Breastfeeding, working out, no weight loss :/

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  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I have only been weighing in weekly as I have had previous issues eating disorders and seeing no change (and a nearly 200lb number) can be a trigger! Thank you everyone for your help. I am going to look into those linked threads and probably add in a few hundred calories to stay around 2000. Although I don't end the day hungry so that might be a challenge! Hopefully I will see some results but I figure I might not see results until 3 month post partem or even longer but I appreciate any input and my food diary is public if anyone has the time to look over it and maybe I'm taking in the wrong calories with out realizing it.

    Honestly, weight loss wise, there aren't any "wrong" calories unless you have a medical issue. High carb intake can be an issue if you have PCOS or something like that.

    The sexypants link above is very helpful though. Before I start changing my calorie intake up or down, I always go back to tracking - am I logging everything, am I weighing everything. Then I look at my calorie burns, am I overestimating. Keep in mind those gadgets are useful but not infalliable.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Hey mama! First off, join this group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/197-breastfeeding-support

    It's full of wonderful mamas who are nursing their babies and trying to get healthier in the process. A few already mentioned above that nursing can hinder weight loss in some. My son is 13 months and still nurses very frequently and I am only 10 pounds below my weight the day I delivered. However, I haven't stayed within my calories and only started regularly exercising in December. So, I can't say that I'm one of the moms who struggles to lose weight while nursing because I think it's more my poor choices that are hindering the weight loss.

    With that said, I'm hungry ALL the time. My calorie goal is 2650 right now (I'm 5'6, 240, lifting 3 days a week and cardio/yoga 2 days a week) and I estimate I'm still burning around 300-400 for nursing. With that said, I had to take a step back from all of the numbers (I was an obsessive weigher too) because I became too frustrated with calories and the scale and my lack of progress. Since I started listening to my body cues I've lost about 5 pounds. I have no idea how many calories I'm eating, but I'm feeling better and making better choices. My milk supply is good (I pump at work, and it's remained consistent), so I know I'm eating plenty.

    All of this is to say that perhaps you would consider taking a calorie counting break for a week or two and just journaling what you eat. At the end, you can log it and see how many calories you consumed and what happened with your hunger, energy during exercise, and milk supply. It's easy to get caught up in "I must eat 1800" and forget to listen to what your body is telling you, especially while nursing. Those hormones can get crazy :)

    Just my two cents. Feel free to add me as a friend if you want a fellow nursing mama to support you!

    ^What my buddy here says! Please at least check out what we talk about in our BFing group (again, it's http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/214-breastfeeding-support ) because A LOT of us can't lose (or barely lose) while BFing. It's super frustrating, and it doesn't help when people say things like, "But I though breastfeeding makes you lose weight like crazy." Yup, for some it does, but for some it does the exact opposite.

    Sometimes I feel like making t-shirts.

    ETA that my ticker includes my initial postpartum loss. What I've lost in the almost 9 months since is pathetic, but I've made peace with it.

    Also, I do not believe the BodyMedia devices register BFing burn (which is actually a milk production burn rather than from the act of BFing or pumping). Because it doesn't involve extra movement and/or an increased heart rate, I'd think it has no way to account for it, unless I am way off as to how those things work (which is entirely possible).
  • RetaRose
    RetaRose Posts: 8 Member
    I have been ebf my third baby for the past year, and have not lost anything, although I have been working out since 6 weeks postpartum. I'm assuming the breastfeeding is why I haven't lost anything. With my other two I dropped as soon as I stopped, so I'm hoping that since I have been working out this whole time, once I'm done the weight will again just fall off. Good to know I'm not the only one who cant drop the weight well breastfeeding

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