Need help with calories while breastfeeding

jqh23

So, last week there was a thread titled, " BMR and TDEE Explained for Those Needing a Guide" and I was thankful for a dummies version on how to do the BMR/TDEE calcs, but I want to make sure I am doing this correctly.

Based on those calculations - my BMR is 1925, so I deducted 20% since I want to lose 20+ pounds and I got 1540. That is only 385 calories cut, when I thought you should cut 300-500 when you are trying to lose weight. Also, I am a nursing mother and log my breastfeeding as food for negative calories, which I do eat back.. but I do not always eat my exercise calories back. I also listed myself as sedentary since I do have a desk job but I also have a toddler that I have to hold often and chase.. more often. Should I put myself at light exercise (1-3 hours a week). I do try to exercise for at least 20-30 minutes day too. I really just want to make sure I am eating the calories I should so I lose weight properly. Do I eat the 1540+200 nursing calories for a total of 1740 a day (without exercise)? Help!

Thanks in advance

harribeau2012

Hi, BMR is your resting count based on no exercise at all so you my want to revisit the calculation, I'd say factor in the exercise as well as breast feeding (or maybe work out the standard amount for maintaining and don't deduct any percentage -eat that amount and continue breastfeeding?) I know that when I was feeding (long time ago) I was encouraged to have more to eat but you want to lose......just don't undereat too much if you are chasing a toddler and feeding a baby then your body needs something good to burn. Eat well that's the main thing, good food and skip the junk (if you have any) :flowerforyou:

ncl1313

You should be reducing by 20% of your TDEE, not your BMR. But maybe that was just a typo.

And yes, 1740 is what you should aim for each day you don't exercise. More if you do. I've personally found it easier to deal with the average net calories over the week instead of daily because then I don't stress if I'm over one day and under the next. If I'm right at that weekly total, I get the best results. Good luck!

ETA: I also have a desk job and a toddler. I still set at sedentary because some days I am pretty much immobile at work (less than 1000 steps over 8 hours) and the 2-3 hours of running after my kid doesn't make up for that, in my opinion.

jqh23

Thanks for the info. I went back to the site and based on the Harris-Benedict Formula my BMR is 1604, but using the Katch-McArdle Forumla my BMR is 1322.

Then my "calories I should eat" are 1925 and that is what I deducted the 20% from to get the 1540.

So now regarding eating vs not eating your burned calories - what ever happened to "if you want to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you eat".

Sorry, I am really trying to understand this properly.

rekite2000

Here is how I do it and it is working well. I do TDEE15% at moderate activity (toddler plus workouts and walking) which is 2100 for me. Them I nurse full time so I add 500 calories. That means I eat about 2600 and net about 1650. Been able to lose almost 40lbs this way and supply is strong. Make sure when you add breastfeeding it adds to your macros. I put it in as 1 minute cardio so it adds in fat/protein/carbs.

ncl1313

Since you are breastfeeding, the 1925 TDEE is not real accurate for you*. If you figure you are burning 200 calories every day with breastfeeding, you may want to add that to the TDEE figure before taking the reduction (20% down from 2125 would give you 1700 net per day). So, then you would eat 1700 per day on non-exercise days, and more on exercise days. So, yes, you would be eating less calories than you expend and would therefore lose weight.

ETA: *because TDEE calculators do not take breastfeeding into consideration.

jqh23

Since you are breastfeeding, the 1925 TDEE is not real accurate for you*. If you figure you are burning 200 calories every day with breastfeeding, you may want to add that to the TDEE figure before taking the reduction (20% down from 2125 would give you 1700 net per day). So, then you would eat 1700 per day on non-exercise days, and more on exercise days. So, yes, you would be eating less calories than you expend and would therefore lose weight.

ETA: *because TDEE calculators do not take breastfeeding into consideration.

Do I would set my goals on MFP to 1700 and not log my breastfeeding to get the -200 calories?

jqh23

Here is how I do it and it is working well. I do TDEE15% at moderate activity (toddler plus workouts and walking) which is 2100 for me. Them I nurse full time so I add 500 calories. That means I eat about 2600 and net about 1650. Been able to lose almost 40lbs this way and supply is strong. Make sure when you add breastfeeding it adds to your macros. I put it in as 1 minute cardio so it adds in fat/protein/carbs.

Oh gosh, I still don't understand that macro thing. I have my carbs/protein/fat set to 40/40/20. So I can just add in 1 minute cardio to make up for the nursing?

I nurse on a strange schedule.. my son is 21 months and on the days I work, nurses mostly just at night before bed, but on the days I am home, I am sometimes nursing him 2-6x a day. He is very attached and I have tried to wean and he is not interested. So I gave up trying to wean. I have gone away for 2 days with no nursing, no pumping and still maintained a supply for all this time.. I swear, I have magical boobs. it amazes even me.. so if I happen to lose my supply (which i doubt) because of my diet, it's fine by me.

ncl1313

Is your little one on breast milk exclusively? Before we stopped, I was nursing 2 times and pumping once daily on work days, nursing 4 times on home days. But mine was also eating solid foods. I've read that it burns about 20 calories to produce 1 oz of milk. I was averaging 12-15oz per day, so around 240-300 calories burned.

So, I guess if I was in your shoes, I would figure out the daily average ounces, multiply by 20, add that to your TDEE number, and cut 20% from that. Or, you could just cut the 20% from the TDEE like you were doing and add back and eat back the nursing calories. Either way you're covered. Personal preference, really.

Ultimately the answer is that you do need to eat additional calories to account for the fact that you're breastfeeding. How you decide to do those calculations as it relates to MFP is up to you, but I think 1700-1750 net calories per day is probably about right.

jqh23

No, he also drinks whole cow's milk and eats like a horse sometimes. He is almost 2.. just can't give up the boob yet. Sometimes I only nurse once a day, sometimes, it's up to 6x a day. I stopped pumping at work at least 6 months ago, but pumping is not an accurate account of how much you are actually producing while nursing, as the pump cannot properly imitate the suckling to get out as much as nursing would. I believe I am still producing at least 10 oz a day, maybe less on some days and more on others, so I think the weekly total balances out.

Ok, I am going to leave my calories at the 1540 and continue to log the -200 nursing and eat those back. Thank you for all the help!

rekite2000

Since you aren't nursing a lot, I would do TDEE-20% and then add 200 for nursing. Give it a month and see how it goes and make adjustments. As for the macros, it you aren't too worried about them I wouldn't stress. Whatever you decide, make sure you give it at least 4 weeks for adjustment time.

jqh23

Since you aren't nursing a lot, I would do TDEE-20% and then add 200 for nursing. Give it a month and see how it goes and make adjustments. As for the macros, it you aren't too worried about them I wouldn't stress. Whatever you decide, make sure you give it at least 4 weeks for adjustment time.

Great, that's what I am doing now then. thanks!

kuderstadt

I'm still nursing an 18 month old, mornings and nights, but I don't log it anymore... I used to when he was not on solid food yet, but now I feel like it's a supplement to his diet, and not his whole diet and therefore, kind of inconsequential.
:-)
-K.

jodiegarnett

I am breast feeding my 2 year old still... I got my TDEE - 20% then added 200 calories to it for the breast feeding... Working well so far.. No weight loss or drop in milk supply, but 3 inches down in just over a week