22 wks pregnant, obese & working out, how many calories?

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Sagetheplace
Sagetheplace Posts: 74 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I started losing weight before I got pregnant and lost 83 pounds, I still had about another 60 to go. The pregnancy was not planned and I don't want to gain all the weigh back. I was doing great and then all of a sudden I gained like 12 pounds in 1.5ish months! I know I need to gain weight to maintain a healthy pregnancy and that of course is my main goal! I dont know how many calories I should be aiming for. As of right now I set my cals to maintain and did not add an extra 300 for being pregnant. I figure 2060 cals a day should be plenty to baby to get everything she needs. I have also been trying to add workouts in again since morning sickness is finally letting up. Lately I burn between 300-600 3-5 days a week. Should I be eating those back? Or leaving them as an extra burn....should I keep my net cals at a certain number or eat a % of my workout cals back? My midwifes didnt give me a number to eat they said to concentrate on eating healthy. I eat a lot healthier then I ever did in my whole life, but still give in to some cravings. I just started logging again last week after my weight shot up 8 pounds over 1 month....since it has gone up another 4ish pounds! Any suggestions, advice or support would be really appreciated!
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Replies

  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    I have read various places that you only want to add an extra 300 calories to your diet while pregnant. But in all honesty, I would talk to your OB/GYN about losing weight while pregnant. I have known some that have safely done it. BUT they were monitored closely by medical professionals.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I agree with talking with your Dr. I don't think anyone else is qualified to tell you how much you should be eating to at least maintain your weight loss.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    The general guideline is that women shouldn't be losing weight while pregnant. Obese women, however, don't need to gain as much weight. The Institute of Medicine recommends that obese women gain 11-20 pounds in their pregnancy. However, some studies have shown that obese women may be able to maintain their current weight as long as they have nutritional guidance. If you want to do this, you should see a dietitian and work closely with them to create a meal plan.
  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
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    Talk to your doc.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
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    I would say talk to your obgyn. Mine was worried when I lost weight during my pregnancy (but again I was 243) for almost no apparent reason other then I was active.
  • Sagetheplace
    Sagetheplace Posts: 74 Member
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    I think I was misunderstood. I do not want to lose weight....and i do want to gain weight. I also want to continue to exercise because it makes me feel better in so many ways, same with eating a lot healthier.I am just curious what people think would be a good way to go about doing that....taking into consideration I am about 60 pounds over weight still, burning a decent amount of calories through exercise and pregnant.
  • TwinkiesNKetchup
    TwinkiesNKetchup Posts: 76
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    I have read various places that you only want to add an extra 300 calories to your diet while pregnant. But in all honesty, I would talk to your OB/GYN about losing weight while pregnant. I have known some that have safely done it. BUT they were monitored closely by medical professionals.

    This is pretty sound advice. My youngest is 14 so keep this in that context. My OB told me that there was no reason to gain a single pound the first six months I was pregnant, that the changes needed to support my baby could take place with my body adjusting on its own. I didn't make any diet changes, I simply beefed up my exercise (I walked AND swam through out my pregnancy. I started gaining in my third trimester (and I was hungrier!) and I ended up gaining 22 pounds. My son was 9lbs 11 ozs. The exercise helped with my labor too, I was in labor about 7 hours (total).

    Good luck! Take your vitamins!!
  • junejadesky
    junejadesky Posts: 524 Member
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    Go to your doctor!! You are only supposed to add about 300 caloires a day while preggers....

    I was in the same boat as you are when I got preggers with my 2nd. I only gained 18lbs the entire pregnancy and lost about 14 of it in delivery.... left the hospital in my regular clothes, so it's possible.

    It was the 60lbs I gained AFTER having my son that got me.....
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    My understanding was the 300 additional calories is in the later stages of your pregnancy.

    Really this is not something anyone here can advise on. You will have regular doctor visits, it would be best to get their opinion.
  • TwinkiesNKetchup
    TwinkiesNKetchup Posts: 76
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    I think I was misunderstood. I do not want to lose weight....and i do want to gain weight. I also want to continue to exercise because it makes me feel better in so many ways, same with eating a lot healthier.I am just curious what people think would be a good way to go about doing that....taking into consideration I am about 60 pounds over weight still, burning a decent amount of calories through exercise and pregnant.

    I think you're very wise and a great Mom to be taking good care of yourself while you're pregnant. Keep active as possible, especially now you're in your 2nd trimester. I don't know about other Mom's but I had way more energy during the 2nd trimester than at any other time.

    I would really recommend walking, swimming and yoga if at all possible. I was fortunate I lived in a condo complex with an indoor pool that surrounded a golf course. I walked around the golf course daily and swam laps every evening. I didn't do yoga then, but I do it now and I wished I would have started it in my 20s! :)
  • Sagetheplace
    Sagetheplace Posts: 74 Member
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    I do go to regular visits with my midwife. I have another one on Monday :) I was just curious to see what worked for others or what they were told. Not to take just anybody's info and use it, but to have many different advice, opinions and personal expereince of others.

