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Losing Baby Weight: Overcoming Postpartum Plateau

May 29, 2023

The postpartum period is a transformative time for new moms, filled with joy, challenges, and significant changes to their bodies. One of the most common concerns faced by new mothers is postpartum weight loss. While shedding the extra pounds gained during pregnancy is a natural desire, many women encounter a frustrating phase known as the “postpartum weight loss plateau.” In this blog post, we will dive into the topic of the postpartum weight loss plateau, exploring its causes, its impact on new moms, and most importantly, effective strategies to overcome this hurdle.

Understanding the Postpartum Weight Loss Plateau

The postpartum weight loss plateau refers to the period when a new mom experiences a stagnation or slowdown in her weight loss progress. After the initial weeks postpartum, during which the body sheds water weight and the amniotic fluid, many women find it challenging to continue losing weight at the same rate. This can be attributed to various factors, including hormonal changes, lack of sleep, and a reduction in physical activity due to the demands of caring for a newborn.

Factors Influencing the Postpartum Weight Loss Plateau:

  1. Hormone Imbalance: Hormonal fluctuations, such as elevated cortisol levels and thyroid gland changes, can hinder weight loss efforts.
  2. Sleep Deprivation: New moms often struggle with sleep deprivation, which can lead to increased cravings for unhealthy foods and decreased energy levels for exercise.
  3. Physical Activity: The demands of caring for a new baby can make it challenging for new moms to find time for regular exercise.
  4. Caloric Intake: Breastfeeding mothers need to consume enough calories to support milk production, but finding the right balance is crucial to avoid excessive weight gain.
  5. Muscle Loss: Lack of regular exercise and reduced physical activity can result in muscle loss, which negatively impacts metabolism and the ability to burn calories.
  6. Emotional Well-being: The stresses of motherhood, coupled with societal pressure and unrealistic expectations seen on social media, can have a negative impact on a new mom’s mental health, making weight loss more challenging.

Overcoming the Postpartum Weight Loss Plateau

  1. Set Realistic Goals: It’s important to understand that postpartum weight loss takes time. Instead of aiming for rapid weight loss, focus on steady and sustainable progress.
  2. Prioritize Proper Nutrition: A well-balanced diet consisting of healthy foods and portion sizes is essential for postpartum weight loss. Opt for nutrient-dense meals and snacks that provide energy and support milk production. At the same time, utilize macronutrients and consumer them in the proper portions for your body type, goals, age, weight, etc. 
  3. Establish a Caloric Deficit: Ensure your daily calorie intake remains adequate for breastfeeding and overall energy needs while also aiming to eat in a deficit for fat loss. While in a deficit, you must focus on protein in order to preserve muscle mass and keep your body burning fat, not muscle.A good starting point is to consumer .8-1.2 grams/pound of body weight.
  4. Engage in Regular Exercise: Incorporate light exercises to start and postpartum-specific workouts into your routine as soon as your health care provider gives you the green light. Focus on strengthening abdominal muscles and pelvic floor exercises to aid in the recovery process. Once you are able, start incorporating more strength training and HIIT to burn excess calories in a short amount of time. 
  5. Seek Support: Joining a postpartum exercise program or hiring a personal trainer can provide guidance and motivation during your weight loss journey. Additionally, connecting with other new moms who are facing similar challenges can be invaluable for emotional support. I run a group program and also take 1:1 clients. Email [email protected] for more information. 
  6. Prioritize Self-Care: Make sure to prioritize self-care and get enough sleep whenever possible. Enlist the help of your partner, family, or friends to allow yourself some extra time for rest and relaxation. 

A Common Hurdle

The postpartum weight loss plateau is a common hurdle for many new moms. However, with the right mindset, strategies, and support, it is possible to overcome this phase and achieve your weight loss goals. Remember, the journey to a healthy weight postpartum should be approached with patience, self-compassion, and a focus on overall well-being. Embrace the changes in your body, and celebrate each milestone along the way. Your body has accomplished an incredible feat, and it deserves to be treated with kindness and care.

