# using fenugreek during weightloss, I need an opinion



## NotTheOnlyOne (Oct 23, 2006)

CUrrently, my weight is being sustained at an unhealthy 170 lbs by eating crap. Sugar in my oatmeal, oatmeal cookies all day long "to keep my supply up", sweets whenever I feel like it, a large bedtime snack. Prior to being pregnant, I weighed 150, was tone and in shape. I want to be there again. I need to be there again for my mind's sake. Being overweight adds to my depression. I know if I jusat cut out the crap I will probably lose 10 pounds. I have heard about toxins dumping into bm and that scares me a little. But the toxins he's getting from what I am actually eating cant be much better. I want to cut the crap, eat as much fresh/organic as possible and skip the bedtime snack and replace the oatmeal cookies with 3 small servings of actual oatmeal sans sugar. I KNOW this will affect my supply from dropping so many calories and I wonder if fenugreek would keep it from dipping too much. OPINIONS?


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## sunnysideup (Jan 9, 2005)

A mother's diet has very little to do with her milk supply. This article by Linda Smith might be helpful. She says "mom's diet, her fluid intake, and other factors are relatively minor players in this drama. If the "milk removal" piece is in place, moms make plenty of good milk regardless of dietary practices."

It's never a good idea to lose weight too quickly, but it sounds like you're talking about making some healthy changes to your diet


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## spughy (Jun 28, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnysideup* 
A mother's diet has very little to do with her milk supply. This article by Linda Smith might be helpful. She says "mom's diet, her fluid intake, and other factors are relatively minor players in this drama. If the "milk removal" piece is in place, moms make plenty of good milk regardless of dietary practices."

With all due respect, that's crap. For some mamas, it may be true, but for those of us with delicate milk supplies (to put it nicely) dropping calories leads to a remarkable drop in milk supply.

Momtosimon, I'm in exactly the same boat as you, although I think my babe is a little older than yours. What I did that finally seems to be working is I cut refined carbohydrates out of my diet completely (that's white flour, refined sugar (including brown sugar - I do have small amounts of honey, maple syrup, evaporated cane juice and molasses on the weekends), white rice, and all processed food. That takes care of the junk. But I didn't TRY to reduce my overall food intake. I don't let myself get hungry. If I want to eat, I do. But I eat whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and full-fat dairy. And you know what? It's working. My milk supply is good (and I'm actually on domperidone STILL for milk production) and I've lost 4 lbs since I started 3 weeks ago. That's not a huge weight loss, but it IS a loss and at a rate that my body can deal with.

This was a relatively easy change for me but it means avoiding most packaged food (some crackers are ok but you really have to read the labels). I'm not big on packaged food anyway - it's the bakeries in town that are missing my business right now







But it's a healthier way of eating, for sure, and my energy levels are SO much better now it's worth it just for that.

ETA: Dropping the sugar and white flour equalizes your blood sugar better so you don't get food cravings. I will admit that it was hellishly hard for the first couple days. But if you can be strong and avoid the temptation for 3 or 4 days, the cravings go away, and it's smooth sailing from there.


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## NotTheOnlyOne (Oct 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnysideup* 
A mother's diet has very little to do with her milk supply. This article by Linda Smith might be helpful. She says "mom's diet, her fluid intake, and other factors are relatively minor players in this drama. If the "milk removal" piece is in place, moms make plenty of good milk regardless of dietary practices."

It's never a good idea to lose weight too quickly, but it sounds like you're talking about making some healthy changes to your diet









Yeah... I used to eat pretty healthy and work out every day and then I got pregnant. I thought I had to eat more, drink whole milk and quit working out. I gained 15 pounds in the first trimester!!!! i took me until the 3rd trimester to figure out i was gaining WAY too much weight. All told I gained 35 pounds with no gain at all the last three months. so after the birth (c-section) i lost 20 pounds immediately. now i am just starting workout again, but my one attempt at reducing calories really hurt my supply. my babe was HUNGRY, lower wet diapers... it was bad. now my supply is back up with the help of oatmeal cookies and fenugreek.... but I still want to lose weight. I just wonder how bad toxin dumping can be and if oatmeal/fenugreek will keep my supply up while i reduce calories. I have no idea how to go about it slowly. It seems like its all or nothing for me. did you do anything else besides drop the white crap Spughy?


