Hello - Can you lose weight while breastfeeding?

I've been breastfeeding for the past 9 and a half months and have lost all of my baby weight and then some. About 30 lbs total. I do about 45 minutes of exercise a day, 4-5 days a week. Or when I can!! And try to eat lots of protein and veggies. The key is to consume lots of healthy fats and put back those calories as healthy as possible. I eat lots of avocado, eggs, salmon, baked chicken, steamed veggies. I have to admit, I've been slacking a little! I did 25 minutes of yoga and 15 minutes of cardio today. High intensity cardio will show the best results...but I must say, I am really struggling gaining muscle as a bfing momma. I may post about it later!

Oh yes! That is the best time to lose. You can eat a ton. I exercised and ate as much as I wanted of decently healthy food and it just flew off. I think weight watchers had a plan for breastfeeding and it was almost double the calories I would normally get with them. So yeah I'd think at least 2000 cals. Congratulations!

I've a,so lost a bunch of weight. I'm about 30 lbs lighter than when I came home from the hospital almost 5 months ago. I still exclusively breastfeed. I started off with a net of 1350 but I accounted for 500 bf cals so I really ate 1850. After a few months I lowered it to 1200 net (including the 500 bf cals). Sometimes I stick to it and sometimes I don't. My supply has been fine. Good luck!

Hey there! I am BFing my 6 mo old now almost exclusively (we just started a tad bit of solids, not much yet!) and I've lost 6 lbs in the last 3 weeks Ive been on MFP. And yes I agree with those who say now is the best time to lose weight because you CAN eat a ton! My net goal is 2200cal/day. To get to that number what I did was get my TDEE (you can google TDEE calculator), subtracted 20% from that, and then added 400 calories (to account for the nursing). Im 5'9", 193lb right now and there have been many days when Im like dang, I still have 800 calories to eat, and its like 8pm LOL. Ice cream time!

Im also doing cardio 3-4x a week and weight lifting 3x a week but I eat most, if not all, of my exercise calories.

I have not noticed any dip in my supply and my baby is 21 lbs at 6 mos so I think he's ok!

A Mother's body will naturally hold on to extra baby weight while nursing. When I stopped nursing (at 12 months), the weight started to come off without me changing my diet and activity.

You should NOT "diet" while breastfeeding. What you *can* do is eat clean, and start working out. But make sure you're getting enough calories!! Baby's health is most important, Plus, you will have plenty of time to burn off the baby weight once baby starts crawling and you have to chase after her/him.

For one this is a question for your doctor and or another doctor and or another doctor and a nutritionist perhaps. As far as I am concerned, folks around here can only offer you minimal advice .

Can I be a voice of reason for you and any female reading this?

Well I will regardless. It goes like this...

It's 2013 and we've gotten so far from what we are because we're always worried about public image among so many other things.

You're a female. You're "BURDENED" with the ability to carry and bear a child. Thus your body wants to carry more fat as a means to protect that asset.

If you were forced to live on your own in the woods with your child, what would you want your body to do?

Your body will never know the difference in you dieting or you being lost in the woods. Eat what you need plus your breastfeeding surplus. Your weight will stabilize on it's own. Trying to lose weight will only jeopardize your hormonal profile. Every other woman tries this shlt and that's why they end up battling themselves down the road. Your metabolism is always going to slow down when you diet, for the aforementioned reasons, this goes for men too. You should eat for maintenance and stabilization. This will allow your metabolism to stabilize which will result in your body dong what it needs to do.

Ya'll get so caught up in this weight shlt...you become infatuated with it... can't see the forest for the trees. Sure your body uses calories and nutrients of yours to feed the milk supply. You still have nutrients and calories to get. And your fat does not store every nutrient you need.

Your body was supposed to gain extra weight. It's natural. Embrace it.

Oh, heck yes! I lost almost all of my baby weight in seven months with breastfeeding.

A word of caution, though: don't try restricting your calories until your milk is well established AND you've talked to your dr about it. I tried cutting my cals back too soon, and my milk supply diminished. I couldn't understand why my baby would still be crying and upset right after I nursed him--turns out, he wasn't getting enough milk and he was still hungry. Poor little thing! :brokenheart: It was the worst kind of guilt I've ever had. I cried for hours when I realized what I'd done, then scarfed down a big plate of spaghetti. So learn from my mistake! Don't let vanity get in the way of what is best for your baby, like almost did. You can always lose baby weight later, your baby will only get one chance to get all the nutrients he/she can from you.

Good luck!