Myth busting - Having children doesn’t make you gain weight

[Anonymous]

I see people here all the time saying it isn’t reasonable for “a woman with children” to have a certain goal weight. Studies actually show that child bearing itself doesn’t make you fat. Instead, it’s mostly life style factors stemming from parenting, such as not having time to work out and eat right. So if you have children and want to lose weight it is possible….if you have the time and energy to do it!


https://www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/media/newsroom/2018/may/having-babies-doesnt-make-you-fat-uc-research

[Anonymous]

Yeah of course … why would child bearing in itself cause you to gain weight?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah of course … why would child bearing in itself cause you to gain weight?

I have no idea but people post this here all the time. “Oh you’re a mom, you shouldn’t expect to go back to your pre pregnancy weight?” And it’s like…why not?

I say this as a mom to a five year old who has been at pre baby weight and measurements since my kid was 1.5.

[Anonymous]

I see what you're saying, which is basically that PREGNANCY and the physical processes around this aren't what's making people gain weight long term.

But to say "children don't make you gain weight" while simultaneously saying "not having time to work out and eat right is the problem" is a bit absurd. Like these two are only kinda related if you squint but not really? They are directly and completely related and intertwined. I have two under two and am barely functioning, forget about time to work out or eat balanced meals and I'm fat now. This isn't like some dramatic coincidence.

[Anonymous]

I travelled for 3 weeks without my children and lost weight without even trying. I came back home, and I gained it all back. Why? At home I have to be in the kitchen several times a day even when I am not hungry. I have to give them something to eat. I have to make their lunch even when it's not time for me to eat.

When I don't have children to feed, I only look for food twice a day. With kids, I have to go to the kitchen 3 times a day, and I have to stay longer there(more cooking, cleaning up etc). I end up eating much more food.

So having children makes me gain weight. I was never overweight before I had them.

Once my children are old enough to heat up, serve their meals and clean up after themselves, I will lose the weight without any effort.

[Anonymous]

Being pregnant caused my rib cage to expand, so while I am at, actually a bit below, my pre-pregnancy weight, I can’t wear exactly the same size. I am also very short-waisted, so having a wider rib cage makes a difference in what I can wear and how it looks on me. Annoying, but that’s life.

[Anonymous]

Well... duh. I don't think anyone had that notion, OP.

[Anonymous]

I don't know that I agree haha - I never lost all the baby weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah of course … why would child bearing in itself cause you to gain weight?

I have no idea but people post this here all the time. “Oh you’re a mom, you shouldn’t expect to go back to your pre pregnancy weight?” And it’s like…why not?

I say this as a mom to a five year old who has been at pre baby weight and measurements since my kid was 1.5.

Is this what you spend your mental energy on? Thinking about what other women should weigh? It’s so important to you that you have to post about it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well... duh. I don't think anyone had that notion, OP.

Of course! Children are a time and energy expense. So it has to come from somewhere and it comes drom sleep, free time to work out and energy to make healthier food (sometimes).

[Anonymous]

I lost all the weight and more from nursing. Now that they're 4 and 6 I have 10 extra pounds from eating their leftover meals. My kids eat like birds and I hate throwing away food!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see what you're saying, which is basically that PREGNANCY and the physical processes around this aren't what's making people gain weight long term.

But to say "children don't make you gain weight" while simultaneously saying "not having time to work out and eat right is the problem" is a bit absurd. Like these two are only kinda related if you squint but not really? They are directly and completely related and intertwined. I have two under two and am barely functioning, forget about time to work out or eat balanced meals and I'm fat now. This isn't like some dramatic coincidence.

All of this, yeah. Maybe in a decade I'll work on getting back into shape. Too tired right now. - Also a mom of two very young kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I see what you're saying, which is basically that PREGNANCY and the physical processes around this aren't what's making people gain weight long term.

But to say "children don't make you gain weight" while simultaneously saying "not having time to work out and eat right is the problem" is a bit absurd. Like these two are only kinda related if you squint but not really? They are directly and completely related and intertwined. I have two under two and am barely functioning, forget about time to work out or eat balanced meals and I'm fat now. This isn't like some dramatic coincidence.

+1 I am one of many who gained weight not because of my pregnancies, but because parenting and work responsibilities left me no time to do things in a way that made sense for me. When you can't get enough sleep, sleep when your body wants to, eat when your body wants to, or even relax when you are about to fall about, you routinely exist in a high-stress state which makes making good choices that much more difficult.

I would say that for me, sleep deprivation was at the heart of it all. I know this, because when I'm well-rested, it's easy to make eat healthfully and exercise, but when you are exhausted, everything good feels impossible.

[Anonymous]

I was 5’4’’ 125 lbs when I got pregnant. I gained 30 lbs during my pregnancy and lost it all by the time DD was 6 months old. I’m now 5’4’’ 122 lbs.

[Anonymous]

I had twins and while I lost the weight, my stomach will never be the same.