We are pleased to announce that on March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor will be introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the upcoming changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Breastfeeding Mamas! help!!

nicoleanneforsythe1224
nicoleanneforsythe1224 Posts: 11 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I am wondering how you ladies determine you caloric deficit while breastfeeding?

From my understanding you need an extra 200-500cals per day for milk production. So my plan is to slowly reduce my calories to a deficit of 300/day. (Added 200 cals back on for milk production, so instead of 500 calorie reduction only 300)

What have you done/ what has worked for you?! I'm only 2 weeks in and I am loosing but I don't want to loose muscle mass/put my body into starvation mode and slow my metabolism. Thank you!

Replies

  • vguadalupe13
    vguadalupe13 Posts: 9 Member
    I add in the normal 500 and I have been losing weight just fine. I eat calories in fruits, veggies and oats. Try my best to stay away from bread, rice and pasta and I'm doing Herbalife (protein shakes) I am down 35lbs in two months.
  • nicoleanneforsythe1224
    nicoleanneforsythe1224 Posts: 11 Member
    vguadalupe13 wrote: »
    I add in the normal 500 and I have been losing weight just fine. I eat calories in fruits, veggies and oats. Try my best to stay away from bread, rice and pasta and I'm doing Herbalife (protein shakes) I am down 35lbs in two months.

    So you do you normal TDEE and are loosing weight? Im for example my TDEE is 1892 - so it's telling me to cut to 1392 per day to loose weight. So rather than do that I just stick with my TDEE of 1892 and I will still loose?

    Thanks!
  • Megarachnid
    Megarachnid Posts: 120 Member
    You might have to play with your numbers a bit to see what works. I'm nursing a toddler still and I'm losing on around 1600 per day plus workouts, but I'm close to my goal and the loss is slow and steady :smile:
  • nicoleanneforsythe1224
    nicoleanneforsythe1224 Posts: 11 Member
    Thanks! I was down to 1800 and nursing a 7 month old and casing a toddler! Haha that's gotta count as some form of exercise?!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I used MFP's calorie goal and set it to maintain. I logged my exercsie and at those back to. I let the breastfeeding calories create the deficit. So 500 for BFing would give me 1 lb a week.
    Once we got to the point where he was eating solids, I changed my goal to .5 lb a week. So 300 for BFing and 250 for the .5lb a week kept me at 1 lb a week.
  • KimiAR
    KimiAR Posts: 117 Member
    Kellmom.com says it's safe to restrict calories to between 1500-1800 cal. I find I get a bit of a supply dip if I stay to low on that for to long but around 1700 works so I shoot for that. Fourth pregnancy.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories