Hi there, I'm fairly new to this site, I just started a new routine 7days ago. It's not really a diet, but more like really watching what I'm eating, staying away from fast foods, and being more aware of my calorie intake. I don't seem to have any problems still breastfeeding my 6 1/2 month baby, but I was wondering if anyone has ever done this before and what their experience was. My intake is 1500 calories per/day in order to achieve my weight loss goal by Oct 2008. Feel free to give any tips, Thanks!

Welcome to the site!

I could be mistaken, but I think I've read that you should add an extra 500 calories to your diet if you're breastfeeding.  Please check with your doctor, though, because I'm not certain that is correct.

I had a goal of 1300 calories/day after I had my son, but I wasn't able to breastfeed him.  Something to remember...if you exercise, 1500 might not be enough.  You may need to consume more calories on days you work out so that you don't have a huge deficit.  It's a general rule that women should consume at least 1200 calories a day, so if you eat 1500 and burn 500, you've netted 1000 calories, and that's not enough.  But you may already know all that. :)

Good luck!

Most of the things I've read (I can give links if you want, just google it) say breastfeeding moms trying to lose weight need at least 1800-2300 calories.  You should never go below 1800 because it will release the toxins stored in your body fat into your breast milk.  Plus, like with all dieting if you dont eat enough your metabolism will shut down to protect the baby.  Also, it can lead to having trouble keeping your milk supply sufficient.  I have been eating between 2000-2300 cals and have lost 28 pounds in 3 weeks so far.  Using the activity log on moderate and then logging my activites (can anyone say "infant care" for 8 hours a day?) gives me like 3500 cals burned! So you 've got plenty of wiggle room. 

I have been eating around 1500-1700 cal's a day since after Xmas. I have lost 12 lbs and my milk supply is still great. As long as you are eating at least 1500 cal's and not losing more than 2 lbs a week (any more than 2 a week and your body releases toxins from your fat and they go directly into your milk supply), you'll be fine. Good luck! I'd love to keep in touch, I have a 6 month old too!!! I am going to add you to my buddies!

Hi! I just joined this site about 7 days ago. I'm eating 1950 calories a day just to make sure my milk supply is not failing. From my experience, my baby (who is 8 months old) gets fussy and has trouble sleeping at night when I cut down my calories too much or cut out good fat.

 So, I've been trying to get "good" calories and "good" fat in my diet -- like pecans and walnuts. 

 

Good luck!

 

Robin 

Hi there Sorry I haven't gotten back to you all. The only thing I've heard about breastfeeding and dieting, is that you burn more calories, about 500, and that it helps you lose weight?? My baby will be 7mos on monday, he was fussy and having a hard time getting to sleep one night, but nothing not typical of him, and he is cutting teeth, so it's a little hard to tell. I would have to agree that you should eat enough calories to maintain milk supply, especially the "good calories"and it shouldn't matter. I think if I was to go from one extreme to another, maybe it would affect my milk supply?? For me eating 1500 a day is good and 1700 on a bad day, sometimes I get a little hungry on 1500, but I try to eat something with good calories, like fruit or veggies or just a low cal snack. I would like to know more about the "toxins" released from your fat if you don't eat enough calories while breastfeeding though???

Hi, Im new here to just started yesterday after doing some extensive research on why I haven't lost even one pound in the past four weeks. My baby girl is six weeks old now and I lost an initial 15 lbs within the first 2 weeks and then stopped. I have now increased my calorie intake to 2000-2300 and trying to eat healthy calories. I hope this works. Im current weighing in at 219 at 5'10 Im not obese but it seems necessary to loose at least forty pounds to be healthy for me and my baby.

   when i started in jan  i cut cals down alot to about 1500 and wasnt losin at all and after 2-3 weeks i decided to eat when hungry but not the bad cals- i havent really eatin ff pot chips or big macs and now have lost 11 pounds!

My lil boy is almost 3 months and a eater- dont like paci or bottle so im sure it is helpin-

But i say when nursing u should eat when hungry and just eat items w/ the less cals! I like my food and cant starve myself- but good luck w/ whatever your choice!

Breastfeeding is fantastic and i support all you out there!

I too am breastfeeding and havea 6 month old (on the 21st of Feb).  Sorry this is long but I could use the help.

