HELP! HELP! HELP!

3Sprouts

I am stuck......I am not sure what's going on or what needs to be changed.

Background: I gave birth 5 months ago (to my 3rd baby) and since then have lost 47lbs. I have 43lbs to go. I am breastfeeding exclusively still. I am eating about 1400 calories per day and am exercising atleast 30 min per day alternating btwn cardio and cardio & weight training.

The scale has stopped and it's really frustrating me.

How many additional calories should I be consuming while breastfeeding? the 1410 calories is what the MFP program has alloted me. Perhaps I am not eating enough? Or eating too much?

Help, help, help!!! I need to get things going again, badly!!!

butterfly25

up your workout time...i was stuck at 148 could not get it off...up my workout time and now i'm down to 135-140 and thats because i like to eat on the weekends and i'm trying to stop that..but hope that helps:bigsmile:

kristinlough

I think I've read 1700 calories bare minimum for breastfeeding. I know if you search, there are a bunch of threads and groups and stuff.

But I can't imagine that you're eating enough to feed yourself AND a little baby! Good luck

scotty_81

It may be that you're not eating enough calories. This article says breastfeeding uses up to 500 a day!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/life_infant.shtml

chubloss

Hi 3Sprouts

You should be getting an additional 500 calories per day while breastfeeding. Since you are breastfeeding it is very important to get all of the food groups in, including some healthy fats into your diet. Weight loss should be no more than 1-1.5 lbs per week. If you are losing more than this, there is a good chance that you are not getting enough nutrients/calories for your baby.

Make sure that you are following serving sizes. For example a plate of pasta can actually hold 6-8 servings on it (yikes!). A serving for what your body needs is 1/2 cup cooked. If you continue to exercise and follow the servings sizes on Canada's food guide you should lose weight at a slow and healthy rate. Remember-while breastfeeding, slow and healthy is important.

You can get a copy of Canada's Food Guide online. There are specific guidelines for pregnant and breastfeeding women on it.

Later on when your child is only breastfeeding on occasion and has transitioned to a wide variety of solid foods, then you can aim to lose more weight by exercising more or cutting back on calories.

Another thing to consider is that you are just retaining water. Be sure to cut back on salt, salty and processed foods, canned foods and increase your water intake.

I hope some of this helps

shellgib

I eat around that many calories and I'm not breastfeeding! :laugh: seriously though I think you should increase your daily allowance by AT LEAST 400-500 from what's recommended if you weren't BFing and make sure you eat back your exercise calories as well. Your body NEEDS those extra calories just to MAKE the milk for your baby. It's a need by your body to metabolize the milk making process! In addition to not losing, you may see a decrease in milk supply :grumble: if you continue not consuming enough calories.

And just on the subject of plateaus in general...when i stopped losing for a couple weeks I increased my net cals from 1200 to 1400 and was surprised at how easily the scale started moving again! :noway: I'm kinda going between those amounts sporadically now and still seeing lower numbers each week! and i eat my exercise calories back as well, hey if i can eat more, i'm gonna do it, lol! :happy:

And a big CONGRATULATIONS on giving your baby the best nutrition and best start to a healthy life!!!! :flowerforyou: and on your weight loss so far as well!! it took me 9 months to lose 40lbs while i was BFing!!

pojo30

When breastfeeding you need 1800-2200 calories a day to keep your supply. I've read other post and a lot of moms say the MFP doesn't calulate enough calories for breastfeeding. I know when I was nursing, I couldn't get past the 149 mark and when I stopped it seemed to fall off over night. Maybe you have hit your minimum to keep your supply.

Duganhorse

Breastfeeding uses 300 to 500 calories a day. And you need to make sure you are eating your exercise capories. My guess is your body is holding on to every calorie because your not eating enough. I don't know how your doing it. I was starving when I breastfeeding. That takes some serious willpower!

3Sprouts

Breastfeeding uses 300 to 500 calories a day. And you need to make sure you are eating your exercise capories. My guess is your body is holding on to every calorie because your not eating enough. I don't know how your doing it. I was starving when I breastfeeding. That takes some serious willpower!

I am definately hungry some days, but I drink alot of water and eating small low cal snacks throughout the day. I also eat alot of veggies and lean proteins.

I will definately add in more calories. I just redid my goals and it's set me at 1200 calories, so I am going to add an additional 500 calories and see where that gets me for now. Thanks for all the advice!

NCisME

I would switch up your workout (for example, if I do one class for a long time, my body gets used to it so I start doing another workout class instead) to break through a plateu

3Sprouts

Yes, I am going to try that as well. I have a few workout DVDs I am going to try out this week. The increased calories seem to be working and the scale is FINALLY moving again!