Counting calories while pregnant

erikalanem
erikalanem Posts: 48
in Food and Nutrition
My husband and I are trying to get pregnant....how long during pregnancy should I keep up 1400 cal/day? I would assume later in pregnancy I would need to add calories, how many? I definitely don't want to gain weight in the rest of my body, but more important than anything is that I have a healthy baby....

Also, any other pregnancy health advice is much appreciated :)

Replies

  • seif0068
    seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
    I don't have first-hand experience, but I can't imagine it would be advisable to eat at a deficit while pregnant. If it were me, as soon as I got pregnant, I would immediately begin eating at my maintenance calories and my next step would be to talk about it with my doctor!
  • siany01
    siany01 Posts: 319 Member
    Work out your maintenance and eat at that for the first 2 trimesters. In the third trimester you need to add about 200 extra calories a day.

    1400 sounds way too low for maintenance but I don't know your stats.
  • erikalanem
    erikalanem Posts: 48
    I just calculated my BMR on three different sites and got three very different results: 1490, 1546, 1899!!

    The first was MFP BMR calculator, then bmi-calculator.net, and then walking.about.com.....I have not mastered the exact science of eating my calorie goal (almost always go over) but I will maybe change it to 1500 if I find out I am pregnant...and DEF talk to a doctor :)
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
    I don't have first hand experience/knowledge yet...when one of my closest friends was pregnant she would discuss calorie and nutritional targets with her doctor at every appointment. Make it a priority to talk to your doctor about nutritional needs throughout your pregnancy.
  • manders376
    manders376 Posts: 53 Member
    Ditto to what other people said, talk to your doctor. Also, make sure you are taking a multi vitamin now. You need proper folate before you get pregnant and in early pregnancy to prevent certain birth defects :)
  • senyosmom
    senyosmom Posts: 613 Member
    Hi Erika with a K (I too am an Erika with a K) :)

    I would focus more on nutritional value and portion control while pregnant versus couting calories. While you are growing a baby its really no longer about you at all and all about the little one. You can get back to you after you pop 'em out! :)

    Besides, once those hormones and cravings kick in you will just go with it.

    Best of luck getting preggers!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Please don't get advice from random strangers on the internet about something so important... Talk to your doctor.
  • larsensue
    larsensue Posts: 461 Member
    Just DON'T. being pregnant is one of the most special times you will have in your life. just maintain a reasonably balanced diet with reasonable portions and enjoy being pregnant. worry about the calories after! the less stress and things to worry about while you are pregnant the better off you and the baby will be. just as a side note: some people find it hard to get pregnant while on a very restrictive diet.
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    Based on the numbers you got, I would aim for between 1500 and 1600 once you're pregnant and adjust up or down (for the first two trimesters) according to your rate of gain. The important thing is to get all your protein and vitamins and minerals, preferably as much as possible from food, so you might want to start (if you haven't already) to eat "clean", with as little processed foods as you can manage (meaning cut out the lunch meat, chips and such and emphasize fresh and frozen fruits, vegetables and home cooked proteins) - haven't looked at your diary, so advise is very general and may not actually apply to what you eat, if you're already eating fairly clean.
  • seif0068
    seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
    I just calculated my BMR on three different sites and got three very different results: 1490, 1546, 1899!!

    The first was MFP BMR calculator, then bmi-calculator.net, and then walking.about.com.....I have not mastered the exact science of eating my calorie goal (almost always go over) but I will maybe change it to 1500 if I find out I am pregnant...and DEF talk to a doctor :)

    Your BMR is not maintenance; that's bare-minimum-to-stay-alive. Your TDEE is maintenance. We have similar stats and mine is closer to 1700 or 1800.
  • AJinBirmingham
    AJinBirmingham Posts: 497
    Work out your maintenance and eat at that for the first 2 trimesters. In the third trimester you need to add about 200 extra calories a day.

    Talk to your doctor first, (and do your own research, and ask questions) but this sounds right. You don't need nearly as many extra calories as you might think!

    My stupid doctor went with "eat when you are hungry and listen to your body," which I (deliberately) misinterpreted as a license to eat - and after my youngest was delivered, I was tipping the scales at almost 200 lbs!

    Don't make the same mistake I did - and keep exercising.
  • jaylas_mom21
    jaylas_mom21 Posts: 311 Member
    Although a lot of people are out there doing it, you definitely should not eat at a deficit being pregnant especially since you do not appear to be overweight to begin with. Pre-pregnancy, I was 5'4" and 122 and lightly active. I found that I could maintain at a little over 1700 calories a day. I continued at maintenance until I felt myself getting hungrier which was close to the beginning of the second trimester. Now at 27 weeks pregnant, I am eating almost 200 more calories a day (more when I decide to splurge) but I have gained a healthy amount of weight so far. I am hoping to gain the recommended 25 to 30 pounds during this pregnancy. You do not want to be starving or feel hungry while you're pregnant because number one is having a healthy baby. I also upped my calories to about 100 or 150 below maintenance while trying to conceive bc I thought it might help my chances getting pregnant.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Your doctor is going to want you to hit certain weight gain bench marks...you aren't going to hit those at a calorie deficit. There's no way a doctor is going to let you get away with dieting while pregnant when you don't appear to be substantially over weight or anything.

    You're going to have t put aside your own personal body type aspirations while you're pregnant. You will need to eat and eat healthy...if you do things properly you will hit your weight gain goals and not put on too much. Once you have the baby and are done nursing your can focus a bit more on yourself again.
  • ewhsweets
    ewhsweets Posts: 167 Member
    Please don't get advice from random strangers on the internet about something so important... Talk to your doctor.

    BUMP....

    I am pregnant and everybody is different ESP when pregnant. Talk to your doc dont take advise on here.

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