Calorie deficit while pregnant?
alexroet
Posts: 65 Member
Hi everyone- 4m ago I finally started making a serious effort to lose my remaining baby weight. I'm tracking religiously and am in the last week of C25k. I've lost about 25lb and have 7lb to go to my pre-pregnancy weight. And...... I just found out I'm pregnant again. And I'm thrilled- but I gained way too much last time (>50lb) and I'm starting at an even higher weight now (BMI 27)..... So my question is- what should my calorie goal be? (I asked my OB last time and she had no clue). I've been doing really well with 1200 calories. And I've read that you don't need to increase your caloric intake during the first trimester. But is 1200 safe?? I just know that if I go to the "recommended" 1800-2000 I will start gaining like crazy. So, maybe split the difference? Maybe 1500? It's probably all a moot point because once that pregnancy hunger sets in, there's no fighting it. But I want to at least try to to better than last time.
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It's not that you don't need to increase your calorie intake from what you're currently eating. It's that in the first trimester (only), you do not add any calories from what your MAINTENANCE calories would be. So if you require 2000 calories to maintain your current weight, then you eat 2000 calories. And then you begin adding calories in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
You should absolutely NOT eat at a deficit while pregnant, UNLESS you are being supervised by a doctor (your OB or a dietician referred to you by your OB). No, 1200 calories in not "safe" for you. An no, even if you're eating the "recommended" 1800-2000 calories, you are not going to start gaining like crazy. You may see an initial gain, which is actually your glycogen stores replenishing, but that is not the same. You'd have to eat 3500 calories OVER your maintenance weight to gain a single pound. So even if you're increasing your calories to maintenance, it's not the same. That's simple bath and biology.
Eat your recommended amount for maintenance and then in the 2nd/3rd trimester add more calories. I know it's frustrating to gain weight, but you're going to gain, whether you will it or not. You can be smart about it still though. I logged my entire pregnancy and gained my recommended amount. Just having the accountability will help keep things in check.
Weight can be lost after the baby comes. Put your goals aside for now and pick them back up after your get the all-clear at your post-partum check.0 -
I hate to break it to you, but regardless of what or how you eat while you're pregnant, you are going to gain some weight. I put on three and a half stone with both my pregnancies. I had bad oedema and large babies both times, which accounted for most of the weight gain. With both pregnancies I have been able to get back to my pre pregnancy weight within a few months of giving birth (I did then go on to put it all back on between one and two but that's another story!!). I was healthier in my first pregnancy, although I did eat like a horse towards the end and my second pregnancy was just one huge free for all for nine months! But the results both times were the same.
Have maintenance calories, eat healthy and don't go mad. Give yourself a break while pregnant and come back to it after having the baby.0 -
http://www.babycenter.com/0_pregnancy-weight-gain-what-to-expect_1466.bc
"If you were overweight for your height (a BMI of 25 to 29.9), you should gain 15 to 25 pounds."
I've read similar stats elsewhere as well. So...after the 1st trimester, you will have to eat a little over maintenance. Somewhere between 250 and 500 calories OVER maintenance (40 weeks of pregnancy - 12 weeks 1st trimester = 28 weeks of gaining between 1/2 and 1 pound)
Definitely not at a deficit.0 -
1200 is not safe in pregnancy. I cannot emphasize that enough. Do not do this. Go to maintenance calories. In the second trimester you'll need about 300 extra calories per day.
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/pregnancy-nutrition/0 -
There is some great advice above! I just want to add that you need to seriously think about the health of your baby above and beyond any thought of how much you want to weigh. If you eat at a deficit you will be unable to provide proper fuel and nutrition for your body to build, and feed your growing child. Do you really want to potentially harm your baby because you don't want to gain weight? Eat at maintenance for the first trimester, and then add calories as needed (see above) after.
Also... congrats!0 -
Perhaps seek a referral to a dietician?0
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oops0
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IsaackGMOON wrote: »OP... please don't eat in a deficit while pregnant.
