2 years post partum - the heaviest I’ve ever been

[Anonymous]

A month ago I started corepower yoga; I’ve been going consistently 3-4x/week, and I’ve been using Noom to count my calories (1800 max a day). I’m 2 years post partum, my body did not bounce back (I used to be 120 lbs pre-kids). In fact, I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been at 150 lbs (5’4”), and haven’t lost a pound this last month despite the changes to exercise and diet. My Apple Watch says I burn 250-300 calories per class.

I went through a really prolonged stage of survival mode when my younger one just wouldn’t sleep, and I had horrible eating habits and didn’t exercise at all. But for the last month, I’m drinking homemade green smoothies, more salads, more Greek yogurt, and less processed junk food. I am vegetarian.

Any suggestions on kickstarting my weight loss journey? Is corepower not enough?

[Anonymous]

Start with a doctor's visit and get your thyroid checked. It could be that you have hypothyroidism and need a boost to get your metabolism going.

[Anonymous]

Yoga is fine. You are eating too much for how much you burn. Either eat less or move more.

[Anonymous]

Stop drinking anything other than water. No smoothies. Eat more vegetables, literally eat and chew them. If you want I to kickstart a diet, don’t eat maintenance calories at 1800, cut back to 1350 and give it six solid weeks of progress. It will suck, but you will start to feel better.

[Anonymous]

Don't eat back exercise calories.

Drink only water, black coffee and plain tea.

Incorporate intermittent fasting Eat only between 6 or 8 hours, 2 full meals, no snacks.

Do you eat eggs or fish?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't use a scale to measure your progress as weight constantly fluctuates with muscle gain, water retention, etc. I would use a shirt and a pair of leggings.

[Anonymous]

I'm not an expert but:

Definitely get your thyroid checked. Prioritize rest and sleep, stress management, etc. Consider lower intensity exercises like walking, stair stepper, weight lifting, regular yoga, etc instead of higher intensity stuff which just ups your cortisol and makes you super hungry. Also consider some acceptance.

-formerly 5'4" and 120 lbs currently at 135 post baby 2 looking the best I ever have due to weight training

[Anonymous]

It sounds like your calorie target needs adjusting. I’d worry less about exercise til you identify the right calorie target, since exercise adds a variable. Once you get to the right calorie target, incorporate the exercise back in.

[Anonymous]

You need to consume no more than 1200 calories a day, plus you need at least 1 hour of excercise 6-7 days a week. No cheat days. This is not a diet, it's a lifestyle overhaul and a new way of living, if you want to be slim again. It only gets harder as you age.

[Anonymous]

Intermittent fasting 12 hours overnight worked for me-

[Anonymous]

Several comments regarding your thyroid; get it checked and since the vegetarian diet doesn’t seem to be working for you as you have been carrying 30 extra pounds while doing it the past few years; consider an all
Meat elimination diet. Your thyroid is affected by the lack of good animal fat in your diet and adding it back in will help. It’s doesn’t make sense but your nutritional deficiencies caused by a plant based nutrient deficient diet is probably keeping you from losing weight.

[Anonymous]

He many steps do you walk a day? Yoga has many benefits but weight loss isn’t one of them. You likely need more protein/weights and cardio (10k steps a day). 1800 may legitimately be a caloric surplus at your height as well. Try 1600 with 10k steps a day and see what happens.

[Anonymous]

Oh and the calorie burns on watches are very off. You’re likely not burning anywhere near 300 calories with yoga.

[Anonymous]

You are eating to much

Forget calories burned. Those aren’t accurate.

Calories to eat = goal weight x 12

Goal of 130lbs= 1560 cal

Track everything and how consistently you hit your calorie target. Aim for 90%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to consume no more than 1200 calories a day, plus you need at least 1 hour of excercise 6-7 days a week. No cheat days. This is not a diet, it's a lifestyle overhaul and a new way of living, if you want to be slim again. It only gets harder as you age.

+1. Your calories are too high. 1800 is probably higher than your baseline maintenance since you're short. I'm the same height and got down from 138 post-lockdown to 112, solely through calorie counting. 1200 calories works really well, and depending on what you eat you don't have to be hungry. But it really is all about controlling calories. Adding an hour of exercise or 10,000 steps will help accelerate the process, but you cannot eat back the exercise calories.