June 2014 Babies

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Daily Calories?

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amyjpage
amyjpage Posts: 97 Member
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Hi Girls,
Can you share some insight as to how many calories you are consuming each day? (now knowing that you're growing a little one).

I have read that you need to take in 200-300 additional calories during pregnancy (in second and third trimesters), but not sure about what I should be aiming for right now.

I am healthy, but currently 40 pounds overweight. My goal is to not gain more than the recommended 25-30 pounds during this pregnancy (my first).

I see my doctor next Friday, but I was hoping you all could share some of your thoughts!

Thanks!
Amy

Replies

  • JustAnotherGirlSuzanne
    JustAnotherGirlSuzanne Posts: 932 Member
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    I'm eating at maintenance. For me that's 2070 calories per day. If I'm hungry, I eat more. If I'm not hungry, I eat less. When I get to 2nd and 3rd trimesters I will add 200-300 calories for sure.

    I'm 5'7", 162 lbs for reference.

    If you switch your settings on here to maintenance it should calculate it all for you. :)

    ETA: Also not really bothering to eat back exercise calories unless I'm hungry.
  • IndianMuslim
    IndianMuslim Posts: 154
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    I set my MFP to maintenance, which bumped up my calories from 1400 to 1800. I am also about 20 lbs overweight, so I'm trying to stay around 1400-1500 calories daily. I'm also not exercising, so I don't want to consume too many more calories than I am used to.

    I decided to keep a log on my phone to keep track of my pregnancy weight gain. So far, I lost about a pound since I found out I was pregnant last week. I am almost 6 weeks now.

    I think I will check with my doctor at my first appt about this, but I don't want to gain more than 15 lbs during this pregnancy. I've seen posts in the forums from pregnant women who only gained 3-4 lbs in 40 weeks, and some that even weighed less at 9 months than when they first got pregnant...so I think my goal is not unrealistic. Of course, I want to do whatever is healthiest for my baby, so I will check with my doctor first.
  • usernameMAMA
    usernameMAMA Posts: 681 Member
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    I'm eating about 1700 and will bump it up 150 during my second trimester and another 150 in my third trimester. That's my plan, but we all know that with babies nothing goes as planned!
  • LuluA85
    LuluA85 Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm also a bit overweight at the moment (about 20lbs too) so ideally don't want to put any weight on in the 1st tri. I'd feel comfortable with losing a little bit in the first few weeks even, not too much, but just from continuing to eat healthily and sensibly etc.

    I have been on 1400cals a day (before finding out) but will slowly up that to 1800 between now and 12 weeks. Like IndianMuslim, I shall do whatever's best for the baby, but if it wants to use up some of my 'surplus reserves' that's fine by me!!
  • amyjpage
    amyjpage Posts: 97 Member
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    thanks ladies! this has all been very helpful!

    I am happy to report that my weight has not changed, and I will be 7 weeks tomorrow! I see my doctor on Friday so I'll chat with her about this and report back!


    I'm with you Lulu - baby is more than welcome to use up some of my surplus reserves!! LOL!
  • rhye
    rhye Posts: 104 Member
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    I'm very overweight (80 lbs or so?). I bumped it up to maintenance and that gave me a ridiculous number of calories, like 2600. And then I go to the gym every day also so that's unobtainably high. Which is fine, I'll just eat less than that, but I feel very "cut loose" after more than a year of tracking each little thing that I eat.
  • JustAnotherGirlSuzanne
    JustAnotherGirlSuzanne Posts: 932 Member
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    I'm very overweight (80 lbs or so?). I bumped it up to maintenance and that gave me a ridiculous number of calories, like 2600. And then I go to the gym every day also so that's unobtainably high. Which is fine, I'll just eat less than that, but I feel very "cut loose" after more than a year of tracking each little thing that I eat.

    I hear you! It's both freeing and terrifying isn't it? I also find it entertaining about how when I used to be over 100 calories I counted that as an awful day, but now when I'm at 1800 calories I know that I won't gain anything. In fact, I'll probably lose weight if I keep that up for too long. Oh, how the perspective changes!

    I'm only eating 2070 calories a day and I'm not even bothering with exercise calories unless I'm really hungry for them.
  • IndianMuslim
    IndianMuslim Posts: 154
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    I've been so sick these last 3 days with morning sickness that my daily calorie intake has been 1,000 or less. I'm allowed 1800 by MFP for maintenance. What's amazing to me is that my weight hasn't really changed at all this week even with the decrease in calories.
  • JustAnotherGirlSuzanne
    JustAnotherGirlSuzanne Posts: 932 Member
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    How is everyone finding their calories are working for them? Have you gained more than you wanted to?
  • usernameMAMA
    usernameMAMA Posts: 681 Member
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    I was 158 last week and when I weighed in today I was 156.4. I have been fighting morning sickness so I think that's part of it. I've been hitting at or above goal but I don't subtract what comes back up:/
  • amyjpage
    amyjpage Posts: 97 Member
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    I am at maintenance (though most days I go slightly over) and my weight hasn't changed much at all - I am gaining and losing the same 3 pounds every few days. 9w4d today so I'm feeling good about not gaining (yet!)
  • Lady_Lamb
    Lady_Lamb Posts: 103 Member
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    I'm in the same boat as Amy. I gain and lose the same 3 or 4lbs every couple days. I feel crazy eating so much without exercising! (And really, I should be exercising... I'm just so tired!) It's like there are no rules! I'm not used to it and I keep ending up over because in my mind it is like a free for all. I set my daily intake to 1890, which is maintenance. I was eating like 1400 before. This feels like so much more. And all I want to eat are carbs! I am worried I will gain too much.
  • cleaneater80
    cleaneater80 Posts: 434 Member
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    I'm in the same boat Lady Lamb. I've been eating maintenance for the last month and some days I just blow it on ice cream and cookies. So far it's happened about 3 times but I"m not sure if it's because I feel I can go crazy or hormones. I am keeping active so I hope I'm eating enough to cover my burn but want to only gain a healthy amount of weight.

    My plan now is to keep the trigger foods out of the house and replace them with fruit and yogurt.

    I find at the end of the day I"m 'showing' a little compared to the morning - but of course it could be that I'm a little gassy too ( I have a feeling that won't be going away)
  • JustAnotherGirlSuzanne
    JustAnotherGirlSuzanne Posts: 932 Member
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    I've been eating over my goal a fair bit recently and a lot of that has been on take out since cooking really didn't sound appealing over the past couple weeks. I'm up 3 lbs currently but I"m not convinced that they're here to stay? Hopefully not until the second trimester.... I think I'm going to adjust my goal to 1900 rather than 2000. (unless I'm hungry of course) :)

    I need to exercise more too, but sleep......

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