breastfeeding

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nemo0319
nemo0319 Posts: 2 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hi, ill like to gain weight but im breastfeeding i dont know if ill have to eat more or what ?

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  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Yes you'll have to eat more. I'm breast feeding to and wanting to maintain my weight, I'm eating 2100-2300 or more calories a day but am still slowly losing weight, it's a little annoying I know I have to eat more, but sometimes I just can't.
  • musthavescentscanada
    musthavescentscanada Posts: 27 Member
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    Hi!
    On average, breastfeeding a babe (6weeks post partum and up through to about a year) "costs" an extra 500 or so calories daily.
    So in order to gain weight, I would suggest eating back those 500 calories and start there. 2 extra snacks daily, something nutritious like avocado, peanut butter, hummus, cheese, etc, will help make up the deficit breastfeeding has placed on your metabolism.
    Congrats mama! :)
    Cheers, Rach
  • antennachick
    antennachick Posts: 464 Member
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    I set my calories to active although I wont consider myself that...but it allows me 500 more calories and puts me at 1900 per day. Which I believe 1800 is the lowest recommend for breastfeeding. But it also depends on how active you are and weight ect
  • nemo0319
    nemo0319 Posts: 2 Member
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    Thanks ! Before pregancy i was 125 pounds now im at 110, it happened the same with my other baby, i really want to gain weight, im doing some exercise too, i started to run a week ago, im military so need to pass my PT test thats why i started with exercise. Hopefully i can eat that much, im not used to it !
  • antennachick
    antennachick Posts: 464 Member
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    nemo0319 wrote: »
    Thanks ! Before pregancy i was 125 pounds now im at 110, it happened the same with my other baby, i really want to gain weight, im doing some exercise too, i started to run a week ago, im military so need to pass my PT test thats why i started with exercise. Hopefully i can eat that much, im not used to it !
    If you want to gain. ..I wont suggest running a whole lot because its cardio. Instead work on wieghts to build muscle.
  • 3AAnn3
    3AAnn3 Posts: 3,055 Member
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    Ha, my 19 month old nurses once a day and I'm lucky if that shaves off 100 calories. Enjoy it while you can!
  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I believe there is a breastfeeding option under foods that that negatively adjust your calories by about 300, so if you use that option (once a day) your calories will get adjusted to include your breastfeeding. (It will make you eat 300 more calories to reach your goal.)

    So put MFP on gaining with your normal stats (so your normal activity level), and include those breastfeeding calories to bump up your calories more.
    (Without including the breastfeeding calories setting MFP at a surplus will get you at maintenance at best, because breastfeeding requires more calories than your normal activity.
    Other option is to set MFP to gain with a higher activity level. Don't use the breastfeeding option in this case unless you are still losing or maintaining weight.

    Also, for weight gain you NEED to log your exercise calories and eat them back, otherwise you won't gain weight.
    Doing cardio is fine, just keep in mind it requires you to eat even more in a day.
  • antennachick
    antennachick Posts: 464 Member
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    3AAnn3 wrote: »
    Ha, my 19 month old nurses once a day and I'm lucky if that shaves off 100 calories. Enjoy it while you can!
    Only one ounce burns 20 calories :)

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