7 Months Postpartum and Still Can't Lose a Pound – Why?

Question
So I can not understand what is going on with my body. I had my second child c-section nearly 7 months ago and I can not shed a pound. We did breastfeeding for the first 6 months, though my doctor gave me the go ahead to do walking on low at 3 weeks postpartum. Now that we have weaned I am hitting the gym 5-7 days a week cardio with weight training, I am watching what I eat small, healthy, and several meals a day. I have not lost one pound. I am 5'3 and 160 and I know how unhealthy this is for me. Why can I not shed any weight?

Answer
Several things might be going on.

First, when you start weight training, you build muscle density, which weighs more than fat. So you might be building muscle at the same rate that you are losing fat. So even though you are getting leaner and fitter, the scale stays the same.

Secondly, you haven't been exercising that long either. The first six weeks of an exercise program is where your body adapts. Think of this as like being on the "on-ramp" to fitness. And your postpartum body is still in "mommy mode" meaning that the last thing your body thinks it should do is empty the pantry. (After all, as women, we stock the pantry to insure that even facing famine, that our bodies will be able to grow and nurture healthy offspring.) It will take your body several months to transition from operating a milk factory, to getting back to your metabolic pre-pregnancy "normal."

Third, most of us under estimate the amount of calories that we take in, and over estimate the intensity of our workouts. Since you are no longer breast feeding, I'd suggest that you eat between 1,400 and 1,600 calories per day. Not a lot, I know, but if you want to get down to an ideal weight, this is what it takes. Food diaries work, and there are a lot of good apps and programs that you can use.

So what to do? Keep exercising and use a food diary to guarantee that you're eating a high quality diet in the right amount. Your body will change. Slower than you want, yes, but in the end, slow and steady really does win the race.

The ultimate goal is to establish a healthy lifestyle, one that is in balance, so that the whole concept of "dieting" is irrelevant. Plus, leading a balanced, fit and healthy lifestyle, you will demonstrate good health self-care which your children will emulate.

UPDATE
RE: 1200 calories per day - on days that you workout this number is likely to be too low. Generally, a workout for your weight and fitness level will burn about 300 calories per hour, which could easily put your body into a "starvation" mode if you only take in 1200 calories. This lowers metabolism and prevents weight loss. Most people don't realize that eating too little can prevent weight loss, but it does. On days that you exercise, eat a minimum of 1500 calories.