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Has anyone lost weight while BreastFeeding on W30?


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Hi guys!  I am on day 6 of my second whole30.  I am exclusively breastfeeding a (rather large & adorable) 7 month old.  I am doing the whole30 in hopes of losing the last 6 lbs or so of pregnancy weight, to kill my sugar cravings, increase energy and hopefully help with some inflammation in my joints that has bugged me forever.

 

So... the thing is... I eat EVERYTHING!  That is not really true but I do feel like an hour or two after having a huge, complete meal I am SO hungry again.  I am eating whenever I get super hungry because I do not want to risk a drop in supply.  i have not noticed any changes in my body and am a little frustrated in general!

 

Any tips and/or success stories to keep me going?!  I have looked through the forum a ton and haven't found a lot of success stories of BF'ing moms.... are you out there?

 

Also, I have not been exercising recently but want to start again soon; would love eating tips there as well!

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You need to eat. Between four and six full meals per day. Drink a can of coconut milk in between. Eat mini meals between your full meals if needed. Eat, eat, eat.

 

On Whole30 we don't want you going hungry. As a nursing mother, you have a big job, feeding a whole other person, and you need to feed yourself extremely well (and lots) to make that happen.

 

As for losing weight, this varies from nursing mother to nursing mother. There is no pattern that I have observed. If you are down to under ten pounds to lose, you may or may not lose weight from here on out, you may simply find that your body composition changes.

 

Right now, your body is really determined to feed your baby. That's job one. If you do that, you are having success as a breastfeeding mom. Anything else is gravy.  If you're looking to get pre-baby slim while nursing, success would be to re-evaluate your success markers.

 

Your baby is evidence of your success so far, and your mama body shows your milk-making super-powers. Eat up, eat up some more, and then eat some more. Ravenous hunger is a sign of success (by which I mean, it's a sign that you are making lots of milk and feeding your baby well). Really.

 

Now - if you'd like some tips about meal composition, how best to add exercise, etc., you can post a few days' worth of meals here, and include sleep, activity, water intake, stress level. We can look at it with you and give you some ideas.

 

Go eat. We'll wait.

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I did 2 whole 30's almost back to back when I was BFing my 14 month old. I didn't notice a drop in supply but I definitely ate whenever I was hungry- I think it's great you aren't trying to be restrictive in that regard. I had more than 6 pounds to lose so as Amy said, we may have different experiences... between the 2 whole30's I probably lost upwards of 15 pounds. The first whole30 made me feel so great that I wanted my mom to try it to relieve joint pain so I did a second to support her as she did one. 

I think it's really hard to feel full when I'm not eating bread or gluten or tons of carbs. I think it really helps to make sure you are getting some starchy carbs- tonight I made a frittata with spinach, proscuitto, white potatoes and basil and ate a sweet potato on the side. If I hadn't added a sweet potato I definitely would be majorly hungry later. (OH! Forgot to add, I weaned 6 weeks ago or so but am 6 months pregnant with my second baby so I have similar hunger issues...).

Being sure to eat enough fat helped me feel full as well. Coconut milk in my coffee, nut butter with fruit alongside my lunch, and plenty of avocado, olive oil, or ghee with my meals really helped me feel full. (I'd been a "low-fat" believer for years so it took me a while to start using decent amounts of fat while cooking!).

If this is your second whole30 I'm sure you know that it takes a little while to really start to see changes but I'm sure if you stick with it, you will! 

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Yes I have. My first whole 30 was last may, so my nursling was 15mo. I lost 7lbs which was really the last weight I needed to lose. I did my second in September and lost the 2 or 3lbs I had regained in between thanks to a holiday and lots of chocolate.

Nursling is 24mo now and I'm hoping to lose maybe 4 or 5lbs that I gained over Christmas. I don't generally need to lose though.

I do have a robust toddler supply which has always been fine though I was very very worried first time round. I drink a lot of fennel tea which helps.

