?insanity & nursing calories!!? what do i eat! HELP!!

FemmeAndi

With the insanity calculation it says i should consume about 2500 cals to stay the same weight: but I want to lose so they say -500 which gives me 2000 cals a day.

So this means I should eat 2000 calories a day and NOT eat back what I burned in insanity (about 350-400kals)?

Now on top of this I am also nursing my baby (7 and 1/2 months who started solids) and they say that alone burns 500 cals a day (i'd say more 400 cals now that he start some solids). SO nursing alone tells me to up my daily calories by the 400 kals i burn from nursing.

So do I eat 2000 + 400????? being 2400 cals a day?

Right now I'm eating about 1900-2000 and not seeing any movements. I was doing Ripped in 30 before I started insanity. I'm on day 4 of insanity. I'm feeling hungry tonight before bedtime.

Help!

lbpears

I think it can be tough when you're nursing because different bodies react differently to cutting calories. Is your supply ok at 1900 - 2000 calories? How long have you been eating at that level without losing?

You might just have to play around with your calories a little to see what allows you to lose without affecting your supply.

FemmeAndi

milk supply seems ok... bub doesn't get fussy.
I've been at this level of calories since about mid april. At first I was just walking and snowshoeing and I had lost 5 pounds but now doing these workouts i've stalled but then i just gained 3 pounds over the weekend..just when i finished my ripped in 30 program and before starting insanity. I had a 2 day rest. :S

lbpears

Not sure how tall you are or how much you weigh, but it could be that it's overestimating your tdee. You might try just cutting back by 100 calories for a few days to see what happens. Of course if your baby seems fussy or you're hungry, Then definitely eat something.

Nursing does funny things to our bodies, I think. I've had friends where the weight just fell off of them. Then I've had friends who really struggled to lose while they nursed. It was hard for me because when I was nursing, I was absolutely starving all the time,.I thought pregnancy made me hungry--I didn't know hunger until I was nursing!

Anyway, good luck as you figure it out. And by the way, your profile picture looks like Mary Louise Parker.

FemmeAndi

5'7 at 147 lbs

before pregnancy i was 134.. i'd be happy to just get to 140

I'll try lowering by 100 cals. thanks!

Not familiar of who that is.. i'll have to google her! haha

rosebette

You're actually well within normal weight range for your height. I found I didn't lose those last few until the baby weaned. Some of that extra weight, maybe 2-3, is your milk. Be patient, but don't cut calories too much. Also, stay well-hydrated since you're nursing. As the baby starts to rely more on solid food, you will be able to cut back on your calories more. There's no need to rush. Those movie stars who get their prebaby bodies back in 6 weeks are usually spending 3-4 hours a day with a personal trainer and leaving their baby with a nanny.

Mykaelous

What ever you decide, just make sure that you are able to provide for you baby as much as it needs and for as long as it needs it.

FemmeAndi

yep...my little guy comes first

Just wondering how to get a good balance. I'm trying the 2050 cals for a week. See how it goes.

FemmeAndi

just wanted to let you guys know that i tried having my calories around 2000 and if i was hungry before bed I had a snack and this week I lost 1.5 pounds!!!!!!!! I lost .5 inch on my thighs and .5 inch around my waist!!

megannxx

I know this is an old post, but I was actually wondering the same. I have 2 days left of Ripped in 30, and am starting Insanity soon too! I'm also nursing a almost 4 month old baby. Still playing around with how much I should consume.

Jayfairchild

Hi Megan, I'm a medical student, so I figured I could contribute some of the information I'm being taught. According to my notes, nursing mothers burn ~330 calories per day the first 6 months, then ~400 calories per day after that. We're also told that mothers should not lose more than 1 pound per week, as at that point their milk supply can suffer. They also need an additional 1 L of water per day. My instructor said that if someone is try to lose weight while nursing that they should make sure to drink plenty of water, as we get quite a pit of fluid from our food (and you are probably eating a lower volume of food if you're dieting).

I would suggest finding your TDEE, eating 350 calories above that, and not eating back the calories you burn during insanity. If you are at a ~400 calories deficit with exercise, you should lose a little under a pound a week.

megannxx

@Jayfairchild Thank you for that information! Water intake is always one I'm working on increasing. I'm averaging 10 cups a day (2.3 litres). So everything is always a work in progress.