MFP suggests 1200 calories/day, and BMR is 1300...so confuse

modestguineapig

Hi, I'm new to this site. I've been here about a week. I just read the "newbie" post which suggests you NOT eat below your BMR. But, my BMR is around 1300 calories, and the MFP to lose 1 lb/week is around 1200. I signed up with a "sedentary" lifestyle. What should I do?

I am breastfeeding, and adding that as exercise as 250 calories/day, which I have been eating. I've also taken walks, and ate those calories. So, I've been eating close to 1500 calories/day for the week. I have been hungry throughout the day, but I thought that was normal. So, I have been over my BMR, but only due to eating my exercise calories. If I don't exercise on a certain day, the site is telling me to eat around 1200.

I am 5'2" and currently 152. Thanks for any advice!!

erickirb

It is okay to eat below your BMR if you have a lot of weight to lose. If you have less than 30 or so I would suggest manually changing your goal to your BMR. Good luck.

BeckyKSmith

OMG!!!!! You need to add 500 cal a day for breastfeeding!!! I have been there. You need to make sure your milk supply doesn't go down or you will have a crabby baby. I would eat more rather than less. I would eat 1700-1800 calories a day at the VERY least! You will have more energy, your milk won't suffer, and you will lose 1lb a week. Less than that and you will lose nothing, be tired, your milk supply will go down and you will have a crabby baby.

Sorry to go on and on, but I went through 3 months of nursing a baby and trying to eat 1200-1300 cal a day and what I explained above happened. I then joined weight watchers and they had me eat 10 more points a day! I started losing a pound a week and my milk supply increased -no more supplementing with formula to keep up.

Hope that helps!

Bdde

If you are nursing you should calculate that into your calories and don't go under. Your baby needs a healthy and energized mommy and of course you know the million benefits of nursing!

You're an awesome mommy for that.

One day at a time!

TheKitsune6

You really should talk about that with your doctor if you are breastfeeding. He will be able to tell you what a healthy limit is for you and your baby. It's going to be slower but what can ya do, eh?

rainunrefined

300-500 cals extra a day for nursing is usually the typical recommendation. I didn't feel comfortable adding calories for nursing because I knew my body needed extra protein, carbs, etc. So I switched my activity level to high (although I'm at a desk all day). It added 480 cals and increased my other nutritionals as well. My milk has not dropped and I'm eating 1680 per day. I am 5'7" and weigh 161 and am on track to lose 1lb per week. Does your BMR of 1300 include that you're nursing? Because if not, then that # is not accurate.

mummakitty

I agree with Becky.. As a nurse & a mother myself I'd suggest you really need to add extra in there with a nursing baby hon.
.. I had problems with my galbladder shortly before my son turned one.. & was really limiting what I ate not because of weight but because fatty foods.. & eventually lots of foods caused a awful painful galbladder attack...
The result in him was a noticable slow down in HIS weight gain.. Just something to think about .

ladyhawk00

Unless your baby is older and nursing pretty infrequently, 250 may not be enough. You may need to up that by 100-200.

I would probably recommend manually setting your cal goal at least at BMR and make sure to eat ALL breastfeeding and exercise cals. I used MFP's calculator and with the info you gave, it actually gave a BMR of 1378. I know it doesn't seem like a big difference, but when you're petite (and breastfeeding) small differences matter. Go to Goals, Change Goals, Custom to manually change cal goal.

You'll have a slow loss, but that's best when breastfeeding.

modestguineapig

Okay, thanks everyone! I've changed things around so my allotted calories are 1728/day (which includes breastfeeding). I had originally estimated the 250 for breastfeeding based on the 20 calories/ounce produced, and I supplement 9 ounces. My daughter is 6.5 months and eats 2 solid meals a day. But, I'm thinking better safe than sorry and up that figure.

So, I'm trying to wrap my brain around this...if I eat 1728/day, and breastfeed, I'll still lose a little weight because of random daily activity. (BMR being 1378 + 350 [for breastfeeding]) And if I exercise, I should always eat those calories, right?

ladyhawk00

Okay, thanks everyone! I've changed things around so my allotted calories are 1728/day (which includes breastfeeding). I had originally estimated the 250 for breastfeeding based on the 20 calories/ounce produced, and I supplement 9 ounces. My daughter is 6.5 months and eats 2 solid meals a day. But, I'm thinking better safe than sorry and up that figure.

So, I'm trying to wrap my brain around this...if I eat 1728/day, and breastfeed, I'll still lose a little weight because of random daily activity. (BMR being 1378 + 350 [for breastfeeding]) And if I exercise, I should always eat those calories, right?

Yes, you'll still be at a deficit, because the 1378 and 350 don't account for your activity level. BMR is what you burn just being alive, so as soon as you get out of bed each day, you burn more than that. So you burn another 250 to 650 (depending on whether sedentary to very active) every day just in your daily routine. So you'll still have at least a deficit sufficient for 1/2 lb per week loss.

And yes, I would highly recommend eating most to all of your exercise cals. If you don't, you'll make your deficit larger and essentially be taking away from the extra you're adding for baby.