Healthy, nourishing, but non-fattening diet while nursing

[Litcrit]

So, help, all you nutrition-savvy people!

With DD1, I was at a healthy weight right after giving birth. Then gained 10lbs in the first 4 months of nursing. Never quite lost it, got pregnant again the same cycle I weaned (my daughter was 2 years 7 months when I weaned her).

Now, after DD2, I was at a healthy weight once more, and could fit into all my old jeans (those from before DD1) just a few days PP. I weigh less now than I did before the second pregnancy.

Today DH remarked I seem to be getting chubbier again, and, sure enough, the scales say I've started gaining weight and my clothes seem tighter than they did right after I got home from the hospital.

Maybe it's something I can't control and have to live with for as long as my babies nurse. But I want to make sure I'm not contributing to it by eating fattening stuff. OTOH, I don't want to lose my supply or make my milk less nourishing for my baby.

What do I want to avoid? What do I want to eat more of?

[cristeen]

You want to eat more healthy fats and less processed grains/sugars. The healthy fats are crucial for your milk - they promote brain development. But the processed grains and sugars promote weight gain.

[lil_earthmomma]

Originally Posted by cristeen

You want to eat more healthy fats and less processed grains/sugars. The healthy fats are crucial for your milk - they promote brain development. But the processed grains and sugars promote weight gain.

Fat eaten does NOT = fat on your body. Healthy fats, protein and veggies should make up the bulk of your diet. Ditch the carby sugary stuff. Especially when bfing, your body just automatically stores that stuff as fat.

[californiajenn]

I will third that. Several of my nursing mamma friends (at my suggestion) dropped grains completely and have lost 10-20 each.

[Litcrit]

Originally Posted by californiajenn

I will third that. Several of my nursing mamma friends (at my suggestion) dropped grains completely and have lost 10-20 each.

All grains? Even whole, non-sugary cereal? I like to eat a mixture of whole grains with milk for breakfast. That's bad too?

Oh, and I made a mistake in the OP. I'm from the metric system - after the first baby I gained 22 lbs (10 kilos), not 10 lbs, just to be clear. It wasn't a tiny esthetic problem, I became officially overweight and really felt it - I was sluggish, had no energy, etc. That's what I'd like to avoid this time, not just a bit of extra fat.

[cristeen]

Originally Posted by Litcrit

All grains? Even whole, non-sugary cereal? I like to eat a mixture of whole grains with milk for breakfast. That's bad too?

that depends. Most people can't actually properly process large amounts of grains. Some people can't handle any. I'm one of those. So for me, even a bowl of whole grains can cause problems if i eat them regularly. My grain consumption during the early pp period creeped back up because grains are easy, and i saw a 30 lb increase in the 6 mos pp. So listening to your body on the subjet is your best option.

[InMediasRes]

It really depends on the person, but I find I lose more weight and don't have the munchies if I eat fewer carbs, and yes, that means ALL carbs, even whole grain, homemade bread and whole grains like barley, rice, etc. I still eat them, but my big diet thing is not having them at all for breakfast, as that seems to start me off on the right path for the day. I also have a lot more energy if I'm not carb crashing all day long.

I really mostly just concentrate on eating veggies with every meal, eating protein for snacks, and eating when I'm hungry and stopping when I'm full. I'm also trying to cut down on refined sugar, though I still have a little spoonful in my coffee in the morning. So far, I have lost 5 pounds in two weeks.

I also found with my last nursling that the last 5 is REALLY hard to get rid of until you wean. Something about nursing makes your body want to hang onto a little extra weight.

Also, not sure how old your DD2 is, but I found weight loss got a lot easier after the first year, so besides trying to eat a balanced diet, I didn't really actively try to shed weight until then.

[loudmama]

Cut out processed food. Eat veggies with every meal. Eat lots of protein. Limit or eliminate sugar, except what's in fruit.

Processed food tends to have a lot of hidden sugar & HFCS. Eating veggies with every meal fills you up with adding few calories & adds fiber. You need to get a lot of protein, with every meal & snack. Focus on lean proteins predominantly, but you also need to eat those with good fats, like nuts. If you do eat grains, eat the least processed possible, like steel cut oats, whole grain bread like those made with sprouted wheat & no flour. Cook your own food. That way you know what's in it.

You don't want to significantly reduce your calories while nursing because that can affect your milk supply. But focusing on eliminating sugar, eating complex carbs, lots of veggies, getting enough protein & good fats is going to help.

L

[Ruthla]

It depends on your individual physiology. You need to figure out what fuels your body best, then eat those foods. When you eat "wrong for your type", then two things happen: you're still hungry for the nutrients you need so you eat more, and then you end up eating too much overall, with excess calories to store as fat. If you try to cut back on overall calories, then you start to feel deprived. If you're eating the right foods for you, in the right proportions, then you feel energized AND you maintain a healthy weight.

Also make sure you're staying well hydrated and getting enough exercise.

I personally do horribly with grains early in the day- but a completely grain-free day leaves me hungry in the middle of the night. I eat lots of animal protein and veggies for breakfast and lunch (sometimes legumes for lunch), animal protein (or legumes, if I didn't eat any at lunchtime), veggies, and carbs at dinner, and sometimes fruit for a bedtime snack. I can't eat grains early in the day or I get sleepy and it leads to carb cravings all day which leads to weight loss.

Others do better with more legumes and grains and less animal protein. Everybody does well with lots of veggies, and some do well with lots of fruit and others need to cut back on fruit because it's too high in carbs for weight loss. Everybody does well to avoid processed foods with MSG, hydrogenated oils, and HFCS, and to limit added sugars to 1-2 teaspoons a day. But which healthy foods to focus on will vary depending on your individual biochemistry.

I don't snack much, but you probably do need snacks while nursing. Make sure each snack contains some fat and protein, not just carbs. For example, an apple alone is a poor choice, but an apple plus some nuts or nut butter, or a handful of nuts with some dried fruit added would be balanced. Veggies won't hold you long, but veggies with hummus or cheese is filling.

If you have the time, maybe try keeping a food diary for a few days. See if you can pinpoint which meals and snacks seem to be filling and energizing, and which ones leave you cranky and hungry shortly after.

[alireb]

I agree with what everyone else has said so far. I lost a ton of weight after I had DS, mostly because I had to be dairy free for him so I cut out bread, cakes, cookies, ice cream, milk, butter, etc. I was eating steel cut oats in the morning and a bean burrito for lunch and then either chicken or fish with veggies or a salad most days. If I was doing it now, I would probably do without the oats or burrito since I don't do any grains any more either.

I think the big thing is cut out the sugar and also artificial sweeteners (which act like sugar in your body). Basically eat meat, eggs, lots of veggies and fruit, nuts, and dairy (if you want). It's the paleo/primal way of eating and you'll find lots of people here who follow it.