okay, So I'm counting calories and exclusively breastfeeding a 6 mo old (she eats about 100 cal of solids a day). Its only been a few days in but i'm not hungry, nor do I appear to be loosing any weight, and some days I can't even eat all 1800 cals? Has this happens to anyone? Am I safe to take it to 1600 cals while bf?
How about trying using a different angle? Cut out the processed carbs. No white bread, rice and pasta. Eat small amounts of brown rice, pasta and whole wheat bread only. Eat all the other veggies and meat you want. Stop sugar, corn and potatoes. I promise you will be amazed by the loss of weight.
Best Regards,
C.
livestrong is great and so is www.sparkpeople.com
when I was BF i used sparkpeople even though it says not to if youre BF, I just continued and kept in my head a couple extra 100 for BF. It worked so well bc they have literally EVERY food, shake, smoothie, restaurant- you name it!!! listed in there with all nutriional information so you can log your intake and exercise etc and have a very good outlook on your day and week to see why you are or are not losing.
after i lost my baby weight i stopped using it bc it helped me springboard into a lot of good habits, so I didn't need it.
also, since you say it's only been a few days DONT STRESS.
your body is adjusting.
this could take even a week.
xoxo
Here's another thing to consider-I learned this little tidbit right after I weaned my oldest at 16 months-It is very, very common for a breastfeeding mom to hang on to 5-10lbs above prepregnancy weight while breastfeeding. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why I couldn't drop that 10lbs. It came off pretty easy after he weaned. I think it's the body's way of making sure there is enough for you and for baby. Right now you don't want to deprive either one of you. You are growing your baby with breastmilk and replenishing your body from pregnancy. This takes a lot of good nutrition on your part. Just make sure you are eating healthy foods and exercising.
It took me 18 months, with both kids, to lose the 60+ lbs I gained while pregnant. I worked out, ate well, and it still took a long time. When my son weaned I lost SO much weight. For me, bf made me hang onto weight that I am sure I would have lost sooner if I wasn't bf. I would also suggest to pay attention to the types of food you are eating, You could eat 1800 calories of unhealthy food and it still may prevent weight loss. Good for you for making sure it isn't affecting your nursing sessions.
You could always talk to your OB-GYN or a Lactation Consultant to find out what might be the best course of action for you. Make sure you still drink lots of water, though. I was one of those people that gained weight and maintained it while breastfeeding. I've actually lost more now that I'm weaning.
Sometimes, you'll also hit a plateau where your body has become accustomed to your caloric intake. You may need to allow yourself one day that you forget to count calories. Or it could be stress-related?
I started using fatsecret.com. I found out they have an app for it that lets you scan the barcode of your food or input it while you're out and about. Then it syncs to your account online. It also takes into account your daily activities (down to sleeping, standing, resting, etc.) I find it helps me a lot.
Good luck to you!!!!
I am also BF and calorie counting. I actually gained weight while BFing both my kids. This is what I did recently. I went to www.livestrong.com and put in my current weight and height. It told me how many calories I needed to lose 2 pounds a week. I then added 300 calories to that to account for BF. It has worked for me and I feel like it's as individualized as much as it can be.
And, I agree with the other person about the 5-10 pounds that hang on until weaning. I was able to lose weight much easier after weaning.
Good luck!
I tried never to drop below 1500 calories, and the research I did while breastfeeding indicated that 1500-1600 calories a day is the minimum. That worked for me and I did drop weight, while also working out regularly, around 1-2 pounds a week. I do not reallly count calories but mostly approximated and focused on just eating healthy food when I was hungry and making sure I also ate some good meals and drank lots of water. If you're struggling to eat that many calories, it may be too many for you. If you are worried, double-check with your doctor or pediatrician or do some independent research, but it was probably a rare day that I ate that many while nursing.
It depends on what your end goal is and what your bmi is at this point. However, while breastfeeding, you usually up your intake. If you are eating healthy foods and getting adequate excersize, it should help. Don't count calories, but eat a regiment of healthy carbs, proteins, fats and of course plenty of fruits and veggies The suggested caloric intake for a healthy nursing mother is 2,000 to 2,700 calories per day.
This article can help:
http://www.babycenter.com/0_diet-for-a-healthy-breastfeed...
how to calculate your body mass index:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
I would give it more time. You should not lose more than 1-2lb per week.
