Weight loss while breastfeeding!

dmurrizi
dmurrizi Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello all!

I had a beautiful little angel about 6 month ago and have about 10lbs I need to lose & some toning up to do. How many calories are enough to lose weight and not affect milk supply? I've experimented with different numbers but the weight just won't come off :(

Replies

  • berlynnwall
    berlynnwall Posts: 669 Member
    Some people have a real hard time losing weight while breastfeeding. It can be a hormonal thing. I know you don't want to hear it, but if it's just 10 lbs left (which is amazing btw, good job) then maybe you can wait until you are done? Just make sure that if you are exercising you drink extra water. It's so much easier to get dehydrated while nursing.
  • kinkyslinky16
    kinkyslinky16 Posts: 1,469 Member
    edited May 2015
    I only gained 3 lbs from my pregnancy, but I lost that and I'm down another 3 lbs. I've been eating just a hundred or so under maintenance most days but some days I have a 750 calorie deficit... my son eats every 2 hours but has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks. My son is 10 weeks old
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
    I gained about 50 pounds while breast feeding. Then my mom cut me off at the age of nine. Damn her anyway!
  • haibu
    haibu Posts: 67 Member
    kinkyslinky16 wrote: »
    I only gained 3 lbs from my pregnancy, but I lost that and I'm down another 3 lbs. I've been eating just a hundred or so under maintenance most days but some days I have a 750 calorie deficit... my son eats every 2 hours but has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks. My son is 10 weeks old

    Congratulations, you win?

    OP, rough rule seems to be to add 500 calories to what MFP tells you. I had trouble losing the last ten pounds while nursing...remember, your body is still running its little factory there, it might get stubborn about hanging on to water/stores/etc.
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
    haibu wrote: »
    kinkyslinky16 wrote: »
    I only gained 3 lbs from my pregnancy, but I lost that and I'm down another 3 lbs. I've been eating just a hundred or so under maintenance most days but some days I have a 750 calorie deficit... my son eats every 2 hours but has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks. My son is 10 weeks old

    Congratulations, you win?

    OP, rough rule seems to be to add 500 calories to what MFP tells you. I had trouble losing the last ten pounds while nursing...remember, your body is still running its little factory there, it might get stubborn about hanging on to water/stores/etc.

    Totally agree! Kinkyslinky must have also been quite overweight prepregnancy and post partum because only gaining 3lbs during pregnancy and breastfeeding at that high of a deficit is pretty unheard of.
    My baby is 6 months old too he's being exclusively breast fed right now so I put breastfeeding as a cardio exercise into Mfp and for my height and weight I have to eat an extra 465 calories, which comes out to about 2000 calories a day. I have a few pounds to lose too and it's no big deal. You could try cutting your calories a bit, but do it slowly. I find anything under 1800 messes with my milk supply, and my mood. Exercising has allowed me to very slowly lose weight (1lb/month so far) and eat enough to feed baby....this has made us both pretty happy.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Just a note, at 6 months you are likely starting to or already have introduced food. At this point, the amount of milk will go down, so will the calories burned. I think 500 is suggested for exclusively breast fed babies. I count 300 now for my guy.
  • ganzelly
    ganzelly Posts: 302 Member
    I also have about 10lbs to lose (my LO is 10 weeks old). I added 500 at first and weekly I'm lowering by 50-75 calories per day because I haven't started losing weight yet. I will keep slowly lowering until I find the perfect amount of calories where I will hopefully slowly lose weight but not compromise milk. I will also be going back to work in about 2 weeks. I will be pumping when at work and I heard even just pumping can cause milk supply to diminish so I'm trying to make sure I keep eating enough. It's a tough balance! And i really want to lose a few more lbs before work because I only have 3 pair of pants that fit right now.
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    Yes 300 extra once they start solid food. I eat between 300-500 extra a day. Are you weighing your food? Exercising? Eating back exercise calories? I have lost 33 pounds while breastfeeding but I weigh my food diligently and eat back 50% of my exercise calories. It's been working for me but I had way more than ten pounds to lose!
  • kinkyslinky16
    kinkyslinky16 Posts: 1,469 Member
    edited May 2015
    haibu wrote: »
    kinkyslinky16 wrote: »
    I only gained 3 lbs from my pregnancy, but I lost that and I'm down another 3 lbs. I've been eating just a hundred or so under maintenance most days but some days I have a 750 calorie deficit... my son eats every 2 hours but has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks. My son is 10 weeks old

    Congratulations, you win?

    OP, rough rule seems to be to add 500 calories to what MFP tells you. I had trouble losing the last ten pounds while nursing...remember, your body is still running its little factory there, it might get stubborn about hanging on to water/stores/etc.

    No, not trying to win anything. I gained 55 lbs with my first son, and was surprised to have gained so little with this one after all swelling and postpartumness was done. But at the same token, I've been at this a while and know what I'm doing with regards to losing and maintaining so I was very careful this pregnancy. I definitely didn't want a repeat of my first considering i had finally lost it all. Regardless, I was explaining what I do and how it has worked for me.