What if You’ve Done All the Right Things and Still Aren’t Seeing Results?

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you may find yourself in a situation where the weight loss progress remains stagnant even after implementing the tips mentioned above. It’s important to remember that everyone’s weight loss journey is unique, and various factors can influence results. Here are a few considerations if you find yourself in this situation:

  1. Consult with a Healthcare Provider: Reach out to your health care provider to discuss your concerns and evaluate any underlying medical conditions or hormonal imbalances that may be hindering your progress.
  2. Reassess Caloric Intake and Exercise Routine: Double-check your caloric intake, macros and exercise routine. It’s possible that you may need to adjust your calorie deficit, adjust your macro ratios or switch up your exercise program to challenge your body in new ways. You may not be lifting heavy enough (which is a very common problem) or implementing progressive overload in order to challenge your muscles enough to build. 
  3. Track Non-Scale Victories: Sometimes, the scale may not reflect the changes happening in your body. Look for other signs of progress such as increased strength, improved energy levels, better sleep quality, or changes in body measurements. One of my favorite ways track progress is pictures. Be sure to take pictures along the way to track progress! 
  4. Practice Patience and Persistence: Remember that weight loss is not always linear. It’s normal to experience fluctuations or plateaus along the way. Stay consistent, trust the process, and focus on overall health and well-being rather than solely relying on the number on the scale.

Is what you are experiencing actually a plateau?

You may have some expectations of what your weight loss journey should look like. And if it doesn’t look like that, you may think something is wrong and that you aren’t still seeing progress. But actually, what women think may be a plateau is just part of the process. The best way to determine if it is a plateau is to look at measurements, progress pictures, and non-scale victories.

A real plateau is 2 weeks of consistency and your data points (listed above) are not changing at all. You must look at all of these data points and make them factual. You cannot look at your interpretation of the data, but rather you must look at the actual facts. AND you must also truly have been consistent. NO cheats. NO semi- tracking your macros, semi-getting your workouts in. You must be consistent for these two weeks and see no results at all. That is a true plateau. 

Steps to Breakthrough An Actual Plateau

1. Look at More than the Scale: 

Losing a pound doesn’t mean you lost a pound of fat. It could be a pound of muscle, water, etc. You must change your mindset that the number on the scale defines your progress. That is simply not true. 

2. Be Consistent: 

Are you actually being consistent with your macro ratios? Do you have some days that you are not meeting your carbs, protein, and fats within 5 grams? It doesn’t mean you need to be perfect. But you do need to be as consistent as possible in order to break through. Being consistent means aiming to reach your macro goals- but knowing that you will likely never perfectly hit them.  

3. Adjust Your Deficit or Reverse Diet 

If you have been consistent for a long time, and are starting to stall in progress, it’s possible your metabolism has adapted and you need to reverse diet. You need to reverse back to maintenance after 16 weeks of a deficit (don’t worry, if you do it correctly you will not gain weight back). THEN you can go back into a deficit. Reverse dieting can take anywhere from 3-12 weeks depending on how steep of a deficit you have been on. Once you have reverse dieted and are ready for another deficit, you can enter into another deficit. You can add in things like extra cardio, more steps, or decrease total calories to assist in the process once you enter that deficit again. 

4. Be Realistic About Expectations

​Know that changes take TIME. Once you implement the things listed above, you can expect to see results. And implementing those things take time. It could take 3 months to reverse diet before your body is ready to enter into a deficit again. It’s the LONG game, not the short game. There is going to a delay in the amount of effort you put on the front end and the results you are going to get on the backend. One of my favorite books is Atomic Habits by James Clear and he talks in details about this. I highly recommend!

​If you are honest with yourself and have done all of the steps listed above and are STILL not seeing results, then you may consider finding a functional doctor or dietitian that can run labs and different tests on you to see if your hormones may be playing a role. If that is the case, then it’s important to heal your hormones before jumping back into a nutritional and fitness regimen. 

