The whole issue of what to eat while breastfeeding is not one I have worked with up to this point. You need to do what is best for the baby no matter what. If you are on fb (I know!) you can find active groups of moms in your same spot. Try searching for groups with the keywords of "breastfeeding" and "natural." I know you can find support there.
As to whether or not this is the time to get a grip on your health and weight, only you can make that decision. Try looking at this older post and see how long it will take you to get to where you want to be if you started to lose now. Then put this away for a few months and go back to it.
Before I lost weight, one of my doctors told me that the average American adult gains 5 pounds a year between the ages of 30-60. This was a few years ago. So that is 50 pounds each decade.
Another point I will make is that my now 25 year old son @bxlphabet has severe and debilitating ptsd due primarily to my obesity when he was young. I did not lose weight and get healthy until he was 18 and this is the biggest regret of my life. You may never have the horrible traumas I did with my weight. But being the healthiest you can for your child is a very important goal.
My ideas for the food issues you listed:
processed foods
- seek ways to make similar foods for yourself and you will find they are cheaper, taste better, and are better for your health. Pick one and go for it. Then the next, and the next etc.
food with added colors and flavors
- You can look up the various colors and flavors on the cdc website and scare yourself out of eating them! They do not hide the bad effects over there at all. But on the other hand, skip that step and just find a healthier alternative. For one example (which may not apply to your case) natural cheese is not orange. Simply by only eating white and other un-dyed cheese, you have removed a whole bunch of toxins. You still get the cheese; you do not get the dye. Pretty much any food with colors and flavors can be found without them if you look. Start reading labels and seeking those healthier choices. This one is really do-able.
fried foods
- This again is a matter of finding alternatives you enjoy. I am not a fan of making "fake fried" food. Instead I try to find another way to enjoy the same thing without frying it. The best way to go about this is to list out a few of your favorite fried foods and see what you can find as alternatives. Try one and see. Maybe you like it - maybe not. But keep trying the other ones anyway. I was not too big of a fried food person myself, but now I really don't enjoy it. You will be very surprised how your tastes change if you work on them.
food in large quantities
- It is almost impossible to reduce the quantity of your food without increasing the nutrition. Half of a non-nutritious diet is a really bad idea. I tried this for a couple of years. I did not lose much weight and I was miserable. Once I started to increase my nutrition, everything changed. All of the sudden I did not need so much food and I was satisfied anyway.
In conclusion
- you have a really good start here. Get more specific and chip away at it. Don't try to make 10 changes at once. You only need to make one change at a time and try your best with it. If that one does not work, and especially when it does, on to the next. After you have few good changes under your belt, it all becomes easier in a snowball kind of way. A few months from now, you will not believe how much better you are doing.
I will be glad to help you - any time on any post
oh yes! Actually I am already a member in one of those breastfeeding groups.. I am just taking things at my pace, I aint rushing anything right now. As it is my baby's health must comes first before myself.
I was just inspired in your story. :)