Now let me start with I gained under 20lbs with my pregnancy and I am breastfeeding.
Being in the fitness world, I was extremely hesitant to start a family. It is important for me to look a certain part and I didn’t know how pregnancy, or more so, postpartum body, would fit into this equation. So once I became pregnant I knew that “eating for two” was not for me. I ate enough to nourish my body and my growing baby while allowing myself to be comfortable and much more lenient than I have in the past. I was able to fully enjoy my pregnancy and eat more than I ever have before while gaining within the recommended guidelines.
I was prepared to take some time off after the baby came but found after a week or so I was uncomfortable, I had stomach aches, and I was looking forward to feeling back to normal.
I have worked with a great coach for years now, so I reached out to him and we came up with a plan that would work flexibly with my new routine while I adjusted to motherhood. I was very anxious about how I would find time to meal prep while caring for a baby but quickly realized that my previous meal prep habits that I have practiced for years greatly prepared me for staying on top of my diet.
We started with a daily calorie limit instead of my usual macronutrient breakdown. This allowed me to be a little more flexible in what I was choosing to eat. I also quickly learned that with breastfeeding, I needed lots of oats, potatoes, and fruits to keep my supply pumping. I split up my daily calories into four equal meals. I did not include snacks in my plan because since my meals are well rounded with healthy fats, carbs, and protein I stayed satisfied until it was time to eat again.
We started my calories around 2200 if I was training and 1800 if it was an off day. My meals were made up of whole foods, nothing processed except protein powder. In the past, my body would respond well to high fats and low carbs so I naturally went this route when making my food choices. I ate foods such as oatmeal, potatoes, peppers, asparagus, avocado, pecans, whole eggs, lean beef, chicken, berries, and bananas. I also found it was easier for me with the baby to eat the same meals every day. I know this doesn’t work for most people mentally but I choose foods I enjoy eating so that I look forward to each meal instead of dreaming of a cheeseburger.
I quickly learned that my postpartum body required different nutrients than before! Although I was losing weight very quickly (13 pounds in the first week!) I wasn’t feeling my best and my milk supply wasn’t flourishing. I decided to switch my calories from fat based to a heftier carb based. This was huge in making me feel better and help boost milk. Since I was breastfeeding, my body required more energy from carbs to help produce.
I did my first workout at four weeks postpartum. I started with one day a week for two weeks and then once I got to the recommended six-week mark I started doing 3-4 hours a week. Although it was very very good for my mental state postpartum, I strongly believe that diet is the most important factor for anyone trying to drop weight.
As my body adjusted to the calories we would slowly lower them until I reached my pre-baby weight! What I found was my pre-baby weight didn’t mean pre-baby body. What your body needs more than just healthy, nutritious foods is just time. Your body has gone through a miraculous and HARD process that requires healing.
As I am coming up to six months post-baby, I’ve found that I have grown to love my body at every stage of my postpartum journey and I am finally feeling mentally and physically more like myself. What seemed so important to me before the baby, such as being a certain weight or looking a particular way, seemed so unimportant to me now. My body had created, housed, and nourished a beautiful baby boy and continues to do so even after birth. With that, I have a new found appreciation of what a woman’s body is capable of and regardless of a number on the scale, the birth of a baby is truly God’s miracle!
Stay tuned for what meals I eat and the recipes!
If you have any questions feel free to reach out! I am always happy to help 🙂
