Bodybuilder Jordan Musser speaks on criticism after she brea$t feed her baby

 

A bodybuilder has opened up about the backlash she faced when she posted a photo of herself breastfeeding her daughter at a competition, insisting that she cut calories 'healthfully' and 'responsibly' while she was training. 

 

Jordan Musser, 25, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, was still nursing her baby girl when she won two first-place titles at the National Physique Committee Bikini Competition in Pittsburgh in September.  

In her essay for the HuffPost, the nutrition coach and trainer explained that after she shared a snapshot of herself breastfeeding at the event, many people asked if it was healthy — a question she grappled with herself. 

Although she continued to lift weights while she was pregnant, the mom said she temporarily gave up on her dream of competing as a bodybuilder when she was carrying her daughter.

After welcoming her baby girl, Tomi, in July 2018, she said she lost her baby weight 'quickly' and 'slowly eased back into exercise,' but she struggled to find a balance between motherhood and desire to be a competitive bodybuilder — which requires significant fat loss. 

'Many women lose their delicate milk supply if they have a drop in body fat,' she explained. 'I was planning an almost total loss in body fat. I was planning hours of pounding weights and pavement, as well as tight calorie control. 

'It is a nearly impossible feat to cause your body fat to plummet into non-existence and keep a milk supply, but I was determined to make it happen.'

Jordan said she had no problem telling people she was a breastfeeding bodybuilder, and while there were many people who were supportive, others were 'appalled' and asked her if it was 'even healthy.' 

She admitted that most doctors would say breastfeeding while bodybuilding 'is a bad idea' because it is essentially 'controlled starvation.'   

'I am trained in nutrition, and I knew that I could be depriving her if I wasn't careful to make sure I was eating in a way that served both her growing body and my fitness goals,' she explained. 

While she was preparing for her competition, she 'ate a high-fat, high-protein, nutrient-heavy diet' that included lean meats, eggs, full-fat dairy, sweet potatoes, green vegetables, and protein shakes.