Nutrition and fat loss

Question
I had a baby 10 weeks ago via c-section. During pregnancy I gained 40lbs. Starting my pregnancy at 130lbs. and ending at 170lbs. I am currently at 138lbs. I also have a 2 year old. On aug.6th I started a food diary and cut my calories to 11-1200 cal/day along with 30min cardio and strength training with dumbells,sit-ups, push-ups,etc. I'm estimating that previously cutting my calorie intake to 1200/day my calorie intake was about 3500-4000/day. My diet consists of plain oatmeal with skim milk, a snack, lunch is either a chicken breast with a salad (lettuce,tomato,and cucumber with tad oil and vinegar) and or whole wheat bread with turkey breast and salad or some type of vegetable. Dinner is chicken some type of steamed vegetable and brown rice. My snacks are granola bars or veggie or fruit. I also drink nothing but water, about 65-78oz. of it. One month later my diet is the same, I incorporated more calories and my workout consists of an hour of cardio such as intervals on the elliptical or bike and strength training. I went from 137 one week to 143 the next week and now my current weight is back down to 138. If anyone else were to do what I am doing it seems as if they would lose a lot more weight or should I say fat by now, what am I doing wrong or is my weight loss just going by the normal "healthy" standard and it'll take me about 6 months to lose 20lbs. I am getting very discourage, but I won't give up because I am very determined."

Answer
Hi Amy,
Congratulations on your new baby!  Lets fist start by saying that my recommendations are assuming that you are not currently breastfeeding.  If you are breastfeeding disregard what I am about to say and let me know so that I can guide you for that.

Your calories of 1100 to 1200 are just perfect for trying to reduce body fat.  I would not recommend cutting them much lower as it then becomes difficult to get all the nutrients your body needs.  So, your overall calories are great.  Your meal choices are great as well. You have a good balance of macronutrients, and are including fruits and vegetables.  Your exercise of weight training and intervals for cardio is perfect.

The only change I would consider making - and this is an "atypical" approach - I would try not doing the weight training and spending each exercise session doing cardiovascular conditioning.  Try this for one week and see if the weight on the scale drops.  Weight training is a great exercise and has many benefits for weight loss, but I have seen many women that did not lose weight while weight training.  It is not because they are building muscle either.  In my facility in Alpharetta, Georgia we have a on-of-a-kind muscle and body fat measurement device called the Physio-Graph.  We know when a person loses (or gains) weight whether it was body fat, muscle, fluid, or bone mass.  Many women will see a drop in body fat when they remove weight training and increase the number of cardio sessions they do.

Give it a try and watch the scale.  As for a health weight loss, 1 to 2 pounds per week is the norm.  Any more than that and it will most likely not be coming from body fat but rather from muscle tissue or fluid.

Don't get discouraged.  You have a wonderful newborn baby, and your body will bounce back in time.  Some post pregnancy women need a period of time until their hormones adjust to not being pregnant.  Stay the course and you will reach your goal.  I am glad to hear that there is determination in you.  Tap into that determination!  Let me know how the change to the exercise goes!

Best of health,
Dr. Bret
docotremery.com

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