Pregnant and Using MyFitness Pal

Katie1232

Hello! I am pregnant with my third child (15 weeks) and wondering how I can adjust calories based on my new weight. At the moment I still stay around 1200-1500 calories and worry more about nutrition than calorie intake, but hoping there are other pregnant women on here who can hold me accountable and relate! I gained 50 lbs. with each pregnancy prior and lost all 50 after each child. Hoping to stay under 50 this time! I've been slacking on the exercise lately...

malibu927

It's best to ask your doctor how much you should be eating, which will likely be more than 1200-1500 (at least maintenance, if not a slight surplus).

Purplebunnysarah

I used MFP when pregnant with my second, but that was because I had gestational diabetes and I was tracking carbs and protein. A side effect was that I lost weight for 3 weeks straight and then maintained to the end of my pregnancy--I'd been on track to gain 45 lbs and I gained exactly 30 lbs.

Since you're into your second trimester you should start gaining slightly going forward. Set your calories for 150-250/day above maintenance and you should have a slow, steady gain. Bump that up a bit more in the third trimester if possible. If you're at a normal BMI you'll want to gain 25-35 lbs or thereabouts during your pregnancy. If overweight or obese, 15-25 lbs. But confirm all this with your doctor - my medical advice is worth exactly as much as the medical degree I don't have .

ClosetBayesian

I tracked what I ate during pregnancy #3, but did not restrict calories. I gained 30 with that one (as opposed to 70 with my first, and 50 with my second). I second the above not-a-doctor advice: eat maybe 250 above your maintenance for a slow weight gain (gaining weight while you're pregnant is okay, especially if you start out at a healthy weight!). If your profile pic is you just before you got pregnant, gaining weight is going to be healthier than maintaining.

Sued0nim

You should be eating at maintenance