Good Way to Lose Weight for Mom Who Is Still Nursing Her 1 Year Old?

Hi M., I used Weight Watchers to lose weight after my first child and I intend on using it again (I just gave birth to twins and am also over 40). They have instructions for nursing moms, so it's great and safe and easy to use. I did the online version as it was difficult to make it to the meetings. I'm also hypothyroid, so it's difficult for me to lose weight, but this plan really worked for me. I did the flex plan so that I didn't have to count up points, but just ate whatever were the "freebee" foods.

Hi M.-
You've gotten a lot of good responses, but I'll just add my 2 cents and say that Weight Watchers has worked great for me. Exercise is definitely important, and one thing that I found helpful was the Wii Sports/Fit... it's nice to have at home so you can do it while the baby naps, and it's pretty fun. Good luck!

I also am a big fan of weight watchers :) It is a great program.. and a nice way to meet other moms too.. go to weightwatchers.com and u can check out all their class times.. and see if they have any specials going..
best of luck.
L.

Another vote for Weight Watcher's! Just a really sensible plan that incorporates all the food groups and no deprivation. My daughter is almost six months old now & I joined WW just about two months ago. It's working and coming off the right way. I've lost 19 pounds so far, but still have a ways to go. I go to the meetings weekly, which is really helpful. The other member's are great about answering questions and giving advice. It's a good excuse to get out of the house at least once a week and be around adults. I'm a sahm, can you tell? I think they're having a deal right now too. Free registration and first month dues. Check it out!

S.

Eat as much raw food as you can. Cooking food destroys the natural enzymes that help to properly and effectively digest food. Eat organic, your body stores pesticides in your fat cells and will actually make more fat to store pesticides in if it is a high intake.

Walk and do Yoga.

You might already have read this, but the book "Potatoes, Not Prozac" explains (in the first chapter or the intro) the neurochemical reaction that is the same for alcoholism and simple-sugar addiction, and then spends the rest of the book working you through how to get free of it.

None of my family drink, but most of us have been or are sugar addicts (my parents rejected alcohol having watched how it affected their families, so we totally had the inheritable risk--I think it was spiritual/emotional more than genetic, though). Mom bought the book for all of us after she discovered it, and various of us have adopted it to the degrees we found useful and workable. (I only adopted the first part, but I need to do more--of course ;). )

Good luck :).

I find that going strictly by the diet in what to expect when you are expecting is enough calories but healthy. I write a checklist of the food categories and how many of each. It is hard to do without writing it down. Also try and eat every two to three hours and exercise. I don't know how to loose weight without a crazy diet unless you exercise. Even going for 30-45 minutes walks will do wonders!

You might want to consider training for a running race or bike race or even triathlon. There are so many in the NW and lots of training programs online you can follow. It really helped me to keep motivated by having a schedule to follow and a goal that I was working towards (instead of just losing the weight). Maybe start with training for a 5K and then a 10K. Even if you think you can't do it, you will surprise yourself! YOU CAN DO IT!

Hi M.,
I had been on every diet out there, would drop weight then gain back more than I had lost because I couldn't stay on the diet forever. Shaklee has a plan that is different... http://www.cinchplan.com/facts it is based on having the right amount of carb, fat and protein and NOT low carb or low fat. It works! You maintain muscle and the inches drop off faster than actual pounds, all of a sudden you are in smaller size cloths. You can eat all kinds of foods for dinner, you just fill out everything you eat on the cinch CD and it shows you where you are at. I was surprised at the calories I was suppose to consume, lost 20 pounds very quickly, a total of 45 pounds in 8 months and never felt hungry once.

Good Luck
J.

I am not sure what others have said, but the real way to lose weight is to exercise and eating well. Diets don't tend to work because it tends to leave you feeling deprived. I am not sure how busy your life is but, if you haven't worked out in a while it is hard to start! Try just taking your baby for walks, your baby will love being outside, and you will find you become addicted to the exercise. Start small, don't expect to run miles your first time out :)

I never worked out before I got pregnant and gained over 50 lbs. I can say the only way I got the weight off was eating right and working out :) it is hard and can be frustrating, but I am now down to my pre-pregnancy weight and I love going for my runs every night (well that's my goal, it ends up about every other :) It is a lifestyle change that is difficult but well worth it
Again, start small and don't be hard on yourself! You can do it!! Not sure if that helped, but I know you can be successfull!

First of all, the restriction on dieting for nursing mothers does not apply to you. The restriction is to make sure that you baby can still get enough calories and you are not depriving him. Since your baby is over a year, your milk is no longer a significant source of nutrients for him, let alone the main source! All of the calories your son needs should be coming from solid foods now, so it wouldn't be a big deal for him to be drinking your "low calorie" milk.

