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When I had my son my workouts changed quite a bit and I could not do group classes like I loved doing. I look at it as there are always changes you have to make when being a parent and it doesn't mean that you have to give up on the things you love, but that you have to do what you love in a different way. Instead of going to the gym I do group classes at home. I also joined an online weight loss group that helps motivate people to reach their physical goals. Lastly, I noticed that I am stronger in some areas once I became a mom then before, such as my eating drastically improved and my arms are the strongest they have ever been. Sometimes it also comes down to just doing something about it.

Honestly things didn't change much for me until i weaned. I am at pre-A weight but I am still so flabby and I have 20 pounds to go until I get to pre-H weight. It took weaning and weight lifting in addition to cardio for me to see any kind of difference in my body.

I'm struggling with this now. But I know I won't feel like myself till I can wean her. Honestly I would have already but she has a dairy intolerance and the formula is so expensive. I still have 24lbs of baby weight to lose, 37 total for my goal. Not fitting into most of my clothes really sucks. The lack of sleep definitely doesn't help (LO is 16 weeks).

I lost 36 lbs in 2015, so I was finally feeling great about myself and feeling comfortable in my own skin again when I got pregnant again. I just want/need to get back there.

I would suggest some small, short-term things you can do to help yourself feel better, like getting your hair trimmed or buying a few flattering tops. I noticed when I did small things like that it motivated me more to work on my long term goals, such as eating better or working out. I also had more confidence and was just happier overall.

Don't be too hard on yourself though. You've had 2 babies and losing the actual weight is hard - so that's great!

@pastemoo: I know you want to change things right now but thought I would share that my second child was 3 before I started feeling like my old self again. Be kind to yourself

@pastemoo: I am finding it harder the second time around. I stopped pumping 2 months ago and that helps but I still feel flabby and don't have the time to exercise and get into the shape I was in before. DH is in the same boat too. I am hoping we feel like our old selves in the next couple of years.
We don't have a support system to watch the kids while we work out and it's a struggle to get out multiple times a week before they are up to exercise. After they are in bed I don't have the energy to exercise.

Yes gym. I try to take the body pump classes but I'll also do my own thing. I follow a few Instagram fitness ladies who show great workouts. It's super motivating!!!

I need to exercise to get my cholesterol under control, so I do it for that, more than vanity, but I do find that I have to address what the actual issues are in order to be successful.

For me, the problem is actually going to the gym. I can't be trusted to actually get there, so I solved the problem by purchasing an inexpensive spin bike and putting that in my basement.

I then tackled eating. I have always eaten healthy foods, but not in the right portions, so I measured and it has made a difference.

Lastly, I buy clothes to fit my size. This was really difficult for me to accept, but I am wearing what fits and I know I look better, which makes me feel better.

The first time around was just a mess. I basically didn't get back into eating healthy, etc., until LO was 15 months. By then breastfeeding had taken most of the weight off but my lifestyle was sedentary. I did paleo to take off the last few pounds. Back to pre baby weight but not back to "not TTC" weight, which feels like a million years ago.

Second time around I remember around two or three months feeling frustrated because I had supply issues and didn't want to test myself by being too active. That was really hard. I actually went to Old Navy and just bought clothes for the "new" me. I took all sorts of pictures of myself because it was summer and I didn't want to lose a whole summer to body weight issues. That ended up being a really wonderful summer for our family and I'm glad I got out there in spite of being pretty heavy and limited by having had a baby. That fall, I did calorie trackers focusing mostly on low carb/low processed foods and lost all the weight. I signed up for a 5k just to challenge myself, but didn't do any particular weight loss plan. Just focused on my eating.

I feel like my set point is about 10 lbs above my "ideal" weight....so honestly even though I feel "back to normal," my normal is just different from what it used to be. I used to dream of 130, fight for 140. Now I dream of 140, and my body just seems to stay at 150 without much work on my part.

I'm almost 2 years postpartum and still struggling with us. We moved out to the burbs when LO #2 was 6 months old. Add stresses of husband losing his job (got a new one last August), commute, LO #2 feeding issues, tons of both kids sickness, and depression, losing weight has been impossible. I keep trying WW, but failing lately. I'm hoping that once I start therapy, my head will get on straight and could be motivated to lose the weight.

@cascademom: good luck with therapy! Hope it is helpful for you!

@looch: I feel like the buying clothes that fit me is the right way to go for me! I might be the same weight but the pounds moved around so buying clothes that fit this body makes me feel good instead feeling bad that I don't fit into jeans from 8 years ago!