1200 cal per day challenge!
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Oh my...
I'm a nursing mom and during the entire course of my 14 month span of breastfeeding (so far!), I have yet to eat UNDER 2,500 calories. I still lost weight and am now transitioning into maintenance. I can't figure out the 1,200 calorie thing... most of my dinners are around that.
I'm 5'2", 130lbs, nursing + pumping.
All of this. I never eat less than 2000 calories (and I am not always carefully tracking so it's probably higher).
Not only should you not drastically cut your calories so low when breastfeeding, especially TWO, it is not recommended to try to lose weight at all in the first three months until your milk supply is established.
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AllonsYtotheTardis wrote: »Ywilliams82 wrote: »lishie_rebooted wrote: »msnastassia wrote: »Hi people! I am currently on a 1200 calorie per day diet, however I am starting to loose motivation
I am thinking that if I can get a forum started for people who want to do this with me then maybe we can challenge and inspire one another. I am 5,7 current weight is 218 (I have just give birth to twins 10 weeks ago). I want to loose at least 60 lbs. So far I have lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks by consuming 1200 calories per day. Anyone interested....nothing wrong with a bit of health competition is there
When I started here, I was 5'7" and 172. I started with 1200 calories and lost muscle mass which meant I was more jiggly, more flabby when I got to my goal weight.
1200 is too low for your height & age. Plus the fact you're a new mom. If you're breastfeeding, you definitely need to be eating more.
I looked into how much you can eat when breastfeeding and apparently it's a myth that you need to eat and drink more as when your pregnant your body lays down fat stores
read more reputable sources
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So not only is it not healthy for a breastfeeding mom to be eating so little the other part of your OP was that you are just starting and already losing motivation.
Could that be because you are making this more difficult than it has to be with being overly restrictive. Weight loss does not have to be miserable. Instead of trying to form a group, take some time to learn, read the sexypants link that was given, learn how to do this is a sustainable way that won't make you want to give up before you even really got started.0 -
I have been on 1200 calorie diet for a few months now and it def workes for me. I am always under my calorie intake and I have lost 22 pounds. Your stomach gets smaller once you are use to the 1200 limit and its hard to overeat. I am currently 5'3 and at 133 my starting weight was 150.
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I'm 5' and weigh 168.... In trying to eat my cal goal of 1500 but I never really seem to make it over 1200 if that much... And my diary is horrible.... But right now I'm eating what we have in the house.... I find it hard to find time to exercise... I live on 20 acres , im outside alot if the time feeding or cleaning up,and we r in the process of remodeling the house so I'm MOVING but I'm not sure how to calculate it or document it.... I need motivation and HELP!!! Please!!!! There r some days that I don't do anything but sit, my husband is a veteran and some days r filled with drs appointments.0
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I'd recommend eating more if you want to have the energy to, you know, interact with you child.0
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I have to chime in on this too -- I am 53, hypothyroid, had a total hysterectomy 13 years ago, and I am still losing weight at 1500-1600 calories a day. Because of my knee I have been working out only 2x a week. If I ate only 1200 cals a day I would be hungry and cranky all of the time
. The weight will indeed come off slower eating like this, but it still comes off. Definitely don't go that low until you're done nursing. According to most dieticians that I have known, nursing increases your caloric needs by about 500 a day. 0 -
I love that in the first page of the thread, the most rational advice about caloric needs from breastfeeding women came from the men posting...
Seriously new mommies - you have enough stress in your life dealing with lack of sleep, hormones, crying babies, blowout diapers, figuring out how to work a baby bjorn or mobiwrap, etc. You don't need to put more stress on your body and mind by cutting calories so low in order to lose weight. Especially if you are nursing, you need calories (and ample hydration) to help preserve your milk supply and give your baby the nutrients they need to thrive.
One thing that I recall from being a new mom is how fast the time goes. You blink and your baby will be crawling, walking, and in the terrible twos. We moan about how quickly life passes by, and how we wish we could slow things down to enjoy those moments, yet when it comes to weight loss, we want everything to happen immediately. Take all parts of this slowly, the motherhood and the weight loss, and you may enjoy both a little more....
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I love that in the first page of the thread, the most rational advice about caloric needs from breastfeeding women came from the men posting...
Seriously new mommies - you have enough stress in your life dealing with lack of sleep, hormones, crying babies, blowout diapers, figuring out how to work a baby bjorn or mobiwrap, etc. You don't need to put more stress on your body and mind by cutting calories so low in order to lose weight. Especially if you are nursing, you need calories (and ample hydration) to help preserve your milk supply and give your baby the nutrients they need to thrive.