I did Weight Watchers online and Curves and lost 35 pounds in 3 months. I find it really hard to get back to the diet now that I have gained from another baby though. It is so much harder the second time. As for your binging, a trainer told me that the best way to successfully diet is to go serious and hard core 6 days a week. The 7th day is your binge day. Eat whatever you want that day then get back to normal the following day. The calorie shock to your system and the back and forth aspect will make it unpredictable for your metabolism and will help a lot. It is also easier to pass up what you want the other six days if you only have to tell yourself to wait a few more days instead of depriving yourself. Come your seventh day, you won't want everything you gave up that week anyway.

Good luck.

M.,
I understand you pain and frustration.

There is an amazing weight loss group called Transitions
my friend and peer Melissa Meissen at Equalibrium in NW
http://www.equilibriumnw.com/
will be starting a group in the fall. Which is coming right up!!!
It is a Low Glycemic diet!
And helps with the carb cravings!!
It is not a "diet" it is a lifestyle change.
It is a good way to raise your child also!
Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.
If not interested in the class you can come to me as a patient and I can educate you and do acupuncture to assist you with the cravings etc.

M. Hawkins, LAc
###-###-####

PS-lots of insurance covers acupuncture and I am on many panels.

I've had a lot of fun (and some success) doing stroller strides. It's not dieting so my milk supply isn't affected, but it is a good way for me to get a good workout and set the example for my kiddos.

Drink non-fat (or reduced-fat) milk and take prenatal supplements and calcium supplements to keep up your nutrition for nursing while you're dieting.

Strenuous exercise is hard to stay motivated to do, so pick something easy like walking. Try to find another mom who you can be walking buddies with. Push your strollers at a brisk walk for 30 to 60 minutes a day. If you have to meet with someone at a specific time, you're more apt to do it daily.

Also, if you're tempted to eat high-carb snacks, call your "buddy" first and have them delay you. Sometimes if you get past the initial urge to snack on cookies, chips, candy, or whatever you won't need it. Sometimes you can do some household chore first for distraction, brush your teeth right after dinner, set a timer and take a food time-out, read to your baby (it's hard to eat while you're holding a book and your baby) or take a bath (it's even harder to eat if you're in the bathtub).

It is hard to count calories day-in and out. Here are some other ideas:
Use half as much fat/oil in your frying pan and/or spray with non-stick spray.
Limit yourself to 1 cup of rice/pasta/potato at each meal and use a measuring cup to dish out your serving.
Buy a kind of whole grain bread that is only about 100 calories a slice.
Buy veggies at the store so they're always on hand.
Go online and search "eat this not that" for tips on how substituting similar items can help you save calories even when going out to eat.

I'm over 40 too - and had my first (and last!) baby in October. I was pretty successful onthe Weight Watchers plan because it allowed me to put my computer to use and did all the calculating for me. I lost 10 pounds in 3.5 weeks. And they have an allowance for nursing moms. Of course, every person is going to have to find that right program or lifestyle change that works for them. That's the tough part.
The thing about binges is to not let them derail you. They happen... my adorable husband does our grocery shopping and he loves to bring home eclaires for me. Sweet, huh? Ecept they throw me off for the whole day. But I try to just pick up and start over the next AM. Just don't be hard on yourself for it!
Good luck!

Get into a Stroller Strides type group in your area. There is Baby Boot Camp and local type classes at parks and rec centers and community colleges. The exercise is not only good for you long term but helps with post partum depression too. The endorphins 'feel good' and people tend to eat better. THEN choose a diet plan that is not a diet. Find one, like weight watchers, that teaches you to eat well and take care of yourself.

I think that weight watchers is the absolute best! And they will take into account the breastfeeding when they get you started. I think it is the most sustainable and lets you still eat things that you want but helps you just have smaller sizes and supplement with other healthy things. I would fully recommend it!

1400 is too few for a nursing mom. Part of your carb cravings may be because you're not getting enough calories, so your body feels the need to binge...

You could try using a web site like SparkPeople (it has a sister site that specializes in pregnant and nursing moms, but i don't know what that one is called) to track your eating habits and see if you can figure out what works - which days do you feel good, which do you not? Which days end in the urge to binge on carbs, and which don't? Can you isolate some behaviors that are particularly bad that you can remedy? (I need to eat protein before noon, or i'll binge on carbs in the afternoon, for example. I also notice that i tend to overeat single meals, so i don't worry about snacking, but i do try to keep my serving sizes small. Other people have other, sometimes the opposite, problems. But keeping track of what you eat and when is a good first step to figuring it out.)

