Am so confused...

rissanddan

I have been doing MFP for a week and don't think I am doing it right. Based on my current weight and goal weight, I am to be 1200 calories. However, since I exclusively breastfeed my 3 month old which takes from me 500 calories, I have upped my calorie intake to 1700 (1200 for me and the 500 my baby takes and needs from me). I also exercise most days at 300-ish calories. I knew I wasn't eating enough to maintain breastfeeding, so I have been eating more but still sticking t the 1700 calories.

So, my confusion lies in the calories lost with exercise. Am I supposed to eat those calories back, or is the whole idea about eating the recommended calories, but also exercising. So, I eat 1700 calories (or close to) then do my exercise, making my net calories for the day about 400 calories befow recommended.

When I submitted my diary at the end of each day, it often said I wasn't taking in sufficient calories, but since I have been eating fore, I haven't seen that message for a few days now. That's what I want, right: to eat well but not go over (but not too far under either) and day exercise???

momof3and3

In a nutshell: eat your exercise calories back...so 1200 cal for you + 500 for baby + 300 for exercise (or whatever the amount you did for the day)= 2000cal per day...

There is a lot of information on all of this, if you search the forums, which can explain it all to you...but basically you need to eat back what you burn off, just like you need to refill a car that you have driven for miles, that way you don't run out of fuel.

Also, since you are breastfeedIng, make sure you drink plenty of fluids to replace those that you are using for exercise.

Congratulations of your new baby! Just remember losing baby weight is different from losing regular weight...you need time to let everything shrink back into postion and let your hormones re-adjust...

therealangd

Yep. Eat 'em back.

Just like you have to eat the calories in order to feed the baby, you have to eat the calories to feed your exercise.