One thing that I recall from being a new mom is how fast the time goes. You blink and your baby will be crawling, walking, and in the terrible twos. We moan about how quickly life passes by, and how we wish we could slow things down to enjoy those moments, yet when it comes to weight loss, we want everything to happen immediately. Take all parts of this slowly, the motherhood and the weight loss, and you may enjoy both a little more....
Absolutely!0 -
I love that in the first page of the thread, the most rational advice about caloric needs from breastfeeding women came from the men posting...
Seriously new mommies - you have enough stress in your life dealing with lack of sleep, hormones, crying babies, blowout diapers, figuring out how to work a baby bjorn or mobiwrap, etc. You don't need to put more stress on your body and mind by cutting calories so low in order to lose weight. Especially if you are nursing, you need calories (and ample hydration) to help preserve your milk supply and give your baby the nutrients they need to thrive.
One thing that I recall from being a new mom is how fast the time goes. You blink and your baby will be crawling, walking, and in the terrible twos. We moan about how quickly life passes by, and how we wish we could slow things down to enjoy those moments, yet when it comes to weight loss, we want everything to happen immediately. Take all parts of this slowly, the motherhood and the weight loss, and you may enjoy both a little more....
Hey you forgot about the advice from the single, childless woman! lol =P
I really wish I didn't know as much as I did in regards to pregnancy... =/ lol
I still concur with you =]0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »Ywilliams82 wrote: »lishie_rebooted wrote: »msnastassia wrote: »Hi people! I am currently on a 1200 calorie per day diet, however I am starting to loose motivation I am thinking that if I can get a forum started for people who want to do this with me then maybe we can challenge and inspire one another. I am 5,7 current weight is 218 (I have just give birth to twins 10 weeks ago). I want to loose at least 60 lbs. So far I have lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks by consuming 1200 calories per day. Anyone interested....nothing wrong with a bit of health competition is there
When I started here, I was 5'7" and 172. I started with 1200 calories and lost muscle mass which meant I was more jiggly, more flabby when I got to my goal weight.
1200 is too low for your height & age. Plus the fact you're a new mom. If you're breastfeeding, you definitely need to be eating more.
I looked into how much you can eat when breastfeeding and apparently it's a myth that you need to eat and drink more as when your pregnant your body lays down fat stores
Perhaps instead of blanketly telling people they don't need to eat more to provide additional nutrients to their child you should site sources.
IMO this is dangerous and disgusting advice.
I never said that re read my post!!0 -
This is where I got my information from.....
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a3565/diet-for-a-healthy-breastfeeding-mum
Do I need extra calories when I am breastfeeding?
You don't need to have extra calories as a new mum, because your body is so efficient at producing milk. Be guided by your appetite, and eat when you're hungry. Your body may have laid down fat stores during pregnancy, and breastfeeding can help to use up these fat stores.
he amount you need to eat depends on your pre-pregnancy weight, and how much weight you gained during pregnancy, as well as how active you are.
Having said that, breastfeeding usually gives you a big appetite. So if you don't feel like eating, it could be a sign that you need extra emotional support. Women who have postnatal depression sometimes lose their appetite. If you're finding it a struggle to eat, talk to your doctor or health visitor.
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Ywilliams82 wrote: »This is where I got my information from.....
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a3565/diet-for-a-healthy-breastfeeding-mum
Do I need extra calories when I am breastfeeding?
You don't need to have extra calories as a new mum, because your body is so efficient at producing milk. Be guided by your appetite, and eat when you're hungry. Your body may have laid down fat stores during pregnancy, and breastfeeding can help to use up these fat stores.
he amount you need to eat depends on your pre-pregnancy weight, and how much weight you gained during pregnancy, as well as how active you are.
Having said that, breastfeeding usually gives you a big appetite. So if you don't feel like eating, it could be a sign that you need extra emotional support. Women who have postnatal depression sometimes lose their appetite. If you're finding it a struggle to eat, talk to your doctor or health visitor.
I'm gonna go with the Mayo Clinic on this one.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/breastfeeding-nutrition/art-20046912Do I need extra calories while breast-feeding?
Yes, you might need to eat a little more — about an additional 400 to 500 calories a day — to keep up your energy.
