Hi everyone! My name is Pam (almost 33), and I'm married to Michael (35) since May 19th, 2001. We aren't ttc yet, but we're hoping to start come August/September.

I'm currently trying to lose some weight before trying to get pregnant. So far I've lost a whopping 5lbs, but would like to lose at least a hundred. I had a serious and rapid weight gain last year, for no apparent reason, and was absolutely terrified. I finally got up the courage to go and see my doctor about it, almost positive I had a thyroid problem. After talking to my doctor, she was pretty sure that's what it was too, but after testing me for that and a myriad of other problems, I came back with a clean bill of health. So after my initial disappointment at there being no explanation for my gain, I decided to stop stalling and do something about it. So I joined a gym at the end of March and signed up for a personal trainer. It's been hard work, but I'm feeling really good about it. I'm really proud of my progress so far, but I know at this rate, I will maybe have lost 20-25lbs total. I had wanted to be back to my original weight of around 210 (had never been heavier than that in my life), before ttc, but I don't want to put off ttc any longer either.

So, after that long winded background, my question is this: would any of you mind sharing your weight prior to pregnancy? I hope I'm not asking too personal a question. I've just heard so many stories of weight being an issue either with getting pregnant, staying pregnant, or experiencing complications. I know there's a lot of negative stuff out there about being overweight, and I generally don't pay any attention to it. But in this instance, I'm just wanting to do what's best for me and my pregnancy. Thanks in advance for anything you can share. I really appreciate it.

Hey piggy,

I've never been pregnant, I am willing to share. My name is Ronda (22) and I'm engaged to my fiancee Jeff (22). When I met him my dad had passed away a couple months before I was probably around 160ish, because of stress I just wasn't eating. After I met my fiancee, who is Itailan, and just loves food (who doesn't). I fell in love, got comfy and put about 20 pounds on. We always said we were going to eat better and would...for about a week LOL. But about a week ago I started doing Healthy Performance (which are like supplements) and we joined a gym. So far I've lost about 5 pounds, but would LOVE to get down to 135lbs. (I'm only 5'1")!

Reading through the boards I have seen doctor suggesting to ladies that they take a bit off, but I honestly don't think that would prevent them from conceiving. I just think they know if you weigh xxx amount now and are probably going to gain xxx amount with the baby you may end up at xxx, which is well above what you should weigh. I guess in some cases it could weight could contribute to some complications muscle strain, preclamsia, gestational diabetes, but I know people who were rail that also had issues like that I have also read that you should be around your ideal weight when you conceieve, but if that's the case I don't think so much of the population would be preggo LOL (just my opinion though!)

Would I like to get to my goal weight before I'm preggo? Sure, but if I don't it's not going to stop me from trying.

I decided if I do get preggo. I am going to make sure that I am still able to walk on the treadmill and stuff like that so maybe the weight will come off a little faster after the baby (or at least I'll have really good legs!)

okay this is my THIRD time trying to reply to this post...UGH...I get so frustrated with computers...
what i said was...
I have been pregnant but m/c and i weighed what i do now, however the doctor/midwife assured me it had nothing to do with my weight (however they may have just wanted to make me feel better)...
And I think it's important to keep in mind that a sudden rapid drop in weight could affect your cycle and therefore make TTC harder....I've always heard that a steady slow weight loss is the best to be able to keep it off and it's the best for your body...
it sounds like you are doing the right thing by joining the gym and hopefully you will be converting some of your fat into muscle...if so, you might not see a huge change on the scale but you should see a change in your body measurements (inches) did they measure you at your gym??

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Sarah
11/17/03
9/8/05
Faith Elizabeth 7/16/06

Hi girls!

Thanks for answering my posts and for sharing your situations. It really helps to have other people out there going through the same thing as you are. I don't have any friends who are overweight like I am, so I don't really have anyone I can talk to about it, who really understands.

rondadee: My plan is similar to yours. I know I won't be at my original weight for a while, let alone smaller, which is my long term goal. So I'm hoping to get a good start in these next few months, and be able to continue what I'm doing with the gym once I get pregnant. The gym I go to tailors programs for pregnant women, and has daycare, so it will be perfect for before and after I'm pregnant. So I'm hopeful that I'll get a good start, and maintain that through my pregnancy, until I can go back to the program I'm doing now.