By staying proactive, seeking professional guidance when needed, and embracing a holistic approach to wellness, you can navigate through any roadblocks on your postpartum weight loss journey. Remember, your body has undergone incredible changes, and it deserves time, care, and appreciation. Stay motivated, celebrate your progress, and continue to prioritize your well-being as you work towards your postpartum weight loss goals.

Well and Balanced Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This post may include affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you shop using the links below at no additional cost to you.

Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: plateau, postpartum, postpartum weight loss, weight loss

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Rebekah Matznick | Mom Fitness Coach and Dietitian
HERE’S 4 STEPS TO DO THE SAME ⬇️ First I ju HERE’S 4 STEPS TO DO THE SAME ⬇️

First I just want to say, most mamas aren’t willing to keep with it when they don’t see results right away. 🙊

But I know that you are fully capable of sticking with it and that you are different because you WANT this. 💪🏻

If you stick with it, continue to show up, and focus on how you feel rather than how you look, you ABSOLUTELY can see results and continue to see them long term. 🫶🏻

So what are the actions you need to take? Pssst… I lost 35 lbs doing this exact strategy in addition to tracking my macros. 

1. Start doing workouts that focus on strength, and also get your heart rate up to burn maximum calories in a short amount of time (this can be 30-45 min sessions!)

2. Incorporate deep core exercises into your routine vs. crunches. 

3. Lift heavy enough to where you can’t lift anymore at the end of the set. 

4. Incorporate two LISS sessions per week in addition to 3-4 strength focused sessions as well as aiming to get 10,000 steps per day. 

✨ In my Made for Mamas workout program, I give you all of these things!! Each workout is made with moms in mind- because I am one! 

❓READY to get started and stop wishing that you could find something that works!? 

🤍Comment: STRONG below and I’ll send you the info on my Made for Mamas workout program so that you can join so many other women who are already using it to crush their goals!! 

🎉 Let’s do this!!
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#postpartumfitnessjourney #postbabyfitness #fitmoms #homeworkouts #workoutsformoms #weightlosscoaching #postpartumsupport #postbabyweightloss
HERE’S WHAT I DID 👇🏼 💾 But first, make HERE’S WHAT I DID 👇🏼

💾 But first, make sure you save this post so you can come back to the steps later!

1. I started eating enough protein, carbs, and fat to support milk supply but also in the right ratios so my body knew to burn fat. Specifically, I ate my weight in protein and the proper calories for my goals. (Even if your youngest is not a baby anymore this is how you should start!)

2. Focused on strength building exercises combined with HIIT style exercises for maximum calorie burn in a short amount of time (#momlife)

3. Prioritized small habits like drinking 100 oz water daily, getting my steps in, having high protein grab-n-go options at all times. 

4. I made sure to include my favorite foods and drinks so that I never felt deprived and I listened to my body when I felt like it needed something specific. 

🥗I stopped just “eating healthy” and just working out without any sort of intention/method. 

🗓️ It took about 10 weeks for me to lose 10 lbs- and I didn’t focus on the timeline. I focused on my daily habits and how I felt. I weighed myself here and there, and didn’t let the number affect my mood or my habits. 

I kept doing the things and showing up day after day… and I’ve now lost over 35 lbs (which took about 10 months of consistency) and I am lifting more than I have ever been able to in my life. It’s taken 2 YEARS after my second to feel this way- and I’m so glad I never quit. 

✨You can do this too if you’re willing to trust the process, have patience, and keep your goals in mind!

💪🏻 Want to get started?? 

🤍 Comment: MACROS below and I’ll send you the info on my Macros for Mamas mini course that walks you through exactly how to calculate your macros(protein, carbs, fat) + calories to reach YOUR goals for YOUR specific body type. I also give you ALL my tips on how to do this as a busy mom! 

✨Things could look so different in just a few months if you just start today! ✨

❤️ Follow @rebekahmatznick_rd if you’re a busy mom looking for things that WORK!
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#countingmacros #tipsformoms #dietitians #postpartumjourney #macrocoach #notadiet #postpartumgoals #postbabyweightloss
Hi, new friends!! 👋🏻👋🏻 Intro post for Hi, new friends!! 👋🏻👋🏻

Intro post for all the new faces around here! 

