How Do I Lose Weight While Breastfeeding

In today’s post you’ll find, not only tips for losing weight while breastfeeding, but how nursing mothers can lose weight without affecting milk supply.

As well as what to eat to lose weight while breastfeeding because for the past seven weeks I wrote down everything I ate to lose 20 lbs while breastfeeding without exercising.

Before I share with you my breastfeeding weight loss tips and breastfeeding meal plan to lose weight I want to share a little bit about my journey.

Breastfeeding Diet For Mums: How To Lose Weight

You see, after my first baby I lost every pound I gained during pregnancy (60 lbs) by the time she was 9 months old.

I was 205 lbs when I went in to get induced for Hailee. After a month I had lost 20 lbs which is the weight of the baby, the placenta, extra fluid, etc. Not actual body fat loss.

Then there I sat, month after month at 185 lbs. I had been exclusively breastfeeding but the scale wouldn’t budge so I realized I was going to have to put some effort in this time to lose the baby weight.

Lose Weight While Breastfeeding Meal Plan (it Will Keep Your Milk!)

I used these tips below to lose 20 lbs in 7 weeks without exercising and you can too! I wrote down everything I ate so stick around to the end to get my free breastfeeding meal plan for weight loss.

On average, while breastfeeding you burn an extra 500 calories a day. That’s equivalent to how many calories you’d burn going for a 45 minute run.

If you’re finding yourself in the doesn’t category like I was then use these tips below. And don’t forget to snag my free breastfeeding meal plan for weight loss at the end of this post.

Not Losing Weight While Breastfeeding? Try These 5 Tips!

Losing weight is simply taking in less calories than you burn in a day. 100% of the credit for my weight loss while breastfeeding goes to writing down what I ate and counting my calories everyday.

Breastfeeding moms burn a total of about 2200 calories a day. It’s recommended they consume at least 1800 to maintain their milk supply.

I kept my calorie intake between 1800-1900 and I lost 20lbs in 7 weeks while breastfeeding and maintained a healthy milk supply. This is because I was eating less calories than my body burnt everyday.

How To Lose Weight While Breastfeeding (without Losing Your Milk Supply)

I use measuring cups like these daily to measure out my servings. You may even want a second set so you’re not constantly washing them. Moms hardly have time for that.

I don’t recommend estimating your servings because minor errors throughout the day can easily put you in a calorie surplus. Especially with high calorie foods like butter, nuts, and hummus etc.

Not only did this help me with weight loss but it was nice to build a freezer stash of breastmilk my husband could feed her whenever I had a doctors appointment, wanted to run errands alone, or just have a break.

Reasons You're Constantly Hungry And Gaining Weight While Breastfeed

Plus a lot of the time your body is trying to tell you that you’re thirsty but you interpret that feeling as hunger. To lose weight while breastfeeding I always try to drink a small glass of water before eating to prevent myself from over eating.

Water has 0 calories so you can drink as much as you want. Try to avoid soda and sugary drinks that can use up your daily calories fast and leave you feeling hungry.

You may notice in my breastfeeding meal plan that I had dessert every night. I felt like this was key to my success.

How To Lose Weight While Breastfeeding

So many women try to lose weight while breastfeeding by eating 100% healthy 24/7 but they get burnt out and quit because they feel so deprived of the foods they love.

I took the 80/20 approach. Eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables most of the time and allowing myself some dessert after dinner as long as I stayed under 1900 calories for the day.

Between taking care of two kids, work, and being overweight, I just didn’t have it in me to exercise. Which is fine because I did lose 20 lbs while breastfeeding without exercising and you can too.

Why You're Not Losing Weight While Breastfeeding

But exercise is so good for you and will help you lose weight, so I had to include it in this list of breastfeeding weight loss tips.

I plan on continuing my weight loss journey counting calories and adding in some exercise from now on. So stay tuned for part two of this post coming soon.