To get these extra calories, opt for nutrient-rich choices, such as a slice of whole-grain bread with a tablespoon (about 16 grams) of peanut butter, a banana or apple, and 8 ounces (about 227 grams) of fat-free yogurt.
Or here: http://www.llli.org/nb/nbmarapr04p44.htmlHow many extra calories do I need when I’m breastfeeding?
The number of calories a woman needs depends upon how much body fat she has and how active she is. While women are often advised to consume about 500 extra calories daily while they are breastfeeding (compared to before pregnancy), research now indicates that this could be too much for some women, while for others it could be insufficient.
Most breastfeeding women need to increase not only the calories they consume, but all the nutrients that make up their diet in order to satisfy the additional requirements of milk synthesis, though for some women the increase will be minimal. If the diet is balanced and varied, the increase in calories will automatically be accompanied by an increase in all the other nutrients.
Most women have some extra weight at the end of pregnancy. These pounds will gradually be used up during the months of breastfeeding, so nutrients will not need to be provided entirely by a mother’s daily food intake. Although the process of how human milk is synthesized is still not completely understood, we do know that it doesn’t take a lot energy. It has been shown that, during lactation, the metabolism of the mother’s body becomes more efficient, not just in regard to calories, but also to minerals.
The point is, the OP is already undereating for her height & weight. She's already putting her muscle at risk - and I mean more than just biceps, I mean heart, brain. And on top of that, she's breastfeeding. She needs to eat more.0 -
msnastassia wrote: »Hi people! I am currently on a 1200 calorie per day diet, however I am starting to loose motivation I am thinking that if I can get a forum started for people who want to do this with me then maybe we can challenge and inspire one another. I am 5,7 current weight is 218 (I have just give birth to twins 10 weeks ago). I want to loose at least 60 lbs. So far I have lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks by consuming 1200 calories per day. Anyone interested....nothing wrong with a bit of health competition is there
You're losing motivation because you're seriously under-nourished. If you're breastfeeding your twins, you really need to be eating at maintenance + 200-300 at the least. I have consistently noticed a dip in supply if I go below 1500. Even if you're not breastfeeding, think of all the muscle you're losing with such a low caloric intake.
TO ALL MENTIONING BREASTFEEDING MY TWINS I AM OF COURSE NOT BREASTFEEDING AS THEY SPENT TOO MUCH TIME IN NEONATAL TO GET USED TO LATCHING ON. SO PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO MY DIET TYPE IN RELATION TO BREADTFEEDING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR ME.
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AllonsYtotheTardis wrote: »msnastassia wrote: »Hi people! I am currently on a 1200 calorie per day diet, however I am starting to loose motivation I am thinking that if I can get a forum started for people who want to do this with me then maybe we can challenge and inspire one another. I am 5,7 current weight is 218 (I have just give birth to twins 10 weeks ago). I want to loose at least 60 lbs. So far I have lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks by consuming 1200 calories per day. Anyone interested....nothing wrong with a bit of health competition is there
well, I sure hope you're not trying to breastfeed on so little calories. That would be sheer madness.
TO ALL MENTIONING BREASTFEEDING MY TWINS I AM OF COURSE NOT BREASTFEEDING AS THEY SPENT TOO MUCH TIME IN NEONATAL TO GET USED TO LATCHING ON. SO PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO MY DIET TYPE IN RELATION TO BREADTFEEDING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR ME.0 -
msnastassia wrote: »msnastassia wrote: »Hi people! I am currently on a 1200 calorie per day diet, however I am starting to loose motivation I am thinking that if I can get a forum started for people who want to do this with me then maybe we can challenge and inspire one another. I am 5,7 current weight is 218 (I have just give birth to twins 10 weeks ago). I want to loose at least 60 lbs. So far I have lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks by consuming 1200 calories per day. Anyone interested....nothing wrong with a bit of health competition is there
You're losing motivation because you're seriously under-nourished. If you're breastfeeding your twins, you really need to be eating at maintenance + 200-300 at the least. I have consistently noticed a dip in supply if I go below 1500. Even if you're not breastfeeding, think of all the muscle you're losing with such a low caloric intake.
TO ALL MENTIONING BREASTFEEDING MY TWINS I AM OF COURSE NOT BREASTFEEDING AS THEY SPENT TOO MUCH TIME IN NEONATAL TO GET USED TO LATCHING ON. SO PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO MY DIET TYPE IN RELATION TO BREADTFEEDING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR ME.