I’m Rebekah! Personal trainer and dietitian, and most importantly mom of 2! 

On the outside you see a mom who prioritizes her health and it may seem like it comes easy to me. 

But- If you knew me you’d know that my first pregnancy was a miscarriage, I’ve been through hell and back twice with my pregnancies of not only hyperemesis gravidarum but also delivering 2, 10 lb babies, and now losing about 50 lbs after the two pregnancies combined. It hasn’t been easy for one second! 

My body has been through ALOT and I refuse to let that dictate what my future holds. I want to nourish my body, reach my body composition goals, feel confident in my skin and have all the energy I need to keep up with these little munchkins!  And I love helping other mamas do the same. 

Some more about me-
✨I LOVE coffee (now drink only decaf)- my fave afternoon drink is a dirty chai latte ☕️ 
✨My husband is on Young Life staff and we live in southern Indiana! 
✨My son, Hampton, is named after my maiden name and my grandpa who’s nickname was Hamp! 
✨I’m a Christ follower and Jesus is the reason for everything I do 
✨ I was a dancer all my life and danced at Purdue on the dance team! 
✨I love going to the movies and getting a big ole popcorn with a Dr Pepper 
✨my favorite meal is burgers and fries (close tie would be pizza!)
✨I’m a night owl by nature but having kids has made me switch that up a bit 🙃

Here on IG I help moms learn how to nourish their body to reach their body composition goals, feel confident in their skin, and have more energy- so they can ultimately be the mom they so desire to be! I do 1:1 coaching, group programs, and I also have a few things you can start right now on your journey to better health!DM me or check out my link in bio for more info! 

What do we have in common? Tell me below!!👇🏻👇🏻
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#dietitian #macrocoach #postpartumjourney #postpartumweightloss #postbabybody #momof2kids #nutritionist #healthymoms #momlifebestlife
HOW WE’RE DOING IT👇🏼

Here’s the thing… most women who come to me for help are not eating ENOUGH. I see so much backlash about tracking macros and trying to “shrink” our bodies— this is NOT the case. Time and time again, my clients start to eat MORE, and NOURISH their bodies, and FINALLY start to see the results they desire. 

✨ Does it happen overnight? Nope. It takes consistent action of doing the RIGHT things.. and the women in my community are doing just that! 

☹️ I USED TO…

- avoid any food that had more than 5 ingredients 
- cut out bread and dairy because they caused “inflammation” 
- run half marathons and run miles and miles because I thought thats what healthy people did
- lift 10 lb dumbbells for every exercise 

🤗 NOW I:

- Eat ALL foods with full freedom 
- Include my faves- pizza, beer, bread, and cheese every single week
- know how to properly engage my core to bring my abs back together after babies 
- fit in 30-45 minutes strength/HIIT exercises to build strength efficiently as a stay-at-home mom
- lift HEAVY for each exercise where I can barely finish the last set 

⚡️ IT’S ALL BECAUSE I LEARNED ABOUT THE POWER OF MACROS AND HOW BEST TO FUEL MY SPECIFIC BODY TYPE

And then I started helping other mamas do the same…

🥅ONE SMALL HABIT AT A TIME

I’ve been aware of how protein, carbs, and fat work in my body for years now, and I can now say I’m the fittest I’ve ever been. 

I’ve also learned to give myself GRACE as being a mom has different seasons and I know that I will not be perfect. 

Also, I have learned tips and hacks that help me to be present and stay consistent. Even when life is crazy.

🔑 This is KEY and truly what I was missing before I started to see results. 

✨I’d love to show you how YOU TOO can learn about macros and how they will help you to start seeing results in less than 30 days, and still be a present mom!

❤️COMMENT: MACROS and I’ll send you info on my Macros for Mamas course- the resource that so many women are using to learn how to start macros, calculate their own, and learn about tips + tricks that I use to quickly track while being a busy mom.

#dietitian #macrotracking #postbabyweightloss #postpartumjourney
HOW to stop comparing your journey to others⬇️ HOW to stop comparing your journey to others⬇️

✨Your journey is DIFFERENT than anyone else’s…

You have to find gratitude for what your body did and the abilities you have… (like the ability to make a human!)

