Breastfeeding moms looking to lose weight!

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Ahzuri
Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
in Motivation and Support
I figured I'd start something for all of us who are breastfeeding and wanting to lose weight. It can be difficult to breastfeed (heck to just be a mom) and lose weight but its not impossible, if we add each other and support threw the thread I'm sure we will drop the weight in no time flat! I usually weigh in on Fridays but weigh every day as well to keep track of things and motivate me. If we wanted we could come up with a day to all weigh in :)

So I'll start us off, does anyone know a multivitamin that is good for weight loss and safe for breastfeeding? I know we all need to be taking something while breastfeeding but I do not know if I should take the prenatal doctors suggest to take or if taking a regular multivitamin more targeted towards weight loss would be better. Anyone know?
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  • buffalogal1979
    buffalogal1979 Posts: 236 Member
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    I'll join! My boy is almost 1, but I don't see him weaning any time soon :laugh:
    I usually weigh in Fri or Sat. and, yes, weigh myself daily too. It helps to keep me on track, even if you "aren't supposed" to do it.

    Unfortunately, I know nothing about the vitamins. I am still taking an OTC prenatal.
    More support is always good. Thanks for starting this thread.

    J
  • NavyMommy
    NavyMommy Posts: 102 Member
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    I'd love to join! Thanks for starting this!

    I have two kiddos, but my little nursling is 5 months old and still exclusively breastfed. My biggest issue is fast food. I'm always on the go with two kiddos and always swinging through a drive thru to get something quick. I'm planning on no longer carrying money with me in the car (aside from what I need for my errand / activity) so that it's no longer an issue.

    I usually weigh myself every day. It helps to see the little successes all mapped out for me :) I can report any day of the week.

    Question: I know I asked this in my own thread, but how many calories per day are you shooting for? What kind of exercise (if any) do you do?

    RE: Vitamin - I take the Shaklee Vitalizer vitamins, which is what I took when I was pregnant, but I have cut back on the amount of extra B vitamin that I take since I no longer need the large amounts of folic acid. I haven't even thought about taking one geared towards weight loss, but I don't know if the additives would be safe while BFing.
  • mishalee76
    mishalee76 Posts: 3
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    I have a 13mo nursling...who's crashed on me right now, so it's hard to type. I would want to know what makes a multi-vit specific to weight loss, what ingredient, then I'd research that...personally I like my prenatals, chewable calcium, floridex and prebiotics. More later...
  • Ahzuri
    Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
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    @jchrizzle My daughter just turned 1 on the 22nd of last month and I don't see it ending any time soon either :) I'm pretty clueless about what I can or can not take, I really wish I could get my hands on the book that the nurses use (title escapes me at the moment, Mothers Milk maybe?) but alas I be broke lol

    @NavyMommy Fast food is sooo hard, did you know a study came out recently that said grease is as addictive as some illegal drugs? I think not having the money on you will be a good starting point, after awhile not eating it will become habit. I try not to eat out too much but I must confess I went to a Chinese buffet on Sunday :) I'm pretty sure the very lowest you can have is 1800 and still maintain a good supply, though many sources that I've seen have said to take in anywhere from 1,800 - 2,000. Currently I'm doing 1,800 plus my breastfeeding calories of 300 so it equals out to 2,100 and I've had no problem with my supply.

    I'll have to check those multivitamins out! Most of the ones I've been looking at were for a active type of lifestyle like Opti-women and GNC's Active Women Multivitamin, they have a lot more vitamins in them than the prenatals that I've seen. I have a bottle of Equate weight loss multivitamin from before pregnancy but not real sure everything is good to go. I printed out the Opti-womens ingredient list to take and show the Pediatrician and I think I'll take those pills along too so I can see if I can use them.

