Why Breastfeeding Feels Like a Fat Loss Plateau
If you’ve ever thought, “I’m eating well, I’m moving my body… but the scale’s not budging”, and you’re also breastfeeding, this blog is going to be your game changer.
When your body is nursing, it’s in protection mode. It’s working overtime to produce milk, balance hormones, manage stress, and keep your baby nourished. That means your metabolism isn’t broken, it’s actually doing exactly what it should.
In fact, your body:
- Burns an extra 300–500 calories per day just to create milk
- Holds onto fat stores to safeguard milk production (especially around the belly + hips)
- Can become more resistant to letting go of fat if it thinks fuel is scarce
So if you’ve been cutting calories hard or trying to “get your body back,” you might actually be working against your body’s needs.
Why Crash Dieting Backfires While Nursing
Aggressive fat loss plans, like juice cleanses, fasting windows, or super low-calorie diets, can:
- Tank your milk supply
- Increase stress hormones (hello, cravings and mood swings)
- Lead to metabolic adaptation that slows your fat loss over time
Instead of cutting calories blindly, what your body really needs is a foundation of metabolism health and consistency.
So… Can You Actually Lose Fat While Breastfeeding?
YES. But not by following your non-breastfeeding friend’s plan.
Here’s what works:
- Eating enough: If you’re under 2,000 calories and breastfeeding, reverse dieting may be your next best step.
- Balancing your macros: Protein for recovery, carbs for milk production, fats for hormone health.
- Tracking more than just the scale: Think mood, hunger, supply, and energy.
- Slow, strategic changes: Not drastic restriction, but small shifts your body can handle.
Real Client Case Study — Jewel
Let me introduce you to Jewel, a Beautiful Peach Mastermind client and breastfeeding mama.
She was eating ~2,500 calories while nursing her 11-month-old and wanted to lose fat without hurting her supply. We started a very gentle cut, focused on high-protein meals, macro balance, and weekly biofeedback check-ins.
➡ Result? Her milk stayed strong. Her energy stayed high. And the inches? They started melting off.
If she had jumped into a crash diet, we’d be dealing with rebound weight and a tanked supply right now.
What to Watch for Before Starting Fat Loss While Breastfeeding
✅ Is your intake already low? If so, start with a reverse diet.
✅ Are you feeling exhausted, irritable, or starving? That’s your metabolism asking for more.
Remember, this season isn’t forever. But the habits you build now? They’ll serve you for years to come.
For more support, check out:
- Should You Reverse Diet If You Have 10+ Pounds to Lose?
- Overcoming the Mental Struggle of Eating More Calories During a Reverse Diet
✨ Your next step might not be cutting. It might be healing.
✨ The scale isn’t the only marker of progress.
✨ You’re allowed to prioritize your supply and your goals.
If you’re ready to start fueling your body the way it deserves, take a peek at your current intake with the Heal Your Metabolism Starter Kit. It’s the first step to doing fat loss the right way — one that works with your body, not against it.