🔎 Stop looking at how any other mama “bounces back” after babies, how they did that, and why your journey doesn’t look like hers. 

💪🏻Start being confident in who YOU are and figuring out what it will take to get where YOU want to go… not where Karen is, how she is getting there OR especially how she looks in the process. 

🥅Write out your specific, realistic, measurable goals (EX: I want to drink 100 oz of water every day for the next 30 days).

Start taking consistent action…

✨Refuse to let comparison and confusion stop you. 

Focus on YOUR journey and what YOU are doing, not your friends. So often we don’t start or even stop because we aren’t seeing the progress that others are… don’t let this be you! 

Your progress may look different AND what you need is different than what you friends need. 

⚡️YOU are fully capable of feeling amazing again after having babies. 

✨ I am the strongest I have ever been after going through two hellish pregnancies and having to lose 35+ lbs to feel semi-normal again and it’s because I focused on MY journey, I didn’t get depressed when it wasn’t as fast as others, and I knew exactly what it would take. 

🫶🏻It’s been 2 years since I had my son, and I can confidently tell you that I feel stronger and I AM stronger than I ever have been. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. 

✨ Truly you can reach your goals after babies, you just need to believe in yourself, love yourself through the journey, and have the right tools. 

🧡🧡Give me some hearts in the comments if you’re ready to love yourself through the process. 

👏🏻And if you’re looking for a way to reach your goals in a way that isn’t restrictive, tailored specifically for YOU (and not Karen)…

💬 Comment: CUSTOM below, and I’ll send you the link to more info on my Personal Macro Assessment, the perfect place to start your journey or re-start your journey!
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#postpartumjourney #postpartumweightloss #postbabyfitness #postbabybod #dietitian
PSA: 1200 CALORIES IS NOT ENOUGH FOOD!!! So how PSA: 1200 CALORIES IS NOT ENOUGH FOOD!!! 

So how do you eat more + lose more? 

HERE’S WHAT I DID + WHAT I TEACH MY CLIENTS ⬇️

(And what you can do too)!

💾 But first, SAVE THIS FOR LATER so you can come back to it later!

✨ Here’s what I did:

1. I learned about MACROS + why they MATTER. We’ve been told that eating less and moving more is the solution to all of our problems. WRONG. You need to shift your mind to “EAT MORE BURN MORE”. If you’re eating ENOUGH of the RIGHT foods- your body will do the work for you. I started eating in the right macro ratios for MY body, and MY goals. You also need to NOURISH your body- it’s not all about fat loss!!! 

2. I started prioritizing strength workouts 3-4 times per week paired with HIIT so that I could have maximum calorie burn in a short amount of time because #momlife. These aren’t just any HIIT workouts. They prioritize muscle gains by lifting heavy. These aren’t just your body weight HIIT workouts. 

3. I was consistently doing this for 10 months and I saw about 1 lb of weight loss per week (some weeks were more but some were less)… and I lost about 35 lbs! I didn’t focus on the scale. I focused on my habits, and how I FELT in my clothes. 

🚫I also stopped comparing my postpartum journey to others because my story is MINE- no one else’s. My body has done a lot for me and I learned to love it during the process- not just when I have reached my goals. 

✅ I kept doing the things and showing up day after day for my health and for my goals..

⚡️You can do this too if you’re willing to trust
the process, do the work, and keep your goals in mind!

❓I’m curious… Are you currently doing any of those 3 things right now? 

WANNA START NOW? 

💛 Comment: CUSTOM below and I’ll send you the info on getting a PERSONAL Macro Assessment from me so you can know exactly how to shift what you’re eating to reach your goals. 

✨Things could look so different in just a few months if you just start today!

❤️ Follow @rebekahmatznick_rd for more tips and tricks for busy mamas looking to get strong + fit! 
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#postbaby #postbabybody #postbabyweightloss #postpartumweightlossjourney #dietitian #weightlossformoms #macrocoaching
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