I lost 20 lbs while breastfeeding without exercise in 7 weeks. I plan on using these tips above to lose another 20 lbs while breastfeeding with exercise so stay tuned for part two of this post coming soon.

How Can I Lose Weight While Breastfeeding

There you have it ladies. That is how I lost the baby weight so far. When it comes down to it, it’s very simple. Calories in need to be less than calories out.

Please note that I am not a nutritionist or dietician. This is just what I ate everyday for 7 weeks and lost 20 lbs while breastfeeding without affecting my milk supply.

Hi! I’m Sierrah. Welcome to Another Mommy Blogger. Subscribe now and follow me on Facebook and Pinterest to get all my mommy tips for making life easier on this journey called motherhood.

Should I Follow A Weight Loss Diet While Breastfeeding?

Hi! I’m Sierrah. Welcome to Another Mommy Blogger. Subscribe now and follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for all my mommy tips to make life easier on this journey called motherhood.Coming from a dietitian and breastfeeding mama of two, I’m giving you 5 Tips for losing weight while breastfeeding – without affecting your milk supply!

If you are currently breastfeeding a baby, I’m sure you’ve heard about all the great benefits of it. Beyond the close bond between moms and babies, mothers who breastfeed often recover from childbirth more quickly and easily,  have reduced rates of breast and ovarian cancer later in life, and some studies have also found that breastfeeding may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

As an added bonus, breastfeeding burns more calories – about 500 above a woman’s normal daily metabolic rate. This last reason is why most women hear that breastfeeding helps you return to your pre-pregnancy weight much faster than those who do not breastfeed.

Breastfeeding And Weight Loss Information

Does this mean you have a free ticket to eat whatever you want, then? Not necessarily. I often joke with my family that since I am breastfeeding it means I get to have an extra cookie.  But in reality, this

What it means.  Even though the quantity of calories burned per day may increase, the quality of the diet must also be good in order to successfully lose weight safely. Meaning, those 500 extra calories can’t come from Oreos every day.

So how do we lose weight while continuing to have a successful breastfeeding journey? I am working on this right now myself.  My baby boy is now 7 months old and I am still trying to get those last couple pounds off (not to mention the mommy tummy) and have been for a while.  I struggled with milk supply issues with my first baby and didn’t want that to happen again with baby #2 – so far, so good.   I know losing weight isn’t easy – it is hard – but it IS possible!  We CAN do it – and without compromising our milk supplies!

Questions About Weight Loss While Breastfeeding

#1: Don’t be in a hurry.  It took you 9 months to gain the weight and it can just as long, if not a little longer, to lose it all.  You do not want to jeopardize your milk supply by going on a fad or crash diet. These diets often highly restrict calories and do not provide enough nutrients your body needs on a daily basis. Losing weight too quickly, especially if you are restricting calories and/or omitting important vitamins and minerals from your diet may cause a decrease in milk supply.

A safe weight loss is about 1-2 pounds per week.  Some weeks you might lose 1 pound, others you might gain 1 and some you might stay the same.  Over the past few months my average weight loss has been a mere 1/2 pound per week.  The main goal is slow and steady weight loss over time.  Don’t get down on yourself if you aren’t losing weight as fast as you’d like. And whatever you do, DO NOT compare yourself or your body to others – especially celebrities – because your body is unique and bouncing back within a month or so is not realistic for the majority of new moms.

#2: Get enough calories. Breastfeeding makes you hungry! Don’t go against your body and starve yourself. As I mentioned earlier, breastfeeding women (single births) require about 400-500 extra calories per day for milk production (compare this to the 300 extra calories/day required during pregnancy).  Making sure you take in enough calories can actually help you lose weight at a safe rate, whereas decreasing calories too much might have an effect on your milk supply.

How To Lose Weight While Breastfeeding: Tips And More

Instead of decreasing calories, fill your diet with quality, healthful foods. Think whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean protein and dairy. Following MyPlate can help you in getting healthy foods in the right amounts. Studies have shown that