    Also i have had 2 other pregnancies the first I gained about 60 and the second about 80. Never lost any inbetween the 2. So I just want to be educated and healthier this time and NOT repeat those weight gains!
  • PhearlessPhreaks
    PhearlessPhreaks Posts: 890 Member
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    I'm in a very similar situation; I am 26 weeks pregnant and was also in the process of losing weight prior to pregnancy. (I was still working on losing the weight from my 1st pregnancy, in addition to the extra weight I was[am] already carrying) At my initial appointment, my doc said to take in about 2300 cals a day and focus on eating healthy and staying active. Per MFP, I have my calories set to 2350 (maint for me) and sometimes I eat my exercise cals back, but not often. It all depends on how hungry I am. I gained about 2lbs my first 4 months, and in the last 1.5 months, I've gained an additional 4. My docs didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that I hadn't really gained anything until almost 6 months, likely because I'm already so overweight, that as long as I'm eating healthy and balanced, the baby is getting what it needs.

    My advice is to talk to your doctor about your concerns; ask them for a calorie guideline- they should have already given you a guide to healthy eating, like how many servings of fruit, veg, protein, carb, etc… a day, and what constitutes a serving of each. You may find that your weight fluctuates a bit depending on how much water you are retaining, if you've been on your feet a lot (I gained 4lbs of water weight over the course of a weekend walking around NYC recently- i dropped back down within 2 days of being home) so keep an eye on that. My test is how easily (or not!) my wedding ring comes off.

    Best of luck, feel free to add me :)
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
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    Love all the replies that say talk to your doctor. She already said she talked to her midwife people! :tongue: lol. And the people thinking you are trying to lose.

    I think setting to gain half a lb per week would be a good goal, and eat back your exercise calories. That's just what I would do if I got pregnant while obese. Obviously just my opinion. With pregnancy weight gain, try not to get too frustrated because your blood volume increases a lot, as do other fluids, so some of it could be water weight. And of course some of it goes to the baby.

    For example:
    http://www.easybabylife.com/weight-gain-during-pregnancy.html

    Weight Gain Table In Pounds


    Baby 7.7 lb
    The Placenta 1.4 lb
    Amniotic Fluid 1.76 lb
    The Uterus 2.1 lb
    Your Breasts 0.89 lb
    Blood Volume 2.8 lb
    Fluid Retention 2.9
    Body Fat 7.1 lb
    Total 27.6 lb
  • JingleMuffin
    JingleMuffin Posts: 543 Member
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    Pregnancy isnt a time to lose weight but if you are obese you can stand to gain much less than a woman of healthy bmi. make sure to breast feed the kid. that burns a TON of cals. oh and its really awesome for you and the babe.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I realize she isn't trying to lose. But none of us here are qualified to give advice like this. And if we are, there is a huge liability giving out in this type of forum. Sometimes the best answer is to talk to your doctor, again.
  • yanniejannie
    yanniejannie Posts: 1,090 Member
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    My daughter is 20 now. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 7mo. and put on a diabetic diet; don't know just how many calories but do remember 3 decent (very healthy) meals and 2 snacks (and checking my blood sugars 4 times a day). AND being scared to death about it all! Anyway, even with losing 4lbs. in those last 2 months--none of the drs. were worried about this
    my daughter was 7lb 2oz and perfectly healthy. Overall, I gained only 17 lbs. (it had been 21 going into those last 2 months) and one week post partum weighed 1 lb. less than I was when I got pregnant.

    Of course, check with your own dr., but I hope this reassures you somewhat if you do happen lose a little unintentionally.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Love all the replies that say talk to your doctor. She already said she talked to her midwife people! :tongue: lol. And the people thinking you are trying to lose.

    I would still recommend to talk to someone else than her midwife, especially if they were no help with the numbers. And I realized she wasn't trying to lose....that's why I said MAINTAIN what she has lost already...not lose more.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    Love all the replies that say talk to your doctor. She already said she talked to her midwife people! :tongue: lol. And the people thinking you are trying to lose.

    I would still recommend to talk to someone else than her midwife, especially if they were no help with the numbers. And I realized she wasn't trying to lose....that's why I said MAINTAIN what she has lost already...not lose more.

    Or better yet, a Registered Dietitian!
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    I do go to regular visits with my midwife. I have another one on Monday :) I was just curious to see what worked for others or what they were told. Not to take just anybody's info and use it, but to have many different advice, opinions and personal expereince of others.

    Also i have had 2 other pregnancies the first I gained about 60 and the second about 80. Never lost any inbetween the 2. So I just want to be educated and healthier this time and NOT repeat those weight gains!

    I appologize, I did misunderstand. Honestly, I can't give you any other advice other than what I already have... When I was pregnant I literally did not want to eat a thing (though I did eat a lot of Stouffers mac and cheese and ice cream)... It was so bad, that my doctor told me to drink ensure drinks just to get some nutrition (on top of taking my prenatals). I had only gained 12 pounds throughout the whole pregnancy and I was about 40 pounds overweight already.... but like I said, generaly convention seems to be around 300 calories is suffecient enough.
  • emmymcq
    emmymcq Posts: 278 Member
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    I think I was misunderstood. I do not want to lose weight....and i do want to gain weight. I also want to continue to exercise because it makes me feel better in so many ways, same with eating a lot healthier.I am just curious what people think would be a good way to go about doing that....taking into consideration I am about 60 pounds over weight still, burning a decent amount of calories through exercise and pregnant.

    I would eat the calories back.

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