Don't jeopardize the health of your unborn child for weight loss.
Seriously.
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Make it easy to make your mind over to follow the good advice above.
Research diet during pregnancy at reliable sources, and look at all the risks possible to you and baby - that way you can get over this hump of thinking the number is more important that more important things.
Shoot - people try to lose a number to the detriment of their overall body health anyway, let alone when another life is of concern.
7 lbs though, I'll bet if you carried those 7 lbs differently, you'd think differently.
Did you lose all that weight by cardio only, or include some good strength training in there?
That 7 lbs may seem to be a bigger deal than it needed to be if the weight lost included muscle mass.
You can start resistance training now, though you may have to skip squats and deadlifts at some point. That is some other valuable research.0 -
strong_curves wrote: »IsaackGMOON wrote: »OP... please don't eat in a deficit while pregnant.
Don't jeopardize the health of your unborn child for weight loss.
Seriously.
Turns out I am an idiot.0 -
If you were to eat in a deficit and fail to get all of the nutrients you need for both yourself and the baby, your body would probably cannibalize its own tissues for the sake of the baby. You'd be weak and miserable at slighter deficits and cause real damage to yourself (bones/teeth, organs) at greater ones that would continue after pregnancy. Can you get in to see a nutritionist for the best advice?0
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Keep in mind that you should keep exercising at your prepregnancy level throughout your pregnancy. Keep moving and the weight gain will be more gradual and your body will bounce back faster after.0
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I would try something close to maintenance. There is no magic number that fits all pregnant women. At least the first months, not gaining any weight is normal and safe, even losing some is in general safe, so experiment with eating around maintenance. Then you might increase a bit later in pregnancy. As for cravings, of course there is fighting them. You have a choice, as you have already found out, you still end up with extra weight otherwise, pregnant or not. Maybe talking to a dietician in the hospital and having a plan will help.0
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I started gaining way too much weight during my first pregnancy and asked my obstetrician what I should cut back eating to slow the gain. His eyes narrowed and he looked at me so sternly I thought I was going to shrivel into the ground. He said this isn't about YOU, this is about the child. Do not do ANYTHING that can harm the child. You can lose weight after he's born." I followed his advice and had a very healthy baby boy, and then I lost my weight.0
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atypicalsmith wrote: »I started gaining way too much weight during my first pregnancy and asked my obstetrician what I should cut back eating to slow the gain. His eyes narrowed and he looked at me so sternly I thought I was going to shrivel into the ground. He said this isn't about YOU, this is about the child. Do not do ANYTHING that can harm the child. You can lose weight after he's born." I followed his advice and had a very healthy baby boy, and then I lost my weight.
Considering that gaining too much weight during pregnancy, or even just starting very overweight, automatically labels you as high risk and increases risks for baby, this advice sounds at least unusual. Or perhaps extremely outdated?0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »I started gaining way too much weight during my first pregnancy and asked my obstetrician what I should cut back eating to slow the gain. His eyes narrowed and he looked at me so sternly I thought I was going to shrivel into the ground. He said this isn't about YOU, this is about the child. Do not do ANYTHING that can harm the child. You can lose weight after he's born." I followed his advice and had a very healthy baby boy, and then I lost my weight.
Considering that gaining too much weight during pregnancy, or even just starting very overweight, automatically labels you as high risk and increases risks for baby, this advice sounds at least unusual. Or perhaps extremely outdated?
I was 105 and had gotten up to 120 by my fifth month.0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »atypicalsmith wrote: »I started gaining way too much weight during my first pregnancy and asked my obstetrician what I should cut back eating to slow the gain. His eyes narrowed and he looked at me so sternly I thought I was going to shrivel into the ground. He said this isn't about YOU, this is about the child. Do not do ANYTHING that can harm the child. You can lose weight after he's born." I followed his advice and had a very healthy baby boy, and then I lost my weight.
Considering that gaining too much weight during pregnancy, or even just starting very overweight, automatically labels you as high risk and increases risks for baby, this advice sounds at least unusual. Or perhaps extremely outdated?
