Calories, breastfeeding and not losing weight

Mitzimum

Hi everyone,

So I'm at a loss here. I've been on calorie deficit for a few weeks, I've been exercising (as much as possible) and having 'healthy mummy smoothies' for two meals a day (mostly to make sure I don't skip meals and also have something with protein and nutrients). I'm not losing any weight. I'm still breastfeeding my six month old as well and I'm getting so disheartened. I had hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy and my body went into starvation mode and stored everything I actually managed to eat which caused me to gain a fair bit of weight. As a result I need to drop kg's and am finding it so depressing not losing a single gram! Before pregnancy I was fit and healthy and I hate being stuck in this body. Please help!

TavistockToad

Mitzimum wrote: »

Hi everyone,

So I'm at a loss here. I've been on calorie deficit for a few weeks, I've been exercising (as much as possible) and having 'healthy mummy smoothies' for two meals a day (mostly to make sure I don't skip meals and also have something with protein and nutrients). I'm not losing any weight. I'm still breastfeeding my six month old as well and I'm getting so disheartened. I had hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy and my body went into starvation mode and stored everything I actually managed to eat which caused me to gain a fair bit of weight. As a result I need to drop kg's and am finding it so depressing not losing a single gram! Before pregnancy I was fit and healthy and I hate being stuck in this body. Please help!

What are your stats? do you weigh everything you eat with scales?

Breastfeeding doesnt always help people to lose weight, it depends on the individual.

TimothyFish

What often happens with people who exercise (and breastfeed), is that because they know they are using more calories, they permit themselves to eat more. They may not even realize they are doing it, but the end result is that they don't lose weight.

Also, starvation mode doesn't mean that your body stores everything you eat. Actually, if we could train our bodies to store food more efficiently, that would be a good thing (as long as we also reduced what we ate). Starvation mode is when your body begins shutting down less important functions in order to provide for the energy requirements of the high priority functions.

malibutigger

Are you eating enough? I would set yourself up on maintenance calories in the region of 2000 a day and then don't make any changes for breastfeeding or exercise (unless you have a really big gym session in which case eat a few more veggies.
I would avoid smoothies tbh, they concentrate the sugar. carry water with you and healthier snacks if you are finding it hard to eat regular meals. cereal bars etc

Phrick

TavistockToad wrote: »

What are your stats? do you weigh everything you eat with scales?

Breastfeeding doesnt always help people to lose weight, it depends on the individual.

I'd like to reiterate the bolded above. I didn't lose till I stopped breastfeeding my kids. Was I uncomfortable with my body the whole time? Yes. But was breastfeeding totally, unconditionally worth it? For me, YES. It was a combined total of two and a half years of my life spent giving my children a gift no one else could give, to me that was more than worth the trade off.

Mitzimum

I'm eating 1600 a day and never eat back my exercise or breastfeeding calories. I weigh everything and add my recipes into mfp so that I get exact calorie value for dinners and snacks. I was wondering if I should up my calories too but am scared it will make me gain. I understand that breastfeeding might not be helping and it hasn't been easy for me to keep breastfeeding due to various issues but we are doing so well now I won't be stopping. I know some people don't like shakes. That's fine I never have either but these are high nutrient shakes specifically designed for breastfeeding mums. I would rather have a shake than a muesli bar

GaleHawkins

I would read what Phrick posted from her experience. If you have to look at how you look vs. what is best for your child this could be a non diet issue you are talking about.

kwjager

Some people don't lose weight while breastfeeding. Once the baby is weaned, then the weight comes off.

I nursed twins for 22 months. I did *not* lose a ton of weight during that time.

suzynam

Same as kwjager ! I didn't lose any weight till my twins were about 2. It's really hard to lose weight while nursing, for some women. I hated being fat but wouldn't change a thing. Wish I had something more constructive to add.

Sued0nim

Phrick wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

What are your stats? do you weigh everything you eat with scales?

Breastfeeding doesnt always help people to lose weight, it depends on the individual.

I'd like to reiterate the bolded above. I didn't lose till I stopped breastfeeding my kids. Was I uncomfortable with my body the whole time? Yes. But was breastfeeding totally, unconditionally worth it? For me, YES. It was a combined total of two and a half years of my life spent giving my children a gift no one else could give, to me that was more than worth the trade off.

+1

although the weight fell off with my first but not with my second so it changes child to child

pink_mint

I have been breastfeeding for 8 months now my 3rd child. I absolutely could not eat only 1600 calories a day. That is extremely low. I guess all our bodies are different because I would lose my supply at that range.

As far as weight loss, I'm in the same boat as far as not losing weight. With both my previous breastfeeding experiences I was successful at weight loss ONLY and NOT UNTIL breastfeeding came to a stop. It makes sense to me that prolactin, the breastfeeding hormone, has a strong effect on us. Strangely, some women cannot keep weight on while breastfeeding and gorging on carbs, then there are others who are very careful about what they eat and their body is just like "nope" until breastfeeding is over. It's very hard for me, I feel totally uncomfortable with my appearance. But the hunger that I experience during breastfeeding is something I am powerless against. And I've got enough stress with motherhood, I refuse to starve myself just to end up losing my milk anyway. For me it's about what Phrick said. At this point anyway, I know my body is just doing what it has to and there's not a whole lot I can do until breastfeeding ends.

blobby10

I breastfed all my 3 children and do not feel that I lost weight any more quickly as a result. With my first I lost weight as I took him for a 3 mile walk every day just to get him off to sleep and the weight dropped off. Took longer with the second and although I lost it after my 3rd was a year old, its crept back on ;-) (shes now 14!) x

