Lose Weight While Breastfeeding Complete Guide (that really works!)

Losing weight while breastfeeding isn't as simple as counting calories and exercising more. As a nursing mother, weight loss needs to be done safely, so milk supply and energy aren't at risk. Many new moms are excited to lose weight after baby, so they can feel themselves again after 9 months of pregnancy. Breastfeeding can bring some challenges for weight loss, some of them including sugar cravings and extreme hunger. Here at Milk Dust, we specialize in nutrition while breastfeeding, specifically by offering a protein powder to help new mommies nourish their bodies, stop sugar cravings, lose weight and keep up their milk production. Protein powders are a great supplement to help with a healthy diet, and they add a great source of lean protein, but the overall diet needs to be full of nutrients. Breast milk product relies heavily on the mother's nutritional intake, so let's go over what a new mom can eat to ensure she gets back to pre-pregnancy weight without losing any milk ounces. Studies have shown that breastfeeding mamas tend to lose weight more than non-breastfeeding mams, so we know that losing weight is possible, but many new moms are doing it the wrong way.

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7 QUICK TIPS TO LOSE WEIGHT WHILE BREASTFEEDING:

If you are looking for quick tips, that you can get started on right away, these are for you! Not only do they work, they aren't hard and you won't lose your milk supply!

Drink a Milk Dust shake every day.
Replace one meal with your Milk Dust shake or smoothie
Walk 10,000 steps a day (try wearing baby more to help!)
Focus on nutrient-dense foods, not low-calorie foods
Always eat when hungry
Fill your plate with fruits, veggies and protien
Every meal should be high in fiber and protein together

Caloric intake isn't as important as nutrient intake when it comes to losing weight whiel breastfeeding. Regular physical activity can be more difficult in the early weeks after birth, but as you recover, you can make sure that you hit your 10,000 step goal, and even start adding more activity to increase your heart rate and burn more calories. Once you are a few months postpartum, and cleared for exercise, adding in strength training and cardio will help you lose weight faster.

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WHAT FOODS SHOULD A BREASTFEEDING MAMA EAT TO LOSE WEIGHT?

Eating the right foods is the secret sauce to losing weight while breastfeeding. Calories do matter, but nutrients matter even more. Here are some very important, nutrient-dense foods that will help with weight loss as a nursing mama.

Sweet potatoes
Apples
Spinach
Quinoa
Beans
Eggs
Berries
Broccoli
Oatmeal
Milk Dust (protein powder)
Whole grains like sprouted wheat bread
Healthy fats like avocados, fish and nuts

WHAT SHOULD A BREASTFEEDING MOTHER AVOID TO LOSE WEIGHT SAFELY?

A nursing mother can absolutely lose weight safely by eating the foods we listed and staying as active as possible. Breastfeeding does burn extra calories, so calorie restriction doesn't have to be the way to lose weight. There are a few important points to keep in mind to lose the weight safely:

Do not restrict calories to the point of extreme hunger
Keep energy levels up with healthy carbs from fruits, veggies, sweet potatoes and oatmeal
Don't fill up on crackers and chocolates
Skip the fad diets that often limit food groups an nutrients
Avoid deep fried foods, processed meats and breads
Take out dairy because of the affects on insulin
Take out white carbs like breads and potatoes
Avoid calorie-dense cheeses and butter
Don't ignore nutritional needs while breastfeeding

By taking out many of the calorie-traps that fill your body with no nourishment, a nursing mother can lose weight without losig milk supply. There are some very specific ways you can protect your milk supply while losing weight, so you can be sure your baby won't suffer at all.

HOW A NURSING MOTHER CAN PROTECT MILK SUPPLY WHILE LOSING WEIGHT:

When breastfeeding, many mamas are concerned that a "diet" will cause milk supply to drop. In reality, calorie consumption doesn't affect milk supply unless a breastfeeding mother doesn't have any fat stores. Fat stores are created during pregnancy specifically for this function. Some mothers think their milk supply is dropping, when it actually isn't. Make sure you know the real signs of a dropping milk supply, which is really important for safe weight loss. Here are some great tips to keep your milk supply up, while losing weight:

Use milk-supply boosters like Milk Dust (code: LACTATION for 10% off)
Eat nutrient-dense foods 80% of the time
Keep up on feedings with baby
Wear baby skin to skin as often as possible
Keep physical activity light to start (walking, lower-impact Pilates)
Try to get enough sleep
Don't focus on getting enough calories, but rather enough nutrients
Following these simple tips will keep your milk supply flowing, while allowing your body to also let go of extra wieght. Now that you know how to protect your milk supply, and what to avoid, let's get into some steps you can take, as a nursing mama to get rid of the extra fat.

If you want to solve your milk supply problems for good by correcting your nutrition and nutrient deficiencies. Nutrient deficiencies are a major cause for low milk supply, and you can fix it through the right diet program. The right diet can help you effortlessly lose the baby weight, while actually boosting your supply. Grab this diet program to help you fix your low milk supply, eat the right foods, and completely transform your milk supply.

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STEPS FOR A BREASTFEEDING MOM TO LOSE WEIGHT SAFELY (the best way!):

Reduce carbohydrates and sugar intake
Fill your plate with fruits and veggies
Use the size of your fist for protein servings
Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration
Focus on protein at every meal
Add fiber-rich foods at every meal
Walk 45 minutes a day

Following these simple steps can actually make a big difference. Postpartum weight loss is tricky because there are so many hormonal changes happening in the body that affect how weight is stored and used. Eating a diet that is rich in nutrient-dense foods also really helps with your energy level, which can reduce cravings from exhaustion too. The issue for many women is that they don't stay consistent. Consistency is the key in weight for anyone, and the same goes for weight loss while breastfeeding.

HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN YOU LOSE WHILE BREASTFEEDING?

Many nursing mothers want to know right away how fast and how much weight they can safely lose. If you are exclusively breastfeeding, you are most-likely burning anywhere from 300 to 500 calories a day. If calorie consumption remains at a level that doesn't cause fat storage, then breastfeeding itself can help you lose about 1-3 lbs a week. Much of this depends on your metabolism, current weight, height and activity level, and how much weight gain you experienced during pregnancy. It also depends on how much you are breastfeeding. If you eat a healthy, nutrient-dense diet, and exclusively breastfeed, you can lose weight quickly. Depending on how much you have to lose, the extra weight can be gone in a few weeks or months. The extra pounds, depending on how many can drop quickly as long as your diet is full of the best foods for breastfeeding.

IMPORTANT FOODS AND NUTRIENTS REQUIRED FOR LACTATION:

This is really important. There are specific nutrient needs that are great during lactation, which a breastfeeding mama needs in order for her body to function properly. Some of these nutrients include:

Protein
Choline
Vitamin B 12
Folate
Iron
Vitamin C

These are just a few nutrients that are in greater demand during lactation, but the great thing is Milk Dust is formulated (patent-pending) with all the specific nutrients a breastfeeding mom needs for healthy lactation. Protein in particular is linked to milk supply. Diets low in protein were linked to lower milk supply, and Milk Dust offers 16 grams of protein per serving. Milk Dust also offers L-Methylfolate which means it is Folate in the methylated format. This allows your body to absorb it, where as synthetic folic acid often isn't even absorbed at all by many women! Vitamin B12 is also shown to be needed in greater amounts during lactation, and Milk Dust has this in the methylated format as well! Milk Dust has additional superfoods shown to be essential for lactation, and known to increase supply. By putting together a powerful formula of vitamins and minerals, Milk Dust stops sugar cravings, increases milk supply and helps provide postpartum moms all the nutrients they really need. A nursing mom can be fully nourished on less calories, which is a game changer when it comes to weight loss.

CAN YOU LOSE WEIGHT WITHOUT AFFECTING MILK SUPPLY?

You can lose up to 1.5 pounds per week, safely without affecting your milk supply at all. Some moms can lose more, and if you eat the proper nutrients (as described above), you can even increase your supply while losing weight. Nutrients are actually more important than calories when it comes to lactation. If the right nutrients are consumed, your body is much happier to let go of fat and use fat as fuel, which is what you want it to do when trying to lose weight. If your body isn't getting enough nutrients, it is going to want to hold on to fat stores, and even add more in an attempt to store any nutrients it can get.

DOES YOUR BODY HOLD ONTO FAT WHILE BREASTFEEDING?

Your body may want to hold onto 5-10 extra pounds while breastfeeding in order to ensure there are nutrient and fuel stores for lactation. This is very common in most women, and why many women find they aren't losing all the baby weight while breastfeeding. The easiest way to combat this is to focus on eating highly, nutrient-dense foods to signal to your body that there is enough nutrients present in the environment, so holding on to extra weight isn't necessary. Milk Dust really helps with this because you can give your body all the extra nutrients it needs in one scoop, rather than having to eat a lot of extra food all day. Milk Dust also has the specific nutrients needed during lactation (vitamin B12, Vitamin C, protein etc.). This is why Milk Dust is so effective for helpign with weight loss, while also protecting milk supply.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I'M NOT LOSING WEIGHT WHILE BREASTFEEDING?

Many nursing mothers are not losing weight simply because they are eating too many calories. Most of the time, focusing on nutrient-dense foods fills your daily nutrient-needs on less calories. Some mamas still go overboard on the healthy foods. Nuts, avocados, rice, high-fat proteins and butters can add in many hidden calories despite being healthy. Sleep deprivation also causes cravings, and giving into those cravings can become a habit. Before you know it, you're eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at 2am every night, when your body is really just tired and needing sleep. Trying to combat these habits with a healthy lifestyle takes some time, but they really help with a slow and steady weight loss. Make sure to eliminate any empty calories from foods that don't offer many vitamins and minerals, and replace these foods with healthy snacks like veggies, fruit, and protein. The first thing to do when you aren't losing weight is to see how much you are eating - even if you think you are eating only healthy foods. Also take a look at the not-so-healthy habits you may have started during pregancy, and see if you can make small changes. Tracking your food intake for three days will be a reality check, and help you realize which foods are adding up quickly.

Tips To Lose Weight Without Losing Your Milk

You may also need to increase your physical activity. After 6 weeks postpartum, and you are cleared by your doctor, you can start an exercise program. Exercise is key to helping reduce appetite, preserve muscle mass and burn more calories. Starting off by adding more steps during your day will help your overall calorie burn, and adding in progressive weight training, where you increase your weight and reps, will build muscle that burns more calories and increases metabolism. As you get back into shape, it is a good idea to slowly build muscle back with weight training, add in low-impact cardio for calorie burning, and build to 1-2 HIIT workouts a week. This will help greatly with a gradual weight loss that won't drop your supply.

Having a new baby can cause your life to become more sedentary with all the sitting, nursing and holding a baby requires. Try wearing baby on walks more, add in some easy strength work, and work on getting your metabolism to speed up a bit. If you are working out, walking a lot during the day and eating the right amount of calories, nutrient deficiencies can limit fat metabolism. This is why Milk Dust can be such a helper for weight loss. Milk Dust offers many of the nutrients new, postpartum mamas need like Folate and B12. These two nutrients alone can help with metabolism, energy and hormonal function, which can assist your body in letting go of extra fat.