Dieting While Breastfeeding (Yeah, Right).

By On June 14, 2012 · 14 Comments

This post is part of the Breastfeeding Blog Hop hosted by The Slacker Mom and co-hosted by Happiness Redefined and me, The Gnome’s Mom. This week’s topic is “Dieting While Breastfeeding“ Scroll down to see more posts or even better, link up and join the fun!

Yeah, right. For me, breastfeeding has been an excuse to eat whatever I’m craving, whenever I’m craving it. Kind of like pregnancy. I do have a little experience dieting while breastfeeding though. I managed to lose all of the weight I gained while pregnant, plus some.

I used to have so much willpower.

Here is a great post from back when I had willpower. My tips include:

  • Wait until your doctor clears you. For most people, this is going to be 4 – 8 weeks.
  • Track your nutrition (I use My Fitness Pal) and make sure that you’re adding an extra 300 – 500 calories per day to offset the breastfeeding. 400 was the magic number for me.
  • Get active with your baby! We used to go on walks every day. The Gnome loved it and it was great for me too.
Now I should probably take some of that advice myself since I gained 15 pounds back in the past 6 weeks. My willpower disappeared. I was eating blizzards every night and eating out a lot, which we never used to do. Starting July 1st, that won’t be an option for us anymore though (check out Bringing Back The Village to read more about us living off of $5000 for one year and trying to minimize our possessions by doing the 100 Thing Challenge).

Have you dieted while breastfeeding? Do you have any tips to share? If you enjoy reading about The Gnome & his family, like us on Facebook, add us on Google+, and follow us on twitter! While you’re at it… check out our Networked Blogs box in the right sidebar!

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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=7954376 Britni Bradford

    I have to say, I’m hungrier while BFing than I ever was pregnant. I’m 7 month post-baby, and just have about 5 lbs left to go… very little exercise other than walking. I just can’t even imagine how anyone diets while BFing.

  • http://twitter.com/chany10 Chany Jackson

    I’m really trying to watch what I eat, but I feel like I’m starving half  of the time.  If  I don’t eat then my blood sugar gets really low, and I feel sick (shaky, sweaty).  I’ve lost quite a bit of weight since my little guy was born, but I still have about 11 lbs. to go to get down to my pre-baby weight.  

  • Jourdan

    i am sooo trying to watch what i eat ( nursing a 6 month old) but man i think my cravings are worse now than when i was pregnant…or just as bad…..i would like to lose about 10 pounds….we shall see.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Cyndie-TeWinkle-Feemster/669246150 Cyndie TeWinkle Feemster

    i never had cravings (only adversions to my favorite snack – gummies) so now that i am breastfeeding, i am hungry all the time – even more than while pregnant.  He is almost 1 year.  i have lost all that i had gained (almost 40 pounds), so i am not actively trying to loose.  WE run/jog/walk every morning and go for another evening walk with the dog!

  • Ashley Hess

    this is amazing information being that I am going on 7 months now of breast feeding but dying to diet and loose some of this weight but didn’t know a healthy way that I could diet while breast feeding. I was just going to wait until we were done but now I know I can and be healthy about it. Thank you so much for this information.

  • http://www.facebook.com/callisisaac Christina Isaac

    Being a soon-to-be first-time mom, this is pretty good info to know.  I didn’t realize the cravings continue into breastfeeding.  Thank you!!!

  • twiggy

    I don’t like the idea of dieting. To me, it seems short term, and destined to fail. I try to make dietary changes instead. That’s one of the reasons I like Weight Watchers, it’s more about changing habits than cutting calories/sugar/carbs/etc.

    I got kind of lucky in that during my last 2 pregnancies I’ve had terrible reflux/heartburn. So I can’t stand any greasy fast food :)

  • Aggiesis04

    i love breastfeeding for the burned calories :0

  • Rachel N

    I haven’t tried dieting while breastfeeding.  I am always starving while breastfeeding so dieting would just be cruel:)  Luckily for me I seem to lose the weight after pregnancy pretty easily.

  • Trenessa

    I have not tried dieting while breastfeeding but I would love to! I’ve been wary though, because I was warned against it!

  • Lynn B

    I was following Weight Watchers plan for a few months but since we went on vacation it got hard to do. I’ve been lax about getting back on it since we got back. I haven’t gained anything back, but I haven’t lost either :-( 

  • sarah heart

    It does suck . . . I lost thirty pounds right away after having my lo, and gained ten back.. :( I have finally lost that ten pounds. :D. .  What I suggest is to take it slow. . . I remember reading somewhere that if you lose too much weight and if you are BF that toxins from your fat can go into your breastmilk? I have don’t drinks certain things and I avoid splurging on bad food lol

  • Jorrie

    ahh… i’m 9 months PP and have lost all my pregnancy weight (for this baby that is) + 3 extra pounds… “dieting” while breastfeeding is almost impossible for me… well.. even if i wasn’t breastfeeding it would be almost impossible.. hahaha… i love food :)

  • Jenn Brooks

    Ah yes. I’ve done this too. For me, cutting out all my snacking was the key! I was definitely eating more than extra breastfeeding allotment of calories with all of the snacks. I was so hungry all the time! I made myself eat a good three meals a day so that I wasn’t as hungry in between and if I was.. an apple was all I’d snack on. Walking was also huge, but it got hard during the fall/winter months since all it does is rain here in Vancouver. ;)