Are calorie goals accurate, or am I "doin' it wrong"?

I weigh somewhere around 155lb and was maintaining whilst EBF on 3000kcal. Now I'm trying out 2500kcal and I am definitely a little hungrier, but it is too soon to see results.

Personally I won't rush weight loss whilst breastfeeding, as I've had supply issues in the past and I've also read that toxins can be released into the milk when your fat cells break down.

From my reading, the 500kcal for EBF already incorporates its own deficit, ie, by adding 500kcal to maintenance you should still lose. That won't work for everyone, but it might be a good starting point. By all means, eat 'healthier' too, by cutting down the sugars and caffeine, but eating more calories may also be part of the answer.

Yes, I'm definitely keeping an eye on my milk production - I express some every other day just to get an idea of how much I'm making and so far so good. My little girl is healthy and alert, and I always feed her 'till she seems satisfied. That's also why I'm a little more inclined to give in to cravings than I would be if I were just doing this without her - I figure a severe system shock is very bad for her food supply, so I'm ok with changing my habits gradually. I don't see what I'm doing as a "diet" so much as a permanent self-improvement

The amount you can express should not be taken as a confirmation on how much you are making. Sounds like you are doing well anyway but remember some mums have fantastic supplys but dont respond to a pump. Watch your baby not the pump

I had a peek in your journal and it looks like you've made some great changes. You've cut out the caffeince and most of the sugary drinks! Hopefully that's helping you feel more level. Keep going eating the vegetables and aim to eat 5 small meals a day containing protein, fats, and complex carbohydrates and you'll get there!

I looked at your diary.

It actually doesn't look too bad with the exception of those drinks, which imho shouldn't be consumed while breast feeding as mentioned...you don't want your baby hyped up do you????

Those are enough to cause those jittery feelings...drink more water...and don't deny your cravings...you seem to be doing well at staying in your calorie goals.

The only other thing I see are lots of entries that are well...off

2oz chicken 55 calories
4oz chicken 130 calories

4oz of chicken breast has 250 calories...about 145grams...

Look for entries without asteriks or generic in them or homemade.

But saying all that...you are breast feeding and you want not just enough milk but you want quality milk. I always expressed as well to ensure that there was enough fat in mine, and yes you can tell as it does seperate.

I would up your protien and fats big time...

Eat more eggs, lean meats, cheese, yogurt (for those sugar cravings) I choose a greek non fat with fruit and it has 50-80 calories each but it has 8g of protien.

I understand being a new mom and breast feeding and how you can neglect yourself but don't. When you are feeding your daughter make sure you have a snack with you too and some water. IE yogurt, cheese and crackers, a bowl of grapes or berries etc.

It's important to get nutrients and vitamins in now...along with enough protien, fat and I wouldn't worry about the carbs...

First, stop adding 500 calories for breastfeeding. You could add 300 calories, if you were already at a relatively low calorie diet, low weight etc. Your body will not stop producing milk if you eat around 1700 calories, not at all. So, do not try to force yourself to eat more to make milk, you need to be starving or have a very poor nutritionally diet to affect your supply, do not worry about this at all.
Second, the symptoms you describe, they are not from low calories or starvation. Since you recently gave birth, please go back to your dr for a checkup. It could be as simple as being exhasuted, but it could be a thyroid out of control and it could be diabetes or blood pressure issues, and probably a million other things.

4oz of chicken breast has 250 calories...about 145grams...

Accuracy is important, but that figure is off. 4 oz. is 113.4 g, not 145. And if it's boneless, skinless chicken breast, weighed raw, then 4 oz. has 136 calories, according to the USDA database: http://tinyurl.com/mo4656p

If it has skin on, then it's about 230 calories (depending on how much skin, and how fatty it is).

Ok I didnt read everyones responses so sorry is someones has said these things.

So some of your weight loss COULD actually BE water weight. I think it might help if you understood the effects of water on your body.
Before you said you drink a lot of soda and no much water. when you do that your body HOLDS water because it doesnt know when it will get water again. When you start drinking more water you are telling your body that it doesnt need to hold it anymore, you are now treating it better. So it trusts you, and starts to let go of the water is was hoarding.

Now with the jitters it sounds to me like you could possibly be hypoglycemic. I am and when I dont eat, or wait too long between meals/snacks, I start to shut down.
Yours may be worse than mine since it looks like you drink a lot of sugar, and when you take that away from yourself your body will need time to adjust, you are having sugar crashes (thus the need to eat something sweet to make the shakes stop). MAke sure you are eating something every few hours so that you dont crash. I personally graze all day long, and this helps me to not eat too many calories in the long run because I'm never starving myself so I dont binge eat.

Again drinking more water in general will help with that too, and the feelings of hunger. Our bodies use the feeling of hunger to also let us know when we are dehydrated... its confusing I know. You think you're hungry when you are probably just thirsty.
If I've eaten fairly recently and I feel hungry and I know I shouldnt I just drink a biiig glass of water and I feel all better again.

I hope that helps a little.