To lose weight while breastfeeding requires a proper meal plan and some help. If you would like a step-by-step program to help you lose weight safely, check out all our courses, programs, challenges, & recipe book.

What does a good breastfeeding diet for weight loss include?

You definitely want to create your meal plan around some very healthy, nutrient-dense foods that will support your body and milk supply.

Fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins are the best sources of nutrients, as well as nuts and avocados for healthy fats.

Most of your protein sources are going to have enough healthy fats for your body, and your body has stored fat for baby and energy, so I like to steer mamas in the direction of a higher-carb, lower-fat diet (check out our new cookbook). This is because carbohydrates are the number one source of energy for tired, breastfeeding mamas.

Our brains need carbohydrates, and if you are getting your carbohydrates from complex sources like sweet potatoes, quinoa, beans, vegetables, and fruit, you don’t need to worry about your blood sugar.

Postpartum Nutrition The 8 Top Foods You Need To Eat After Birth

The top foods for you to lose weight while breastfeeding meal plan:

• Sweet potatoes (these are amazing for milk supply too!)
• Spinach
• Lean protein
• Protein powder (packed with nutrients)
• Quinoa
• Chickpeas
• Protein Bars – these are so yummy and healthy!
• Lettuce
• Berries
• Apples
• Nuts
• Avocados

Should my breastfeeding meal plan be low-carb, low-fat, or low-calorie?

Your breastfeeding meal plan for weight loss doesn’t need to be any one of the above!

The key is to focus on nutrient-dense foods. Is the food you are eating full of nutrients? Most of these foods are lower in calories, so you end up getting full on fewer calories.

That is why our program is full of nutrient-dense meals, rather than a low-carb or low-fat plan.

If your food is colorful, grows from the ground, or is a real animal or plant-based protein, then it is okay. There can be a lot of stress when trying to decide whether low-carb, keto or even counting macros is right for your body.

I like to tell mamas that nutrients are right for their bodies. Don’t worry about carbs, fat, or protein right off the bat. Focus on nourishing your body for optimal health and lactation. 

How To Correctly Follow Weight Watchers While Breastfeeding

What does a good breastfeeding meal plan for weight loss look like?

We’ve created a full,  recipe book for mamas in our program, which helps guide mamas and gives them a lot of options for nutrient-dense meals.

Below is a great sample meal plan for one day, and grab this 5-day meal plan to print and use! 

I think a good meal plan for one day would go as follows:

Breakfast:

Protein lactation smoothie made with a postpartum + lactation protein powder, frozen fruit, and fresh spinach.

Snack:

I highly recommend the new Milk Dust Lactation bars for an on-the-go snack! These are so yummy, full of protein, low sugar, and lots of lactation-boosting herbs for you too.

A handful of nuts with fresh berries, sliced cucumbers, hummus, and apple slices with 1 tbsp of peanut butter.

Lunch:

A big salad with lettuce, cilantro, tomatoes, chickpeas, and roasted sweet potato.

Top it with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Sprinkle a tiny bit of feta cheese or goat cheese on top.

Add in sliced fruit if you have some too!

Snack:

Turkey slices on top of cucumbers with mustard, roasted veggies, half-baked sweet potato, 1 slice of avocado toast on sprouted bread

Dinner:

Sheet pan steak and veggies (recipe in our program!), baked salmon + basmati rice, turkey chili, lightened up nachos (in the program too!), or another large salad with rotisserie chicken chopped in!

Dessert:

The lactation brownies in the program make the most amazing dessert!

Avocado pudding is super easy, just blend avocado, cocoa powder, and some stevia.

I also have some cookies in the program too!

You can also grab the breastfeeding cookbook with skinny meals just for breastfeeding mamas to help with weight loss and milk supply!

Your meal plan needs to be 80% nutrient-dense to lose weight while breastfeeding.

That’s what will get you results, while still feeling realistic.

What foods should you avoid in your breastfeeding meal plan?

There are definitely some foods you don’t want to be a part of your breastfeeding diet, even if they seem appropriate for weight loss.

These are foods that are processed and full of artificial sweeteners.

Some examples of foods to avoid while breastfeeding is: 

• Low-calorie crackers, chips, and snacks
• Diet sodas
• Sugar-free juices and candies with aspartame, sucralose, or other chemical sweeteners
• Deep-fried foods
• MSG is found in many takeouts and restaurants
• Processed soy foods like faux chicken nuggets (many of these are full of chemicals)

Any foods that are not “real” food, are usually full of chemicals that can alter your hormonal balance.

Some of them are lower-calorie, so they may be helpful to keep your calories low, but they don’t necessarily nourish your body, which is our goal.

Does your breastfeeding diet affect your breast milk?

Yes, your diet can affect your breast milk, and studies have shown that the fat levels in your breast milk can increase with fat intake in the mother’s diet.

Protein can also pass through to the breast milk, which is where many babies can experience allergies or gassiness.

Most mothers assume that their baby is gassy from high-fiber foods when in actuality fiber CAN NOT pass through to the breast milk. Fiber is what causes gassiness.

Most likely, the baby is responding to proteins in the breast milk, as well as their digestive system is still digesting.

How fast can you lose weight with this breastfeeding meal plan?

How fast you lose weight while breastfeeding depends entirely on your metabolism and caloric intake.

Every mother burns a unique amount of calories while breastfeeding, so factoring in the general 300-500 calories burned is very, very broad.

If you want to lose weight fast, you will need to track how much you are eating, even if you are eating very healthily.

Lose the Baby Weight While Breastfeeding with this FREE 5-Day Jump Start!

I recommend that breastfeeding mamas first focus on switching their diet to an 80% nutrient-dense diet, like our plan. That process deserves a week or two to adjust and really commit to.

From there, if a mother hasn’t lost any weight at all, I recommend counting calories for a few days. That usually transforms weight loss for the mothers in our program.

There is something so eye-opening when you realize how many calories you are actually consuming.

If you are feeling stuck, I highly recommend starting our 10-day reset. It is only 10 days, and it will jump-start you into eating healthy and clean. It’s free! And

Check out all our courses, programs, challenges, & recipe book!