Breastfeeding and always hungry

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I just added up all the calories I ate yesterday (an average day for me lately) and I am embarrassed to say it came out at 4000. OK I think it's safe to say I now know why I am not losing weight. Unbelievable. I need to make some changes.

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I eat breakfast and then I am ravenous 2 hours later. I am way hungrier than when I was pregnant.

I want to lose 30 pounds and I don't seem to be one of those fortunate women who loses weight by breastfeeding (scale hasn't moved at all in 4 weeks and I'm overweight now). I guess I could eat better but what can I say? My diet is not horrible but it's not perfect either and I am just so hungry I want to eat instead of sitting there feeling starved so I can lose weight!

Just ranting a little. I want my pre-preg body back and I want to wear non-maternity pants.

It doesn't look like your babe is very old yet. 

My weight loss always plateaus fairly soon after a new baby arrives.  I breasfeed exclusively.  At around six months, when babe starts getting active, my weight loss finally kicks in.  Dieting and breastfeeding is a major recipe for serious hunger pains!  For me anyway.  I want to be happy, feel good, have plenty of milk for baby, and enjoy my time with a little one.  Dieting just isn't my favorite thing to do!

My youngest is now eight monthsold, and even though he eats "solids" now, he still nurses alot.  I can eat anything, and I do, and the scale hasn't moved up at all.  That is great news for me, as there is Holiday food everywhere! 

So maybe as your son gets a bit older you'll notice more of a weight loss with the breastfeeding. 

What did those 4,000 calories come from? If it's fruits, veggies, lean protein and fiber, it's not that bad. If you ate a few Big Macs and a gallon of ice cream then you may reevaluate your eating habits.

I'm hungry all the time as well and I eat high-protein, high-fiber food every 2 hours. If I let myself, I'd eat 2,500 calories a day. You may want to have a chat with your doctor, though, because 4,000 calories is almost triple what you should be eating (unless you're really active). If you're eating when you're hungry and not when you're craving things, there may be some underlying issues. Then again, maybe not. If baby is going through a growth spurt, your body will be producing more milk which in turn will burn more calories. If you're not gaining weight, then your body is using those calories you're consuming.

I've decided not to restrict my calories but to start working out regularly to see if that will kick-start my weight loss (I've only lost 3 pounds in 5 weeks).

You will lose the weight! It may take some time but it will come off! Remember: you didn't gain all the weight in 2 months...it shouldn't all come off that quickly.

Original Post by bier:

What did those 4,000 calories come from? If it's fruits, veggies, lean protein and fiber, it's not that bad. If you ate a few Big Macs and a gallon of ice cream then you may reevaluate your eating habits.

About the big macs...

I ate a cheeseburger, fries and shake yesterday, and a row of Oreos the day before (do you see where this is going? It's a daily thing) so yes, I'd say you can safely say I need to eat healthier.

That said, I am really hungry all the time. I do eat beans and whole grains etc. also...I know what I should be eating but yes, I have a cravings issue. I will talk to my doc next time I see him and let him know what's going on though. At 4000 cals a day I'm surprised I'm only slightly overweight.

Then again my baby is quite big for his age, very hungry and I suspect I make a bit too much milk on top of that since I can't ever seem to stop my boobs from being engorged.

After all is said and done I think eating less Oreos and milkshakes won't hurt

Haha! Well, if it makes you feel any better, I do eat cookies or candy every night. Especially now that there's a ton of it in the house thanks to Santa's stockings! I seriously cannot stop myself...my self-control is nonexistent when it comes to sweets.

After my first child was born, I had some thyroid issues that eventually corrected themselves. I ate all the time and didn't gain any weight but I also didn't lose any. I think my daughter was about 3 months old when my thyroid tests started coming back normal.