Breastfeeding

HeidiHoMom

Okay I am really trying to figure out what my magic number is and I think I have it down but I am also breastfeeding almost exclusively (he gets one bottle of formula a day). So I'm not sure what to add for that if anything.

I was eating 1700 calories a day (1200 plus 500 for breastfeeding). I haven't lost in the last month so I thought I needed to drop out 100 calories. So I have been eating 1600 for the last 2 weeks or so plus eating most exercise calories.

I work out 3 times per week doing NROLW as well as some light walking a couple times per week for 30 mins and usually one spin class per week.

My BMR is 1597 and TDEE is 1994 (sedentary because I prefer to eat my exercise calories back).

So am I supposed to add 500 on top of that for breastfeeding? I feel like that will be a lot of food and I am terrified of gaining. I want this weight off so bad for summer. I want to be able to feel comfortable in a swimsuit so I can play in the water with my kids.

Anyone else breastfeeding almost exclusively? What do you do.

Raynn1

Yes, you should be adding about 500 cals to your "Cut" value. So your TDEE is 1994... your cut is TDEE-15% which would be, about 1695... then you need to add 500 cals to that, so you should be eating about 2200 cals a day.

You need to think of Breastfeeding cals as "exercise" that you have earned before the day even begins. You eat back your exercise cals, so treat this the same and eat them. By only eating your 1700, your baby is actually taking 500 of those cals away to feed him.. you really, you are only eating 1200 cals in a day.. Make sense?

HeidiHoMom

Yes it makes sense, I'm just terrified to add more. I'm going to start by adding back that extra 100 I took off last week. And then slowly keep adding to that.

This is a scary process.

zukkiz

Don't be scared, I was at first too. I am breastfeeding our 10 month old and only account for 300 calories for him. I net about 1700 and eat over 2000. I have lost 32 pounds as of this morning. I have been the higher calories off and on for a while now and it is SOOO much better. I have stayed consistant with it for this week and lost 3 pounds. (Not that I want to do that every week, last week was 1 pound). By the way my milk supply is doing fantastic too.

If you are doing NROLFW you need those extra anyways.

You can friend me if you would like. I am a great motivater!! Also join the group Post Partum Pack, lots of great and knowledgable women.

HeidiHoMom

Thank you!

I think I will need all the encouragement I can get. Seeing the numbers going up on the scale will be a real test for me.

Cclancaster

Thank you!

I think I will need all the encouragement I can get. Seeing the numbers going up on the scale will be a real test for me.

Put away your scale for a month. Take measurements before you start and pay close attention to how your clothes are fitting. I weight 128 and other than a flux in the first 3 weeks I have stayed the same in the past 6 weeks. I am 5'2 so 128 is technically the high end of my healthy weight level. When I started I though I wanted to lose 15lbs but I look better at 128 and have consistently lost inches. So my best advice is put away your scale and pay attention to how clothes fit and take measurements. I agree with everyone else I would put that 500 calories and add it to your BMR and act as if that is part of your BMR because in reality it is. Then do your TDEE calculations and stay above your BMR + 500(breastfeeding). Also just to give you an idea of why we eat a set amount of calories a day first because it all evens out at the end of the week and second(most important) is because you are giving your body a consistent amount of fuel. Where if you didn't do this then on days you work out lets say you burn 300 calories so you will eat 2500 calories and days you don't work out you only eat 2000 you body is still dealing with high lows which means it is harder for it to level out.

lillebanon

I recommend going "all in" on upping the calories, instead of slowly adding them. The first week or two will be a total shock, but the sooner you start eating what you need, the sooner your body will adjust and start losing again. I add 200 cal a day on top of my TDEE to account for my toddler who still breastfeeds at night. I went from eating 1200 a day to eating 2200 + eating some to all of my exercise back, and I haven't gained (well, I lost 5 lbs and gained back 3 in the first couple of weeks, so I'm still down overall - and I'm eating maintenance calories right now without a cut). I think the rule of thumb for breastfeeding is about 20 calories per ounce. When my son was exclusively feeding (up to 6 months old) he was eating between 30 and 40 oz a day (about 20 oz of pumped milk while I was working, and then whatever he nursed off of me when I was home). So that was 600 to 800 calories worth. If you are strictly nursing though, it can be hard to guess exactly how much they are eating, unless you weight the baby with an accurate scale immediately before and after each feeding to track it.

sar123bear

Eating more is the key (nutritious foods if you can)... Don't be afraid of food! Nourish your body and it will reward you. See my blog for a few articles on losing weight while breastfeeding.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/sar123bear

:bigsmile: