A few questions..

[Sair]

I had a banner come up on a site that I was browsing for a free South Beach Diet profile. I know I have a few extra kilos that I would like to rid myself of so I clicked.

I filled in my details after converting my weight to pounds and hit enter. At 5' 3" and 60kg I am apperently considered well overweight, I don't think I like them so much and get this, my starting ideal weight is 43kg!!! That is just unhealthy!

Anyway my goal weight is 55kg and I was wondering if anyone has tried the SBD with any success. Also what is the dangers with certain diets and breastfeeding? Is it a loss of milk supply? I am only thinking of doing a diet short term to kick off the loss and then maintain healthy eating after that. I am trying to walk 2 times a day but I have developed a sweet tooth since Noah was born that I need to curb...

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

[tiffanny]

Sorry but what a load of BS! I think 60 kgs is a fine weight.I would consider that a healthy weight post baby or not.

[Beach Mama]

OMG Sarah - that is terrible! Talk about promoting unhealthy weight loss. Having seen you recently- I would say your weight is perfect for your height hun and there is NO way you are overweight. You look gorgeous and you have just had a baby!! Remember Noah is only 4 and half months old- and your body is still recovering from major surgery! 9 months to grow a baby (and stack on the weight) and 9 mths to get it off I think! Have you thought about doing some yoga/pilates type stuff at home as well as walking? Maybe try to start the healthy eating now too and bump up the exercise.
HtH and now Im of to follow my own advice - hee hee considering Im 5 '1" and 65kgs I must be morbidly obese

[Pandora]

Hi,
That site sounds like total crap to me.
At 5'3" and 60kg, your BMI is 23.4 which is smack bang in the middle of the healthy weight range for your height.
55kg would be BMI 21.5 which is still in the healthy range

45 is BMI 17.6 which is very underweight.

[Sair]

Yeah I thought my BMI was fine still, I don't know what the SBD people are smoking. The last time I was 43kg I was 16 and an Oz size 6, I just want to be a 10 again.

I just went for a long walk, I think it was 4km, I really should have worn my pedometer, will do tomorrow. I still want to do a diet in line with the exercise but need to know if I can without damage to my body.

I have oversupply with my milk so I am not worried about depleting that but I don't want to screw up my body...

[Firstkid]

I'm not a dietician, but I am a personal trainer, and I'd say that you should just stick to healthy food and exercise whilst you're breastfeeding. I don't know the scientific background, but I'd expect that restrictive diets (where you're eating less calories than you need, so you burn fat) may adversely impact your breastfeeding, both in terms of quantity of milk and the nutrients you/your baby receive. Plus, it is a fact that restrictive diets do not tend to work in the long term, as your body simply adjusts its metabolic rate to take into account the reduced calorie intake. Indeed, a lot of people who use restrictive diets end up heavier than they started, after they stop the diet.

As others have said, you are not overweight, especially given you've just had a baby. I can understand you wanting to lose a few kilo's - I had my baby 6 months ago, and I've been sweating it out at the gym to try and get back to my pre-baby body! Unfortunately, whilst I'm still breastfeeding, it looks like my body will hang onto a few kilo's of fat (so much for it all dropping off if you breastfeed!)

[kungfubecca]

I'm about the same height as you and 60kg is my goal. (55 would be a treat) but I'm happy with 60. when I used to be 63 I was a size 10 so I agree with the others I think you just want to eat healthy and drink lots of water.
As you are about the right weight for your height maybe you should consider that you may not appear to loose weight so much as start to do some major toning. You may now see a better result in measurements rather than on the scales iykwim

[Sair]

I got batteries for my scales yesterday :S I hopped on to find I am 65kgs so I am really not happy and more determined than ever to do something about it. I took my pedometer with me today and my walk is 6000 steps, about 5.3kms and I do that in an hour, I do a late afternoon walk of 3kms if DP is up for it.

Kungfubecca, where do you shop??? I try on my size 10 clothes every once in a while and I can't get them over my legs never mind to my waist. Water and diet is something I can improve on, I try 3 litres but average 1 a day.

Firstkid, do you have any recommendations to lose the jelly belly as I am not yet allowed to do sit ups? I had a c/s... Will walking be enough or should I add something else? How long does someone generally have to wait after a c/s to do spine flexing exercise? Sorry for the 20 questions.. It is so unfair that breastfeeding myth isn't it

Well I just organised another mum from MG to join me in my walk tomorrow. It makes it so much easier to have other people to motivate you. Now to join the weight loss chatter thread!!

