Pregnant and Counting Calories

melbhall
melbhall Posts: 519
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm not sure if those post is asking for advice, just a rant or a nod from someone who has been there or what...

I'm 7 months pregnant. I was overweight before getting pregnant, 5'5 and 175lbs. I had been using the site to help lose the weight from my first child. I have gained 20lbs so far, and I've been counting calories...not diligently, and usually not always staying within my range. But here's the thing...what's my range? When I talked to my doctor about how many calories to eat when pregnant she looked at me like I was going to do something studpid. Believe me, I want nothing but the best for this child and AM NOT dieting. However, I really don't know how much to be eating. I typed in my info to see how many calories to maintain my weight and added 300 extra calories to that. I'm usually near my goal and eating 1800 calories a day. Today, I'm going to be over again by 200 from poor choices. I work out when I can, but am active around the house daily trying to tame a wild 21 month old and running errands and cleaning...I don't consider this exercise and do not log it.

Should I just get over myself and stop "worrying" so much about trying to hit an exact number and focus on making better choices, or should I try to really focus on hitting my mark.

Has anyone else counted calories while pregnant? And please know, I am not dieting, am not trying to lose weight, have no desire to see the scale go down...I'm just trying to keep myself accountable and not go craazy eating icecream everyday just because I "crave" it. After the baby is born I plan on dieting, but I will be breastfeeding so plan on losing slowly so that I don't mess with my milk supply.

Any thoughts...comments...

Replies

  • LOVEthighSELF
    LOVEthighSELF Posts: 104 Member
    figure out what your range would have been just before getting pregnant (if you were 150lbs- that the # you use). Add 200cals a day for baby. Contrary to what people say about eating for you- ummmn no your not. And I learned this the hard way! Had four babies, gained 65,40,50, and 55!!!!
    Not a doctor so def check with yours but thats my advice! AND walk your WHOLE pregnancy.
  • CassieLEO
    CassieLEO Posts: 757 Member
    Your best bet for you and your baby is to make a appointment to see a nutritionist ....
  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
    You could take a look at this -> http://www.freedieting.com/tools/pregnancy_calorie_calculator.htm <- to get an idea, but try to talk to your doctor again. Explain that you're not dieting, but you don't want to use your pregnancy as an excuse to overeat - you just want to know the right amount.

    Or, yeah, nutritionist.
  • melbhall
    melbhall Posts: 519
    I have been trying to walk walk walk...the past few days have been cold/rainy and my wild child is cutting his two year molars so we've been doing lots of cuddling. I do feel so much better when we go for a stroll, all my aches and pains seem to loosen up a bit. With baby 1 I gained 44lbs, with baby 2 I'm just trying to be more aware of how hard it is to lose once I gain it...from poor eating. I ate JUNK the last time. My maintenance number was about 1500 so I just added 300 b/c that's what I had heard, and no doctor will talk or clear it up for me. They just kept saying no you don't need to add any extra calories, or count calories, just eat when you are hungry. Well I'm a notorious overeater. Maybe I should just stick to 1800 since I seem to be doing okay with gaining, not too little or too much, strive to walk more, and forget about it. I just feel like a failure for not getting it off right away the first time and carrying it into baby no. 2.
  • peanutrenee
    peanutrenee Posts: 179
    im 7 mo preg too, i too am counting calories. and i think that its a good idea.. we dont pop out a 30 lb baby but its ok to slip were human and were going to want that cheese cake.. just make sure ur eating smart and also plan, be like ok there is a piece of cake thats calling to me... for dinner have a salad. yes 300 more cal a day in ur last 6 to 9 mo for the first half you dont need to eat extra. working outs good.. walk when you can do laps up the stairs i do that or walking or even mowing the lawn..
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    It sounds like you are doing good things for yourself and your family. I don't think being conscious of what foods you are eating is bad at all, even if you are pregnant or not. If your doctor visits have been good news, then keep doing what you are doing. I will say that going on a 'diet' after you give birth doesn't sound like a good idea to me. I really suggest just keep counting calories and making sound choices about your foods.
  • fantomette
    fantomette Posts: 148 Member
    I read around on the web and it seems you should add around 300 calories daily (and 500 when breastfeeding).

