Can you safely lose weight while breastfeeding

Are you surprised? While the science behind calories, exercise, and weight loss remains the same — the difference is between people. While it can seem hard to believe, if you are not eating enough calories your body could be holding on to excess fat storage, and your milk supply could be suffering!

On fittobepregnant. Instead, these women typically find themselves losing the rest of their pregnancy weight once they decide to stop breastfeeding and their body stops finding the need for the excess fat stores essential.

For more on this, check out this article on the Huffington Post. Prolactin is a hormone that plays a huge role in breastfeeding. Prolactin also has an effect on your metabolism, which in turn can effect postpartum weight loss.

Having a newborn is hard. All those cluster feeding sessions, or trying to build a freezer stash — all that time adds up and it can be hard to find time to get a workout in. So now that you know why you may be struggling to lose weight while breastfeeding, what can you do about it?

It can be incredibly difficult to find a balance between taking care of your newborn and an exercise schedule. However, getting some type of exercise in your day will not only help you lose weight, but will help your mental health as well. Using a whey protein will deliver a good bit of protein super quickly to your muscles after or during your workout for the ultimate recovery. Thirdly, a fish oil supplement is perfect for you because it supports a healthy metabolism and fat loss during your workouts, as well as being a natural appetite supressant!

Fourth, a calcium supplement is a great idea for breastfeeding mommies! Most dairy products contain a lot of calcium and you can also get it from broccoli, baked beans and some nuts. BCAAs are the building blocks of muscle and helps to reduce muscle soreness after a workout while also increasing your strength.

Stay hydrated. You need water to make milk so it only makes sense to stay hydrated. When it comes to weightloss, a lot of the times thirst is often mistaken for hunger so drink a glass prior to each meal. One of my favorite ways to remind myself to drink more water is by these cute little water tracker bottles with motivational sayings on them. You can check them out here. Find an effective workout plan.

You will need to add an additional to calories per day to your diet when breastfeeding, bringing your total daily consumption to between 2, and 2, calories.

Fruits and vegetables should make up a large portion of your caloric intake. A simple way to get a healthy dose of these foods is to start your day with a fruit and vegetable smoothie. A banana, some strawberries, and blueberries combined with almond milk and two handfuls of spinach make for a healthy and delicious breakfast. Beyond that, try to include a serving of vegetables with both lunch and dinner to complete your day. If you get hungry between meals, munch on a carrot, an orange, an apple, or another raw vegetable instead of something processed.

Lean protein can be found in foods like chicken, fish, beans, and protein powders. Adding a scoop of the latter to your morning smoothie can help round out your healthy breakfast. For lunch and dinner, include a piece of chicken or fish, or a cup of your favorite beans, to gain the health benefits of these protein-packed foods.

There are plenty of simple ways to work healthy fats into your diet. One way is by measuring a tablespoon of hemp seeds and a tablespoon of chia seeds into your morning smoothie. Fruits, vegetables, protein, and healthy fat in one easy-to-eat meal? For lunch, try adding some olives to your midday salad or topping it with an olive oil-based dressing. Come dinner time, cook your chicken or fish with a dollop of coconut oil. It tastes great and is good for you.

And if you find yourself hungry between meals, try snacking on a handful of nuts to keep your energy up. When you plan and prepare your meals ahead of time, you won't be tempted to eat more than you have. Your meal will already be prepared. With a future mindset in place with meal prepping, you are more likely to consume healthier calories. Maintaining control of your diet is only half the battle. When we think of exercise, we too often picture ourselves going to the gym or running long distances.

With a breastfeeding infant, though, those activities can be all but impossible. In fact, it's important that you wait at least six to eight weeks before starting or restarting a serious exercise regimen.

4 Reasons You May Struggle To Lose Weight Breastfeeding?

Each type of activity has its own distinct benefit for your body. Cardio anything that gets your pulse rate up for 15 to 20 minutes is great for the health of your heart, lungs, and circulation.

Weight-bearing exercise, on the other hand, helps strengthen your muscles and bones. Once you begin a workout regimen, you may need to increase your calorie consumption to ensure that your body has the nutrients it needs to support milk production.