    @mishalee76 I totally understand that, mine is sleeping now so I can actually type while she nurses shes far too active (and a keyboard smasher) while shes awake now! I don't know that I really want something geared toward weight loss but more of for Active lifestyle , right now I'm looking into Opti-women since a friend of mine said they are a really good brand. Gotta talk to the Pediatrician about it at my daughters next appointment first though!
  • buffalogal1979
    buffalogal1979 Posts: 236 Member
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    NavyMommy - I answered this is your other thread, but right now I am still taking in @ 2000 cal/day. But I also have twin (almost) 3yo's I'm chasing as well as nursing. I can usually squeeze in a 30 - 45 min workout while they all nap - I hit the treadmill or a DVD. Jillian Michael's 30day shred, and Yoga Meltdown are in my current rotation.
    I am looking for something new though, I am getting a little bored with the DVD's so if any of you have any suggestions, I am open to them.
    Have a good night everyone!
    J
  • Ahzuri
    Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
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    Wow I think I'd go crazy if I had so many to look out for jchrizzle you're doing awesome! I'm hoping to start some yoga in my work out too, our gym has classes but unfortunately they are at another location. If you have cable and a dvr you might see if you get the fitness channel, I used to DVR the shows there and do them whenever I wanted :)
  • srohler
    srohler Posts: 9 Member
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    Hey girls! My little guy is 5 months today and I am EBF. I am still taking prenatal vitamins because they are free at a local grocery store with a prescription. I go to keelymom.com a lot to see what is safe while breastfeeding. They may have some info on vitamins. I saw in one post that someone gets 300 calories for breasfeeding. Mine says I get 500 calories. Does it vary depending on your weight or am I using the wrong thing?
  • nomoremuffintopness
    nomoremuffintopness Posts: 275 Member
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    Please count me in!

    Pre pre weight 140

    day of delivery 184

    today 155

    goal 145
  • buffalogal1979
    buffalogal1979 Posts: 236 Member
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    ahzuri - :laugh: some days are crazier than others! It is what I always wanted - lots of kids. I just didn't expect them to come all at once!
    srohler - really you are setting your own cal/goals - so it is whatever works for you, MFP doesn't really calculate it for you. They have settings you can use to account for breastfeeding, but it doesn't set the goals for you. Does that make sense?

    Well, today's goal for me is to stay OUT of the rest of the Halloween candy!! Ugh.
  • nomoremuffintopness
    nomoremuffintopness Posts: 275 Member
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    Do you log your calories lost from breastfeeding on your diary? I havent thought about doin that
  • Ahzuri
    Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
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    @jchrizzle I bet! My sister in law has 3 girls and is pregnant with her 4th, I'm just sitting over here with my 1 thinking OMG how does she do it!

    @ srohler It really varies, I know after the year mark you burn something like 300-500 extra calories a day but I'm pretty sure its a higher calorie burn the younger they are, especially before they start solids. I am just taking the low end of the spectrum since my daughter is 1 now, If you were only pumping they do have a food selection for breastmilk that is I think -20 per oz otherwise its kinda hard to find out exactly how much they drink :)

    @ sarahp43 Welcome to the fun! I hadn't thought about doing stats!

    Pre-Pregnancy - 250lbs
    Day of Delivery - 300lbs
    Current - 248lbs
    First Goal - 180lbs
    Second Goal - 140lbs
    Height - 5'3"

