hey there lise!

i hope this week goes better for you... that must be tough having no hands on support with your little one. my bub is about 6 months older than your but am also still breastfeeding, we've also all been sick with some horrible virus (the spots are just starting to fade... but i think i have laryngitis now!) so my exercise is only just starting up again over the last few days. also am admitting that i had excess bread today AND a teeny bowl of pudding.. ah well. hopefully one lapse won't kill me!

re your BFing question, since your bub is not exclusively BFing and is about 15months (i think?), i found in my case that by that point my eating was way in excess of what i was technically needing to BF. i was still giving 3-4 feeds during the day and letting him suck all night every night (4-7 times i think). i think i was more eating from habit rather than necessity if that makes sense to you, so was basically packing on the pounds... so to answer your question your giving 3 or so BFs a day would probably not give you much excuse to eat more than a non BFing mum.

BUT in saying that, i have not stopped BFing yet, so maybe i'll eat even less when i do. honey, just go with what you feel you need. let your hunger drive your eating rather than a "quota" of x,y and z aspects of a diet. have healthy options but don't let yourself get hungry. you're still providing food for your baby as well as yourself. i went started out with a goal of 1800-2000 calories per day (through an online food diary as have never ever calorie counted before) and then found that i actually only needed about 1500-1700 per day. some days would get to 1800, but some days would only get to 1100. it just depended on my needs on that day. i figure so long as i get all the nutrition i need and am doing it without using supplements or food replacements then how can it be incorrect? am all about the eating of fresh/real/homemade/home grown foods.

i hope that helps... good luck with your journey! it really is the best feeling to hear someone say "gosh you're looking great! well done you!", even if after a week or three you look in the mirror and see no change, you'll get there! don't let your self get discouraged or distracted. sadly there is no quick fix, but it is possible! you will get there! you will hear people say these things to you! you will look in the mirror and think "damn, i'm hot!" just give it time, patience and enjoyment in alternative "treats" like dry roasted almonds or fresh or tinned fruit with yoghurt.