Breastfeeding Can Help You Lose Weight, But It Can Also Help You Gain Weight
Motherhood brings us many changes and surprises in any of its stages, therefore, during breastfeeding we continue to transform ourselves . Due to this we can lose weight and also gain weight, so not all are benefits.
It is proven that breastfeeding is a beneficial stage for babies and mothers, especially, it is recommended to help regain our weight due to caloric expenditure; So how is it possible that it can make us gain weight?
Believing that the fat in breast milk comes from our thighs is part of the myth. Milk production is related to our diet, hormonal stimulation and other factors that do not necessarily have to do with the weight we have maintained so far.
If we lose weight due to breastfeeding, this has to do with the amount of calories we consume, which can be expended on producing milk. That is why the idea that breastfeeding somehow prevents obesity has been institutionalized. However, not all women can assure that this has happened to them, but on the contrary, they feel fatter and do not understand why their story is so different from that of others.
Breastfeeding can also help you gain weight
Knowing that a woman’s body spends at least 550 kcal a day to produce milk, how is it possible that we can still gain weight? This change in our body is equivalent to going out for a run for at least one hour a day, it also implies that we use up the fat accumulated in our body. Undoubtedly, this makes us think that losing weight is very possible, which adds to the modification in eating habits, which are generally healthier.
However, it all depends on the particular characteristics of each person, not all women are the same and our metabolism is not the same either. Some people can exercise and eat healthy, but they do not achieve the desired effects in a short time, unlike others who lose weight faster.
In the same way, it usually affects the type of food we receive even when we do not think it affects us. The increase in the consumption of sugars and foods rich in carbohydrates, comes hand in hand with fatigue, anxiety and own caloric expenditure ; In other words, at this stage we will be hungrier, rest less and get the perfect justification for eating more.
In this sense, the effect of losing weight during lactation occurs only when we can barely compensate for the caloric expenditure we made when producing milk. That is, if we exceed our calorie intake in relation to what we spend, we will gain weight just as we would if we were not breastfeeding. This is stated in an article published in the journal “Current Obesity Reports”.
In the same way, when we let hunger increase we will need more energy consumption. For this reason, specialists recommend that we do not leave a lot of time without eating . This is the main cause of weight gain. Despite this, there are those who still do not understand why they are overweight during breastfeeding, because until now we have not mentioned anything like it. That’s when hormones come into play.
Lack of estrogen can make you fat while breastfeeding
During the lactation period, a woman’s menstrual cycle is modified, which is why an anaovulation stage begins that is different in all women. This situation causes the endocrine system to reduce estrogen levels. The result of this is that the metabolism slows down, according to a study published in the “American Journal of Physiology.”
In this stage there is also fluid retention that begins to decrease once the menstrual cycle begins again normally. However, pregnancy can produce the greatest hormonal variation that a person can experience.
We can speak of an imbalance known as “postpartum thyroiditis”, capable of causing weight gain or loss. Postpartum thyroiditis usually ends within 18 months after delivery, which coincides with natural weaning in most cases. However, it is believed that at least 20% of women do not overcome hypothyroidism after this stage.
Balanced diet to avoid gaining weight while breastfeeding
When it comes to avoiding unwanted weight gain, also during lactation, it is important to carry out a varied diet. If you suffer from a metabolic or hormonal disorder, it is advisable to visit a specialist. Otherwise, the consumption of fresh food must be prioritized over processed food, to avoid an excessive caloric intake.