I have a similar issue and different all the same.  I am 5 foot 4 inches and I weigh to much as is.  (I used to weigh 165, see some of the pics on my page, the thin me was me at one 165, now I weigh 215, I hate myself for this).  I was never a thin gal but I was fine with being a 10-12.  I was a bit more muscular, I used to dance ballet and modern and tap and so on and I worked out 7 days a week 2 hours a day for over a year and a half while in college.  But now that I have a baby and a stay at home mom, I feel obligated to take care of the house.  I do work out 3 times a week, some times more some times less but always for an hour to an hour and a half.  I precore for 45 minutes on a good day and 30 on a bad day (meaning daycare ends I have to leave, so my workouts are cut short).  I  then lift wieghts and do crunches and the such for a half an hour.  I do this at the Y so I can have daycare.  I want to get back into doing it 5-7 days a week?  And feeling great and sexy and more awake and I want that healthy feeling again.

 But eating is the  my issue.  I have never wanted sweets unitl I started breasfeeding.  I mean sure I had the occastional Ice cream but now I want it more often.  I cook most every day of the week and its usually chicken or some healthy beef recipes.  We have it with Rice or steemed vegies or pasta (whole wheat).  But I just cannot seem to get enough food some days.  Before baby and pregnany AND HUBBY, I did really well keeping my calories down and activites up.  

How do I  keep myself from getting over hungry and then over eating. I gained 40 with my girl but lost all of that in the first 3 weeks (so yes I was up to 255).  My goal was to be about 170 by her first birthday but I dont think that will happen.  Do I need a smaller goal.  I would like to now be out of the 200 by her birthday but that just does not seem like enough.  

    

 MADDOGKT321,

I also have such a sweet tooth - i choose those dove dark chocolates- they are only 30 cals a piece. But i sometimes - well most days have to have a couple. I dont feel bad about it- breastfeeding and being preg made me want nothin but sweet stuff- first it was watermelon then it was ice cream!

As a night snack i eat the kettle popcorn to also cure the sweet tooth! 

I  have to agree it is so hard to watch the cals though when makin dinner for my hubby and takin care of kids- i stick with never havin easy to grab foods except for fruits and those special k bars or some sort of protein snack bar that keeps me feeling good and both r also sweet. I love the peanut butter choc chip bars and to me its worth it! 

I have lost about 11 lbs since jan 2 so i must be doin ok- although i havent been excersizing at all :(. I figure come spring im goin to get out of the house w/ the kids and get movin!  

  I am sure you can reach at least if not more then 15 lbs in 6 months! I bet you could lose that in 3 if you watch portions and  avoid the processed foods and fast food joints!!

but good luck

Hey thanks shauna_182

I am doing ok on my workouts and hope to bump them up a bit, but yeah I think it is my portion size. 

Today I measured my breakfast and I guess I have been doubling my intake because I am so hungry from fasting all night.  But I ate the right portion and I was fine. 

???But is this how I am supposed to eat??? 

So today I had a fiber bar (140 cal) at 5:30 am when she was ready to eat, then at 10 am a bowl of Life cerial with a serving of Rasians with a cup of skim milk (340) and an 8oz of low sodiam V8 juice (50 cals), for lunch I had a lean cuisine (280 cals and 5g fat).  (total cals was 530 and about 10g fat)

I then burned about 500 cals during my workout (the machine said 530, I round down) (45 minutes of precore, this is all I could fit in today). 

For dinner I had an open face sandwhich, its a bun halved then a small protion of beef on and cheese like a hamberger but halved and nothing special.  My mother in law is a twig so she is skimpy on the beef (its her recipie).  I had basically a whole sandwich and a half with tomato soup.  I also had a small brownie.  I would guess 150-200 for the buns, beef I would guess 200 and cheese 100 and tomato soup 110 (total cals 610 total fat was probably 15-20)

I do plan on having a snack, maybe a slice of whole wheat bread with a half a serving of Peanut butter and some honey.  

If any one could give some great snack Ideas that would be helpful.  Let me know how you think today's food intake went.  If this is what I should be doing or if I need to up it or lessen it.

Thanks  

@ maddog

It looks like your milk/milk byproducts and veggies/fruit intake r too low.

try to have cheese or yogurt as a snack along with an orange or banana.  Thru out the day snack on peel and eat baby carrots.  Dont worry about the calories from these as very small.

Drink lots of water as well.   also omega3 fats help increase the hind milk fats.

Honestly do away with the lean cuisine dinners.  Try on the weekends to make a large dish that you can separate into small lunch servings to freeze.  Chili, split pea soup, lasagna all work well.  And by making them homemade you know exactly what goes into them.

Spuckine,

Thanks for the tips, yeah my veggies most days are better then yesterday.  But my fruit is terrible.  Great snack ideas, that is where I fall short.  I forget to snack and then I get so hungry I want to eat to much later.