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Hi there! I just finished my whole30. I lost 8 lbs and am finally back to pre-baby weight. I found that the key is to pay attention to your body and your needs - I have a very strong willed baby (9months) who doesn't sleep and is crazy active during the day. I had to just snack and eat when I could. I had coconut milk every day, avacado, eggs, lots of chard and spinach. I didn't have time to exercise, so eating right and enough to keep up my energy was key. I cleaned out the pantry and made it my mission to really organize everything. Nuts in Tupperware, veggies cut up, sausages made in advance, eggs boiled, menu planning for each week, etc.

You can do it :) feel encouraged and just know that you are doing your best and that's all that matters.

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I did my first Whole30 after my second baby turned a year.  I kept up Whole 30 eating for about two and a half months.  I lost about 30 pounds, and I was not intending to lose weight when I started Whole 30.  I intended to clean up a diet that was starting to involve too much alcohol in the evenings as my daugther started sleeping consistently through the night.  (I'm sure some of my weight loss is due to cutting that out!)  I did have a drop in supply, but I had a huge freezer stash, and I was prepared to cut back on pumping while at work, even though it upset me to see my supply dip.  LIke everyone else, I ate and ate.  I ate so much!  It's very hard to get out of the mindset that you need to restrict calories to lose weight, but that is not the case at all. 

 

Just keep going with your Whole 30.  You're hitting the hardest part right now, but you will feel awesome in 10 days or so!

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Thank you all so much for your replies!  I am on day 8 and going strong.  I get frustrated in the evenings because I feel like my daughter isn't getting as much food as usual (and.... the chocolate.... oh.... the chocolate!)  But, I am feeling really good and hoping we all regulate soon!

 

Really appreciate the advice. 

 

I would love more tips on how people incorporated exercise with w30 and breastfeeding!  When... how... what you ate?!

 

Thank you!!

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Hi! I am currently on day 13 of whole 30 and am breastfeeding. I am also a full time worker. I am usually up and out of the house by 0515 and home at 5 at night (10 hours or so a week commuting) . I pump at work, and I do workout when I get home. I am training for a half marathon. I am probably 10 pounds heavier than what I was when I got pregnant with my son. I have a 2 year old and 8 month old. They both have a ton of energy, but somehow, someway I make it all work. I do feel like I walk around confused a lot. :) But, I do all of my meal planning on Sunday and shopping on Sunday as well. I plan my long training runs on Sunday as well. Busy weekends. I have lost weight doing the whole30 - I am back in my size 4 pants. I am not sure how much because i have not got onto a scale. I just make sure I drink a TON of water, and eat when my body tells me it is hungry - because if I wait too long I start to feel weak, and sick. I plan on breastfeeding until Eva is 1. I usually eat a potato the night before my long runs :). Also, listening to Jillian Michaels podcast - trainer Andrea Orbeck spoke about breastfeeding mamas - and she said that it is difficult for some moms to lose all of their pregnancy weight while bf - that this is not the time to diet. Listen to your body - and feed it when it is hungry. It may be your body's way of storing the last bit of fat for the baby that you are feeding. :)

 

 

Good luck mama!

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  • 3 weeks later...

I did my first Whole30 when my son was a year old and I was still breastfeeding him. I lost about 8 pounds that month and another couple the following month. I felt amazing! Then I got pregnant again and I planned on continuing to eat Paleo. Unfortunately my food aversions were so strong I could only stomach dairy and carbs for most of the pregnancy. I started my second Whole30 when my daughter was 5 weeks old and I was exclusively breastfeeding. I wanted to feel great again but it wasn't the same. I felt depleted and bad the whole time and I found out that I wasn't eating enough starchy carbs and I needed a fourth meal. I lost a few pounds but it wasn't anything like the first time. My daughter is now 5 months old and I'm considering doing another Whole30 soon. I've got about 7lbs to lose to get back to my prepregnancy weight, but really I just want to feel amazing like I did after my first Whole30! Good luck.

