Help !

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brittneygreen562
brittneygreen562 Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
Can some one please take a look at my diary and tell me what I'm doing wrong ? I'm not gaining but I'm not losing either . I breast feed and eat around 1800 to 2400 calories a day . I'm also on birth control could this be my problem ? I do cardio and strength training mon-friday (I alternate between the two)

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  • lsorci919
    lsorci919 Posts: 772 Member
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    Do you just go with what MFP gives you for exercise calories burned? Because I learned that MFP really over estimates calories burn. Example I would do 30 minutes on my stationary bike and it would tell me I burned like 500 to 600 calories when really I was burning 300 to 350. If I had eaten back all my exercise calories I wouldn't have lost much if anything. I know you are BFing so I wouldn't cut your general calories down but I would be careful when eating back your exercise calories.
  • brittneygreen562
    brittneygreen562 Posts: 13
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    Thanks I really think that's what it is ! I don't want to cut calories because baby comes first !
  • heyimhayley
    heyimhayley Posts: 49
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    Do you just go with what MFP gives you for exercise calories burned? Because I learned that MFP really over estimates calories burn. Example I would do 30 minutes on my stationary bike and it would tell me I burned like 500 to 600 calories when really I was burning 300 to 350. If I had eaten back all my exercise calories I wouldn't have lost much if anything. I know you are BFing so I wouldn't cut your general calories down but I would be careful when eating back your exercise calories.

    This. ALSO... when you input your activity level into MyFitnessPal, the site already takes your workouts/exercise into consideration and builds those calories into your calculation. If you want to eat back exercise calories, you should tell MFP that you're sedentary.
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
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    Do you just go with what MFP gives you for exercise calories burned? Because I learned that MFP really over estimates calories burn. Example I would do 30 minutes on my stationary bike and it would tell me I burned like 500 to 600 calories when really I was burning 300 to 350. If I had eaten back all my exercise calories I wouldn't have lost much if anything. I know you are BFing so I wouldn't cut your general calories down but I would be careful when eating back your exercise calories.

    This. ALSO... when you input your activity level into MyFitnessPal, the site already takes your workouts/exercise into consideration and builds those calories into your calculation. If you want to eat back exercise calories, you should tell MFP that you're sedentary.

    Actually the activity level in MFP is only for your daily job(desk job, waitress, carpenter ect), not exercise. All exercise needs to be logged in the exercise tab, just like food.
  • brittneygreen562
    brittneygreen562 Posts: 13
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    Thanks everyone !:smile:
  • lattarulol
    lattarulol Posts: 123 Member
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    Have you lost your baby weight or are you still above it? I found that breastfeeding was helpful in getting off a lot of the baby weight 9and shrinking the uterus) but not so good at any additional weight. Often your body will hold on to it until you are done breastfeeding.

    After glancing at your diet I would suggest trying to get a little more protein into your breakfast (maybe some reduced fat cream cheese on your bagel, peanut butter) or eggs/egg whites. Do you like yogurt or cottage cheese? It seems you only eat carbs for breakfast mostly.

    I would also try to get more lean meats and veggies into your diet. It seems to be light on the whole foods and heavier on the frozen meals. I have two young kids so I know how busy it gets, but it is amazing how much more energy you will have when you treat your body right. Also, the packaged stuff is usually very high in sodium and that can make you retain more water. Drink plenty to help flush it out.

    Good luck!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    What have you set your activity level as? How much did you ask to lose per week? What are your stats, age, height, weight.

    MFP generally over estimates calorie burns so be careful if you want to eat that back. I'd say go on more than 50%. Breastfeeding is estimated to burn about 500 calories per day but that's a number you can play with a bit based on your loss and your mild supply.

    MFP only asks for your activity level based on your job so you'll have to decide as a SAHM whether you do more "work" during the day than an office worker or a store clerk. It does not include exercise time. Being sedentary doesn't mean lays in bed all day either. Sedentary is the average person who goes to work, shops, cooks, cleans, does personal care, etc without working a physical job like construction.
  • heyimhayley
    heyimhayley Posts: 49
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    Do you just go with what MFP gives you for exercise calories burned? Because I learned that MFP really over estimates calories burn. Example I would do 30 minutes on my stationary bike and it would tell me I burned like 500 to 600 calories when really I was burning 300 to 350. If I had eaten back all my exercise calories I wouldn't have lost much if anything. I know you are BFing so I wouldn't cut your general calories down but I would be careful when eating back your exercise calories.

    This. ALSO... when you input your activity level into MyFitnessPal, the site already takes your workouts/exercise into consideration and builds those calories into your calculation. If you want to eat back exercise calories, you should tell MFP that you're sedentary.

    Actually the activity level in MFP is only for your daily job(desk job, waitress, carpenter ect), not exercise. All exercise needs to be logged in the exercise tab, just like food.

    You're right, but I don't think most people understand that. One of my friends uses this site and puts herself as very active because she goes to the gym everyday, but she still inputs her negative exercise calories. I told her she should either put it as very active and not count her exercise calories, or put it as light because outside of the gym, her daily activity level is walking to and from classes, and then she can input her additional exercise, i.e. the gym.

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