Daily Energy Expendure at 2960 ?!?

makemesmile80

Ok, so I admit I'm terrible at losing weight. I was one of those annoying naturally skinny tall girls for about 10 years - before I had my first daughter. Never dieted or even thought about what I ate, or did any extra exercise. 5'10 and size 6. Didn't understand how people could be overweight, I mean, you must be a total pig all the time to be overweight, right? Wrong. 8 years and 4 kids later, I have some serious weight loss to be in a healthy range. I have tried to follow a healthy diet after giving birth, then give up about 1 month in. Then try again, then give up. This is like my dozenth time or so. My youngest daughter is 4 months and because we are in the middle of moving all of my regular clothes have been packed. I needed some jeans as I still wear those comfy maternity ones so went shopping and was brought to tears yesterday in the store after 16 didn't fit properly. My attitude toward eating healthy must change. Today.

I've started logging food. My biggest problem is I can't seen to set a realistic goal so I don't starve or make less milk AND lose at least 1 lb a week. nutritiondata.com calculated my calories burn rate at 2,960 a day for moderate exercise. I did NOT include the HIIT I do 2 x a week or the weekly zumba. Those are about another 1,500 calories a week combined.

I basically feel that I eat no where close to 2,960 calories a day - and yet have not lost 1 lb in 4 months. I do need to track more regularly, as it's all or nothing right now. Any ideas on what a realistic number to target would be?
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RBXChas

How much do you weigh? Besides the exercise you shared, what are your daily activities like? I take it you're fairly busy with four kids. Also, are you EBFing? If not, how many times do you BF your daughter each day?

I can use that info to calculate your BMR and TDEE, or you can do it yourself here:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

I'm not sure what the calculations are based on at the site you used.

Whatever you do, don't cut your calories below you BMR, and kellymom.com advises not eating less than 1800 calories per day for breastfeeding moms.

Otherwise it may just be a case of your body's not wanting to let go of weight while breastfeeding. A lot of us here are struggling with that, myself included. Hopefully you can find your "sweet spot," calorie-wise, and lose at a healthy rate

Edited to remove the question about your height because you'd answered that already

awolf2011

I've been many different sizes throughout my life up to this point. I too have 4 kids and my youngest just turned 4 months too. This is my first time exclusively pumping and I'm also finding it hard to figure out my calorie intake to help lose weight but not affect my supply. Since I've made it to 4 months, I'm starting to watch more closely to what I eat and my calories I consume. Since I am pumping, I know exactly how many calories I burn which is usually around 800-900 per day. I have my calories set at 1,360 and then I make sure to eat back most of my pumping calories which puts mine around 2,100 calories per day. I've lost a few pounds here and there, but not a whole lot. I'm trying to be patient because once I'm done pumping, it's GAME ON!!!!! And, it is getting nicer in WI, finally, so I can get outside with my kids and burn some calories. It is a struggle. The heaviest I weighed was 200 lbs after having my first and the lightest I weighed was 147 lbs before I got pregnant with my youngest, so I've been on both sides.

mkcolombia

I don't think the nutritiondata website is accurate. No exercise and it tells me I can eat 2338?? I don't think so. I eat 1500 and lose at a slow rate. I do eat all my exercise calories though