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@hyprthing- I'm glad to have read your post- I'm almost finished with my 3rd round of whole30, this is the first one I've done while pregnant. I was planning to do another round after I have my baby but your post is a good reminder to wait until she's a bit older and not needing to nurse as frequently. I did my first round when my toddler was 14 months and mostly eating solid foods and just nursing a little bit. I had a similar experience to yours and felt really good, I actually started another round right after that and got into better shape than before I was pregnant. Since then, we moved into a house that needed a kitchen renovation (which took months!) and I got pregnant, so I ate pretty awful convenience food for months straight... which led me to starting this round. I don't expect to see as dramatic results as my first two rounds but I am hoping I slowed down my pregnancy weight gain for a month! 

Good luck with your next round, whenever that happens to be! 

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I just finished my first whole30 last week while breastfeeding my 4 month old. I have never been able to lose weight while breastfeeding so that was not my goal, I just wanted to feel good. But I didn't really feel any better the whole time (and didn't lose a pound). Not sure where to go from here?

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I just finished my first whole30 last week while breastfeeding my 4 month old. I have never been able to lose weight while breastfeeding so that was not my goal, I just wanted to feel good. But I didn't really feel any better the whole time (and didn't lose a pound). Not sure where to go from here?

 

It's hard to say why you didn't feel any better or why you didn't lose weight without a little more data. How did you eat before Whole30? What were your meals like on the Whole30 -- both what you ate and how much you ate. If you post a little more information, we can give you some feedback on things you might try.

 

 

@hyprthing- I'm glad to have read your post- I'm almost finished with my 3rd round of whole30, this is the first one I've done while pregnant. I was planning to do another round after I have my baby but your post is a good reminder to wait until she's a bit older and not needing to nurse as frequently. I did my first round when my toddler was 14 months and mostly eating solid foods and just nursing a little bit. I had a similar experience to yours and felt really good, I actually started another round right after that and got into better shape than before I was pregnant. Since then, we moved into a house that needed a kitchen renovation (which took months!) and I got pregnant, so I ate pretty awful convenience food for months straight... which led me to starting this round. I don't expect to see as dramatic results as my first two rounds but I am hoping I slowed down my pregnancy weight gain for a month! 

Good luck with your next round, whenever that happens to be! 

 

You can successfully breastfeed while on a Whole30, there are lots of posts here on the forum from people who have done it -- but you do have to eat A LOT. Four meals, at least. While we don't encourage mindless snacking for anyone, there are groups of people who need to eat more than three meals, and pregnant and nursing women fall into that category. In this topic, Melissa Hartwig talks about eating a can of olives every day to help ensure she consumed enough food while breastfeeding. Google Whole30 breastfeeding for lots more discussions and ideas.

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I am breastfeeding, pregnant, and am just finishing my first Whole30. I've lost 16lb in the last 30 days. I ate if I was hungry. Every. Time. Don't feel discouraged and hang in there. At the very least you are feeding your body healthy foods and as a byproduct you are giving your kiddo extra healthy food. In the first couple of weeks I did try to pay attention to making sure I was actually hungry and not just bored and snacky. Seriously, though, I eat a lot. It makes a difference when it is good food and not junk. :o) Best of luck!

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ShannonM816

Before my whole30 my eating was decent ( not sure that helps). I wasn't a soda drinker, always had eggs for breakfast, liked my sweets, didn't eat fastfood, etc..

I can't remember all of my whole30 but I think most days went like this:

Breakfast: eggs w/ meat or veggies, coffee w/ coconut milk

Snack: banana, coconut, cashews

Lunch: leftovers from previous night (meat w/ veggies) or

Chicken salad or tuna salad,

Coffee w/ coconut milk

Snack: fruit, nuts, coffee w/ coconut milk

Dinner: Protein and veggies

Although, during the first part of the month I was eating a lot of dates, figs, and prunes so I am not sure if I got rid of the sugar dragon.