I was 105 and had gotten up to 120 by my fifth month.
is that a lot..? I gained 83lbs with my first child. imagine my dismay when he only weighed 7! BUT I used my pregnancy as a reason to eat all the crap I had not eaten. I ate donuts and pancakes, like every day. maternity jeans were comfy. with my second i gained 25.
my 1st is now 6, and I am still 50 lbs heavier than I was when I got pregnant with him.
1200 calories is too few. I was actually dieting when I found out I was pregnant with my first, I was eating 1300 calories a day..i climbed a ladder and fainted at work. That is how I found out i was pregnant. I was 7 weeks.0 -
Considering that gaining too much weight during pregnancy, or even just starting very overweight, automatically labels you as high risk and increases risks for baby, this advice sounds at least unusual. Or perhaps extremely outdated?
No. As someone who was overweight in my second pregnancy, the medical advice (here in the UK anyway) is not to cut down calories and lose weight but rather to eat a healthy balanced diet and limit the amount of weight gained.
As I said in my first post, I had really bad oedema and large babies with both pregnancies. Even if I actively tried to diet while I was pregnant, I would still have gained weight regardless.
It's also recommend to only exercise at your pre pregnancy level, so if you're already active keep at it, but don't start a new fitness regime if you've not previously been doing any exercise.0 -
I can't believe this is even a real question.....your body is growing a human being, it's working really hard right now! you need to eat healthy and consume far more than 1200 calories a day. You can bet your *kitten* that 1200 isn't safe during pregnancy....1500 doesn't sound much better either0
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I can't believe this is even a real question.....your body is growing a human being, it's working really hard right now! you need to eat healthy and consume far more than 1200 calories a day. You can bet your *kitten* that 1200 isn't safe during pregnancy....1500 doesn't sound much better either
I agree. No matter what you weigh, if you're pregnant, you need to at least eat your maintenance calories plus more for the baby. I don't know how much more; that's for your doctor to tell you. But it's perfectly fine, and in the baby's interest, AND yours, to exercise. I don't mean cartwheels or jumping jacks, either. Just a stroll in the park every day, or a walk around the neighborhood with your husband, or even walking in place in front of the television.0 -
Let me get this straight, just in case I'm misunderstanding you. You asked the OB about how you should eat and what kind of calorie goal you should set and they just said, "I don't know," and that was it?
Is that right?
If so - and if you live in US - please ask again, just to be safe. If you get the same answer, report them to the board.
That's ridiculous. Telling pregnant women how and what to eat is important! If they cannot be bothered, they can hand it off to dietary. What they cannot do is say, "I don't know" and let it go.
That's negligent. Women and babies could suffer. Report that person.0 -
I'm almost 10 weeks along, so I'm right there with you! But I'm eating at maintenance (or above, on the days when I get so hungry I get queasy. I'll take a few extra pounds over throwing up!).
I know how it is to start seeing pounds appear right away in pregnancy; even a few can be worrisome. Try to remember that your blood volume is increasing, your uterus is expanding, and you're likely retaining more water. Not every scale increase is fat gain. Eat well, enjoy some treats, and don't starve yourself. You know how to lose the weight, and that option will still be there after delivering a healthy baby! (Also of course consult with your doctor and maybe a dietician if your gain becomes concerning.)0 -
determined_14 wrote: »I'm almost 10 weeks along, so I'm right there with you! But I'm eating at maintenance (or above, on the days when I get so hungry I get queasy. I'll take a few extra pounds over throwing up!).
I know how it is to start seeing pounds appear right away in pregnancy; even a few can be worrisome. Try to remember that your blood volume is increasing, your uterus is expanding, and you're likely retaining more water. Not every scale increase is fat gain. Eat well, enjoy some treats, and don't starve yourself. You know how to lose the weight, and that option will still be there after delivering a healthy baby! (Also of course consult with your doctor and maybe a dietician if your gain becomes concerning.)
