Pregnancy & extra calories.

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BunBun85
BunBun85 Posts: 246 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I weigh 209 pounds and I'm short, 5'2. I've read that in your 1st and 2nd trimester you only need an extra 200 calories during pregnancy and then 300 in the 3rd trimester. My question is that because I am already overweight do I really need to consume those calories? Should I change my goals to include those extra calories and then just be under if I don't eat them? My daily calorie intake goal is at 1471, I exercise 5 times a week and burn roughly 650 calories each training session. I don't always eat back my calories because I am a gastric bypass patient (1 year, 3 months out) and it can be difficult to consume so much in one day. I am going to ask my doctor about this when I have my appointment this month but I would really like to hear from other people that may have experience with it. Thank you!

Replies

  • taliar93
    taliar93 Posts: 111 Member
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    You REALLY need to speak to a doctor about this, anyone on here can give you all the advice in the world, but the fact is you will never know for sure if it's right, I read somewhere that when you're pregnant you should up your calories to the equivalent of a piece of toast and a banana, I'm guessing that not eating those calories for your baby is a bad idea, your baby does not get sustenance from your fat, but hey, this is all GUESSING. Ask a DOCTOR.
  • autumnmctaggart
    autumnmctaggart Posts: 41 Member
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    I agree about speaking to your doctor.
    I have had 2 children and did not eat extra for either of them. I just ate normal, took my prenatal, drank lot's of water and tried to eat healthy (except for the occasional craving in which I indulged!)
    You will find many people have many different ways (and ideas) on how to live while pregnant-
    My advise to you is to do your research and make up your own mind and in the end you get an awesome little bundle of joy :)
    Congratulations!
  • janettebishop940
    janettebishop940 Posts: 88
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    Apologies first if I seem ignorant of your situations and dilemma but when I was pregnant I didn't want to gain more than I had to so I just tried to be healthy and not eat all the sugar I was used to, and if I gained more than a lb or 2 a week I adjusted the following week. I think it's about giving your body what it needs in terms of nutrition, not so much eating by calorie dictations. I believe the baby guides you on this ie pregnant women going off caffeine. I was a Pepsi addict but couldn't drink it, even till after I stopped feeding him! All the best.
  • ngressman
    ngressman Posts: 229 Member
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    I never kept track of calories with my pregnancies. (Which explains 60 pounds of my weight gain). My doctor told me on my last baby that he only wanted me to gain 10 pounds. I was 5'2" and 220 pounds. I think you should definitely talk to your ob about this, especially with your gastric bypass surgery. Good luck with your baby.
  • BunBun85
    BunBun85 Posts: 246 Member
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    As I mentioned in my original post, I do intend to ask my doctor about it, my appointment is at the end of the month. I really appreciate reading everything that others have to say though. =) And thank you for the well wishes, we are really excited about this bundle.

    I did some research that said someone at my weight only *needed* to gain 11 pounds in the entire pregnancy. I've read accounts of plus sized woman also continuing to lose weight through gestation. I just want to be as healthy as possible through this and MFP is really the only place I can get nutrition advice online from actual people. I'm part of a birth board and the women there are just wacked out. Apparently it's wrong for me to eat salmon sashimi even if it's prepared in the safest manner possible but it's okay for them to eat a couple double cheeseburgers and I don't deserve my baby because I still drink 2 cups of coffee each day while they swig back gallons of sweet tea.

    Maybe today is just a sensitive hormonal morning for me as well. I ate too many chili nuts yesterday and beat myself up about it and then those other kettle calling the pot black ladies from the other website ragged on me super hard about nutrition. I feel like I'm just whinging a bit here at the end. =P
  • janettebishop940
    janettebishop940 Posts: 88
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    Don't beat yourself up too much. I are so unhealthily while breast feeding I thought I was harming my baby but he just kept on growing and getting stronger. They are resilient little things. Try the forums on babycenter uk. They were a reasonable bunch when I was pregnant. Also watch your weight for the first few years after birth. That's why I'm on here now!
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
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    I was taught in college nutrition classes that you really don't need any extra calories until the 3rd trimester and then it is only around 200-300 calories. I would definitely speak to your doctor about weight gain/loss goals while pregnant. Many obese women can safely lose weight while pregnant if monitored by their physician.
  • autumnmctaggart
    autumnmctaggart Posts: 41 Member
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    Apparently it's wrong for me to eat salmon sashimi even if it's prepared in the safest manner possible but it's okay for them to eat a couple double cheeseburgers and I don't deserve my baby because I still drink 2 cups of coffee each day while they swig back gallons of sweet tea.

    Maybe today is just a sensitive hormonal morning for me as well. I ate too many chili nuts yesterday and beat myself up about it and then those other kettle calling the pot black ladies from the other website ragged on me super hard about nutrition. I feel like I'm just whinging a bit here at the end. =P

    Hello again!
    Many people subscribe to the I can't eat sushi, blue cheese, eggs that are not cooked all the way etc etc etc and that is fine by me. Many of my friends chose that route.
    I chose to be more on board with how the French and Japanese handle their diet while pregnant. I ate what I wanted as long as I knew where it was coming from, how it was prepared (food safe) and how it was handled. I ate sushi, blue cheese and my eggs over easy. I ate rare meat, sometimes tartar and (gasp) coffee! I spoke to my doctor before hand and she gave me the green light.
    I have 2 little girls as healthy as can be. But this was my pregnancy and my choice-
    there is nothing wrong with eating the foods you love to eat -
    But again, consult with your doctor because I am not one :)
  • BunBun85
    BunBun85 Posts: 246 Member
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    Apparently it's wrong for me to eat salmon sashimi even if it's prepared in the safest manner possible but it's okay for them to eat a couple double cheeseburgers and I don't deserve my baby because I still drink 2 cups of coffee each day while they swig back gallons of sweet tea.

    Maybe today is just a sensitive hormonal morning for me as well. I ate too many chili nuts yesterday and beat myself up about it and then those other kettle calling the pot black ladies from the other website ragged on me super hard about nutrition. I feel like I'm just whinging a bit here at the end. =P

    Hello again!
    Many people subscribe to the I can't eat sushi, blue cheese, eggs that are not cooked all the way etc etc etc and that is fine by me. Many of my friends chose that route.
    I chose to be more on board with how the French and Japanese handle their diet while pregnant. I ate what I wanted as long as I knew where it was coming from, how it was prepared (food safe) and how it was handled. I ate sushi, blue cheese and my eggs over easy. I ate rare meat, sometimes tartar and (gasp) coffee! I spoke to my doctor before hand and she gave me the green light.
    I have 2 little girls as healthy as can be. But this was my pregnancy and my choice-
    there is nothing wrong with eating the foods you love to eat -
    But again, consult with your doctor because I am not one :)

    I don't subscribe to all those myths either. I read a really nice article just yesterday on all the stuff they warn against during pregnancy and how a lot of it isn't properly researched. I always cook my meat to just over fresh death and some roasted mushrooms stuffed with blue cheese sounds so good right now. I just got a message that they changed my appointment to next week on Wednesday, I can't wait to get in there and get everything answered.
  • savithny
    savithny Posts: 1,200 Member
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    The issue with cold cuts and some cheeses is listeria, which is rare -- but if you're the one who gets it, it's heartbreaking.
    You can read up on likely sources and make your own cost-benefit analysis on which foods you choose to eat, but you shouldn't dismiss it as a "myth."
    http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/

    (Note that the warnings were put in place after a few really big outbreaks in the late 90s).

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