You're still not eating enough.0 -
obscuremusicreference wrote: »I eat 1200 calories + half of exercise calories because I have a sedentary job. WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU NURSING MOMS DOING ON 1200 CALORIES?????? And how bad do your nails and hair look?
Your challenge is not appropriate for your lifestyle. Go ahead and eat 1200 calories a day when you're not feeding your little ones. But that's not just new-mom exhaustion you're feeling.
Eat more. The weight will come off without the nasty side-effects of malnutrition.
TO ALL MENTIONING BREASTFEEDING MY TWINS I AM OF COURSE NOT BREASTFEEDING AS THEY SPENT TOO MUCH TIME IN NEONATAL TO GET USED TO LATCHING ON. SO PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO MY DIET TYPE IN RELATION TO BREADTFEEDING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR ME.
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In all honesty you have to go with raw (fruits and veggies) and stay very active (busy) all day. In my experience increasing daily activity and reducing high carbs and sugars intake is a more successful approach than 1200 "bad" calories per day.
Either way good on you for taking the initial step! Stay with it and you will succeed.0 -
msnastassia wrote: »obscuremusicreference wrote: »I eat 1200 calories + half of exercise calories because I have a sedentary job. WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU NURSING MOMS DOING ON 1200 CALORIES?????? And how bad do your nails and hair look?
Your challenge is not appropriate for your lifestyle. Go ahead and eat 1200 calories a day when you're not feeding your little ones. But that's not just new-mom exhaustion you're feeling.
Eat more. The weight will come off without the nasty side-effects of malnutrition.
TO ALL MENTIONING BREASTFEEDING MY TWINS I AM OF COURSE NOT BREASTFEEDING AS THEY SPENT TOO MUCH TIME IN NEONATAL TO GET USED TO LATCHING ON. SO PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO MY DIET TYPE IN RELATION TO BREADTFEEDING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR ME.
1. Stop yelling.
2. you never mentioned your twins are in NICU so everyone assumed you were breastfeeding, it's an easy mistake to make.
3. regardless of breastfeeding or not, you need to eat more.
Ignore this. It is not necessary to "go raw".joslaugh06 wrote: »In all honesty you have to go with raw (fruits and veggies) and stay very active (busy) all day. In my experience increasing daily activity and reducing high carbs and sugars intake is a more successful approach than 1200 "bad" calories per day.
Either way good on you for taking the initial step! Stay with it and you will succeed.
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For me 1200 calories isn't possible. I bicycle commute 14 miles a day and walk at lunch. I need a 1000 calories to do that. I normally eat 1500-1800 calories but I am happy as long as I am 500 calories or so under what I estimated I need for the day. In my opinion, exercise is super important. It burns some calories which is nice but it also helps you insulin levels stay constant.
My happy food is a large can of diced tomatoes with chilly peppers. That has very few calories, is healthy, filling and I love it.0 -
joslaugh06 wrote: »In all honesty you have to go with raw (fruits and veggies) and stay very active (busy) all day. In my experience increasing daily activity and reducing high carbs and sugars intake is a more successful approach than 1200 "bad" calories per day.
Either way good on you for taking the initial step! Stay with it and you will succeed.
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msnastassia wrote: »Hi people! I am currently on a 1200 calorie per day diet, however I am starting to loose motivation I am thinking that if I can get a forum started for people who want to do this with me then maybe we can challenge and inspire one another. I am 5,7 current weight is 218 (I have just give birth to twins 10 weeks ago). I want to loose at least 60 lbs. So far I have lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks by consuming 1200 calories per day. Anyone interested....nothing wrong with a bit of health competition is there
You're losing motivation because you're seriously under-nourished. If you're breastfeeding your twins, you really need to be eating at maintenance + 200-300 at the least. I have consistently noticed a dip in supply if I go below 1500. Even if you're not breastfeeding, think of all the muscle you're losing with such a low caloric intake.
Agreed. I nursed my second baby for a year, and if I went below 1600 calories, my supply suffered terribly. I was stubborn and did not want to supplement (especially after I fought so hard to BF my first baby but ended up FFing), so it was eat, nurse, and stay pudgy, or cut calories and lose weight but not nurse.0 -
Iron_Feline wrote: »http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
Just dropping this in here
op EAT MORE - you are depriving your children of vital nutrients as well as yourself.
^THIS.
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Ywilliams82 wrote: »This is where I got my information from.....