    And yes, the recommendation is not to lose weight while breastfeeding and eat 500 over maintenance only if solely breastfeeding. It's 300 when kid primarily eats solid food. As of yet, it has not interfered with my milk supply with what I've done. But that's me.
  • kinkyslinky16
    kinkyslinky16 Posts: 1,469 Member
    edited May 2015
    janjunie wrote: »
    haibu wrote: »
    kinkyslinky16 wrote: »
    I only gained 3 lbs from my pregnancy, but I lost that and I'm down another 3 lbs. I've been eating just a hundred or so under maintenance most days but some days I have a 750 calorie deficit... my son eats every 2 hours but has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks. My son is 10 weeks old

    Congratulations, you win?

    OP, rough rule seems to be to add 500 calories to what MFP tells you. I had trouble losing the last ten pounds while nursing...remember, your body is still running its little factory there, it might get stubborn about hanging on to water/stores/etc.

    Totally agree! Kinkyslinky must have also been quite overweight prepregnancy and post partum because only gaining 3lbs during pregnancy and breastfeeding at that high of a deficit is pretty unheard of.
    My baby is 6 months old too he's being exclusively breast fed right now so I put breastfeeding as a cardio exercise into Mfp and for my height and weight I have to eat an extra 465 calories, which comes out to about 2000 calories a day. I have a few pounds to lose too and it's no big deal. You could try cutting your calories a bit, but do it slowly. I find anything under 1800 messes with my milk supply, and my mood. Exercising has allowed me to very slowly lose weight (1lb/month so far) and eat enough to feed baby....this has made us both pretty happy.

    No, not at all. I was up 26 lbs by 38 weeks, then gained 19 in swelling the last two weeks. when I left the hospital, I was up 45 lbs but lost all of it within the first 4 weeks except 3 lbs. That's what I meant. I lost 62 lbs prior to getting pregnant and have just 13 left to go to goal.. like I said. I've been at this a while. Oh, and like I said most days I am only 100 under maintenance. This means I'm not eating my breastfeeding calories and it's helping me lose weight. I also have a fitbit and bodymedia so I know about how much I'm burning every day and eat accordingly.

    Nice to see I made everyone so jealous even if it wasn't my intent :D

  • dmurrizi
    dmurrizi Posts: 4 Member
    victoria_1024 wrote: »
    Yes 300 extra once they start solid food. I eat between 300-500 extra a day. Are you weighing your food? Exercising? Eating back exercise calories? I have lost 33 pounds while breastfeeding but I weigh my food diligently and eat back 50% of my exercise calories. It's been working for me but I had way more than ten pounds to lose!


    I weigh most of the food (though in cups, not grams) & I do yoga daily along with some cardio or strength three times a week. I sometimes eat back my exercise calories, but I mostly try not to. There are just days when I'm ALWAYS hungry! I lost almost 20lbs already but this last 10 just won't budge.
  • kinkyslinky16
    kinkyslinky16 Posts: 1,469 Member
    dmurrizi wrote: »
    victoria_1024 wrote: »
    Yes 300 extra once they start solid food. I eat between 300-500 extra a day. Are you weighing your food? Exercising? Eating back exercise calories? I have lost 33 pounds while breastfeeding but I weigh my food diligently and eat back 50% of my exercise calories. It's been working for me but I had way more than ten pounds to lose!


    I weigh most of the food (though in cups, not grams) & I do yoga daily along with some cardio or strength three times a week. I sometimes eat back my exercise calories, but I mostly try not to. There are just days when I'm ALWAYS hungry! I lost almost 20lbs already but this last 10 just won't budge.

    Totally understand. Most days I am always hungry!! That's why I am eating so close to maintenance almost every day. There are some days that I can eat at a deficit, but not always. I am only limiting myself to the calories I would need to maintain (including exercise calories) but I am excluding breastfeeding calories. I weigh my food on a food scale so I am accurate in my logging as well. If you don't already have something like a fitbit or bodymedia fit, I would think about getting one. I used the bodymedia exclusively and lost the 60 lbs.. It's totally worth it in my opinion, even if not 100% accurate it gives you a pretty good idea of what you burn and you can eat accordingly. The exercise calories in MFP are exceptionally inaccurate.
  • chutik
    chutik Posts: 4 Member
    For me I gained 70 and lost everything but 15 fairly easily. Now after almost a year the a
    Last 15 ate practically melting off. I believe that it has to do with hormones. Your body is producing food and nutrients for you and baby so don't be hard on yourself. The general rule I have also heard is about 400 calories. Also cutting back on total sugar intake, that seemed to help me.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    kinkyslinky16 wrote: »
    janjunie wrote: »
    haibu wrote: »
    kinkyslinky16 wrote: »
    I only gained 3 lbs from my pregnancy, but I lost that and I'm down another 3 lbs. I've been eating just a hundred or so under maintenance most days but some days I have a 750 calorie deficit... my son eats every 2 hours but has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks. My son is 10 weeks old

    Congratulations, you win?

