Does anyone have any secrets to losing weight safely while nursing? I gained about 50lbs while I was pregnant. I lost about 30 the first few months but the last 20lbs seem to still hang on. Do you know of any good books to read, websites to look at, special recipes, fitness programs to join, etc.? Any suggestions would be a great help.
Hi Joanne!
I used to be in Weight Watchers and I know they work with nursing Moms! The biggest difference between what you and I would do is that you would get I believe 2 or 3 more points to eat. WW is a great and SAFE way to lose weight! They also have all kinds of wonderful recipes and tips for you! The best is that they give you the added support you need when you are at that plateau!
Good luck to you losing the baby weight!
Many blessings!
Congratulations on being a MOM!
Having exercise and being aware of what you are eating are important elements while making sure that you take in enough to support nursing your baby.
I gained weight with the arrival of each child and it was not until I started having a regular exercise program that I was able to lose the extra pounds. After first child's arrival, I enjoyed local park district step aerobics class delivered at one of my local elementary schools in the evening. Also used my local YMCA. My family physician suggested purchasing a piece of exercise equipment for home but it was my observation that these turn out to be towel racks in the house. I finally began doing yoga and have become prenatal/post partum yoga teacher.
I expect you will also see a posting about the stroller Mom's group that meets at Fox Valley Mall.
I did lose 40 pounds.
Carolyn L
Mom of 3, yoga teacher
Don't forget that it took 9 months to gain the 50 pounds, so it will (and should) take time for it to safely come off. Also, all that nonsense we hear about celebrities losing all their baby weight in 2 months is, for the most part, unsafe and impractical for the average woman. If you were unbelievably wealthy and could hire a full-time baby nurse so you could get plenty of uninterrupted sleep and also go work out with a personal trainer for 2+ hours daily, have a personal chef making you healthy meals, have a household staff to keep your home clean, and a personal assistant who tended to your every need, then of course you'd bounce right back from the baby weight!
www.sparkpeople.com is a good website for two main reasons. First, it is chock-full of great articles related to nutrition, exercise, and stress management. Second, it allows you to track your nutrition (so you can see how many calories you've consumed plus determine whether you are getting enough vitamins/minerals) and your fitness. You may also wish to go to a Weight Watchers meeting. I've never done this, but I know about it and the program is all about modifying nutrition habits to create a lifestyle change (you don't want to do some wacky diet, lose the 20 pounds, quit the diet, then have the weight and more pile back on). Weight Watchers is also considerate of BF-ing mothers.
You may want to eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day that include lots of fruits and veggies. Avoid processed foods (basically anything that comes in a 'box' and is found in the aisles of the grocery store) and refined sugars. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Have cut up fruit and veggies, and bagged snacks ready to go if you're out and about so you don't hit the drive through. If you're not already walking, start. Put the baby in the stroller and begin with a 30 minute jaunt around the neighborhood. Too hot? Go to the air conditioned mall. If you don't have a gym membership, don't fret. www.sparkpeople.com has strength building exercises/programs you can do at home without machines.
Good look and remember to be patient! Your body will thank you and respond better if you take it slowly.
I second the previous post about Weight Watchers.
You can go to the meetings, or you can join online (which is what I did).
And, good old fashioned exercise is key, too.
I joined a gym that has babysitting and I think of that as "me" time to clear my mind, and also do something good for my body. If that doesn't work for you, then go for a walk/jog in the a.m. or p.m. when hubby is home.
Even 10-15 min./day to start will be good for your body. (Or take baby in a jogging stroller)
Or, babies love to lay on the floor w/ mom. Get a good yoga DVD and have fun doing it while baby watches.
Just think of creative ways to exercise throughout the day.
Run or walk up and down your stairs a few times when you have 5 minutes. Do lunges across your hallway instead of walking. Do some jumping jacks or sit ups here and there.
My point is, you can squeeze in little bits/bursts of activity throughout your day.
Just make sure, since you are nursing, that you drink a lot of water so you don't get dehydrated.
Good luck, and congrats on your baby!
Shaklee has a wonderful healthy weight loss program called Cinch. A nursing mom could do the meal replacement shakes, meal replacement bars and snack bars. Shaklee's Vita Lea could be substituted for the 3-in-1 Boost Vitamin which is part of the program. You can get more information at www.cinchplan.com or www.cinchclub.com. You can find some great recipes for sensible meaals on cinchclub.com. I would also be able to provide more information. Many new moms have found it to be just what they needed to take off the weight. The shakes and bars taste good and keep you from grabbing junk food. Cinch was designed to "keep the muscle and lose the fat". The program was introduced 2 years ago, and there are lots of success stories. I love the program.
I would also recommend adding more fruits and veggies to your daily routine, cutting down or eliminating sugar, white flour products, processed foods, and artificial sweeteners. Make sure you are drinking lots of water, and get in a walk or some type of exercise every day if possible.
I know your search will find a program that's just right for you. Best of luck!
I returned to Weight Watchers while nursing, and it worked great. I was allowed more points than when I went the first time. I had about 10 pounds to lose, and it came off in a few months. I've never done it online, but I do know going in person is a big motivator for me--if I know I have to get on a scale in front of somebody, I'm less likely to go off of the program that week!
I am partnered with a Wellness Company and they also have a weight loss program and a site called vitality for life.....www.vitalityforlife.com ......you can safely lose weight with this program, but you need to sign up with someone already with the company.