Water I am good with I forgot to mention that, I drink 36-48+ oz a day.  

Other then fish where do you get Omega3.  Great advice.

Those Lean cuisines are there in a pinch, which was yesterday, I don't eat often but there there just in-case I need something fast.. you know when baby gets fussy or the day is so filled with things that I need a quick bit, its better then fast food, which after I met my hubby, became the main source of food (he still eats that a lot), which is why I ballooned to 215.

That is also a great idea to freeze stuff. Thanks for the advise. 

some eggs have omegas added.  Im in canada and we have eggs that are fortified b/c the chickens are fed a diet rich in it.  Some seeds and grains have omega3 fats.  Flax seeds are good for it as well.  Try to buy bread that has flax seeds in it

Original Post by maddogkt321:

Hey thanks shauna_182

I am doing ok on my workouts and hope to bump them up a bit, but yeah I think it is my portion size. 

Today I measured my breakfast and I guess I have been doubling my intake because I am so hungry from fasting all night.  But I ate the right portion and I was fine. 

???But is this how I am supposed to eat??? 

So today I had a fiber bar (140 cal) at 5:30 am when she was ready to eat, then at 10 am a bowl of Life cerial with a serving of Rasians with a cup of skim milk (340) and an 8oz of low sodiam V8 juice (50 cals), for lunch I had a lean cuisine (280 cals and 5g fat).  (total cals was 530 and about 10g fat)

I then burned about 500 cals during my workout (the machine said 530, I round down) (45 minutes of precore, this is all I could fit in today). 

For dinner I had an open face sandwhich, its a bun halved then a small protion of beef on and cheese like a hamberger but halved and nothing special.  My mother in law is a twig so she is skimpy on the beef (its her recipie).  I had basically a whole sandwich and a half with tomato soup.  I also had a small brownie.  I would guess 150-200 for the buns, beef I would guess 200 and cheese 100 and tomato soup 110 (total cals 610 total fat was probably 15-20)

I do plan on having a snack, maybe a slice of whole wheat bread with a half a serving of Peanut butter and some honey.  

If any one could give some great snack Ideas that would be helpful.  Let me know how you think today's food intake went.  If this is what I should be doing or if I need to up it or lessen it.

Thanks  

   what r u tryin to average as your cal intake? b/c this day seemed around 15-1600 cals alonf w/ a burn of 500 which only puts u at like 1000 cals which i dont know is really enough to keep your body satisfied. i think u should make sure u eat when hungry but low cal foods of couse- your weightloss may be slow b/c u have cut back on cals and upped the exercise.

   also have you tried a V8 splash w/ fruit and veg? they r good and some come light and r only 10 cals per serv- u could chk them out.

   personally i would up the eating especially if you feeling to deprived- (i eat around 2000- honestly)

  hope this helps

Shauna

Thanks, I think I what  I have figured out through the help of you and others is I need to portion control my eating.  Eat more but less at a time.  And up my fruit.  I do eat banana's occasionally and rasians most everyday, but fruit is not my thing in the winter, I love V8 Juice so I should try the splashes. Thanks for the suggestion.

I just feel like eating more wont help.  I have been eating more but not losing anything.  So I think I will cut it back to about 1700 give or take a hundred.  

So if I burn 500 I need to eat 1700 PLUS the additional 500 that I burn to stay at the 1700, is this correct?

Thanks every one who is helping me out with this. 

 

I'm also a b/fdg mom. (2nd baby...5 months old)

Easy ways to add omega-3's (other than fish):

Hodgson Mill makes whole wheat pastas that are fortified with partially milled flax seed and pack in 600mg omega 3's per 2oz serving of pasta.

Some of the Yo-Baby's are fortified with DHA and ARA.

Eggland's Best eggs. (1 large eggs has 100mg omega 3's, 50 mg DHA, 2 mg EPA, and 700 mg omega 6s)

Emfamil now makes a DHA supplement called Expecta. I think they are 200mg of DHA.

When I first joined the site I wasn't losing weight b/c I wasn't getting ENOUGH calories (only about 1200/day!!). I am eating about 2000 calories per day now (like Shauna), yet lo and behold, NOW I am losing weight.

Looking at your diet, you might try substituting old fashioned (whole grain) oatmeal for the Life cereal. I make mine with skim milk to get extra calcium and nutrients from good low-fat source. I feel full SO MUCH longer now that I eat oatmeal for breakfast. I've also started stirring in a T of wheat bran.

Also, we're heading into a much better season for fresh fruit. Yay!