Send To A Friend
Print This PageGoodbye, Baby Weight!
Follow new mom Hillari Dowdle as she attempts to regain her prepregnancy size.
1
|
Page 2
Designed by: Eileen Behan, R.D., author of the newly revised Eat Well, Lose Weight, While Breastfeeding (Ballantine Books)
Eileen Behan, R.D., literally wrote the book on dieting while breastfeeding. She advocates choosing foods wisely, allowing for treats and making sure you're getting enough. "Don't get up from the dinner table hungry, or you'll be snacking all night," she says. "If you wait a bit and you're still not full, eat a little more." That's advice anyone can live with. Here are six more tips she suggested for me:
• Eat at least two servings of fruit per day. These provide loads of needed vitamins and minerals while working to curb your sweet tooth. Fresh is best, but prepackaged fruit, packed in water, works well too. A favorite among Behan's busy clients: Dole Frozen Pineapple Chunks--just thaw and eat.
• Plan on a special treat each day, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Breastfeeding can give rise to cravings, and denying them can set you up for diet failure. Instead, select a single 150-calorie dessert, and really try to enjoy it (preferably when your baby is asleep, so you're not distracted). Some of Behan's favorites include cup of ice cream, a frozen ice cream bar, cup of pudding, a granola bar, or two Lindt chocolate balls.
• Limit starches to the equivalent of two slices of bread per meal, plus a bonus slice (to eat at your discretion anytime during the day). Look for the words whole-wheat flour at the top of the ingredient list.
• Eat three meals a day that include lean protein to keep your energy high and appetite low. Choose a lean meat, reduced-fat dairy products, eggs or beans. (Beans, however, can be tricky, since they're also starchy--if you're eating them on the side, count them against your daily bread allowance.) Always eat at least 1 cup of vegetables--frozen or fresh--per meal.
• Pick snacks that you won't be tempted to overeat or that won't pack on the pounds if you do. Good choices include chicken, fruits, vegetables, yogurt and hard-boiled eggs.
• Limit fats to two servings per meal. As a breastfeeding mom, you need fats, but try to eat them sparingly.
Follow Hillari's progress each week in her weight loss blog. Click here to see Goodbye, Baby Weight!
1
|
Page 2