You don't say how old your son is, but, it takes a few months to safely lose the baby weight. Nursing is a great way to do it, actually, and if its early on, you may be surprised to see the weight come off almost by itself. Hang in there, and good luck!

I did the Weight Watchers online program last year and it really worked great for me. There is a version for nursing moms, which gives you extra points to account for your needs. Good luck :-)

I am not a big fan of plans and diet groups, but if you can't stick to a healthy diet just by yourself you may want to consider weight watchers. I have frieds who swear by them and they do make program options especially for nursing moms. Good luck!

I actually did go on a diet after my 2nd was born. I followed the weight watcher plan and am convinced I did better for my baby following that plan than if I would have ate all the junk I wanted. I am currently on a diet and am just following weight watcher and cooking light recipes, I try to make good choices and if I am hungry I will have a snack. Drinking lots of water helps. I would recommend a plan that you can live with forever, giving up carbs is not wise, but you can choose them wisely. I am 46 and it does get harder as we get older. Congrats on your recovery, I know first hand what you are going thru, someone very dear to me is also in recovery. I could live on veggies, I struggle with getting enough fruit, have you ever tried juicing? I did that alot after my kids were born, I loved them and it would give me more energy in the afternoons. Good Luck!

Weight Watchers is the best. They even adjust points for nursing moms. I lost 45 lbs. with them, and they do a great job of motivating you week by week. Besides, it's a great way to meet people. And the program can adjust to your needs... so you don't have to eat any certain kind of food, but can choose from what you normally would eat.

I'd also suggest exercise. I've become much more active since my kids were born (too bad I waited that long, but it is what it is), and now I can't wait for my zumba class at the YMCA. Most Y's have childcare, too. I know all the caregivers there, since they all live in town where I do, and my kids love it too!

I wish you luck. It's a tough road, and I'm still traveling on it. Food's the one addiction we can't just cut out completely--since we have to eat! :-)

You can do it!

I can't say I have the best advice, but here are a few things to consider.

How much is your baby nursing verses eating solids? If he's mostly on solids and just nursing more for comfort than food, than dieting isn't so bad. But if he's still mostly relying on your milk for food, I wouldn't diet. There are other ways. Those other ways are what I'm going to list here.

My son, at 7 mo, is still exclusively breastfed. I try this and than now and then, but he's totally not interested. So the last thing I need right now is a reduction in milk! On the other hand, I really would like to lose weight too, and I have been losing slowly. I just tried on some skirts last night that I hadn't been able to button up 2 months ago and they buttoned. Still a little snug but wearable. But I have to be careful. Last week I think I was kind of borderline for how much I was taking in, and over the weekend my son wanted to nurse almost all the time--especially at night, which is exhausting. So I have to be careful to get enough food, even yet.

So here's what I'm doing/would recommend you do. First, don't try to lose too fast. I'm not sure where the link is, but they have proved that exercise doesn't really help with weight loss. It actually tends to make you hungrier. That doesn't mean you shouldn't exercise; just don't expect it to help you lose weight. Second, don't count calories. Eat a lot of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. The carbs in whole grains are NOT bad carbs. They are what give you energy, but they give you a steady stream of energy, not a burst like white bread/white rice/sugar do. Look for things that will boost your metabolism, like coconut oil (it is different from other fats and actually turns to energy, not fat; sugar, on the other hand, actually raises triglycerides and turns to fat). Celery takes more calories to burn than it has in it, and it's got lots of fiber. Fiber is good. It makes you feel full without lots of calories.

You should also limit your diet to certain healthy foods, and cut out junk foods period. I know this is hard to do, but I was forced to by my son, who has eczema. I can't have potatoes, soy, tomatoes, gluten, citrus, sugar... the list seems endless, really. So what I CAN eat is very limited. Sometimes I think it's because I can't find things to eat that I'm losing weight! If I didn't have my son to motivate me (knowing that he is going to break out in a rash if I eat this or that really motivates me to avoid it), I wouldn't limit myself that much. It will probably be much harder for you, but if you can cut out junk food and sweets, you will cut out a lot of bad calories.

Also, I wouldn't snack. I never do. I know it goes against what modern nutritionists say, but when I eat 2 meals a day (which I don't generally do when nursing or pregnant), I lose weight down to my ideal and then maintain it effortlessly--even if I indulge in the occasional sweet or junk food. If I get up late, like on a weekend, and eat breakfast late, I might eat a late lunch and no supper even now, but because I'm nursing I try not to make a habit of it. I'm also vegetarian, so I can eat quite a bit of food at a meal (I've heard that meat makes you feel full faster--I could be wrong, but certainly the complex protein takes longer to digest, making you feel full longer). Certain foods hold me longer than others, depending on how simple or complex they are.

