If you’re looking for how to lose weight while breastfeeding you’ve come to the right place.
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.
Oh yea, and did I mention I ate dessert? EVERY NIGHT.
True story.
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.
Why Can’t I Lose Weight While Breastfeeding?
This is the question I asked myself, looking in the mirror sulking at 6 months postpartum after having my second baby.
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 didn’t watch what I ate. I didn’t exercise. I breastfed and the weight slowly melted away.
So imagine my surprise the second time around when this wasn’t the case at all.
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.
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.
How To Lose Weight While Breastfeeding
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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.
So in theory the baby weight should fall right off while breastfeeding. Sometimes it does, but unfortunately sometimes it doesn’t.
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.
Count Your Calories
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.
I track my calories in a notebook or you can use a calorie tracking app if that works better for you.
Measure Your Food
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.
Pumping
In addition to the calories burnt breastfeeding my baby, I also pumped milk to burn extra calories.
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.
I pumped once a day and usually got about 4 oz of breastmilk.
Drink Plenty Of Water
Nursing moms need to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and maintain their milk supply.
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.
I find it easier to remember to drink water when I keep a water bottle with me like this one.
Don’t Deprive Yourself
You may notice in my breastfeeding meal plan that I had dessert every night. I felt like this was key to my success.
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.
I feel like it was so much easier to lose the baby weight when I didn’t feel deprived.
But hey. Do what works for you.
Exercise
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.
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.
Breastfeeding Weight Loss Before & After
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.
Here is my progress so far! From 185 lbs to 165 lbs.
Breastfeeding Weight Loss Meal Plan
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.
The hardest part is having patience and knowing that by being dedicated and consistent everyday gets you closer to your goal.
Now below you can enter your email and I’ll give you access to my free breastfeeding weight loss meal plan.
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.
I’m sure there are healthier meal plans out there. Probably ones where you don’t get to eat dessert everyday.
But, I feel the reason this was so easy for me to do is because I didn’t deprive myself.
Life is all about balance. Good luck momma!
Let me know about your breastfeeding weight loss journey in the comments below!
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