8 Healthy Ways to Visibly Lose Weight While Breastfeeding

If you’ve just delivered a child, your doctor must have advised you to consume extra calories to meet the present body requirements. But when you start consuming more and become less active, it is when body fat starts increasing. As a result, many mothers notice their body is gaining extra weight, which can start showing up in specific body areas like the belly, thighs, arms, waist, etc. 

Many even try to follow a diet plan for breastfeeding mothers to lose weight, but they forget that diet is just one of the factors responsible for healthy weight management. To help mothers in their breastfeeding stage lose weight, we have curated an exhaustive guide listing all the practical yet healthy ways that can help them. Read till the very end of this guide to get the exact blueprint for visible results.  

Is it Safe if You Are Trying to Lose Weight While Breastfeeding?

Healthy weight loss that occurs as part of a personalized or well-organized weight loss program is not a problem. But if you start losing an abnormal amount of weight within a reasonably short period, then you need to worry. Losing weight while breastfeeding is not challenging or abnormal; it just needs the right direction, which is covered in this guide.

What is the Recommended Calorie Intake While Breastfeeding?

The calorie intake will depend on the individual’s body’s current health requirements. You may generally notice a recommended increase of 500 calories compared to the pre-pregnancy diet levels. Breastfeeding mothers with a sedentary lifestyle may be suggested to follow a 2,250 to 2,500 calorie diet, while this limit would only increase with increased activity levels. We suggest consulting your doctor and nutritionist to determine the ideal calorie limit. 

8 Tips to Help You Lose Weight While Breastfeeding

Managing breastfeeding and weight loss are not difficult if you follow all the eight tips below. 

1. Stay Hydrated

Breastfeeding mothers should drink at least eight glasses of water daily. Adequate water consumption helps improve digestion, circulation, milk production, transportation of nutrients, and many other body functions. It will help your body naturally shed unwanted fat stored in the body. It also enables you to feel fuller, preventing unnecessary hunger pangs. If you find it rather difficult to drink eight glasses of water daily, try infusing it with fresh fruits.   

2. Eat a Healthy Diet

To make your breastfeeding weight loss journey healthier and easier, consuming the right amount of calories is essential. Eating less is never the right approach to losing weight. Since breastfeeding leads to burning calories, you can become undernourished if you don’t take the required amount of food. Consult a professional nutritionist to create a personalized diet plan with the right proportion of protein, carbs, healthy fat, etc. It will help you lose weight faster. Here is the list of healthy indian food.

3. Exercise Safely

Instead of going to the gym or following a post-pregnancy exercise routine, you should start with basic and safe exercises. Women should wait for at least eight weeks before beginning any exercise after their delivery date. Even after eight weeks, you should start with basic and light exercises to not put unwanted pressure on your body. Extreme exercising can affect your body’s ability to create breast milk, so always be careful before starting any exercise routine. Know more about the fitness tips for women.

4. Don’t Skip Meals

A thumb rule of a healthy and effective diet plan for breastfeeding mothers to lose weight is never to skip meals. When you start consuming less food than what your body requires, you can lose weight in the short run, but it will make your body weak from the inside. It can also reduce breast milk production. The best way to sustain weight is by eating the right amount of food in small portions. 

5. Eat More Frequently

Extreme dieting or reducing calorie intake will make your weight loss journey more challenging in the long run. You should not reduce your food intake to lose weight and maintain the same in the long run. A better option is to get your diet reviewed by a professional nutritionist. Eat more often in smaller quantities but be careful of the nutritional profile of food items you’re consuming.  

6. Get as Much Sleep as You Can

It can be surprising, but the breastfeeding weight loss journey involves the right amount of sleep. Proper and adequate sleep helps your muscles relax, release growth hormones, stabilize heart rate, etc., indirectly assisting in a healthy weight loss process. Some breastfeeding mothers report challenges in sleeping, which often leaves them sleep-deprived. Getting quality sleep is as essential as taking the right diet and exercising regularly, so ensure you don’t compromise with it. 

7. Breastfeed Frequently

Breastfeeding on demand can help accelerate your calorie burning process. Since you burn calories while breastfeeding, nursing more will lead to increased weight loss. And if you start exercising during your breastfeeding journey, the weight loss can quickly become visible. While breastfeeding on demand can look like you’re feeding too much to your baby, remember the child knows how much he needs. So don’t worry about breastfeeding on demand.   

8. Avoid the Following Foods

If you think losing weight while breastfeeding is challenging, it can be because of your present food habits. Breastfeeding mothers who still consume unhealthy food items and beverages will have difficulty losing weight. So if you want to accelerate your weight loss journey, give up consuming junk food, caffeinated drinks, spicy food, and vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, etc. Alcohol and canned drinks should also be avoided. Eliminating these items from your diet will bring visible results within a month or more. 

Also read about are dates good for diabetes

Bottomline

Gaining weight post-pregnancy and delivery is normal, but shedding that weight can be troublesome for some women. If you’ve been trying to manage breastfeeding and weight loss simultaneously, this guide will help you significantly. You can take note of all the eight healthy ways discussed above to lose weight and maintain a pretty healthy weight in the long run. Follow all the points collectively to achieve visible results.   

FAQs

What Diet is Best for Weight Loss While Breastfeeding?

If you are trying to lose weight, cut down the consumption of junk food, processed food, sugary beverages, and food items high in saturated fat and carbohydrates. Include more fresh vegetables and fruits for a proper diet. Mothers breastfeeding their children should always stick to a healthy diet for weight loss. 

What Fruits Help Produce Breast Milk?

Green papaya, mango, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, avocado, sapodilla, and rockmelon are some fruits for breastfeeding mothers. They provide the minerals and nutrients your body needs, helping you produce breast milk. Besides these fruits, you can consider supplementing your diet with lean protein, lentils, whole grains, etc.  

What Vegetables Should I Avoid While Breastfeeding?

If breastfeeding your children, consider avoiding vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and beans. You should avoid these vegetables if your child is experiencing colic or bloating. Removing these items from your diet can help relieve the symptoms in your little ones. Here are some high protein vegetarian foods.