What a sweet baby you have!0 -
Let me get this straight, just in case I'm misunderstanding you. You asked the OB about how you should eat and what kind of calorie goal you should set and they just said, "I don't know," and that was it?
Is that right?
If so - and if you live in US - please ask again, just to be safe. If you get the same answer, report them to the board.
That's ridiculous. Telling pregnant women how and what to eat is important! If they cannot be bothered, they can hand it off to dietary. What they cannot do is say, "I don't know" and let it go.
That's negligent. Women and babies could suffer. Report that person.
Unfortunately, doctors nowadays are so afraid of malpractice lawsuits that they rarely give good advice the way MY doctor did for me 36 years ago. "But my doctor said it was okay to eat ice cream!" screams the patient who ate a quart of ice cream every night and blames the premature birth because she ate a quart of ice cream every night on her "doctor's orders". Never mind that the premature birth would have come no matter what, hey, LET'S SUE!!
It's really sad the way people just won't take responsibility for their own actions.0 -
Let me get this straight, just in case I'm misunderstanding you. You asked the OB about how you should eat and what kind of calorie goal you should set and they just said, "I don't know," and that was it?
Is that right?
If so - and if you live in US - please ask again, just to be safe. If you get the same answer, report them to the board.
That's ridiculous. Telling pregnant women how and what to eat is important! If they cannot be bothered, they can hand it off to dietary. What they cannot do is say, "I don't know" and let it go.
That's negligent. Women and babies could suffer. Report that person.
Doctors do that all the time. They usually have no idea of actual calorie numbers. I've been to 4 or 5 doctors with that question and I get "eat salads not cheeseburgers." We have to just do the research ourselves. What is stated in many replies above is correct:
eat at maintenance (maybe 2000) first trimester.
+ 300 second
+ 500 third and while breastfeeding.
I have found MFP very helpful in logging to make sure i'm eating correct calories & getting enough protein for baby.
(also egg yolks! superfood for baby's brain. i'm having fun with puddings.
)
And Congrats. What a blessing!!
Oh, what i have not done this time is eat extra cookies etc. I remember it's a whole lot easier to skip them now than to work them off later when i'm sleep-deprived and just want to sit & rock my baby.
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It's not OK. Telling pregnant women how to eat for their health and the baby's health really is their job. The lawsuit would so bite the doctor who said, "I don't know" in the butt. Well, in the US. I don't know about other countries' medical care and legal systems. Here, it would not fly. Saying, "I don't know" and letting it go...lol, no, no and NO.atypicalsmith wrote: »Let me get this straight, just in case I'm misunderstanding you. You asked the OB about how you should eat and what kind of calorie goal you should set and they just said, "I don't know," and that was it?
Is that right?
If so - and if you live in US - please ask again, just to be safe. If you get the same answer, report them to the board.
That's ridiculous. Telling pregnant women how and what to eat is important! If they cannot be bothered, they can hand it off to dietary. What they cannot do is say, "I don't know" and let it go.
That's negligent. Women and babies could suffer. Report that person.
Unfortunately, doctors nowadays are so afraid of malpractice lawsuits that they rarely give good advice the way MY doctor did for me 36 years ago. "But my doctor said it was okay to eat ice cream!" screams the patient who ate a quart of ice cream every night and blames the premature birth because she ate a quart of ice cream every night on her "doctor's orders". Never mind that the premature birth would have come no matter what, hey, LET'S SUE!!
It's really sad the way people just won't take responsibility for their own actions.
That's not even a question.
I am not big on frivolous lawsuits or doctor-basing. Really, so not! But that's just the worst kind of negligence. If the OP wasn't mistaken and it happens again, that person should be reported. It's unlikely that any harm would befall them, but the next woman who asks how to take care of herself and her baby would get an answer and a dietary consult.
