Many new mothers are torn between their need to nourish their baby and their desire to look and feel better- which is completely normal! You may be wondering ‘How can I lose weight while breastfeeding?’.
While it’s not easy, becoming a mother has many perks- such as extra nipples!- but it also comes with its challenges, such as weight gain. But what exactly is the cause of this weight gain? Is it due to the nutritious food your body produces or the hormones surging through your bloodstream? Or is it a combination of both?
Whether you’ve just given birth or are in the thick of your pregnancy, you may be wondering how to slim down while breastfeeding. It’s not easy, but with a little bit of planning and monitoring of your nutritional intake, you can get back on track and satisfy both your needs.
1. Eat Healthy Foods
Let’s start with the most basic guideline – eat healthy foods. While it may be tempting to indulge in foods high in fat or sugar content, these foods are heavily processed and contain little to no nourishment. If you want to lose weight while breastfeeding, you should opt for foods rich in fiber, such as:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Whole grains
- Nuts
- Water-rich foods
These are foods your body needs to stay healthy and grow strong. Make sure to include them in your diet as frequently as possible. Avoid eating food items that are high in fat or sugar and you’ll soon begin to see the results of your efforts.
2. Reduce Meal Distractions
If you’re regularly distracted by the presence of food in sight, it’s highly likely you’ll be tempted to eat whatever is there. Whether it’s a freshly-baked cake that’s been placed on a dessert buffet or a chocolate fountain served in a gold-accented temple, food is sometimes hard to resist. It’s important to note that even when you’re not physically hungry, your body’s natural reaction is to want to eat. This is why it’s best to avoid places that serve free food or where there’s a lot of temptation. Instead, eat a meal at home, where there are no distractions.
3. Focus On What You’re Eating
When you eat food that’s been processed, your body does not benefit from the nutrients as much as it would from the real thing. One way to ensure you get the most from your food is to make sure you’re actually eating the prescribed portion sizes. It’s amazing how much someone can accumulate if they don’t know how much they’re supposed to be eating. A good guide would be to eat until you feel satisfied, but don’t go overboard and stuff yourself. Make sure you keep track of how much you’re eating so you can monitor your progress.
4. Engage With Your Baby During Meals
If you’re nursing, you and your baby will be constantly in touch through touch, sound, and scent. During mealtimes, it’s important to interact with your baby through eye contact and verbal communication. However, eating is usually a private matter, so make sure you shield yourself from prying eyes and distracting noises. One way to do this is to put on a little bit of noise-cancelling headphones so you can both listen to music without being disturbed by outside noises.
5. Plan Your Meals Ahead Of Time
If you want to lose weight while breastfeeding, it’s important to plan your meals ahead of time. This will help you monitor your food intake and ensure you don’t go overboard. It’s also a good idea to write down what you’re going to eat and when you’re going to eat it so you can remember what and how much you’ve consumed. If you find it difficult to plan your meals ahead of time, consider cooking a few dishes at a time so you can manage the ingredients better and have some variety as well.
Being pregnant or a new parent is already hard enough. You should not make things more complicated by losing weight. However, it’s not always easy to adhere to a healthy diet, especially when you’re on the go all the time. If that’s the case for you, why not consider taking advantage of the fact that you’re pregnant and try to lose the weight as quickly as possible? You may feel better equipped to deal with the physical demands of motherhood once your body has adjusted to the changes and you’ve reached your desired weight. If that’s not the case and you still want to lose weight while breastfeeding, make sure to follow the guidelines discussed here in order to do so.