I did start another whole30 on Thursday, so I am on Day 3. Was this the best route to take?

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ShannonM816

Before my whole30 my eating was decent ( not sure that helps). I wasn't a soda drinker, always had eggs for breakfast, liked my sweets, didn't eat fastfood, etc..

I can't remember all of my whole30 but I think most days went like this:

Breakfast: eggs w/ meat or veggies, coffee w/ coconut milk

Snack: banana, coconut, cashews

Lunch: leftovers from previous night (meat w/ veggies) or

Chicken salad or tuna salad,

Coffee w/ coconut milk

Snack: fruit, nuts, coffee w/ coconut milk

Dinner: Protein and veggies

Although, during the first part of the month I was eating a lot of dates, figs, and prunes so I am not sure if I got rid of the sugar dragon.

I did start another whole30 on Thursday, so I am on Day 3. Was this the best route to take?

 

You seem to be eating a lot of fruit, and your snacks that are just fruit and nuts are really not doing you any favors. Although fruit is not bad for you, it can still mess with your blood sugar, especially eaten on its own. What I would suggest is any time you eat, try to include protein, fat, and veggies. When you have fruit, have it with a meal, not by itself. 

 

Try keeping easy-to-grab things ready to go in your fridge, like hard boiled eggs, or tuna or chicken salad already made up so you can just grab some, or leftovers, or even compliant hot dogs/pre cooked sausages if that's what's easiest. For vegetables, if you have celery, carrots, snap peas, bell peppers, or whatever vegetables you like washed and cut up and ready to go, it's easy to grab a handful of those when you're getting a snack. Also be sure you're including starchy vegetables like potato, sweet potato, winter squashes like spaghetti, butternut, acorn, or kabocha squash, or root vegetables like beets, turnips or rutabagas with at least one meal a day, probably even more as long as you're breastfeeding.

 

Be sure you're drinking plenty of water. The usual recommendation is 1/2 oz per pound of body weight (so if you weigh 120 lbs, drink at least 60 oz of water). 

 

Also keep in mind that your body has gone through major stuff lately, what with being pregnant and giving birth and now nursing your little one. Your hormones are going to be doing weird things, no matter what you do food-wise, so please don't compare how you feel while doing a Whole30 with people who are young and single and childless and sleep 8-10 hours a night. Your results are going to be different from their results, and that's okay, you're just in a different place in your life than they are.

 

Finally, and I hesitate to say this, because I know you've got a 4 month old, and you probably feel like you must have coffee to get through the day, but sleep is important. You're probably not sleeping through the night (and may not get to for a while yet), but you want what sleep you do get to be the best sleep you can possibly get, and having coffee all day long is not going to help with that. I'm not saying you have to give up your coffee, just saying that it's something you may want to think about. I definitely am not saying stop coffee cold turkey this instant, but maybe start replacing that last cup of the day with a nice herbal tea instead and see what happens.

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Also keep in mind that your body has gone through major stuff lately, what with being pregnant and giving birth and now nursing your little one. Your hormones are going to be doing weird things, no matter what you do food-wise, so please don't compare how you feel while doing a Whole30 with people who are young and single and childless and sleep 8-10 hours a night. Your results are going to be different from their results, and that's okay, you're just in a different place in your life than they are.

 

 

Best comment ever!  

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  • 3 weeks later...

I just wanted to say thanks so much to everyone who contributed to this post.  I am currently 31 weeks pregnant and tried so hard to do a whole30 while pregnant and couldnt.  I think I tried too early in the process when I was feeling really yucky.  I have also been travelling about 2-3 times per month for work and have had a really hard time getting in a groove with anything this pregnancy whether it be exercise, healthy eating, anything.  I havent been in the same time zone for an entire month since October. 