The only restriction I had with breastfeeding was to be aware that whatever I ate, baby ate! My eldest had colic only once and that was after I ate a Chinese takeaway for tea. My youngest had a horrendous rash around 8 weeks - just as I was delving into the first crops of strawberries!

lorib642

Measure yourself, too. You may be losing inches. If you are starting exercise you may be holding water.

acorsaut89

Mitzimum wrote: »

I'm eating 1600 a day and never eat back my exercise or breastfeeding calories. I weigh everything and add my recipes into mfp so that I get exact calorie value for dinners and snacks. I was wondering if I should up my calories too but am scared it will make me gain. I understand that breastfeeding might not be helping and it hasn't been easy for me to keep breastfeeding due to various issues but we are doing so well now I won't be stopping. I know some people don't like shakes. That's fine I never have either but these are high nutrient shakes specifically designed for breastfeeding mums. I would rather have a shake than a muesli bar

Ok so for the bold points - if you're not losing on 1,600 then what makes you think you should increase your intake? There may be something stopping you from burning as many calories but in the end it comes down to something really simple: calories in < calories out

Regarding shakes - have you researched what happens to food when it's put into a smoothie/shake? When you break down food like that, you're breaking down the nutrients in it and it almost becomes like sugar for your body to process. It's not that people don't like them (well maybe some don't) it's that they seem convenient for busy people but in reality you're introducing more sugar-like foods into your body and it's harder for your body to digest it than if it was in its natural form. I'm not saying they are pure sugar, but your body really only knows the chemical make up things and how to digest that; it's not going to think oh I know this was once a strawberry so digest it like it's a strawberry now.

Binky_Muffin

Mitzimum wrote: »

I'm eating 1600 a day and never eat back my exercise or breastfeeding calories. I weigh everything and add my recipes into mfp so that I get exact calorie value for dinners and snacks. I was wondering if I should up my calories too but am scared it will make me gain. I understand that breastfeeding might not be helping and it hasn't been easy for me to keep breastfeeding due to various issues but we are doing so well now I won't be stopping. I know some people don't like shakes. That's fine I never have either but these are high nutrient shakes specifically designed for breastfeeding mums. I would rather have a shake than a muesli bar

It's strange that you are not losing weight if you're only eating 1600 calories/day and exercising + nursing on top of that. Maybe it's a hormone thing because you are still nursing (?)... I've read that there are many women who do not magically lose weight while breastfeeding.

I also agree with the person who said you should measure yourself. Maybe start lifting weights...?

It's great that you've been nursing for 6 months!!! I'm due in January and I'll be happy if I make it to 3 months. Remember, you can always lose the weight when your baby is weaned.

GaleHawkins

lorib642 wrote: »

Measure yourself, too. You may be losing inches. If you are starting exercise you may be holding water.

I agree. I was reading the other day mothers to be will store deposits on the hips that are used in the production of milk even if the mother is eating plenty of fat daily.

AOdell79

kwjager wrote: »

Some people don't lose weight while breastfeeding. Once the baby is weaned, then the weight comes off.

Yup.

pititeal

when you say you are eating 1600 call/day and not eating back your exercices, does that mean you can end up around 1000/1200 a day net ? that's too low, I would suggest try to eat a bit more, try to change a bit what you eat just to "break" the routine and see how you go.
Also as it has been said some women won't lose anything while breastfeeding, mostly due to hormones playing up.

Mitzimum

Thank you everyone for your replies. I know a lot of people believe in calories in calories out but that is only one aspect of weight loss, as others have said perhaps its a hormonal thing or maybe I need to eat a little more. I'm going to up my calories to 2000 to make sure I keep up a good milk supply. Of course breastfeeding is more important to me than losing weight we have had a rough breastfeeding journey as it is. Thanks binky that was a lovely reply! I'm sure you will get to 3 months no problem, wishing you all the best with it all!

SaskyB

Hiya Mitzimum. Congrats on your new little person and for feeding so successfully. I am planning to follow your footsteps . I have a 7 day old (number 4) asleep on me now.
I had the privilege of speaking to a lactation consultant and dietician about this for you (I'm a midwife so called in colleague benefits). The figures they agreed on where between 1800-2500 + your exercise calories or lots of people eat at least half their exercise cals. The lower end they expected post c-section, more sedentary, or lightly active women to need. This calorie range is for optimum healing, milk supply, and meeting your basic daily expenditure requirements (BMR and TDEE etc - I am no expert on these). Of course some people hang onto those pesky kgs until they stop BF too unfortunately.
Exclusive feeding requires up to an extra 500 calories on your daily needs; once you start weaning or solids only 200-300 calories extra. This may be more or less for some women too.
There are some amazing posts in 'getting started' about how your body behaves with too few calories. I am testament to that and my weight stalled for nearly 9 months after going hard on 1200 cals.
Enjoy every moment and all the very best with it. Please tell me to 'nose out' if this hasn't come across right. I hope it helps though in finding your answers.

Mitzimum

Hi Sasky! Thank you so much for your reply! actually that has helped so much, I will raise my cals to 2000 now and see how I go! Bub is on solids now as she is 6 months and is a fantastic eater so I'd say I'm not making 500 cals worth of milk but I might be around 3-400. Congratulations on your little bubba!! How lovely, it feels like yesterday mine was that tiny, wow four, that is so wonderful! good on you I want four if I can manage it. I'm sure you will succeed in feeding as long as you like did you feed your other bubba's? As I said we've had an extremely tough breastfeeding journey so I know how hard it can get. Thanks again x