How to Safely Lose Fat While Breastfeeding: Tips and Tricks to Shed the Baby Weight
Though being a new mom is a beautiful and gratifying blessing, most of us are still eager to feel more like ourselves again. And that means dropping off that extra baby weight and learning how to lose fat while breastfeeding. But losing weight while breastfeeding safely while still making enough high-quality milk for your baby raises a lot of questions and concerns.
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Can you learn how to lose fat while breastfeeding?
As a prenatal through postpartum certified health coach and fitness trainer, I can safely say that you can absolutely learn how to lose weight and fat safely while breastfeeding, without negatively affecting your breast milk supply.
Which is really the most important thing! Sure you could follow some fad crash diet and lose that weight too, but that isn’t healthy for yourself, your milk supply, or your baby.
So how can you lose fat while breastfeeding? Is it by eating less fat? Exercising more? Counting calories?
Let’s find out!
How much weight can you lose while breastfeeding?
This is a great question and one that I get all the time. The answer really just depends on how much weight you have to lose.
If you are only looking to lose those last ten pounds then you might be able to do so by cutting out some empty calories from your diet and adding in some extra protein and lactation boosting foods like these yummy lactation meal replacement smoothies.
But always remember once you get down to those last 5 pounds there is a chance that is where your healthy weight loss journey might end during breastfeeding.
There are some people’s bodies (often those who have followed fad diets, crash diets, or suffered from eating disorders in the past) who will hang onto an “extra” five pounds during breastfeeding that just won’t come off without drastic dietary changes. But it falls off almost immediately when you wean.
It is your body’s “safety net” so that if anything like those times in the past of malnourishment rears their ugly heads again, your body will still be able to make breastmilk for your baby by “eating up” those extra five pounds of fat.
But if you are recently postpartum (or not that’s totally ok too) and have a good 20-40 pounds of extra fat to lose, then it’s going to take a little more effort, consistency, and determination but can absolutely be done and I can help you get there!
Do you need to lose fat while breastfeeding?
I in no way want you to think that it is mandatory to drop the baby weight in six weeks every time you have a baby. Your body changed, stretched, created a human, and will never be the same as it was before.
There is no rush to get back into your prebaby jeans if you don’t want to. Your body is beautiful and strong how it is.
But if you are eager to lose the extra fat while breastfeeding that we all get while growing our little bundles of joy, I can help you do it.
What are the benefits of losing fat while breastfeeding?
Losing the extra fat and weight that you put on during your pregnancy does carry some great benefits.
- You have more energy. Carrying around extra weight can be exhausting. Taking care of your baby will be exhausting. Any extra energy is welcome in those first couple of postpartum years.
- You might sleep better. That is if baby allows you.
- You are faster and more agile, which really helps when you have to jump to keep baby safe or chase after a wild toddler.
- You feel better in your own skin. Confidence and feeling happy with your health and appearance are important.
- You are less prone to high blood pressure and various diseases.
Tips and Tricks to Lose Weight While Breastfeeding
First, drink more water to lose fat while breastfeeding.
You are probably already doing this to keep your milk supply up, but it also helps you feel fuller so you will eat less. So often we reach for a snack thinking we are hungry when we are actually thirsty.
If you feel hungry try drinking a glass of water first! And drink one before your meals. Then if you are still hungry go ahead and eat a nutritious meal or snack.
RELATED: The Vital Importance of Staying Hydrated While Breastfeeding
Second, add in some protein at every meal and snack.
This keeps you fuller longer and provides the building blocks for making breastmilk. It also helps repair any damage done during pregnancy and childbirth. Getting enough protein is essential to keeping a high milk supply, building muscles (which burn more calories), and keeping you full and focused.
Things like lactation smoothies that call for protein powder like this Tropical Lactation Smoothie are a great way to get in an extra burst of protein!
Keep your proteins lean (think chicken and fish) and plant-based (think vegan protein powders and beans).
Third, get rid of empty calories to lose fat while breastfeeding.
You want to make sure every calorie counts when you are trying to lose weight while breastfeeding. It is actually good to have more fat in your breastmilk for your baby! You can actually learn how to get more fat in your breastmilk, making your milk richer, even while losing fat.
So cut out “empty calories.” This refers to foods with no nutritional content or very little in relation to their calorie content. Think things like:
- sugar
- sugary drinks
- alcohol
- white flours
- highly processed foods
These types of empty calories offer no nutritional value and will only sabotage your efforts to lose the extra baby weight while breastfeeding.
Stick to whole foods that are packed with nutrients like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. The Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan comes with 56 milk-boosting recipes to guide you on your weight loss journey while making more milk.
I highly recommend adding a high-quality protein powder into your diet. If you know which protein powders are safe for breastfeeding moms you can add a powerful postpartum weight loss tool into your aresenal.
High-quality protein powders act as a meal replacement when added into a smoothie recipe like my most popular Blueberry Morning Smoothie. Which is a sneak peek of the delicious recipes that come in the Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan.
A high-quality protein powder helps you lose fat while breastfeeding because:
- They are filled with nutrition beyond protein
- They help you feel full and satisfied for very few calories
- They are nutrient-dense
- They act as a meal replacement when built into a smoothie
- They can be added into all kinds of healthy lactation recipes like lactation bites too, not just smoothies.
There are even a few amazing protein powders that are created specifically to increase lactation! This really helps to keep your milk supply high if you are lowering your calories to lose fat.
Fifth, do some form of exercise most days.
I’m not saying you need to spend hours at the gym or go for a run every day. But getting your body moving is important for so many reasons when you are trying to lose weight while breastfeeding.
Exercise helps burn calories, obviously. But it also helps
- improve your mood
- gives you more energy
- and can help with how well you sleep at night.
All of which are important for a breastfeeding mama!
You can do a specialized workout plan for postpartum moms like the ones in The Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan (try one of the workouts for free here) which are all only about 20 minutes but highly effective! Perfect for busy moms.
Or you can try out HIIT workouts, which are another great way to burn fat as they can keep your metabolism elevated for up to 48 hours post-workout! Plus they are super fast which is also great for a busy mom.
Lastly, try out a specialized weight loss program for breastfeeding moms.
The best and most successful diet and exercise plan that you can follow to lose fat while breastfeeding without losing your milk supply is the Milky Mama’s Postpartum Plan.
It is a 28-day diet and exercise plan that is mostly in video format so the workouts are easy to follow and it’s easy to learn all the information even as a busy mom because you can just listen to it!
Expect to get lots of great recipes, all the rest of my tips for losing fat while breastfeeding, a bunch of printables to help you along, and a lot more!
Wrapping Up How to Lose Weight While Breastfeeding
Losing weight while breastfeeding can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. In this article, I’ve shared my 6 most powerful tips to help you safely lose fat while breastfeeding.
These tips are:
- Drink lots of water.
- Eat more lactation-boosting foods.
- Avoid empty calories.
- Add protein powder smoothies to your diet.
- Do some form of exercise most days.
- Try out a specialized weight loss program for breastfeeding moms.
If you follow all of these tips, you will be on your way to reaching your weight loss goals while still being able to breastfeed your baby!
