QuestionI delivered a stillborn baby 8 weeks ago. I am trying to lose the baby weight and have been doing 45 to 60 minutes of cardio 3 days a week and weights and stretching the other 3 days of the week for six weeks now. I have not lost one pound or any inches. I also watch what I eat. What am I doing wrong and could it be my hormones? Please help me lose weight so I can be healthy and feel good about myself.
AnswerFirst let me offer my deepest condolences for your loss. I know what you're going through. During my first pregnancy I developed severe, acute pre-eclampsia and needed an emergency "C" to save my own life. I was carrying twins, and both babies did not have enough lung development to survive.
I applaud your dedication to improving your fitness level in this most trying time. It will give you both physical and psychological strength and stamina.
Though how frustrating not to see the scale move! This is not an uncommon occurrance for women who have recently started a cardio/strength training fitness program.
The good news is that without a doubt, you've lost some fat, and reason why the scale hasn't moved is because you've also put on muscle! Many fitness trainers see this as a good balance. You're slowly losing fat at the same rate that you're gaining muscle. This improves your lean mass ratio and for many fitness pros is the most important indicator of overall health.
But I can TOTALLY understand your desire to make the scale move, and for you want to retone and flatten your abs.
For the scale to move, switch one more day of cardio and perform the strength workout two days a week instead of three. Perform mini "intervals' during your cardio workouts, where every five minutes or so you increase the intensity for 30 seconds to a minute, then go back down to the middle of your cardio training zone. This will increase the total number of calories that you burn from fat as well as increase your aerobic capacity more quickly.
It's possible that "watching what you eat" may not be as accurate as you think. Time to start measuring your food intake so that you know with absolute accuracy how many calories that you are consuming. Being off by as little as 200 calories a day can make a big difference in the long run.
If you haven't already, start doing some postpartum core conditioning. After pregnancy the abdominal wall should be reconditioned from the inside out. To learn more about this method, visit www.befitmom.com/abdominal_reconditioning.html.
Don't give up, both healthy weight loss, and postpartum reconditioning are slow processes.
