3. Monitor your weight loss carefully
A weight loss of 500g a week while breastfeeding is safe for you and your baby6,7 — losing faster may
compromise your milk production and your health. If you notice a too-fast loss, start eating more (try
adding 2 extra ProPoints values to your daily allowance for a week) until your weight loss stabilises.
4. When you’re ready, move more
Research has found that even high-intensity activity does not affect the ability to breastfeed5 and can
help with losing weight and maintaining weight loss.6 But get your doctor’s approval before jumping into
regular physical activity.
Menopause
Many women experience weight gain at or near the time of menopause, mostly because metabolism
— the number of kilojoules needed by the body to sustain itself — decreases with age. We tend to lose
muscle tissue and gain fat, which requires fewer kilojoules to sustain. Most people also reduce their
physical activity as they age, further reducing energy needs. For some women, decreasing female
hormone levels can contribute to an altered body shape: a pear turning into an apple, which means
a larger or “thicker” waistline that feels like being overweight.
Lifestyle changes, such as dealing with adolescent children, a retiring spouse, or an ageing parent can
increase stress which may trigger overeating, adding even more kilojoules at a time when your body
needs few