Is It Possible To Lose Weight During Lactation?

There are studies that indicate that producing milk is one of the elements in your favor for losing weight during lactation. So there is no reason for this process to stop us from losing the extra pounds we naturally gain during pregnancy.

Some women claim to have lost weight precipitously during their breastfeeding phase;  it is possible that this is due to certain particular habits of them or their functional characteristics.

However, it is possible to consciously strike a balance towards the desired results in this regard.

However, even when we are the type of women for whom it costs a little more to lose weight, it  is entirely possible that through proper planning of our routine we can achieve success. Below we show that losing weight during lactation is possible and how to do it.

What do mothers do to lose weight during breastfeeding?

Being able to lose weight while breastfeeding is possible, but its speed depends on each woman.

Some mothers choose to use pills to lose weight, but this is not the most recommended measure by experts because these chemicals pass to the baby through the mother.

A breastfeeding diet is often the method most used by mothers to reach their weight loss goal.

Although there aren’t many contraindicated foods during this process, sometimes the type of food can cause problems for the baby and mother, so strict diets are not recommended.

On the other hand, it is a fact that during this phase the mother feels hungrier and is more particularly attracted to caloric foods, which could result in an undesirable weight gain.

In this sense, if we don’t set a goal in time, the nutritional needs of breastfeeding can play against us.

Exercise is always a very useful tool for weight loss, but as we know after childbirth it is recommended to do it in moderation until a certain point.

But to do any physical activity you need to have the necessary energy, which maybe with the simple fact of breastfeeding we are losing.

In this way, the right recipe involves balancing the consumption of foods that provide us with the energy we will lose from breastfeeding and exercising. Can you lose weight just by breastfeeding? Experts believe that around 600 calories can be lost to produce milk daily, but it will be necessary to supplement with exercise and a proper diet.

How can you lose weight during lactation?

As we said before, the caloric expenditure generated during breastfeeding is equivalent to aerobic exercise for a couple of hours a day. That is why extending the breastfeeding period could lead to a very strong weight loss process.

According to experts, this is the main reason why some women attribute their intense weight loss to breastfeeding, but it will all depend on each person.

On the other hand, it is not advisable to neglect the nutritional aspect as losing this amount of calories generates weakness, fatigue, vitamin and mineral deficiency, as well as a decrease in muscle mass.

However, there is no doubt that the process itself has its benefits for weight loss. In fact, some studies indicate that the effects may linger as breastfeeding mothers are at lower risk of obesity over the next thirty years.

Let’s be clear, the results of the studies indicate that a woman in the process of breastfeeding, according to her morphology, loses at least one kilogram every six months. We know that it seems little, but it is constant and helps to prevent the appearance of other health problems, starting with obesity.

To complement the support in the task of losing weight during lactation, we can establish the following program.

• Perform daily physical activity for periods of 45 to 60 minutes. Activities like dancing, walking, jumping rope or cycling can help us burn between 300 and 500 calories

• Increase the consumption of liquids, as long as you do not overdo sugary products
• Consuming fruits and vegetables, preferably raw, if we can eat them with the peel is much better
• Prioritize the consumption of lean meats such as turkey and chicken. In exchange, it is recommended that the fish be greasy, where trout, sardines, salmon and tuna stand out.
• Introduce dairy products that are low in fat but rich in calcium
• Prefer whole grains