Breastfeeding and calorie deficit - still not coming off

[Bythefire90]

Hello!

I’m currently 18st 3oz (5ft5”), I had my son 11 months ago and still breastfeeding. I’ve got my calorie deficit down to 1350 Cals a day, I’m also doing couch to 5k on my treadmill and an avid gardener and country walker. I was eating mainly snacks before but I imagine my calories were high.

Despite my weight I’m still fitting in size 16/18 and don’t tire easily when working out or shifting large weights when gardening. But still.. my weight loss is minuscule for what I should be losing. Any ideas on what I should be doing? I’m exercising, halved (If not more) my calories and I’m breastfeeding.

Breakfast:
porridge with almond milk and a banana

Lunch: Mug shot or salad

Tea: usual is fish/chicken with veg/salad and rice

Snack: small rich tea biscuit

I’ve lost 7lbs in 18 days 😞

This is my first ever post on mumsnet so sorry if it’s not worded correctly.

Any advice is welcome.. thanks so much for reading!

Wait until you stop breast feeding completely.

Your body won't allow you to lose weight if it thinks it needs the fat for survival.

@Bythefire90

Hello!

I’m currently 18st 3oz (5ft5”), I had my son 11 months ago and still breastfeeding. I’ve got my calorie deficit down to 1350 Cals a day, I’m also doing couch to 5k on my treadmill and an avid gardener and country walker. I was eating mainly snacks before but I imagine my calories were high.

Despite my weight I’m still fitting in size 16/18 and don’t tire easily when working out or shifting large weights when gardening. But still.. my weight loss is minuscule for what I should be losing. Any ideas on what I should be doing? I’m exercising, halved (If not more) my calories and I’m breastfeeding.

Breakfast:
porridge with almond milk and a banana

Lunch: Mug shot or salad

Tea: usual is fish/chicken with veg/salad and rice

Snack: small rich tea biscuit

I’ve lost 7lbs in 18 days 😞

This is my first ever post on mumsnet so sorry if it’s not worded correctly.

Any advice is welcome.. thanks so much for reading!

Are you weighing food? I’m breastfeeding a 14 month old and losing weight on 1800-2200 cals with 2 metabolic problems that slow down my metabolism.

RedMarauder: I breastfed my first for 3 years and the weight dropped off, that’s why I can’t understand this time round why it’s sticking so hard especially as I’m so big! I’m normally 11-13 stone 🤦🏼‍♀️

Grumpyhoonmain- yes weighing everything and tracking on my fitness pal, it’s soul destroying. Great that you’re losing despite your obstacles! I have lost 7lb but in comparison to my body weight I would imagine it should be coming off in bigger bites.

Thank you so much for your replies!

You need to build muscle mass as muscle burn calories at rest, giving you a greater calorie deficit. Try some strength exercises and make sure you are lifting enough to struggle to keep good form by the time you are on your last reps. Try a strength workout on fitness blender. They also have loads of cardio workouts but I think building muscle mass would help get things started for you

Chelseacat

Thank you. I’ll definitely have a look! I’m definitely not as strong as I was in all honesty because I still have spd from pregnancy (I was on crutches the last 2 months of pregnancy)- physio won’t book me in yet due to covid. So I will look into this, thanks again!

7 pounds in 18 days is lots!

I would say 7lb is what you should expect. They say for it to be manageable 2lb a week is enough and you have lost 3lb a week. Just keep plodding on and you will start to see the difference

Thank you. I guess so, my husband is saying the same, I think because I’m so heavy I feel like I’m not under what is ‘normalIy recommended weight loss’ and should be losing more. It’s just a hard slog when you’re this big and not used to carrying all the weight around. I do feel loads better, can run for longer and I feel healthier so there’s that aspect too ☺️

Half a stone in 18 days is amazing!!! You should be giving yourself a pat on the back... If it was to continue at that rate that's basically a stone gone in 5ish weeks?

Keep going 😊 it's not going to happen overnight but it will happen if you continue.

I am breastfeeding my 6 mo and started trying to lose baby weight in October. I started off calorie counting at first, then I focused on more exercise (atm I workout 25 mins 4xweek), and recently I have tried to cut out all sugars (apart from fruit etc.) so lots and lots and lotttttts of veg!!

You can do this!!

7lb in 18 days is great! I've lost 9lb in the last 32 days and I'm really pleased with that. Keep going and it will come off.

Be careful not to lower your calories too much, as your body will panic and cling on. It also makes it harder in the long run and less sustainable. My fitness pal gives a huge deficit, when you should only be dropping 300-500 calories per day, and if you’re breastfeeding then that provides some or most of that on its own. Have a look at another calculator online and work from there, and adjust your targets on the app accordingly x

Do you have a sling? I burn loads of calories walking with the baby in his sling!

I think you need to stick with this for a couple of months and then see. But if you lost weight at this speed you‘d be stones thinner in six months. That’s a really big deal! I think you are being a bit hard on yourself x

I can give you some strength exercises that are spd friendly if that would help?