low fat dairy, dried fruit, low sugar muesli bars like Special K bar, and if I need something sweet as I do get cravings I try to have marshmallows or something like that. I eat weetbix or porridge for breakfast, morning tea of fruit and a special k bar or similar, lunch of a tuna and salad sandwich or fruit toast or marmite sandwich etc, afternoon snack of dried fruit or nuts or something, dinner of salad with chicken and udon noodles and salad veges, low fat dressing, or something like bologneise or chilli with minimal rice or spaghetti, chicken breast, salad and wedges, stirfry with a soy based sauce, etc etc. I do sometimes indulge as everyone does, I have noticed in general that my diet seems to be low fat but too much sugar sometimes.

*I am on anti depressants which I wonder if that is not helping? But I aim to wean off them at the end of the year when my husband is home in the holidays for support.

I have a goal to lose the last 6 kg by my son's birthday which is November 20. I realise it's cutting it a bit fine but Ive had this goal for months but just staying the same! I would be happy with getting as close as possible by then, and when I get there I will buy new summer clothes.

Is there anything else I can do to break through this plateau? Any advice? Thanks

ETA: I do have dessert when I can fit it in to my calories for the day, usually a splice fruit iceblock (about 80 calories I think) or yoghurt or chocolate creamed rice. I geuss that could go, but it does fit into my calories usually when I have it. I bake banana muffins for DS which I sometimes eat but they are low ish fat, no butter, small amount of sugar and oil

Edited by wiggly_jiggly

wiggly_jiggly, maybe a compleat change to shock your body is needed to get back on track. Make sure you are drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day. Cut out bars & cut down on fruit & nuts.

Write down what you eat as you may be surprised with what you are eating without thinking, like off a child's plate.

Oats for b'fast is good as it will keep you going, fruit or a sm handful of nuts for morning/afternoon tea.

Lunch try egg, salad, couscous, leftovers.

Dinner steamed fish, chicken with salad or steamed veg. Basically anything as long as you watch the size.

I have a glass of water before I eat & have cut out/down on bread & am watching portion size & moving.

Put baby in the pram & go for a walk in the morning & you will feel so good for the rest of the day.

When baby is asleep stick on an exercise dvd you like & do that.

Little changes make big differences

I was bad for diet coke, got addicted when pg with DS1 who is now 10yrs, so now I don't have fizz at all. I a having no bread, but now & then might have a bun but bread is not an everyday thing for me.

For me it has come to "suck it up & just do it" & that means less food, good choices & not to get upset over cause if I eat more then I exercise more.

Have a look at the Dr Libby website and see if any of the articles ring a bell for you:

Dr Libby

Sometimes losing weight is a lot more complicated than energy in/energy out...