How the hell are you all eating so little?!

Hornsby

Clearly people were capable of eating over 1,800. We all did end up here, after all.

I don't have trouble eating to my goal without going over because I save a lot of calories for later in the day, which is when I get the most hungry. I also eat a TON of veggies, which gives me a lot of volume to eat.

ahem.
rude much?
some of us were never over weight- some of us are bulking- some of us maintain.

I think the people who struggle to hit their target are probably ones who spent a long time shutting out their bodies' fullness signals and now they're listening and it comes across too 'loud', until they learn to dial it in. It seems like the effect lasts a couple weeks then goes away.

I love when people crow about the size of their breakfast. I want to know how many people who take pride in their big calorie numbers also drive big trucks or play loud bass. laugh

I drive a 42mpg economic diesel car and listen to talk radio...what now? Lol

Fine, prove me wrong, ya big muscley-calved bully! (Is it at least 'Car Talk'?) tongue

In the zombie apocalypse, you will envy my tiny calorie needs! bigsmile

I have a motorcycle- 45 MPG- also a fat kid who isn't satisfied with 1500-1600 calories. humph

But I don't eat breakfast... wonder where that leaves me LOL

You are clearly going to die since you don't eat breakfast.

stealthq

Both times I've nursed, I could've probably eaten 2500 cals/ day and still felt like I was starving. Especially when my kids were young and nursing every 1.5-2 hours, I could not keep up with my hunger! I also had problems cutting calories when I nursed because my supply would take a huge nosedive. Maybe try upping your calories by 100/ day to see if that helps? I don't think someone who hasn't nursed full time can understand the hunger!

This is what I've heard from my friends with babies - it didn't matter what they ate, they always felt like they could eat a horse. I'm guessing it's a hormonal thing keeping your appetite in overdrive.

dquedque

Give your body time to adjust. Create a deficit of 100 calories daily ...and increase that every week. Eat a lot of fiber rich foods that will make you feel fuller..longer. Stick to your prenatal vitamins to ensure that your baby is still getting his vitamins in case you may fall back on some.



Good Luck!

Muddy_Yogi

Why the **** would anyone want to eat only 1200 calories a day? I will never understand you nut jobs that think you need to lose all the weight over night and starve yourselves.

Pixi_Rex

Easy... I exercise, and eat back those calories so I net 1200. Realistically I eat 1600 - 1900 calories a day and end up with a net of 1200.

klaff411

Thanks you all. I can def add more protein...Will try that...


For breakfast always a protein shake-1 scoop whey, 3/4-1 cup fruit, 1/3 cup greek yogurt(fage 2%).
I have 1/4-1/2 cup whole milk with coffee every AM too.
Lunch-usually another shake, like above but with spinach. Then nuts and cheese, sugar snap peas, popcorn. THose are my fave snacks.
I get super hungry about an hour after lunch and crave carbs and have to fight hard not to eat a slice of bread.
Dinner is roasted veggies in olive oil, lean beef or chicken breasts, and either a homemade bread or potatoes.
After dinner I am very hungry too, and usually eat 1/2 cup greek yogurt sweetened with maple syrup.

I do find that eliminating processed sugars has helped curb some cravings but I still have hunger.

Any insight is appreciated!

All carbs. More fats and protein

Mischievous_Rascal

First, congrats on the baby!!!

Now as to your question, about 500 of your 1800 is for the baby, leaving you 1300 to live on. Unless you are super short, that's a pretty aggressive deficit. I maintain at 2400-2500, so in my opinion that's way too low. Listen to your body and as long as you're not steadily gaining weight, give yourself a break. Your body is working really hard right now, so be good to yourself! If you really insist on sticking to the 1800 goal, try increasing your protein and fat macros to keep you feeling full longer, and make sure you're getting at least 30 grams of fibre a day. Best of luck.

MyChocolateDiet

How the hell are you all eating so little?!

Not everyone is nursing. Some people who are inactive and petite might be fine on that number of cals.