I am planning on doing a Whole30 starting May 1 until I have the baby (due date is June 1st) I wont be travelling that month and really want to make sure I dont gain a ton of weight that last month because of fluid and in hopes that it makes eating a Whole30 template easier once I deliver.  I am also going to try and stay as close to a Whole 30 template from here on out except for the two trips I have to go on- I know some people can stay Whole30 while travelling but I just dont have it in me right now. - and one is a family trip that I have been looking forward to since before we even booked it! 

 

So thank so smuch I can't wait to be back on the regular in May and will be checking in a bit until then.

 

Thanks again all!

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I am feeling so discouraged. I am done my whole 30 on April 12 and my clothes are still tight and i dont feel like i have lost one pound. I am so upset.  Especially after reading this where everyone seems to have lost weight. I have about 8lb to my pre preg weight and i am really wondering if i should even weigh at April 12 least i go into a binge. MY daughter is 8 months 1 week and i am weaning her off nursing this month (will be done by May 1). I have always been obsessed iwth the scale and really i want you to all say i am sure you lost weight...but the truth is there is no proof in the pudding/pants. i feel lonely over here like i am the only one that this didnt work for (pardon the victim rant) but i feel like i restricted and i dont even see any NSV or scale related which i was really hoping for.

 

:(

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I am feeling so discouraged. I am done my whole 30 on April 12 and my clothes are still tight and i dont feel like i have lost one pound. I am so upset.  Especially after reading this where everyone seems to have lost weight. I have about 8lb to my pre preg weight and i am really wondering if i should even weigh at April 12 least i go into a binge. MY daughter is 8 months 1 week and i am weaning her off nursing this month (will be done by May 1). I have always been obsessed iwth the scale and really i want you to all say i am sure you lost weight...but the truth is there is no proof in the pudding/pants. i feel lonely over here like i am the only one that this didnt work for (pardon the victim rant) but i feel like i restricted and i dont even see any NSV or scale related which i was really hoping for.

 

:(

Some perspective. You are/were nursing a child. You are only 8 months off of creating a child and giving birth (the WHO now believes it takes women up to a year for all their systems to be back in proper order). Your body may not be prioritizing dropping those eight pounds at this time. Furthermore, after having had a child and your body changing and being close to 2 years older than you were before you got pregnant, you may never actually let go of it. It's possible that you might need to embrace the you that you are right now. It's really possible that you shouldn't bother stepping on that scale. Not because you might binge but because you are not cattle that requires weighing.

I really hope that you will consider sitting down and making a list of all the things that DID change during your Whole30, whether it was sleep, mood, energy, mental clarity, mood, skin, hair etc. Weight, ultimately the pull of gravity on our bodies....it's highly irrelevant when health and wellness is what you're after.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi all-

 

Thanks so much for posting about this.  I have a 7 month old and am on day 13 of my first Whole30.  I have noticed both a huge drop in supply and a complete disappearance of my appetite.  I have 15 pounds to go to get to my pre-baby weight, and about 10 pounds below that to get to a weight that his healthy for my height, so weight loss is a definite goal for me.  I have been frustrated for the last 7 months because I have not lost any of the baby weight, even though I exclusively breastfeed.  I thought a whole30 might help jump start things, but now I am not feeling any thinner (haven't stepped on the scale as per regulations to check) and my supply is dropping. The loss of appetite is strange.  I have also developed a rash across my chest and neck in the last week.  I am a mess!! HELP!!  

 

Here is a list of what I ate yesterday:

 

BREAKFAST: 2 eggs cooked and 1 cup sautéed spinach cooked in ghee

SNACK: 1 banana, 1 coffee with coconut milk, 1 large handful of cashews

LUNCH: 2 cups arugula, 1.5 cups protein salad

SNACK: 1 cup protein salad

DINNER: 1 half sweet potato, 1 cup broccoli, 1 sausage, Kombucha

 

I would love advice from any of you who have suggestions!