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a3565/diet-for-a-healthy-breastfeeding-mum
Do I need extra calories when I am breastfeeding?
You don't need to have extra calories as a new mum, because your body is so efficient at producing milk. Be guided by your appetite, and eat when you're hungry. Your body may have laid down fat stores during pregnancy, and breastfeeding can help to use up these fat stores.
he amount you need to eat depends on your pre-pregnancy weight, and how much weight you gained during pregnancy, as well as how active you are.
Having said that, breastfeeding usually gives you a big appetite. So if you don't feel like eating, it could be a sign that you need extra emotional support. Women who have postnatal depression sometimes lose their appetite. If you're finding it a struggle to eat, talk to your doctor or health visitor.
Well there you go. The last paragraph of your own research sounds pretty important to me. When I was nursing my baby, even in the beginning, I was always hungry...like ravenous. And thirsty. Yes breastfeeding helps to get rid of some of the fat from pregnancy, but that's in addition to using up the extra calories. Maybe you should talk to your OB before you go any further with this diet0 -
msnastassia wrote: »obscuremusicreference wrote: »I eat 1200 calories + half of exercise calories because I have a sedentary job. WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU NURSING MOMS DOING ON 1200 CALORIES?????? And how bad do your nails and hair look?
Your challenge is not appropriate for your lifestyle. Go ahead and eat 1200 calories a day when you're not feeding your little ones. But that's not just new-mom exhaustion you're feeling.
Eat more. The weight will come off without the nasty side-effects of malnutrition.
TO ALL MENTIONING BREASTFEEDING MY TWINS I AM OF COURSE NOT BREASTFEEDING AS THEY SPENT TOO MUCH TIME IN NEONATAL TO GET USED TO LATCHING ON. SO PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO MY DIET TYPE IN RELATION TO BREADTFEEDING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR ME.
Please stop yelling. The BFing stuff may or may not have been directed at you. Others in here mentioned BFing, including BFing on 1200 calories, and one mention of no need to eat more to support a milk supply.
Also, I went from 236 to 154 at 5'7" after my first baby eating 1200 calories/day. I was obsessive about it but miserable until I increased my calories to 1400 (and more on workout days). I didn't lose while nursing baby #2, and I nursed for a year. After that I was really on and off. But I'm 183 now (still 5'7", hehe) and losing at a decent clip while eating 1600/day and eating back half of my exercise calories (per my HRM).
Just my experience that 1200 was miserable and not sustainable in the long term. Your losses will be faster but harder to keep off at 1200. Please check out the sexypants link above!0 -
EddieHaskell97 wrote: »Doze twin babus' be nature's liposuction. You done need MOAR to eat, nun this 1200 calorie jibbajabba. Enjoy this time in yer life, take care of babus', be well be safe and EAT!
BAhaha I think I just fell in love!!! (and got a really strong urge to watch one of dem dare gater shows lol)0 -
msnastassia wrote: »msnastassia wrote: »Hi people! I am currently on a 1200 calorie per day diet, however I am starting to loose motivation I am thinking that if I can get a forum started for people who want to do this with me then maybe we can challenge and inspire one another. I am 5,7 current weight is 218 (I have just give birth to twins 10 weeks ago). I want to loose at least 60 lbs. So far I have lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks by consuming 1200 calories per day. Anyone interested....nothing wrong with a bit of health competition is there
You're losing motivation because you're seriously under-nourished. If you're breastfeeding your twins, you really need to be eating at maintenance + 200-300 at the least. I have consistently noticed a dip in supply if I go below 1500. Even if you're not breastfeeding, think of all the muscle you're losing with such a low caloric intake.
TO ALL MENTIONING BREASTFEEDING MY TWINS I AM OF COURSE NOT BREASTFEEDING AS THEY SPENT TOO MUCH TIME IN NEONATAL TO GET USED TO LATCHING ON. SO PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO MY DIET TYPE IN RELATION TO BREADTFEEDING BECAUSE THIS IS NOT THE CASE FOR ME.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE YELLING ABOUT!0 -
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msnastassia
1200 calories a day is way too low for your height and weight. You are operating on starvation mode.
You can not stay on 1200 calories forever especially if you are active. Your body now is storing fat, as soon as you increase your calories you body going to ask for more. And it will be hard to maintain let lane to lose.
Increase your calories intake gradually, log your food. You are going to lose faster and healthier and the LB will not come back. It will be much easier to maintain once you get down to your goal.
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