Caloric Intake

Just wondering what you ladies set as your goal caloric intake. Feel free to give your stats because obviously height and pre-pregnancy weight make a difference.

I'm trying to net around 1800 calories a day. I'm 5'5" and was 138 pre-pregnancy. Of course, I dont starve myself and if I feel hungry I eat. I also try to consume enough to make up for any calories burned during exercise.

Are you watching calories as much now? I lost 70 lbs after my last baby 3 years ago...so regaining has been mentally difficult for me. Plus, nausea and fatigue has kept me from really working out. I'm up to about 145 lbs now.

I am making healthier chocies than I ever did with my first two pregnancies. I gained 50 lbs with both of them. How are you doing with the weight gain?

Replies

  • kcasey155
    kcasey155 Posts: 968 Member
    I'm 5' 5" and my pre-pregnancy weight was 202lbs. My current weight is 196lbs at 13 weeks. My calories are set to maintenance at 2150. I eat between 1700 and 2500 calories a day and burn between 300 and 1100 calories a day. I'm not sticking to anything in particular, other than staying in the green. So the difference between what I eat and what I burn usually means I only eat back half of my exercise calories (if that makes sense!). Eating healthily and trying not to gain more than 25lbs throughout this pregnancy are my objectives. I've lost some weight, but mostly I've noticed a complete shift in my shape. I feel healthier than ever and will continue to work out as long as I can manage.
  • ybodwen
    ybodwen Posts: 340 Member
    I'm 5'1 and was 137 ish pre pregnancy (I'm not a big scale person lol) went down to about 130 after a tough first trimester and now I'm at around 133 at 17 weeks.

    I'm hoping to not get up to more than 155 but I guess we will see. This will be #3 for me and in the past I haven't gained more than the recommended 20-30 lbs probably because of morning sickness, aversions and GI side effects.. I'm actually hoping that having this baby and then breast feeding will be a good kick back into the 120s where I should be!

    My calories are set to gain 1/2 lb per week which is 1820 but I rarely eat that much- usually aim to eat at least 1500 net calories but I pretty much listen to my body. I'm trying to eat as healthy as I can and I guess this is lucky but my body will not let me overeat or eat very heavy foods or it punishes me with bad heartburn and cramps.
  • led2012
    led2012 Posts: 26 Member
    I'm 5'1" and was 130-135lbs pre-pregnancy (I always seem to fluctuate 5lb within a week...sometimes a day). I was still trying to lose about 10lbs when I found out I was pregnant, but my doctor told me I was in the healthy BMI range. I went up and down between 135 and 130 for all of my first trimester. I stopped working out and counting calories because of morning sickness. I think the morning sickness is the reason why I didn't gain weight for that first 12 weeks. Just didn't want to eat as I'm sure many of you could relate to. Now I'm at 16 weeks and 142lbs. I gained more than I wanted to in this last month. My doctor says I'm still o.k. but not to gain weight like that throughout my entire pregnancy. I'm back to working out as much as my doctor will allow, and I'm counting calories again. On the days I do workout, I burn between 300 and 900 calories. I eat back some of my calories that I burn, but I don't eat back all of them. I currently have my goal set at 1900 calories, but I think that maybe a little too high. That is why I don't eat back all of my calories. I'm not sure how much I should be eating. I'm trying to eat healthy foods (lots of fruit, nuts and vegetable snacks throughout the day), but I do give into temptation some days. I probably will be dropping my calorie intake, but I'm going to give it a couple weeks before making that decision.
  • jaylas_mom21
    jaylas_mom21 Posts: 311 Member
    I'm 5'4" and with my daughter I weighed 99 pounds prepregnancy and weighed 136 when I had her. I was 17 though so the weight fell off of me within a month or two. I got back down to 106. It's now been 10 years and I got up to 138 at my heaviest and got down to 122 using mfp then got pregnant. I've already gained 6 pounds! I was hoping to only gain 25 pounds but its not looking so good right now. I've got my goal set at a little over maintenance at 1850 calories a day. I usually eat all of them and go over sometimes.
  • cbarnett30
    cbarnett30 Posts: 3 Member
    5'2 per pregnancy weight 120lbs. 15weeks and 123lbs I stay around 1800 calories except on workout days then I do about 200 more. I lost 45lbs with mfp over a year ago. Baby #1 I started out 150 and gained 11lbs. Baby #2 I started out 145lbs and gained 11.5lbs. I hope to only be about 20 lbs this time.