Feel like weight loss is very slow- breastfeeding?

[RIzzosHairspray]

I started my "diet" (cutting down on calories and not eating as much shit) on the 15th June. My starting weight was 12 lb 4, and I am 5'5. I lost a few lbs of water weight fairly quickly, and as of today weigh 11 lb 11. I have been that weight for over a week now and feel that the weight loss is very slow. I am eating just under 1,400 calories a day and am pretty sure I'm judging everything correctly.

I have a baby who is almost a year old and still breastfeeds quite a bit. Could breastfeeding be slowing down weigh loss? Sorry if this sounds stupid, I have never dieted before and was a happy 10 stone before having my baby! Then I discovered sitting on my arse feeding the baby and eating cake!

Not an expert, but maybe the opposite? I lost weight quite quickly while breast feeding, and gained once stopped. I am not 100% sure, but if I remember correctly, you can have extra 500 cal a day while breast feeding. Maybe you are not eating enough calories and your body is resisting weight loss?

That’s 7lbs in 4.5 weeks = 1.5lbs/week. Sounds about right, well done!

BF and associated hormones can affect weight loss both ways but really, you’re doing well.

Meant to add: maximum, sustainable healthy weight loss a week is 2lb for most people. Starvation mode is a myth, you’re obviously tracking what you eat well and if 1400 cal/day is below your TDEE the weight will keep coming off. If you’re at all concerned about portion sizes, you could weigh your portions. Make sure you’re drinking enough too, bf in warm weather and all.

Thank you - I know the recommendation is to lose slowly, but I suppose I was stupidly hoping that a bit more of it would be bloat rather than fat and I've slipped up a few times at the weekend with cake and chocolate. I'm so eager to be back in my usual clothes too, wish I'd never put all that weight on in the first place!

Ty and be kind to yourself, having a baby is not easy and they’re still little too. Sometimes you lose inches before pounds too, it’s worth measuring yourself if you can be faffed and comparing each month, the inches add up!

Yes it's below, and I usually leave about 150 calories free to make up for any small miscalculations with things like butter or milk in tea, I weight the big things. I'm not logging excersise because joint issues from pregnancy have meant I can only really do walking and a bit of yoga right now

Good point with inches... Thanks!

I lost about a stone in 2 months once I stopped breastfeeding so much overnight and my periods returned. DC were around 15 / 18 months each time. I think it's to do with prolactin levels which can be kept high by feeding overnight and prolactin reduces fat metabolism.

It makes biological sense for your body to hold onto fat while you're breastfeeding. Some people do find they lose a lot of weight while actually feeding but ime it's been when breastfeeding slows down.

I am on baby number three. I always lost the weight breastfeeding to a point but then plateaued. Only ever shifted the last half stone after I stopped breastfeeding. I do find it harder to diet while at breastfeeding as it makes me hungry. Plus my boobs are way bigger which must add a few pounds.
Can’t explain why if you are genuinely sticking to a calorie deficit though.

Thanks - I do wonder at the effect hormones have. I have had quite bad (diagnosed) anxiety in the past, plus endometriosis, and I've never felt physically or mentally so good as I have done from the third trimester onwards. It's like I've hit my hormonal happy spot. But also fat spot. Can't have it all

Physically good in term of no monthly agony of cramps and headaches and all the rest - joints are still a bit fucked

I carried an extra stone the whole time I was BF- just over a year. As soon as I stopped it dropped off so I think there is something in your body keeping reserves.

Even though you are counting calories, just the cake and chocolate alone could have put you up 1000 calories, undoing a lot of the good work. 1400 is still a fair amount of calories, in fact it's my maintenance so I personally wouldn't lose anything on that.