How to add Breastfeeding as an "exercise"

Peoplecallmejess
Peoplecallmejess Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
Hello!

I'm 5 months postpartum and trying to keep track of food intake while trying to lose weight. Anyone know how to track breastfeeding into calories burned? Am I suppose to eat my calories burned? Trying to avoid going into starvation mode, so this app has been helpful. However I want to also lose my baby weight of 14lbs :)

Replies

  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    If you type it in under the food section, you will get a negative calorie value. There are different options depending on how much you are feeding.
  • tobiasmom
    tobiasmom Posts: 161
    It looks like you add it as a "food", but it has negative calories. There are different calorie options depending on age of baby and if you exclusively breastfeed or not.

    Yes, you are supposed to eat calories burned. The calorie target that MFP set for you has the calorie deficit for weightloss accounted for, so not eating them would be trying to lose weight at a faster rate and possible unhealthy. Though if it is calories burned from exercise, not breastfeeding, MFP often overestimates the calorie burn so I usually see it recommended to only eat back part of the exercise calories (1/2-3/4)

    Hope this helps!
  • dandelyon
    dandelyon Posts: 620 Member
    You can just add extra calories as a customized goal, you can add it as exercise, or you can add negative calories as a food. I prefer to do the first option because I also track my macros, and negative calories messes with those numbers. I think most people add it as a negative calorie food, though.

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