BABYHOPEFUL: I'm not too worried about incurring a rapid weight loss. I'm not dieting, per se; just eating healthier, watching portions and getting more exercise. I haven't cut out anything.

Right now I'm doing two sessions a week with my trainer, and three to five days of cardio. My husband and I started eating healthier in November, and although I was never a really big eater, or junk food fiend, my habits have improved dramatically. I probably lost a bit of weight before starting at the gym, but didn't weigh myself. I do it all during the week, and we take weekends off. On weekends, we also relax on the food rules a bit too. We still eat healthy, but we'll indulge on something a little bit. When I talked to my trainer about this, she said it's exactly what they advise.

As for the 5lb loss, my trainer figures it's more than that, for the exact reason you mentioned. She said that in the first month I probably gained a bit of weight in muscle, so my weight loss as far as fat, probably is more than 5lbs. And as I said, we started eating better back in November, and I didn't join the gym until the end of March, so I probably lost a bit prior to working out. To answer your question, yes, my trainer took my measurements, calculated my body fat (which is just downright depressing), and of course weighed me. I'm waiting a little bit longer to see how many inches I've dropped. I'm sure there will be some, because I can see a difference appearance wise and in the fit of my clothes. I just want to wait so that there will be a greater amount of inches lost and I'll be really happy with myself, if that makes any sense.

Oh, I should have added, I'm not ttc yet, but I'd be willing to be a weight loss buddy with you guys, if the ttc thing doesn't matter to you guys.

I've been pregnant once and weighed 185 before (though my all time high was 229 a few years ago)...the day before I had Brad I was up to 224. Six weeks after Brad was born, I weighed 176. The doctors were so concerned about the weight loss. I think it was because I gained so much water weight during the pregnancy that I lost so quickly, plus I was nursing, plus I was so busy I wasn't eating very much.

Six months later, I'm back up to 198!!! We're TTC#2 now and I know I need to lose weight. 175 is my short term goal, and a long term goal is 135 (though I haven't been that low since around the sixth grade!).

I'd love a weight loss buddy, if you're up for it.

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Nicole (25)

Wife to Doug (36) since 11/22/03
Mother to Bradford Douglas, born 10/28/04

Co-host of TTC- Baby Number 2 and TTC- PCOS
Host of Life After the Wedding: Finances

I weighed 244 at my gyn appointment when I asked him how much he thought I should lose to get pg. I told him 140 wasn't possible - I wanted a reasonable number. He told me try to get down to 200. That was July 17th 2003 - I weighed about 210 or so (I can't totally remember) when I got pg in November. I lost some wieght initially (I didn't have m/s so I don't know why) and went down to about 200 or so. I weighed 266 the day I delivered my ds by c-section. I lost 25 pounds almost immediately but then gained it back plus 3 pounds for total of 269 when I started dieting this time. I have been actively dieting again since last Monday and so far I have lost 9 pounds (I lost 3 before that). I did a low carb diet last time I was TTC so I am not really too worried about rapid weight loss. For me it is only rapid like the first wekk anyway - I lose about 2 - 3 pounds a week doing low carb. I also have kicked up my exercising. I exercise at least an hour a day most days (I do Curves 6 days a week and I walk for at least 1/2 hour when weather permits. I guess I am proof that BBW can get pg and have an uncomplicated pg and a healthy baby. I go to an RE (I am 39 and DH has a hormone imbalance) and he isn't really too concerned about my weight. Fertility really declines at >300 (or maybe it is 350, I can't remember). Fertility is about the same, maybe just slightly less for BBW at weights less than that. I am not saying you shouldn't try to lose - I think that is very wise and may make it easier to conceive but I am also saying that if you don't feel like losing weight is something you can do but still want to ttc, then go for it. IMHO. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!

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Elizabeth (42) DH (43)

I LOVE MY AUNT PAMMY!!


11/03 Lost Twin
TTC #2 Since 11/04
8/05 - Repronex 150 and btb IUIs
Positive HPT 8/22
9/23/05 - M/C
2/05 - Repronex 225/150 alternating and btb IUIs !!


It's a GIRL!! Born 10/19/06

Elizabeth,

You gotta loves those doctor's I liked how you asked them to come up with a "reasonable" number (they always seem to want to tell you "yeah 106 is about good, eat 500 calories day yada yada yada").

It's good to hear a woman's "volupticity" (is that even a word?) has nothing to do with their ability to conceive and have a happy healthy 9 months!


Ronda