Breastfeeding Mom Needs help with Fat loss

kateba81
kateba81 Posts: 3 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I am breastfeeding my second baby who is 13 months now and I have not lost any weight since 2 weeks postpartum. I do strength training 2-3 times a week and some other exercise like swimming, kayaking or hiking or jogging on an incline treadmill for 45 minutes 6 days a week. At one point I was cycling about 100 miles a week and lost nothing. I do need to lose fat, I am currently just under 138 and 5'3. I was 126 before both kids and ideally around 110 but would bet very happy to just lose 10 pounds of fat. I tried just eating to hunger and think I was eating around 2400 calories. I did not gain or lose. In the last week I have tried lower calories first to 2000 and saw no weight loss. Then I tried 1800 and nothing. Then I tried 1650 for two days and no change in weight. I am measuring, weighing and tracking on MFP, about 30% fat and carbs and 40% protein. After my first baby I did "intermittent" fasting basically very low calories, around 800 a day and 45 minutes of cardio and did lose some weight quickly but not below 125 pounds it just stopped there, and of course I had massive food cravings as I was breastfeeding and it was a struggle just to maintain my weight there. I am too hungry and too worried about destroying my metabolism to do that again. What should I do? I am trying to be reasonable and not go on too low a calorie diet but not sure of the alternative anymore. To be clear, breastfeeding mothers are supposed to eat a minimum of 1500-1800 a day and I exercise every day which puts my caloric output above 2000 calories but I am not losing weight at 1650. Shouldn't I see some difference? And no, I am not eating more than I think, I am really weighing and measuring everything.

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Can you open up your diary?
  • kateba81
    kateba81 Posts: 3 Member
    Just did. Thanks for looking.
  • kateba81
    kateba81 Posts: 3 Member
    Edit: I actually do weight training (squats, deadlifts, arms, back, chest etc with heavy weights for me 4 times a week not 2-3). Also, my son eats very little food, we don't eat dairy, so most of his diet is still breastmilk.
  • lbride
    lbride Posts: 248 Member
    I have no idea if it's an old wives' tale, but I have heard that some women have bodies that just hold onto the fat until breastfeeding is over. If I was you, I would just continue sticking to a 1800 calorie per day or so diet, get out the old' scale to make sure it's accurate, and if it doesn't work, then so be it and try again next year when baby starts eating more real food. Is it possible that you are gaining a great deal of muscle now accounting for the weight # not dropping like you would like it to?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    There are a lot of generic entries, and even though you say you weigh your food, that's not showing too much. I would tighten up the logging and make sure you're weighing everything.

    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101
    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

    Also, what most breastfeeding moms do is go with the deficit MFP gives them then log their breastfeeding to give them the additional calories. Setting an arbitrary goal of 1800 may be too much for you, especially if you aren't exclusively feeding.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    You tried eating lower calories for...two days? Girl, come back after 2 months of consistent deficit and if if you see no change after that, then you can get worried. Two days is not nearly long enough to get things rolling.
  • sadiqajamilla
    sadiqajamilla Posts: 34 Member
    AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »
    You tried eating lower calories for...two days? Girl, come back after 2 months of consistent deficit and if if you see no change after that, then you can get worried. Two days is not nearly long enough to get things rolling.
    Lol I was thinking the same thing. I would say to give it like 2 weeks and see how it goes then. Give yourself more time.
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