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Breastfeeding moms maintaining weight?

FitnessGirl11mfp
FitnessGirl11mfp Posts: 232 Member
edited December 2024 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Due to seeing my health start to decline from losing weight while breastfeeding ( I've been very dizzy and fell this weekend), I have decided to maintain for now. Any advice would be helpful :-)
I do have a question. About a month ago my maintenance calories were 1920 and now they are set at 2030 after I lost weight since then. Is that due to the weightloss between that time and now?

Replies

  • kyliesuebam
    kyliesuebam Posts: 22 Member
    Yea I would say so. And I totally get being dizzy while breast feeding. It can REALLY take it out of you!
  • FitnessGirl11mfp
    FitnessGirl11mfp Posts: 232 Member
    Thank you for the reply :-) I found out its due to vertigo but I still think not eating enough wasn't helping. So im taking a maintenance break :-)
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    Me! Nursing my toddler only twice a day but lost 87 lbs while nursing full time.. In maintenance now. But as I'm watching my weight each week I am seeing that I'm still losing about a half pound per week and that's while going over my calories most days so I think breastfeeding is the reason. Are you taking in extra calories to account for bfing? I had to make a very significant effort to eat more protein over the past year. It was definitely affecting my health. Once I increased that things fell into place.
  • FitnessGirl11mfp
    FitnessGirl11mfp Posts: 232 Member
    victoria_1024 wrote: »
    Me! Nursing my toddler only twice a day but lost 87 lbs while nursing full time.. In maintenance now. But as I'm watching my weight each week I am seeing that I'm still losing about a half pound per week and that's while going over my calories most days so I think breastfeeding is the reason. Are you taking in extra calories to account for bfing? I had to make a very significant effort to eat more protein over the past year. It was definitely affecting my health. Once I increased that things fell into place.

    Thanks for the advice on the protein :-) I will definitely increase it. I was accounting for 250 calories breastfeeding because my little guy supplements with formula and I exclusively pump. Now that I increased to maintenance, I increased my bf calories to 300 just to see what happens. It's very much trial and error lol.
  • charlenegrichard
    charlenegrichard Posts: 24 Member
    I exclusively pump too; I'm at month 10. It took me awhile to figure out the calories I needed to feel good, produce enough, and still lose weight. My magic number is 2000 calories. I also found a calculator that determines about how many calories you burn breastfeeding based off how much you pump, mine is between 500-700 calories. I log for 500 calories. I wish I could remember the site...However, I also agree with making sure you have enough protein and make sure you have enough fat in your diet.
  • FitnessGirl11mfp
    FitnessGirl11mfp Posts: 232 Member
    charlenegrichard wrote: »
    I exclusively pump too; I'm at month 10. It took me awhile to figure out the calories I needed to feel good, produce enough, and still lose weight. My magic number is 2000 calories. I also found a calculator that determines about how many calories you burn breastfeeding based off how much you pump, mine is between 500-700 calories. I log for 500 calories. I wish I could remember the site...However, I also agree with making sure you have enough protein and make sure you have enough fat in your diet.

    Thank you so much! I will make sure to eat enough fat & protein :-) Humm a calculator would be so helpful. I tried a couple but don't think they were accurate. They have me around 1800+ calories, but my maintenance according to mfp is 2030. Unless it means that's what I need to lose weight. So all together I'm eating 2300 calories right now at maintenance, which is fine for now. I have been feeling horrible (due to vertigo) so I decided to give the weightloss a break. So far no gain so hopefully I stay at my CW until I eat at a deficit again.
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