I could never eat 1200 cals. I am nursing and have my goal set to 1800. That is the # I got from a nursing calculator. Anyhow...I am really struggling to stay at or under 1800!!! I am very hungry mid-day and at night. I have been at this for a bit now, and I am losing really slowly, or bouncing up and down within 5lbs when I eat more than 1800. Without pigging out or binging, I could naturally eat 2200 cals! Seriously, how are you all doing this? This is SO hard. I feel so deprived but I really shouldn't given I am allowing 1800. And I am hitting my macros(40 carbs/30protein/30fat) so I should feel satiated. ????? I am never going to get to my goal if I go above 1800, but I just am having such a hard time not feeling bad and hungry. Help?

1) Check your fiber, helps with satiety.
2) Check your original cal goal that it matches your activity level and height.
3) Check the added cals for breastfeeding. La Leche League is a great source for nursing in general.

Congratulations on your baby and your decision to nurse. :flowerforyou:

sparacka

I've been playing with intermittent fasting this month. Feeling deprived seems less problematic when you eat only every other day. Really appreciate your meals on the "on" days. =D

Um, are you seriously suggesting IFing to a nursing mother?
That's crazy talk, man.

Nursing a baby takes a LOT of calories (and patience and time). I'm not going to tell you what your goal weight should be, but your body's hunger cues are there for a reason when you are a BFing mama.

tuckeychicken

Easy......... just slowly reduce your calorie DAILY intake by 50-100 calories every 7 days. Slow and steady wins the race. It gives your body time to adjust.

That is excellent advice. I did that and that's how I got use to eating less and now it feels better to eat that way if I eat more then I feel horrible.

To the woman that is nursing you need a few more calories than most so take your nurses advice. By the way If memory serves me you burn about 500 calories when you nurse.

Mischievous_Rascal

More good info since I posted! Thank you!!!

I will try eating a real lunch as suggested-I like turkey breast, so that is easy!

I am currently 5 7" and weigh between 145-153, depending. Its frustrating...I am fluctuating between 1800-2400 cals. Which explains that bouncing. I may be more active than I realize. I am chasing after a toddler a lot, lol...I don't know-I am beginning weights but my workouts are super sporadic-like 1x or maybe 2x a week lately-and they only last 30 minutes tops...and I have done ONE HIIT workout since I started these goals, at a mere 30 min., so really, any activity must be just usual daily living.

I am glad you all understand nursing hunger! It is bad!

I used this calculator http://www.freedieting.com/tools/breastfeeding_calorie_calculator.htm -- WIth no activity it says I need 1800...
If I say I have 3x a week activity it says I need 2000.

MFP BMR says 1400-and if I add in the -500 for breastfeeding that would be 1900.

If you have a toddler on top of a newborn, you are not sedentary, in any way shape or form!!! Change your modifier and go with the higher number. And eat, don't drink your calories.

2BeHappy2

What happened to the initial thread that OP started last night?
Same question as this thread, just worded slightly different....
There were several replies to it....including 1 from myself and yet its nowhere to be found :ohwell:

peabean26

When I was nursing I was always hungry! If you are nursing you are probably also (at least slightly!) sleep deprived. These two things can make you super hungry. Have you tried upping your fat and reducing your carbs? Fat gave me a full feeling when I was nursing, and helped eliminate cravings. You've already noticed you have less cravings when you reduce sugary snacks, but if you offset this with fat (avocados, nuts, cheese) you will feel full faster.

Myhaloslipped

It isn't necessary to limit calories to such an extent. I eat about 2300 calories per day, but I just train like a beast. Most days I net around 1700-1900, and I am still losing about 1 pound per week. Even on weeks when I don't lose at that rate, I am losing inches.

veganbettie

I had a really hard time limiting calories while nursing in the early days...now my baby is almost 2 (sniff) and i'm doing better, the beginning was still really hard, but I've adjusted.

for me it was about finding food that i could eat when i was hungry or wanted to snack without a lot of calories, i ate a lot of carrots and mustard in the early days...

now i'm eating 1600 caloires plus 200 for nursing so that 1800 and i eat back any exercise cals, but i just switched over a few weeks ago because i wanted to slow down and i haven't really had too much losses at this amount...but i also haven't been super diligent.

hang in there and eat if you're hungry....enjoy being about to actually eat more than normal. at least for a little while.