Also, try to eat a lot of veggies. You can eat a lot more veggies than most people would think. Think of a Chinese stir fry. They will typically have a lot of veggies over rice with a little bit of meat. That is ideal. If you just steam some veggies and add whatever your protein source is (as a vegetarian, I add nuts, beans, egg, tofu--which I can't do now, but I used to; my son's allergic to soy), and eat that over rice. I eat as much as I want--don't bother to count calories. That's too much work. Then nothing until the next meal.

For supper, I generally don't try to eat much protein. A simple protein like yogurt or kefir is fine, but protein--especially more complex proteins like eggs or meat--take longer to digest, and I want my stomach to rest during the night. So I eat simpler food, like bread and fruit. If you eat too much or too late, it just gets stored as fat, because your body doesn't really need much energy during the night. Before I got pregnant with my daughter (I've been pregnant and/or nursing for 3 1/2 years), I rarely ate supper and as long as I stayed moderately active, I maintained my ideal weight effortlessly.

Breakfast is important. Eat heartily, and then don't snack. This boosts your metabolism, so you burn more calories, and helps prevent the mid-morning slump and keeps you from wanting to grab a snack later in the morning.

Making diet changes like I have outlined here is hard. If it's too hard, try going one small step at a time. Eat your veggies first; that will fill you up with lower calorie food. Eat whole grains. Avoid sweets (maybe allow a once-a-week indulgence, but don't overdo that: a couple cookies is fine; huge banana split isn't). Don't overdo the protein, but get some at least with breakfast and lunch. If you can't avoid snacks, eat only healthy ones (veggie sticks are a good choice). Don't drink juice. It's all sugar and no fiber. Also, don't avoid fat. It helps you feel full longer. But don't overdo it either. Cut out trans fats (that's what creates cellulite), and limit the use of animal saturated fats, especially in cooking. Drizzle olive oil and lemon on a salad for dressing, rather than getting the fat free dressings. This will help you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins and make the salad more satisfying.

So, there are a bunch of ideas. Hope it helps you and maybe some others too. :) Have fun being a mother!

Weight Watchers has a special program for nursing moms. It makes sure you get enough calories and nutrients to produce enough milk, while still losing weight yourself. I started the program when my son was about 8 mos old, and lost 20 lbs in 4 months without too much difficulty. Too bad I found the weight again, but that's another story.

Losing weight is very hard - even if you're not nursing. I lost 30-35 lbs within a year after each one of my babies. What I did wasn't one of the special diets. I started writing down everything I ate & drank during the day (for at least 4 or 5 days) and then wrote down the calories I ate for each. This helped me really see what I was eating and also became more concious of portion sizes. To get your metabolism going, you really need to exercise/cardio. I bought a jogging stroller (craigslist is great for this) and took my child out in it for a run (which was more like a jog & walk) at least 5 days a week for about 30 minutes each time. As I got stronger, I ran more and walked less. If you can incorporate some strength training too into your routine (such as pilates, using hand weights, etc.) this will help your metabolism to burn more and make you stronger.

Don't worry about the binges. They happen (-: My binges are chocolate. The other day I raided the chocolate chips and ate waaaay too many.

Hope this helps. Give yourself a year to get where you want to be. It takes time and work. You can do it!

Hi M.,

You might try CINCH after nursing and Shaklee's regular protein now. Using Cinch after you finish nursing will not only help you lose weight but takes inches off.

The regular protein as well as the CINCH will curve your carb intake and help your blood sugar levels. Use the regular protein as well as Vita-Lea, Shaklee's multivitamin.

The two together are awesome and helps give you energy and helps repair and rebuild the body. After the baby has finished nursing then I would use CINCH if you need to take those extra pounds off that won't be taken off by doing the regular protein and the Vita-Lea.

A lot of people won't use the soy protein and I don't blame them. Shaklee uses a unique way of processing the soy so it is bioavailable to your body. Most soy products
out on the market are alcohol washed (not water washed) and heated to an extreme degree that it ruins the nutrients. They also don't but the calcium and other good ingredients to make the soy usable to the body like Shaklee does.

Go to www.cinchplan.com or N..myshaklee.com and look for the Cinch plan or the regular soy. This certainly won't hurt the baby as long as you get enough calories. Shaklee people swear by both CINCH and regular soy protein and use the regular soy protein not only when pregnant but nursing also.

N.
SAH Mom, Nana, Wellness Coach and proponent of "green" which Shaklee has been for over 50 years.