 

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Hi all-

 

Thanks so much for posting about this.  I have a 7 month old and am on day 13 of my first Whole30.  I have noticed both a huge drop in supply and a complete disappearance of my appetite.  I have 15 pounds to go to get to my pre-baby weight, and about 10 pounds below that to get to a weight that his healthy for my height, so weight loss is a definite goal for me.  I have been frustrated for the last 7 months because I have not lost any of the baby weight, even though I exclusively breastfeed.  I thought a whole30 might help jump start things, but now I am not feeling any thinner (haven't stepped on the scale as per regulations to check) and my supply is dropping. The loss of appetite is strange.  I have also developed a rash across my chest and neck in the last week.  I am a mess!! HELP!!  

 

Here is a list of what I ate yesterday:

 

BREAKFAST: 2 eggs cooked and 1 cup sautéed spinach cooked in ghee

SNACK: 1 banana, 1 coffee with coconut milk, 1 large handful of cashews

LUNCH: 2 cups arugula, 1.5 cups protein salad

SNACK: 1 cup protein salad

DINNER: 1 half sweet potato, 1 cup broccoli, 1 sausage, Kombucha

 

I would love advice from any of you who have suggestions!

Hi Emily, welcome! Glad you're here and I hope we can help.

 

First of all, you need to aim for four full meals while you are nursing.

 

Second, some women lose weight while breastfeeding, and some don't. There's no rhyme or reason to this. Beyond this, our bodies change during pregnancy and giving birth and nursing, and your body won't be the same, work the same, look the same, now. It will find its own new normal, but you're still in the first year after giving birth, and so the new normal is still in your future.

 

Third, most women do not fit any of the descriptions we are given of weights that are supposedly "healthy" for us for whatever reason. Most of us are never going to be skinny enough to fit what we are told we are "supposed" to weigh. This is because mostly we are lied to. Our weight tells exactly one thing: our current relationship with gravity. That's it.

 

Now, as for your meals, we ask that you compose them as follows:

1. 1-2 palm-size portions of protein

2. 1-2 or more (in your case, aim for "or more") portions of fat

3. 1-3 or more cups of veggies.

 

For non-nursing folks, we ask that you do the above three times a day, the first time within one hour of waking. For you, aim for four times a day, the first time within one hour of waking. You can also eat mini-meals or sip on a can of coconut milk as needed throughout the day.

 

I have not heard of something called "protein salad" so I am not sure what that might be. Does it include meat, fat, and veggies?

 

As to how to tweak your meals to make them fit the template, here are some ideas:

 

Meal One: 3-4 eggs (a serving of eggs is how many you can hold in your hand); 1 cup spinach sauteed in ghee; 2 cups of other veggies, maybe sweet potatoes

 

Meal Two: 2 cups arugula, 1-2 palm size portions of protein, 2 or more thumb-size portions of fat

 

Meal Three: One sweet potato, 1-2 cups broccoli, 1-2 sausages, kombucha

 

Meal Four: protein/fat/veggies of your choice

 

Again, I have no idea what protein salad might be, but make sure that it fits the meal template.

 

Loss of appetite is a symptom of not eating enough. As for supply, you're at 7 months and baby is more easily distracted, and you may be introducing solids. Many women report what they think is a loss of supply in these months, only to report that at 11 months or so they get interested again. Try for a quiet nursing environment and keep at it. If you sense a true loss of supply as measured by fewer wet and poopy diapers, then for goodness sake eat four very full meals and lots more fat every single day.

 

Eat up. Eat up. Eat up. Eat up. Really. (And tell me what the heck protein salad is, I am wildly curious now.)

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 (And tell me what the heck protein salad is, I am wildly curious now.)

 

It's in the new book -- it's basic guidelines for how to make chicken, tuna, salmon, or egg salad, with some basic protein to fat to acid ratios. 

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