    I do log my calories from breastfeeding, you need at the very minimum 1,800 calories a day (most recommend 2,000ish) to maintain your supply. It depends on how old/frequency they nurse on how many calories you will burn but if they have started solids I know it is 300 - 500 calories a day. I log 300 for breastfeeding every day in my exercise meaning my total is 2,100 a day. You could also just edit the calorie goal to be the amount with the calories added in, IE 2,100 instead of 1,800 for the day.
  • srohler
    srohler Posts: 9 Member
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    I have recently given up dairy to see if it helped my little guy's spitting up issue. I have seen a big improvemnet...good for him, bad for me as I LOVE dairy!! At his appt yesterday the pedi said I still need to get calcium from things other than a supplement. He suggested soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk. Kylan has had three bottles of formula in his life (when he wasn't gaining and I was working on supply issues) and one of them was soy which he had a reaction to. I am guessing I should skip the soy milk because of that. I have an allergy to nuts so I am guessing the almond milk is out. I bought a carton of rice milk yesterday and don't know if I can choke it down! It tasts like liquid oatmeal..gag! Anyone else given up dairy? How did you get your calcium?
  • Steph_Anie
    Steph_Anie Posts: 82 Member
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    My little one is 7 weeks old and I'm still nursing--- I wasn't sure how to log nursing so, I just decided to say I only wanted to lose half a pound a week (which put my calorie minimum at 1900). So I try to eat a minimum of 1800 and no more than 2000 each day-- this is my first week back logging and stuff since pregnancy, so we'll see if this works for me. My trainer doesn't like me to eat my workout calories, he'd rather me have a set amount for each day, but right now, I"m just trying to see what works for my body and baby so that I don't lose more than a pound or 2 a week (I read somewhere that when nursing you should lose more than that period). I weigh in on Tuesdays, so today is the end of week one--- I don't think I've lost any, I think my body may be in shock too from the change of taking out sweets and working out all of a sudden again! Before I was eating whatever I wanted. I hate this new craving for sweets since I've been nursing--- my normal downfalls are french fries and salty stuff--- but since I've started nursing I just want sweets! Ugh!
  • Ahzuri
    Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
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    @srohler I had to give up dairy because my daughter had a milk protein allergy so I know how much that sucks! I drank soy milk the entire time and now cows milk is so gross to me lol I've heard that Almond (as long as its not unsweetened) is really good so may you should give that a shot? They also make ice creams and cheese that don't have cows milk so if its specifically cows and soy that your little guy has a reaction to and you want them perhaps you can find it! There is a entire section of stuff like that in our Kroger.

    @Step_Anie I defiantly think at this point you are right to worry about your baby and body adjusting. Two a week is a good goal as well, I think I'm set at 1lb a week right now :) Well maybe next week you will see it start to come off, mine was slow to start as well.
  • buffalogal1979
    buffalogal1979 Posts: 236 Member
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    Happy Thursday everyone!
    How are all of you? How has your week gone? Any goals for this weekend?
  • nomoremuffintopness
    nomoremuffintopness Posts: 275 Member
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    Happy Thursday everyone!
    How are all of you? How has your week gone? Any goals for this weekend?

    Im doing ok. Yesterday I went over my calories a lot, so my goal for today & tomorrow is to stay under! The weekend will be hard, always is. We eat out more and we eat a lot, so I will need to focus on portion control. The week has gone well I should say, I started back Tuesday
  • Ahzuri
    Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
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    Happy Thursday everyone!
    How are all of you? How has your week gone? Any goals for this weekend?

    Im doing ok. Yesterday I went over my calories a lot, so my goal for today & tomorrow is to stay under! The weekend will be hard, always is. We eat out more and we eat a lot, so I will need to focus on portion control. The week has gone well I should say, I started back Tuesday

    Weekends are the absolute WORST for me because I don't have anything that even resembles a routine to keep me in check lol Everyone has bad days though just remember to not get discouraged, tomorrow is a new day in which you will ALWAYS start fresh :)
  • Ahzuri
    Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
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    I meant to weigh in yesterday but I forgot and didn't do it this morning (oops!) so I guess I'll have to wait till tomorrow.

    How is everyone else doing this week?
  • nomoremuffintopness
    nomoremuffintopness Posts: 275 Member
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    I meant to weigh in yesterday but I forgot and didn't do it this morning (oops!) so I guess I'll have to wait till tomorrow.

    How is everyone else doing this week?

    Ive done pretty good so far! Ive really been trying to eat healthier and doing well for "me". I am having a hard time not going over my calories and it seems to be with dinner. I think I eat too much during the day but its all good stuff. I lost one pound, so at 154
  • buffalogal1979
    buffalogal1979 Posts: 236 Member
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    Ugh. I have had a rough couple of days food wise. Not sure why - maybe hormones? I just realized that today I only nursed my son maybe 5 or 6 times... he may be starting to wean a little... :cry:
    So maybe my hormones are out of whack. . . I have had a terrible case of wanting to graze and snack all day. This makes my sodium OUTRAGEOUS. I did great on exercise though. Because my husband was home to help watch the little ones, I took a little longer and did some extras in my workouts.

    I did not lose and I did not gain. Hmph. Better than gaining I guess. Could be all the sodium too.

    I need to get the munchies under control this week!!!!

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