FameCrawler

I lost the baby weight within six months after both of my pregnancies and it was not easy either time, but especially not the second time.  How did I do it?  I worked my ass off, literally.  I kept up a pretty heavy workout regime until the day both my kids were born.  I started running again two week postpartum the first time and one week the second.  I gradually increased my mileage to 30+ miles a week, ran races to keep me motivated, utilized my gym's daycare and dedicated myself to lifting as well as pilates, yoga, running and stair climbing. Between the double jogger, squeezing in workouts when my husband is home, DVDs during naptime and the gym daycare, I managed to lose 50 pounds both times.  It was/is the hardest thing I have ever done and I do believe that anyone who says differently is either genetically blessed or sporting a stretch-marked pouch where their belly used to be.  For me, that was not good enough and I worked very hard to achieve the version of me that makes me happiest.  But no, it wasn't easy.  Not by a long shot.  And by the way, I do not believe in dieting.  I am sure it would have been easier if I did.  I always had to work off massive chocolate cakes and quarts of ice cream.  Good luck!

You're not alone. I gained almost 50 pounds during the pregnancy, and it was tough... It didn't come off naturally at all. It took two years, but I did it. I'm now 1 pound over what I weighed the morning I did my positive pregnancy test. I know there are more important things in the world, but I'm very, very thrilled. I didn't have Weight Watchers or any other plan, I didn't have a personal trainer or a chef. I did it as a busy mom who works and has little time for herself and wants to put her son in top priority. And it took a lot of sacrifice, both in diet and exercise.

I went from 170 to 206 with my first child, was back down around 185-190 when I got pregnant with my second 9 months later.  Got up around 216 that time (and that was with more conscious eating habits and a LOT more exercise!).  I was finally back to my pre-babies weight when baby #2 turned 2, and he's now nearing 3 and I'm about 146 or so, which is my lowest ever.  So, it took me 3 years and 6 months (about) to lose all the baby weight I gained with both kids, who were close in age, and another 4 or so months to lose another 24lbs.  It was so hard.  I feel for anyone who gains a lot during pregnancy.  It is tough to work out when you're exhausted and running around after little kids or up all  night with a baby.  Even if you make time for it, sometimes you're just too darned tired!

Did you look at that magazine cover? How much photoshopping did they DO? That barely even looks like JM! Of course women have a difficult time trying to look good when we're trying to look like imaginary people!

upload.wikimedia.org/.../Jenny_McCarthy_at_E3_2006.jpg

www.go4celebrity.com/.../Jenny-McCarthy-003.jpg

i just wanted to say that if you limit calories to 1200 a day (eating anything you want) and exercise 1/2 hour a day to ANY workout tape and walk a couple days a week 1 mile, in 3 months you will lose at least 30 lbs.  Don't believe me? Try it.  This worked for me for post-pregnancy and later when I gained for no other reason than overeating.  When I say limit your calories to 1200 a day, I mean it- 7 days a week.. you CAN eat ice cream, you CAN eat chocolate, just keep whatever you eat in a journal EVERYDAY and keep your calories under the 1200 mark. it's not as hard as people say.   I've been heavy my entire life, as a child, as a teen, and as a young mother- I've always been known as the 'fat' one all my life until I hit 33 yrs old and tried this 1200 a day calorie rule.  I also alternated between exercise tapes, ANY regime WILL work- I went to a 2nd hand store and for .50 cents a piece I got a Richard Simmons VHS, P90 set (one was cardio one was aerobic both level 1) And one other I can't remember the name.  When I got bored with one I used another just to keep interested.  When the weather warmed up I started walking 1/2 mile at first then up to 1 mile.  Anyone can do this it isnt' rocket science.

I have two boys - 4 years olda and 10 months. With my first son when I found out I was pregnant I weight about 173 lbs. (this was about 20 lbs more than my ideal weight as I gained some weight before I got pregnant with him.) I gained 60 lbs with him during my pregnancy. When I left the hospital I weighed about 215 lbs. After him it took me approx. 6 - 8 months to lose more of the weight and I believe I got back down to 173 (where I was when I got pregnant with him.) During the next couple years before I got pregnant with my second I gained some weight back and when I found out I was pregnant I weighed 193 lbs. which made it very scary for me in my pregnancy. I was worried what would happen and how much I would gain. I tried to maintain and not gain as much but I still gained 50 lbs. and at the end of my pregnancy I weighed in at 245 lbs. YIKES! I am now just starting to try and take the weight off. With things going on in my life lately it has been hard for me to diet. When I got home from the hospital I weighed about 230 and I currently weigh 205 lbs. I am trying to watch what I eat and cut my portions and it is really working, but I know that once I get down a little more I am going to have to workout more and cut back more. It is easier to lose the weight that is not meant to be on your body. I am trying to get to 160 or even 150 lbs. That is when I look my best. I can't wait to get back thier because I am the type of person who gets very depressed being over weight.

So portioning works. Cutting out most of the bad carbs, and becoming more active. Another thing is in the initial first 2 months of the diet trying not to cheat at all. Usually I have one day on the weekend where I would have a few meals that wouldn't be "diet" friendly. If I do that now in this initial phase all the weight that I lose during the week will come on over the weekend and then I would be starting from square one in the next week. So no cheating! Not yet anyway.