[Nadine216]

I just read the first post - are you sure you are 5" 3 that is 1.61 meters
Maybe you typed incorrectly, because there is NO WAY that 43kg is ideal for a 1.61 woman

[Sair]

I am 155cms and when I lived in Canada I was measured at 5'3" which is what I entered into the US site. I just find it funny that the country with the worst obesity problem thinks that 43kgs is normal for my height. Now I wonder if I am 5'3 or 155cms, I am due for a medical anyway after being shafted on my six week appt, might get the height re checked I think, every inch more will make me happier.

[MrsFabuloso]

Sarah i f you can't do sit ups then when you're walking hold your tummy in and imagine your belly button is getting sucked into your spine.

[RhiChiChi]

Sarah, I have the book for the South Beach Diet and never did it cos I love pasta, rice and bread. If you want the book, you can have it for the cost of postage only. My copy was printed in 2003.

[Firstkid]

Hi Sarah,

Re ab exercises, it's probably best that you check with your OB, as what exercises you can do and when really depends upon how quickly you're recovering from the caesar. But in any case, ab exercises won't firm up a jelly belly by themselves. The main way to get rid of the fat is by doing aerobic exercise and eating a healthy diet.

THe walking that you're doing sounds fantastic - great distance and good speed. Do you feel strong enough to up the pace to a light jog? Just for short distances (e.g. between 2 lamp-posts on the street, or 2 trees at the park, with walks in between). Alternatively, you could add a bit of swimming? It's all about increasing the amount of activity you do on a day to day basis, whatever that activity is.

[paradise lost]

Ignore the site Sarah. I went to one yesterday from the US Navy (i think) which did bodyfat and ideal weight and sold diet plans and it said my healthy weight was 63kg and anything over was too heavy. I'm 181cm tall! It also said that though my BMI is 24, i am 40% fat. Yeah, right.

I just started Bodypump, and i'm a little sore today but i loved it - it was like a whole body workout in an hour! Have you thought of tying a class somewhere?

Bec

[Sair]

Kellie, I will give that a go, it is hard to be aware of that while walking so I must start paying attention.

Jooleshere, I would totally be interested, I will pm you tomorrow granted I get the chance, I agree carbs are just too good to give up but it might just be the kick start I need.

Firstkid, I should get around to that doc appt, I have really been putting it off. Aerobic exercise scares me I do like the idea of doing the between lamp posts and trees thing, I might have to give it a go. Swimming is out because I don't really know how to do anything other than tread water and doggy paddle. I am a fish out of water in Australia being a Canadian that does not know how to swim properly, good thing I am not near the beach.

Bec, the bodypump sounds great, I might need to work up to something like that, I am a commitment phobe when it comes to classes. I think the Americans are crazy when the average citizen is obese and the ideal is anorexic; its like do as I say not as I do. Have fun with the class!!

I joined that calorie king website, I blew out the calories at dinner though, it was the inlaws fault, they made me eat a banana split

[paradise lost]

Sarah i'm the same. Honestly i'm completely gym-phobic, haven't been in the "gym" bit (only the pool) for about 7 years! But then when i had to have a break from running i thought "what else can i try?" and DP (personal trainer) was like "Go do a Les Mills, you'd love it". Well i was scared but every 3 months or so they change the routine and do a re-launch and that was about a month off (it was on Monday, my first class) so i decided i would go that day (when no-one else knows what the routine is and there are more newbies about) and give it a go. I got a friend to join in, and we both made a deal we'd try that one class. We were really scared but it was brilliant, the Les Mills people are really good too, they give good advice, but keep it all simple and make it FUN! At one point she was like "Scream if it hurts," and no-one did so she said "Hands up if you want more reps then" just at the point when we were doing overhead lifts (so EVERYONE had their hands up!) and then half of us DID scream LOL. It was so fun! We're thinking about trying combat too now! FInd out when the next re-launch is near you and then you can gear up to it. Go on, i DARE you!

Bx

[Firstkid]

Yep - I love Les Mills classes as well. My favourite is BodyAttack - old school aerobics, with not too much choreography - perfect!

Sarah - something like bodyPump would be good for increasing your muscle mass. More muscle means a higher metabolic rate, which means you burn off more calories even when you're sitting in front of the TV eating a banana split.

[kungfubecca]

Sarah, My size 10's that fit where work clothes bottoms only 'cause I walked lots. Up top I can't seem to get below a 14 'cause of my big boobs.