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## spughy (Jun 28, 2005)

Nope, just dropped the white crap. I am trying to get back into exercising but I had surgery less than 2 weeks ago and I should probably hold off for another week before I start in on the squats again.

I think the key to losing weight while bf'ing, if your supply is vulnerable, is to keep your body adequately *nourished* so that you have a constant energy source. If you eat refined carbs, you get a "spike" of energy but no nutrients. Your body compensates by drawing nutrients away from your "base energy". Your milk production mechanisms draw off your base energy stores too, so if you cut calories but still keep eating refined carbs, your milk production is relying on an energy base that is lower than it could be because your body is running off the spikes. And you get hunger pangs and cravings and whatnot. If you eat whole foods, your body gets a steady, constant supply of energy, with no sporadic excesses, so you can lose weight slowly but steadily but your base energy level stays up enough to support milk production. That's my theory anyway! Does that make sense?

I would give it a try and see. Your body isn't my body and it might react differently. But it's not going to hurt to give up the white stuff for 2 weeks! Give it a go!

ETA: I wouldn't worry about the toxins as long as you lose weight relatively slowly (1-2 lbs a week MAX). That's slow enough that your body can flush them through normal means - some will go into bm but some ALWAYS go into bm, no way around that. And fenugreek is fine.


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## runes (Aug 5, 2004)

there is a recent thread with a recipe for no/low sugar oatmeal cookies that are easy to make and sound delish. if you can stay away from the storebought and make yourself a big batch of dough that you can freeze and bake as needed you can really control and reduce your sugar intake. let me go try to find it...

also, how many months pp are you?

eta: found it

oatmeal cookies


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## RootSnort (Nov 22, 2006)

Once I get my supply stabilized again, I plan to start weight watchers. They have a plan for nursing Moms, if you're nursing you get more points to use. I think the trick to weight loss while nursing will be moderation and not making any sudden changes.

Until I do start WW, I plan to eat an apple or some carrots before meals to try to make myself less hungry so I can be better at portion control. I am so ravenous by the time I sit down to eat a meal, I overeat.


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## joliebebe (Jul 8, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sunnysideup* 
A mother's diet has very little to do with her milk supply.

Um.. as far as Im aware, a mothers diet DOES affect her milk supply AND the quality of her milk.
http://www.westonaprice.org/children/breastfeed.html

I agree with Spughy, dont try to drop the calorie count, but just change what your getting them from. Replacing refined, processed foods with whole and raw versions will do you a heap of good. Good fats like butter, olive oil and coconut oil help stablize your appetite and will make you feel more satisfied after a meal, which will help you not overeat. Just add them to your veges or grains. Nothing supports a good milk supply like a healthy diet. I would take the fenugreek as a milk booster, but focus on your diet as the main 'milk maker'. I lost 20 lbs just changing the way I ate. I cut out (not 100% but nearly) refined carbs and sugars, all vegetable oils esp trans fats, which will wreak havoc with your milk supply, and upped my intake of raw full fat, yes thats FULL fat dairy, like yoghurt, butter and milk. I know how hard it is start a diet change, but you can do it. You could start by using Rapadura or honey on your oatmeal. IMHO I would cut out the oatmeal cookies, and just stick with the fenugreek and homemade oatmeal as a milk booster. As for toxin dumping in your bm, I would think that toxins from a bad diet would be worse than your body detoxing... not sure really.

Good luck with your weightloss.


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## coop_mom (Apr 10, 2006)

I agree, cutting out refined carbs is a good way to shed the pounds. I cut out all refined carbs during pregnancy because my blood sugar was getting a little high, and I think it really helped me weight-wise.

Right now I am eating refined sugar/carbs, though in smaller quantites than before I was pregnant. I'm dairy free right now for BFing and that's a big sacrifice for me, so cutting out the sugar too is just too much. I will start cutting down soon though, because I'm feeling too heavy myself these days










Good luck momtosimon!

--another mom to simon


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## LolaK (Jan 8, 2006)

Yes I think fenugreek would help keep up your supply, especially if you experimented with blessed thistle as well. Perhaps some healthy oatmeal.

I too find that if I forget to eat well for a day or two I have less milk and I have never had supply problems (until now but my daughter is 2 years old so I think that's pretty normal).

I think staying well hydrated is the most important thing though.


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