breastfeeding and STARVING!

hi! i've been nursing my b/g twins for almost 10 months before pregnancy i would eat healthy with an occasional treat and during pregnancy i ate as healthy as ever, craving fruits, veggies and lowfat milk products. i only gained 35 pounds during pregnancy which made me happy. however, after i gave birth i was ravishing for junk food such as cake, cookies, ice cream and chocolate. i ate nonstop and didnt gain weight. at some point i stopped losing weight so i cut out all the garbage food and lost another 10 pounds or so. however, i did see a spike in hunger now and then and ate nonstop and then the weight stayed. so now i wanted to lose more weight so cut out more food and stop eating ANY junk. but now i am soooooooooooo tired all day long even though i drink 2 large cups of coffee a day. what should i do? should i eat all the junk i want(i probably wont gain weight but i wont lose either) or should i control myself and just be tired and hungry all the time. did anyone ever experience this????let me know. i am not starving myself which isnt good while breastfeeding. i am just denying junk food but i feel so tired. let me know if u ever had this and what i should do. i definitely want to lose weight and i also dont want to be tired. i am getting enough sleep so that is not the cause....help!!!!

 

Hmmm, my hunger got alot more under control around 6 months. But I still crave junk food, I think lots of the time for me because it is easier and I am tired too!! And the tiredness is from twins.......right??!! I am tired alot too, especially around 3pm :lazy:

 

i am definitely tired taking care of the twins and yes i feel that after 6 months the cravings lessened. but i wonder if its normal to crave all this fat when i never had this and i wonder if it is because of breastfeeding and maybe my body is telling me i need it. i keep denying it to myself i hope that is good...let me know what u do with the cravings and i eat lots of healthy food, its not a problem to prepare and enjoy but it is the junk that i really want and feel i need...

 

I know what you mean! I get so hungry all the time. Sometimes I feel like a bottomless pit.

Some ideas about your junk food cravings -

I don't know what your healthy diet was like before, but were you eating enough protein, carbs, and fat? You absolutely NEED all these things to have energy and to feel full enough (and to make milk for your babies). Also, were you eating frequently enough? You will crave sugar for the instant high if you're not eating well enough to have energy, and if you get too hungry, your body starts craving high-fat stuff because essentially it gets the message that you are starving and need lots of calories, NOW.

If I were you, I'd try to cut the junk food, but replace it with lots of healthy and filling stuff. Protein, good carbs, and healthy fats, or at least fats that come with some nutritional value attached (unlike a bag of chips). Some good (and quick!) stuff to eat:

-whole grain bread
-whole grain cereal
-peanut butter (on toast, apples, whatever)
-avocado
-olives
-cheese
-hard boiled eggs
-higher fat yogurt
-good energy bars like Clif bars (read the label and make sure they've got lots of protein and fiber & aren't just a candy bar in disguise)
-lean meat
-legumes - lentils, black beans, chickpeas - hummus is a great way to get legumes
-veggie burgers (very easy, just microwave for a minute)
-egg pasta

If you're craving fatty junk food, like chips, try reaching for something fatty but healthy like cheese instead. That way you'll get the fat, plus lots of calcium and protein. If you're craving sugar, try to have a balanced snack instead - something with whole grains and protein and good fat. That will do a lot more to boost your energy.

And forget about losing weight for a while! Your body needs lots of nourishment to make milk for two babies. If you want to get in shape, try exercising more, even if it's just a walk with the stroller.

 

Surely you can find a happy medium between snarfing all the junk you want and leaving yourself starving. What about eating more food but making sure the food is still healthy. You might still need those extra snacks and calories, but substitute the junk for some richer foods that will satisfy you.

 

thanks everyone. i am already eating healthy throughout the day so i will continue that and not worry too much about losing weight i guess. i look pretty good just want to look amazing so ill stop starving and try to just forget it for now and eat when im hungry healthy stuff....

 

If you cut back on your intake, your milk is going to suffer. Your body seems to be telling you that you need more food!! Yes, you can choose the food wisely, but this is definitely not the time to diet!

 

thanks im enjoying my food now..haha..healthy stuff