Has anyone tried using MFP to during pregnancy?

judsywudsy
judsywudsy Posts: 44 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I recently used MFP to lose abt 50lbs and maintaining it well. Thennnnnnn i got pregnant and gained 25lbs in the first three mths because of change in diet nausea, stomach issues.... so now i am back here trying log wat i eat and basically maintain my weight with the allowance of the 1lb a week that i will naturally gain. I want to know if anyone has ever done that ?

Replies

  • easjer
    easjer Posts: 219 Member
    Logging food isn't a problem, but trying to regulate too much (or lose) is a problem. Follow your body's cues, eat nutritionally balanced, healthful foods and so long as you don't have rapid weight gain, don't worry about the scale. Focus on healthy eating, not calories.
  • fit4family12
    fit4family12 Posts: 11 Member
    I am 25 weeks pregnant and very actively tracking on MFP. My doctor told me to not gain anymore weight this pregnancy and is supportive of me sticking to 1500 cals a day.... I had gained 24 pounds already by my 20 wk appt ( my fault, i was very careless and didnt watch what I ate and the fast weight gain showed my bad habits... I was 218 when doc said no more gain) soooooo I have actually lost about 6 pounds since starting mfp 5 wks ago... just by cutting out ALLLL junk foods and tracking and eating all healthy........

    doc said if i kept gaining like I was, then its worse for me health and baby health than me watching cals and religiously tracking and making sure I don't gain anymore.....
  • judsywudsy
    judsywudsy Posts: 44 Member
    OK... yes i am trying to eat as healthy as possible but its been a little harder than i thought with my constant hunger. Hence my logging of foods to also track calories. I am just 17wks and cannot afford to gain too much.
  • Collier78
    Collier78 Posts: 811 Member
    I used it to track because I was Gestational Diabetic with my last one and it helped me keep better track of my carb intake. I would definitely talk to your doctor, but nothing wrong with making sure you don't go overboard.
  • easjer
    easjer Posts: 219 Member
    1500 calories?! I would find a new doctor. That is ABSURD. The reason? Your body will give the baby the nutrients it needs to grow and it will strip your body to do it if they aren't provided.

    Your body will gain what it needs to gain. As hippy-dippy as it sounds, there are women who need to gain more than what ACOG suggests as a guideline. Using starting weight and setting limits is ridiculous because pregnancy is a very individual thing.

    By no means do I suggest that anyone eat crap and use pregnancy as an excuse to do so, but if you are hungry, you need to eat. Your body is telling you something. Listen to it.

    I started my two successful pregnancies morbidly obese. I lost weight in each pregnancy - though in my last (which went full term), I lost until 24 weeks and then gained a modest amount through the rest of my pregnancy. My doctors were unconcerned about my weight so long as I didn't experience rapid weight gain, didn't have GD and my blood pressure stayed normal (I was higher risk for pre-eclampsia - not because of my weight - but because of enforced inactivity and because of medications I was on to help me to reach full term). That is what good doctors will advise.

    By all means, track your food to help you maintain responsibility about what you eat, help you ensure that you are eating nutritionally sound and balanced foods, but please do not limit your intake unnecessarily. All that does is ensure that the nutrient pull from your bones and muscles is worse.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I think it's great to use it to look at nutrition. Your doctor/midwife will tell you how many extra calories you should be eating with your pregnancy. Ask him/her if setting to 0 change in weight (maintenance) and adding in the extra calories recommended is okay. You can then set that up as custom. But ASK.

    I started each pregnancy thin and gained 50 pounds for each of my pregnancies - and lost it all by 8 months because I was nursing. Then I kept nursing and took off even more weight.

    Focus on the having a healthy baby. Don't gain too much. But definitely gain enough. That's where your health practitioner can provide guidance.
  • judsywudsy
    judsywudsy Posts: 44 Member
    I was saying the same thing.. 1500 calories seems a lil low to me per day. Mine to maintain my current weight is over 2000calories. Thought i would have a hard time eating that much... but its actually quite simple. i guess logging will help me to just make better decisions.
  • ChampCrucial
    ChampCrucial Posts: 120 Member
    My girlfriend is pregnant at the moment and is using MFP. She just checked with her midwife/doctor and has her goal set at lose 1lb. We just make sure she gets a good variety and all her micro and macro nutrients. It is going well for her. She is at 2180 calories a day. She is also a gestational diabetic. Just make sure you talk with your health provider.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    So wait, you're pregnant now?

    Visit a nutritionist if you're that worried. If you're doctor hasn't advised you to stop gaining so much weight, I wouldn't care at all. I gained 45 pounds when I was pregnant, and I was all belly. Don't worry about the numbers so much.

    And seriously, if you're really hungry, just eat.

    Use MFP to track macros and micros if you want, but I would ignore the calories.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    I was saying the same thing.. 1500 calories seems a lil low to me per day. Mine to maintain my current weight is over 2000calories. Thought i would have a hard time eating that much... but its actually quite simple. i guess logging will help me to just make better decisions.

    If you are maintaining with 2000 calories you should up it by 4-500 during your pregnancy, and breast feeding

    My wife is a nurse for the labour and Delivery and that is what she did during her pregnancies!
    The wonderful little monster inside will take lots of nutrients and goodness from you....not just the food you eat.

    A Dietician will be more helpful then a doctor in regards to eating.
  • malou1985
    malou1985 Posts: 138 Member
    I used mfp throughout my pregnancy, and when i got diagnosed with gestational diabetes i was put on a 1500 cal meal plan. I ate well balance meals and snacks, my baby was born healthy, 8lb 5 oz, and didnt need an i.v or any insulin, or any meds once she eas born
  • svanzile
    svanzile Posts: 34 Member
    I'm 31 weeks pregnant now and have gestational diabetes. I'd only gained 13 lbs by the diagnosis at week 28 and have since lost 5. My Dr doesn't want me losing anymore, but isn't concerned about a certain caloric intake. I use MFP to make sure I'm balancing my carbs and protein and to have a log in case my numbers get out of whack so I can see what may have triggered it. I set my goals to maintenance and it's giving me 2400 calories a day, though I rarely meet it and NEVER feel hungry.
  • svanzile
    svanzile Posts: 34 Member
    Another user shared this site and it has a bunch of different calculators, including one for pregnancy that breaks down caloric needs by trimester, and one for nursing!

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calories_burned.htm

Categories