Postpartum appetite is crazy!

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hipsdontlie1
hipsdontlie1 Posts: 294 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm only breastfeeding about once a day so that's not the issue but my appetite is crazy!! Any tips on getting my appetite under control or how can I keep myself satisfied without going way over my calorie goal? It's really hard not to eat when I feel like I'm starving.. I'm thinking smaller meals closer together may help but anything I make is like 500+ calories per meal. What are some low calorie snacks that you guys eat? I need to get this under control. I gained 50 pounds during my pregnancy and still have 20 to lose!

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  • BlackPup
    BlackPup Posts: 242 Member
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    I snack on carrots, celery, apples, rice crackers. I eat 1500 all day with about 400 for breakfast 300 for lunch 400 for dinner and the rest for snacks. Eat a big salad with lunch and veggies with dinner.
  • sarahdayski
    sarahdayski Posts: 125 Member
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    I enjoy carrot sticks with some light Philadelphia, kelloggs cereal bars, quavers/french fries etc are all low in calories. I would suggest small and often and avoid white bread, pasta and rice x
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    I know this is easier said than done, but make sure you are getting enough sleep--there are a lot of studies out there linking sleep and regulation of hormones, including those that signal hunger.

    Drink plenty of water--this is always a good habit, but even more important when you are breastfeeding (even if only 1x per day).

    Veggies make a great snack--if you don't have time for food prep, by all means buy a veggie tray from the supermarket. Air-popped popcorn is a good high-volume, low-calorie snack. Reduced-fat string cheese or hard-boiled eggs are good high-protein snacks.

    Try to distract yourself when you are feeling a bit hungry--have some water and see if it subsides. Or, strap your baby into the stroller and go for a walk!
  • FunSizedKJ
    FunSizedKJ Posts: 67 Member
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    After I had my daughter, all I wanted to do was eat. If you're nursing at all, this is why. It takes more calories to produce breast milk than it did to create the baby, that blew my mind when I found that out!

    Honestly... I had to just tell myself the hungry isn't the worst feeling in the world. I gained weight after we stopped nursing because my body was so used to eating the way I did when I was pregnant and nursing, so hunger was something I had to just will myself to accept. After about a week, my appetite and hunger pangs were much more manageable.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Nursing burns 300 calories a day or something, so it might account for some of the hunger.

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