So I’m university and I’m also 10months postpartum. Im 211lbs and I’m 5’5 24(F). I’ve had the hardest time staying away from carbs.. I’ve also had a bubble tea for the past 2 days. I used to do fine, but all of a sudden I crave sugar after fasting for a week and a half. I’ve been eating 1350-1400 kcal even tho my TDEE said 1555kcal was enough of a cut.
I feel like my carb intake and my sugar intake is driving me into the mud and I don’t know what to do. I can’t have much coffee cause I’m terribly sensitive to caffeine plus i usually add milk to it to make it taste better. I don’t drink or smoke, but for the past 9 months I’ve barely gotten sleep. I average 5 hours of sleep a night because of the little one. My concern is this
1.Will I be able to lose weight effectively with 5 hours of sleep?
I bought a treadmill recently In addition to my indoor cycle and I get on either or for about 30min 3 times a week, but a lot of the time while I’m trying to work out the little one cries for me and doesnt like even seeing me on them…
After months of counting calories have I only lost 10lbs…
It’s hard to stay consistent when I feel my day is all baby and essays and assignments. I always fall into this trap of treating myself because I deserve it..it’s during my eating window but it’s still delivery..btw I don’t eat pizza or drink soda…I like a diet root beer every now and then but I usually order Taiwanese soup, indian or malaysian food.
Before baby i was 179 but at least I enjoyed how I looked In clothes…i was raised in the south and overweight through most of my school years so I feel it’s unfair a lot if times not being raised with better health..
If there is a healthier alternative I’m usually the one eating it, but now not being able to be as active as I used to be makes me sad..I used to walk 20k steps a day for fun but now my back hurts a little after 4k and i think it’s either from giving birth or the weight gain so my mental hasn’t been great. My goal weight is 140lbs… I feel it’s so far but each day i feel like all I think about is my meals…
2.Do you think about food right when you wake up too? Is it just me?
3.What are some low carb meals you don’t get tired of?
It’s okay if low carb isn’t working for you. Perhaps just try regular diet with a caloric deficit instead of low carb + intermittent fasting + caloric deficit.
If you are craving high sugar foods right after a week and a half long intermittent fast, it may be because you dipped too low into a caloric deficit
Also tho: you are dealing with so much!! You are in school and you have a baby! Whether you have other people in your life helping or not, this is a huge undertaking. So just know you’re doing a lot and eating right can also be hard, so since we aren’t superhuman, go easy on yourself. That said, some things that have helped propel me into a state of not craving sugar: go a couple of days with just fat and protein. Eggs, meat, dairy. Then work in vegetables and fruits and non gluteny grains. If cooking is too much you can totally buy frozen veggies, and the meat need not be expensive - could do canned tuna and canned chicken. But also a pound of chicken thighs is wicked easy to cook - literally throw in a pan with butter and salt and cook 5 mins on each side on med-high heat. Yum! And so filling. I don’t suggest eating this way forever (altho there is a whole community of people who do the carnivore diet - I’ve dabbled in that and have concluded that more balanced works better for me), it’s just a good way to sort of jump start away from sugar cravings. And for the hungry nursing (or non-nursing, doesn’t matter, taking care of a baby is serious energy output) mom, a three egg omelet with melted cheese and a few slices of turkey is a great meal for a couple days in a row to just feel full longer and curb the sweets cravings. Good luck. I was there a long time ago - struggled for years to take off the baby weight+ but I got there eventually.
It’s hard to break unhealthy habits. It’s uncomfortable often at the beginning of You’re on the right path. Your body has adjusted to being over fed with processed foods for a long time, and it’s sometimes painful to make the change. Listening to your body when it’s screaming for junk, and learning (often through meditation) to answer and soothe that discomfort without food at the beginning will serve you the rest of your life. You will not die because you’re hungry. Your discomfort is temporary, you can get through it for a better future.
When my daughter was young, I would wear her with a sling A LOT. It was so freeing, I would housework and workout on the elliptical with her in the sling. Actually this was the best method to get her to sleep. I would elliptical to a show and the smooth rocking motion of the elliptical would put her to sleep. I would do about an hour a night of gentle elliptical to help her fall asleep. It was lovely bonding time.
Try eating some more natural sugars .
The more you eat simple & artificial sugars, the more you will crave them. So do your best to significantly limit them
All you can do is , be disciplined, eat healthy, exercise, and be consistent with your fast
Oh wow, let’s flip this around and celebrate your achievements. You’ve lost 10 lbs while early postpartum, in full time education and with a small little one at home. I don’t think low carb is working for you and i wonder would a CICO lower fat way of eating work better with a more plant based lean to help keep the carbs high and the fat lower. Chat with your doctor about the back pain and maybe see about a referral to a womens health physio for a check if you haven’t been already also do some bloods. There’s also the possibility that you’re one of the 1 in 8 women who have a thyroid issue going on, postpartum thyroiditis is a thing too and if you’re tracking for that long then a blood test would rule it out