    I don't think you should limit yourself over veggies and fruits and all those good vitamins!
    Skip the bad stuff, eat the good stuff.


    You can check here: http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramidmoms/pyramidmoms_plan.aspx
  • Fancy_Nancy2
    Fancy_Nancy2 Posts: 545 Member
    Yes see a nutritionist I saw one when was pregnant and I only gain 16 lb while pregnant and 8 of that was baby. I still email my nutritionist to this day if I need help or her to clear stuff up. She has been a real life saver.
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    I would talk to your midwife about it. I would say 2000 calories a day is a good guide for a pregnant lady. I didn't gain any weight with my three pregnancies (well other than the pregnancy itself, I was back to normal after about 2 to 3 months, I fed them all which helped. I now weigh more than I did at full term with my first baby and she weighed 8lb10 and a half lb.

    I think that as long as you have a balanced and healthy diet you will be fine. There is not any reason for you to gain a huge amount of weight if you eat 2000 calories and make sure you are active (and with a toddler you will be!)

    Congratulations :flowerforyou:
  • melbhall
    melbhall Posts: 519
    It sounds like you are doing good things for yourself and your family. I don't think being conscious of what foods you are eating is bad at all, even if you are pregnant or not. If your doctor visits have been good news, then keep doing what you are doing. I will say that going on a 'diet' after you give birth doesn't sound like a good idea to me. I really suggest just keep counting calories and making sound choices about your foods.

    Thank You...and I didn't mean go on a diet, I keep telling people I'm not dieting (even when not pregnant) I'm changing my life. I meant once baby Luke gets here and I get the okay I am going to be more dedicated on hitting a specific number each day. I don't want to compromise my health, energy or milk supply but I do plan on being more focused on exercise and staying within my daily goals. I need to take that word out of my vocabulary because I don't see this as a diet and I surely don't want to count calories forever, right now I just need this site and support until I'm strong enough to do it on my own.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    It's really difficult while pregnant. Some people (like my older sister...grrrr) do it really well and don't gain an ounce more than the weight of the baby, some, like me, throw up non stop for the first 18 weeks and STILL somehow manage to gain a stone in the first trimester, and then watch what I ate but managed to gain another stone. I also swelled up like Verucca Salt. I couldn't wear shoes for the last 2 months.

    So your weight gain could just be water retention. There's no way of knowing. I wouldn't starve yourself, just eat healthily. You can lose the weight after it's born.
  • melbhall
    melbhall Posts: 519
    Thanks to all for the support and ideas. I hate feeling like I'm beating a dead horse about this topic, I have just gone most of my pregnancy wondering if I'm eating enough, too much...or what. I guess the scale doesn't lie, and my doctor hasn't once suggested I reel it in. I'm measuring where I need to be. I started off really sick and not gaining...even losing. Then my appetite went crazy and I refocused on hitting a daily goal of calories and exercise and have been hanging around the 20lb gained mark for a few weeks. I have been making better choices and my husband is being really supportive.....so supportive that he brought my a DQ blizzard last night. I planned a small one in my day, he upgraged to a medium because he loves me so much. Ha ha. I scolded him of course, then ate the whole darn thing.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    :happy: you are a smart cookie. You must have a smart toddler and a smart baby growing too :wink: You really seem to have the hang of this, and a great outlook. You will succeed!
  • sabrinafaith
    sabrinafaith Posts: 607 Member
    If you are eating healthy and not overstuffing yourself, then you are fine. Just try to keep your weight gain to about 35 lb, bc after that its just extra pounds to loose later. I would say 1800 cals a day is perfect though, so don't worry.

    I'm going to be super strict with my next pregnancy because I never want to go through this again. I gained 75 lb during my last pregnancy and im still trying to loose the last 15-20.
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