Check out vitality for life..........and also give me a call or email me.....I have used the program and I find it a good one.
Lynda Guinnee
[email protected]
weight watchers nursing moms program. Its worked for every one of my friends to help with the last 20-30 lbs...Good Luck!
weight watcher! You can go to meetings or follow their program on-line. You get extra points if you're nursing. The weight just poured off when i joined (after i had my 2nd child and was bfing).
In general it is a question of calories in versus calories used. There really isn't anything magic. So more exercise, less high calorie food = weight loss. That being said, some aspects of eating lead us to eat some more eg. high glycemic foods. You also have to be careful about losing weight while nursing. If you make sure you eat really healthy, lots of fruit and veggies, complex carbs and then get some exercise and drink lots of water
I keep a blog with some friends and we're covering the topic of losing baby weight this week. You can check it out at www.prayerofhannah.blogspot.com.
I am a health and fitness professional that specializes in women's health, pre and postnatal too! Whatever program you choose, nursing mothers can keep their supply and lose up to 1 lb per week, after you have established your supply around 6m, you can increase it to 2lbs per week. Spark People, Weight Watchers are good recommendations. Self Magazine has an online nutrition and exercise tool you can use for free as well. Here are some tips:
-Drink half of your weight in ounces, so if you weigh 150lbs, then you would drink 75oz per day.
-I didn't start losing my baby weight until I was sleeping through the night...ha ha. Sleep is a huge factor in weight loss, which is often disregarded. They just published a study on this!
-Eat protein with each meal and eat it first to make you full faster, then eat your veggies, then good carbs. Also eat protein after you nurse.
-Lift weights, many women just do cardio, but when you lift weights it helps boost your metabolism longer.
-This was on msn.com http://health.msn.com/fitness/womens-fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100206170&page=1
-Protein shakes are great after nursing and postworkout, but not all are created equal. Rice and pea proteins are the easiest to digest and great for nursing moms. The Arbonne protein shakes are great, but there is an herb in there that is not safe for nursing moms.
I forgot to add that you need to eat at least 1800 cal per day to maintain supply, if you are exercising, keep it around 2100-2300 cal per day.
-Bounce Back Into Shape After Baby by Caroline Creager is a wonderful book and includes exercises you can do with your baby and a stability ball. You can buy it on amazon.
If you have any more questions, feel free to email me.
Don't worry, I gained 45lbs and still have 9lbs to lose and my daughter will be one in two weeks! I am still nursing once a day too. Nursing is great for initial weight loss, but your body will hold onto the fat to maintain supply. I feel that I have a lifetime to be my preprenancy size, the benefits of nursing outweigh this. But we all have our moments and days! Besides, most celeb moms are not b-feeding and do outrageous workouts and have proportioned meals made for them.
Good luck and congrats!!
I wanted to with you my weightloss success. I had lost 40 lbs using weight watcher's and exercising. I feel their program allows you to incorporate healthy eating, portion control and has meetings once per week. Also You are able to bring their babies to the meetings it is a warm friendly atmosphere. Carol A.
i too gained 50+ pounds with each of my daughters, lost a good amount right away, and then plateaued. have you looked at "Eat Well, Lose Weight While Breastfeeding" by Eileen Behan? this is the recommended book by LLL. i second the mom who said that it took 9 months to gain the weight and should/will take that long to lose it, as well as the woman who mentioned that it's not safe to lose weight until your supply is very steady around 6 months. also, the extra weight you've kept is for BABY if you are breastfeeding, as when baby hits a growth spurt, you lose weight! there are also moms who gain weight while breastfeeding, or who hold onto weight while breastfeeding, and attempts to lose weight end up in diminishing supply - every mom is different, just like every baby's growth is different. i try to remember that babies prefer to snuggle with teddy bears rather than barbies, instead of flipping through women's magazines.
Weight Watchers is a very good way to lose weight. You can do this while you are nursing. I did it while I was nursing and I lost 25lbs. But, you have to stick to it. Weight Watchers simply shows people how to eat in moderation.
Hi Joanne,
Eat more fresh fruits, veggies & whole grains. Stay away from simple carbs & high fat foods. You also have to exercise. If you can afford it, join a gym & work with a personnal trainer for a month. You need to exercise a least 3 times a week. Mix up your exercise between cardio & weight training.
I nursed my son until he was over 2. I found the Sonoma Diet through a friend of mine and I was told was safe during nursing because it doesn't cut out anything. It's about healthy foods and portion control. The recipes are fabulous with lots of flavor and spices. The diet itself is kind of intensive on cooking but I make a couple of meals on the weekend and then just heat them up during the week. I bought the book and the supplemental cookbook off e-bay for the price of just the book. I'm doing it again to lose a little more and it's great. Easy to stay on long term.
Weight watchers helped me also when i had my 2nd child. It basically is alot like the diabetic diet which is also an excellent diet to follow. If you have a good walking area and good walking shoes, walk at least 1 mile each time you go out and it will help speed up the process. Best wishes as you begin a new life with a child...
All the other suggestions are great ones. I just lost 22 lbs. doing the Weight Watchers Online program. It really taught me the right things to eat and the weight just fell off. I also do some sort of exercise about 30 minutes a day. Sometimes it's just walking my son around the neighborhood in his stroller and other times it's a cardio or weight training routine. If you're committed to it, it WILL work! Good luck and congrats on your new little one!