The Best Breastfeeding Weight Loss Meal Plan
It can be tough to know how to lose the baby weight postpartum without sacrificing your milk supply. But by following a specialized breastfeeding weight loss meal plan you can learn how to safely lose the baby weight postpartum while increasing your breast milk supply in a safe and effective way.
**This post might contain affiliate links to items I own and love and feel will benefit you immensely. Read disclosure.**
Why try a Lose Weight While Breastfeeding Meal Plan?
The most important thing you can do for your new baby is to try your best to keep them happy and healthy by supplying them with as much of your magical breastmilk as possible. (Don’t get me wrong, fed is best, but I’m assuming you’ve chosen the fulfilling yet draining- pun intended- journey of breastfeeding since you’ve found yourself here.)
But let’s be real, you deeply yearn to feel more like yourself again. You long to feel like the owner of your own body, and are dying to feel strong and confident in that post-baby bod.
I get it.
And there is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with a deep desire to get back to your prebaby weight and size as quickly as possible.
Mind you your body did take 9 plus months to stretch, change, and rearrange all your organs, all while growing a beautiful human being, so it isn’t going to bounce back to how it was before overnight, if at all. Your body will always be a bit different than before.
But that does not mean that you need to be burdened with that extra baby weight from your pregnancy for long, beyond the 6-week recovery period. Most women do not lose it that fast (but you can check out my best tips for how I lost the baby weight by 6 weeks 3 times for some pointers) and that is normal.
But you can absolutely safely diet and exercise to lose the baby weight quickly while breastfeeding without sacrificing your breastmilk supply at all! In fact, when following the best postpartum diet plan, your breastmilk supply will most likely increase.
What is a Breastfeeding Weight Loss Meal Plan?
A breastfeeding diet plan or breastfeeding weight loss plan is simply a specific diet plan with a breastfeeding mother’s nutritional needs in mind.
A breastfeeding weight loss diet plan will include:
- nutritious whole foods that are rich in nutrients and low in calories
- lots of lean protein and plant-based protein
- lots of fiber to keep you full
- delicious snacks and desserts to combat cravings
- lots of galactogogues that will help to increase your breast milk supply
You can find more details about these tips in how you should be eating to lose belly fat while breastfeeding.
How Can You Lose Weight While Breastfeeding Through a Meal Plan?
Losing weight or fat while breastfeeding can be a tricky dance. If you don’t follow the right weight loss meal plan postpartum your milk supply will tank.
Most diets are all about lowering calories beyond what your body is utilizing. Of course, this is the most effective and sustainable way to lose weight. But you can’t just drastically cut your calories to lose weight and expect to not lose your milk supply right along with it.
Creating breastmilk takes calories. Making nutritious breastmilk takes fat, and it takes nutrient-dense food. To make high-quality breastmilk at least. The amount of calories that creating breastmilk takes varies depending on your baby and how far along you are in your breastfeeding journey.
When you follow a specific breastfeeding weight loss meal plan your milk supply should never decrease, only increase, while your weight decreases. Isn’t that awesome?
All the fear of dieting and losing your milk supply can be gone if you follow a meal plan specifically designed for breastfeeding women.
Tips to Get the Best Result from a Breastfeeding Weight Loss Meal Plan:
Drink plenty of water.
Staying hydrated is key to any diet, but especially when you are breastfeeding and trying to lose weight. Drink at least 64 oz of water a day PLUS the amount of breast milk you are making which on average is around 30 ounces.
Drinking tons of water can get mundane so there are healthy ways to zest it up:
- infused water
- tea
- water with a splash of juice
- healthy lemonade (made with stevia)
Get enough sleep.
This one is hard for all new moms, not just breastfeeding ones trying to lose weight. But sleep deprivation slows down your metabolism and makes it harder to lose weight. Plus it makes you crave sugar and can mess with your hormones… all sorts of things that can slow your weight loss. Try to get at least six hours of sleep a night, even if that means you have to pump and sleep when your baby sleeps.
Need a little help in the sleep department?
- tips to get better sleep from baby through adult
- nighttime affirmations to get a better night’s sleep
- Majka’s Digest and Destress for better sleep postpartum
Exercise in conjunction with your breastfeeding weight loss meal plan.
I know, I know, you are exhausted. And the last thing you want to do is try to fit in a workout. But exercise is key to losing weight while breastfeeding. It helps to boost your metabolism and help you lose weight. Plus it releases endorphins that make you feel better, which we all know new moms need.
You don’t have to join a gym or anything like that, the Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan is a full diet AND exercise plan! Giving you all the guidance you need to know how to eat for postpartum weight loss while breastfeeding, 28 days of milk boosting recipes, and a 28-day workout plan with highly effective only 20-minute workouts. Wanna try one free?
Add in Lactation Supplements
There are some amazing lactation boosters that you can use in conjunction with your breastfeeding diet plan to help keep your milk supply high. The best two to consider adding in are Majka’s Lactation Protein Powder or Milk Dust’s Lactation Protein Powder.
Then you can just add a scoop into your weight loss lactation smoothies for an extra burst of nutrition and milk!
But there are other great healthy lactation boosters you can add to your breastfeeding diet like lactation bites or lactation teas.
Wrapping Up the Best Breastfeeding Weight Loss Meal Plan
You can do this, mama! You can lose weight while breastfeeding, and you don’t have to sacrifice your milk supply to do it. Follow a nutritious meal plan like the ones we offer here at The Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan and couple it with a gentle but effective exercise routine (remember it’s included!). Before you know it you will be back to your pre-baby weight, or even better!
And your baby will be getting all the amazing benefits of breastmilk while you lose weight. Win-win! So what are you waiting for? Get started today on your breastfeeding weight loss journey!