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I had a 15 year ED when I got pregnant. My doctors were full force about blind weighing and setting me up with a therapist (who I continued with for 3 years). I gained so rapidly it was heartbreaking for me - but I stayed off the scale and kept my team close. By her first birthday I was eating regularly and was back down to my pre-pregnancy weight...that was the best outcome I could have dreamed of. I still struggle, but so much less so, and I have a very healthy almost eight year old daughter!0
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Let me get this straight, just in case I'm misunderstanding you. You asked the OB about how you should eat and what kind of calorie goal you should set and they just said, "I don't know," and that was it?
Is that right?
If so - and if you live in US - please ask again, just to be safe. If you get the same answer, report them to the board.
That's ridiculous. Telling pregnant women how and what to eat is important! If they cannot be bothered, they can hand it off to dietary. What they cannot do is say, "I don't know" and let it go.
That's negligent. Women and babies could suffer. Report that person.
Doctors do that all the time. They usually have no idea of actual calorie numbers. I've been to 4 or 5 doctors with that question and I get "eat salads not cheeseburgers." We have to just do the research ourselves. What is stated in many replies above is correct:
eat at maintenance (maybe 2000) first trimester.
+ 300 second
+ 500 third and while breastfeeding.
I have found MFP very helpful in logging to make sure i'm eating correct calories & getting enough protein for baby.
(also egg yolks! superfood for baby's brain. i'm having fun with puddings. )
And Congrats. What a blessing!!
Oh, what i have not done this time is eat extra cookies etc. I remember it's a whole lot easier to skip them now than to work them off later when i'm sleep-deprived and just want to sit & rock my baby.
The bolded part is 100% accurate. I followed this while pregnant and my entire pregnancy I "gained" 10 lbs. Realistically, I actually lost weight because by the time thr baby, fluid, everything came out, I was less than my PP weight.
It's about being honest with yourself and eating nutrient dense food to combat the cravings. Eating at your own maintenance and a little above whole pregnany will not cause you to gain 50lbs or more again. It just won't happen.0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »Let me get this straight, just in case I'm misunderstanding you. You asked the OB about how you should eat and what kind of calorie goal you should set and they just said, "I don't know," and that was it?
Is that right?
If so - and if you live in US - please ask again, just to be safe. If you get the same answer, report them to the board.
That's ridiculous. Telling pregnant women how and what to eat is important! If they cannot be bothered, they can hand it off to dietary. What they cannot do is say, "I don't know" and let it go.
That's negligent. Women and babies could suffer. Report that person.
Unfortunately, doctors nowadays are so afraid of malpractice lawsuits that they rarely give good advice the way MY doctor did for me 36 years ago. "But my doctor said it was okay to eat ice cream!" screams the patient who ate a quart of ice cream every night and blames the premature birth because she ate a quart of ice cream every night on her "doctor's orders". Never mind that the premature birth would have come no matter what, hey, LET'S SUE!!
It's really sad the way people just won't take responsibility for their own actions.
The one I'll never forget was the woman who appeared on an Australian current affairs show, claiming that her doctor was the sole reason she had miscarried her baby. She was suing her doctor because he had suggested she should have more fish in her diet.
She was eating fish three times a day seven days a week. Do people not have common sense any more?! Must we really be so super-specific? OBVIOUSLY the doctor meant one or two nights a week, not three times a day every day. Come on!0 -
Whoa no need to attack!! Of course I'm not going to put my weight/vanity over my baby's health! That's why I asked what a healthy goal is! People always say 1800-2000 is "maintenance" but if I eat that much I WILL GAIN. I don't know if my BMR is low or what, but I've been tracking long enough to know that much (I had lost 30lb on mfp before my first pregnancy- I'm not brand new to this) And of course I need to gain weight while pregnant- but I'd like to gain the recommended (for my BMI) 15-25, not 55! I'm going to go to a new OB this time and maybe I'll ask if they have a dietician. Last time she kept saying not to worry about my gain "your body will do what it needs to do". And I tried to eat healthy but eventually I stopped tracking and fell for the "you're pregnant! You deserve a snack!" line too often.0
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