How do i loose weight and tone up when im breast feeding?

Question

Im so hungry all the time but i know that i need to control what i eat, how can i do this without sacrificing my babies nutrition

Answer 1

Hello there. I have to tell you that I think you have answered your question for yourself. I am certainly not an expert on weight loss but I am something of an expert on brestfeeding.
I don't know how old your baby is or whether or not the baby is totally breastfed at this point in his or her life. If you are nursing your baby full time you will burn up to 1000 calories doing that. This is one of the only times in your life that you will burn up calories more readily than a man without exercising.
I do understand your urge to lose weight and "get your figure back" ( I went thru it four times!) but I just want to point out to you that you have virtually your whole life to lose weight and only this small sliver of time to breastfeed your baby. Say that you breastfeed for one year, or even two, that is a relatively short amount of time when you think of what you are giving your baby that will last his entire lifetime! You are giving him or her the foundation for a healthy body and a strong nutrutional beginning in life. Your colostrum alone gave him powerful immunizations against some very dangerous diseases and by continuing to breastfeed her you protect her from the usual childhood illnesses. She will get your antibodies against many dangerous things.
If you weigh that against waiting a few more months to start on your dieting regimen how can you not feel it is worth it to wait? Put yourself and your sweet baby first. Eat all the good food that you know you need to make wonderful milk for your baby. If you want to start now go ahead and be ruthless about eliminating all the junk food from your diet. Start now learning to reach for an apple or a yogurt instead of a cookie or a sweet. Fill your menus up with lots of fresh vegetables and fresh fruits.
I am sure that you will not harm your milk supply with healthy exercise. If the weather permits try taking the baby on some nice long walks. Pushing a stroller has to burn up calories also! If this exercise gives you an appetite don't be afraid to satisfy it!
Your instincts are right, you cannot diet without sacrificing your babies nutrition. I often hear people point out that women in under developed countries where everyone is starving seem to have milk for their babies. This is true at first while the baby can take all the nutrition out of the mothers body but at some point that runs out. Then what nutrition there is comes at the sacrifice of the mother. Why would you want to put yourself in that position? You are probably very lucky in that you have access to wonderful food from which to make nutritious milk for your little one. Why not make the most of it?
Believe me the time will come soon enough when you do not have that magical bond with your dear baby. Then you can exercise and diet to your hearts content with out harming your baby. Why not enjoy this special time for what it is really for? Use this time to make the best milk that you are able to make for your baby! Take your prenatal vitamins and fill your diet with the best foods that you can. If you have other children or a husband they will all certainly benefit from this nutritious diet, and you will too! It is almost impossible for you to gain weight while you are nursing and most mothers find that they will lose a modest amount of weight while nursing just by the way you burn up calories.
Your priorities are where they belong honey. Give your baby the best milk that you are capable of making for him and then when you have weaned him ("gradually and with love") then you can go on all the diets and exercise programs that you want to!
Remember that next to the gift of life itself there is nothing more precious that you can give your baby than your breast milk. Don't endanger something so important in order to start your diet a bit sooner!
I have been on many, many diets since my babies have grown up and there is not one of them that has given me the joy that breastfeeding did. I know what I would pick if I were given the choice between breastfeeding and dieting! You know that feeling you get when you are nursing your baby and they look up at you with so much love in their eyes? I never got that feeling from munching a stalk of celery!! Neither will you! Not much of a comparison that is for sure!
Good luck honey and please take care.
Love and Blessings
Lady Trinity~

Answer 2

You still need about 300 or so extra calories a day when you're breastfeeding. Just choose healthy options rich in nutrients. Apples, bananas, carrots, lots of fresh fruits and veggies. And exercise. Do what you can but don't wear yourself out, you need to save some of that energy to enjoy your little one.
By the way, breastfeeding by itself is a great way to lose weight after birth.

Answer 3

You should never restrict your diet while breastfeeding. Choose healthy foods and you should loose plenty of weight.

Avoid anything pre-packaged. Shop around the out side of the store, buying mostly fresh fruits and veggies, freash meat and whole grain breads (avoid anything that says "enriched") Switch to brown rice and whole wheat pastas. Nuts and legumes are also really good and really good for you!

Good snacks to have around are nuts and fruits... easy to grab and full of nutrition!

Start eating for the nutrition in the food and not for the taste. Not that it has to taste bad... quite the contrary!

Drink PLENTY of water. Eliminate all other beverages (besides the occational glass of red wine or caffiene free tea)

Avoid sugar as much as possible... start reading labels on everything you buy.

Avoid dairy as much as possible... stick to one or two servings a day of things like yogurt and kefir. Avoid added sugar in those...

Keeping a good diet, getting light exercise and nursing should shed pounds pretty easily, just be sensible.

Answer 4

well...i did have that problem too,,,,its no big deal just eat in a portion of whatever your having and chew long enough so that all food are grinded and your stomach doesn't have much work to do this would also help you diet without worrying so much about the nutrients for your baby,,,

Answer 5

switch from pouring your cereal straight from the box to using a measuring cup to cut your cereal calorie count in half

Answer 6

increase your non workout activity levels

Answer 7

bag your own groceries