How am I supposed to lose weight ...

smaher

when I am freaking ravenous?!? I have a sneaky suspicion that I'm not burning as much as I'm eating, even with pumping 6 times a day.  I'm eating healthy stuff, but I am eating all the time.  Anyone else go through this?  Nothing in my routine has changed and Lord knows I haven't even thought about exercise (nor will I as long as I'm hooked up to this silly pump every 3-4 hours).

Today's intake:

A few handfuls of cereal in traffic this morning

Oatmeal and a wedge of frittata

Handful of mixed nuts

Salad (oil and vineger), 2 hard boiled eggs and fresh fruit

An orange

Hummus and pita chips

3 liters of water, 1 iced tea, and 2 hot teas to wash it all down.

I'm trying not to remember the bag of dairy-free, soy-free choc chips in my desk drawer....

 

MrsTiara

No help with the weight loss, but I have a bunch of suggestions for dairy/soy-free chocolate if you need them.

Karenbird

I went on Weight Watchers while I was EBF.  According to them, what you described wouldn't be nearly enough food -- even if you want to be losing weight. 

AgrippaRidesAgain

I've never been on WW, but like Karenbird, I think that doesn't sound like enough food either, which is probably why you're starving all of the time.  I know that I would have been starving too if I was following that diet even pre-PG or BFing.

This website will help you create a diet plan that gets you sufficient calories while allowing you to still lose weight:

https://babyfit.sparkpeople.com/

Also, remember that your body may just be holding on to some weight while you're EPing.  I lost a good 7 lbs after giving up BFing without even trying.  I think that my body was just keeping some fat stores in reserve just in case.

eeclem

AgrippaRidesAgain:

Also, remember that your body may just be holding on to some weight while you're EPing.  I lost a good 7 lbs after giving up BFing without even trying.  I think that my body was just keeping some fat stores in reserve just in case.

Excellent. This is the theory I have been operating under. 

But yeah, that really doesn't seem like enough calories. I would throw your daily intake in to Sparkpeople and see what it amounts to. I don't think you're supposed to be under 1800 while bfing and I know if I personally go under 2000 my supply takes a hit. 

Thanks for the reminder about hard boiled eggs, though! It's hard (as you know!) finding good non-dairy protein snacks and I think I may be developing a nut allergy from the massive amount of peanuts and almonds I eat. 

Artslvr

I'm with everyone else, if you're ravenous, eat more.  Sounds like you're eating all the right things.  And yes, I do think that for some people BF-ing or pumping makes them lose weight, but for me, EP-ing made my body hang on to weight that I lost when I stopped pumping.

Sofka

remember you need to eat an extra 500 calories while BFing/pumping. As for exercise, I tried it but it really hurt my breasts while BFing.

Jitterbug2668

you're definitely not eating enough!  I was put on a 3k calorie diet just to support my pregnancy and help my gestational diabetes... of course this doesn't mean you go eat a gallon of ice cream.  Talk to a dietician if you need to, its well worth it. 

FWIW, I'm down 50lbs since having Nathan.  I gained 30 with the pregnancy so I'm 20lbs below what I was before I even found out I was pregnant. 

Good Luck!