    OP, rough rule seems to be to add 500 calories to what MFP tells you. I had trouble losing the last ten pounds while nursing...remember, your body is still running its little factory there, it might get stubborn about hanging on to water/stores/etc.

    Totally agree! Kinkyslinky must have also been quite overweight prepregnancy and post partum because only gaining 3lbs during pregnancy and breastfeeding at that high of a deficit is pretty unheard of.
    My baby is 6 months old too he's being exclusively breast fed right now so I put breastfeeding as a cardio exercise into Mfp and for my height and weight I have to eat an extra 465 calories, which comes out to about 2000 calories a day. I have a few pounds to lose too and it's no big deal. You could try cutting your calories a bit, but do it slowly. I find anything under 1800 messes with my milk supply, and my mood. Exercising has allowed me to very slowly lose weight (1lb/month so far) and eat enough to feed baby....this has made us both pretty happy.

    No, not at all. I was up 26 lbs by 38 weeks, then gained 19 in swelling the last two weeks. when I left the hospital, I was up 45 lbs but lost all of it within the first 4 weeks except 3 lbs. That's what I meant. I lost 62 lbs prior to getting pregnant and have just 13 left to go to goal.. like I said. I've been at this a while. Oh, and like I said most days I am only 100 under maintenance. This means I'm not eating my breastfeeding calories and it's helping me lose weight. I also have a fitbit and bodymedia so I know about how much I'm burning every day and eat accordingly.

    Nice to see I made everyone so jealous even if it wasn't my intent :D

    That's a lot different than only gaining 3 lbs.

    I doubt everyone was jealous. But I'm glad you enjoyed it.
  • kinkyslinky16
    kinkyslinky16 Posts: 1,469 Member
    3dogsrunning wrote: »
    kinkyslinky16 wrote: »
    janjunie wrote: »
    haibu wrote: »
    kinkyslinky16 wrote: »
    I only gained 3 lbs from my pregnancy, but I lost that and I'm down another 3 lbs. I've been eating just a hundred or so under maintenance most days but some days I have a 750 calorie deficit... my son eats every 2 hours but has been sleeping through the night since 5 weeks. My son is 10 weeks old

    Congratulations, you win?

    OP, rough rule seems to be to add 500 calories to what MFP tells you. I had trouble losing the last ten pounds while nursing...remember, your body is still running its little factory there, it might get stubborn about hanging on to water/stores/etc.

    Totally agree! Kinkyslinky must have also been quite overweight prepregnancy and post partum because only gaining 3lbs during pregnancy and breastfeeding at that high of a deficit is pretty unheard of.
    My baby is 6 months old too he's being exclusively breast fed right now so I put breastfeeding as a cardio exercise into Mfp and for my height and weight I have to eat an extra 465 calories, which comes out to about 2000 calories a day. I have a few pounds to lose too and it's no big deal. You could try cutting your calories a bit, but do it slowly. I find anything under 1800 messes with my milk supply, and my mood. Exercising has allowed me to very slowly lose weight (1lb/month so far) and eat enough to feed baby....this has made us both pretty happy.

    No, not at all. I was up 26 lbs by 38 weeks, then gained 19 in swelling the last two weeks. when I left the hospital, I was up 45 lbs but lost all of it within the first 4 weeks except 3 lbs. That's what I meant. I lost 62 lbs prior to getting pregnant and have just 13 left to go to goal.. like I said. I've been at this a while. Oh, and like I said most days I am only 100 under maintenance. This means I'm not eating my breastfeeding calories and it's helping me lose weight. I also have a fitbit and bodymedia so I know about how much I'm burning every day and eat accordingly.

    Nice to see I made everyone so jealous even if it wasn't my intent :D

    That's a lot different than only gaining 3 lbs.

    I doubt everyone was jealous. But I'm glad you enjoyed it.

    Yeah, if that's all yall got from my original post...............

    65734b17_loldog.jpeg
  • Flowerbaby2
    Flowerbaby2 Posts: 77 Member
    It's actually good to increase calorie intKe by 500 calories over prepregnancy caloric intake ,it's easy to have a decreased milk supply if you cut your calorie intake and it goes too low.I am a lactation consultant and really do see drops in production with actual dieting,just use cautionThank you for Breastfeeding
  • dmurrizi
    dmurrizi Posts: 4 Member
    Flowerbaby2 wrote: »
    It's actually good to increase calorie intKe by 500 calories over prepregnancy caloric intake ,it's easy to have a decreased milk supply if you cut your calorie intake and it goes too low.I am a lactation consultant and really do see drops in production with actual dieting,just use cautionThank you for Breastfeeding

    I currently consume between 1750-1900 calories, I haven't noticed a drop in milk production or milk quality, but I'm also not losing much weight. My weight drops very slowly, which is find bc I'm more concerned with making sure my little one is well fed!

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