Pregnant, what should my calorie intake be?
cupsizecases26
Posts: 2 Member
So I just started using this app to track my calorie intake so I can loose weight. However I found out that I am pregnant yesterday, should my calorie intake stay the same at 1800/day or should it change? I'm 5ft10 and approx 250lbs.
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Replies
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Feed the kid. You don't want it to starve.13
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RecognitionT wrote: »Feed the kid. You don't want it to starve.
There is also no need to eat more than twice and gain 50lbs, is there?
Hence the very sensible question.
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I guess what I'm asking is how many calories should I be eating while pregant?2
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You should ask your doctor. and congrats!16
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You should really speak to your doctor, but you should not really look at losing weight while pregnant (unless you are severely obese and/or are advised to for medical reasons).
Personally I would eat at maintenance for the first trimester and then about 350kcals extra a day in the second trimester and about 450kcals extra in the third trimester (as per guidelines) , but if at any point I feel hungry or deprived, I would satisfy my cravings. Note however that while this was my plan during my first pregnancy the logging stopped a few weeks in to the first trimester. With the nausea and the exhaustion I just didn't have the energy and I hadn't been logging consistently enough for it to have become a habit by that point.
I'm still planning on sticking to this plan for my second pregnancy but who knows what will happen.
Your body is doing something miraculous! Your main focus should be to fuel your body to make it the safest, coziest home for your little one.
And congratulations!!! Exciting times ahead!5 -
That's a question you should really ask your Dr.8
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gebeziseva wrote: »RecognitionT wrote: »Feed the kid. You don't want it to starve.
There is also no need to eat more than twice and gain 50lbs, is there?
Hence the very sensible question.
Where did the person you quoted mention eating for two or gaining 50? It looks like they just said not to starve the fetus and to eat and you assumed the rest.12 -
Op please talk to your doctor. Taking advice from internet randos isn't a great idea while pregnant. There's too much at stake to rely on the message board for advice in this situation.13
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I would determine what your maintenance calories are for your desired weight and stick with that. No one ever has to eat "more" when they are pregnant. If you are overeating, causing your excess weight, there is nothing wrong with cutting back to "normal" portions. What you don't want to do is go on some strict, calorically controlled diet meant for extreme weight loss.
I've known several very overweight women who've used their pregnancy to clean up their eating habits and ended up weighing less at delivery than when they started out.18 -
You only need to increase your daily calorie intake by about 300 calories. Only eat if you are hungry. Theres no need to "eat for two". You can do all the same workouts/excercise you've been doing but it is not recommended to start anything new. The amount of weight you should gain mainly depends on your starting weight. But you can start taking prenatal vitamins. make sure you are getting enough Folic Acid. And Congratulations!7
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Set to maintenance until you talk to your doctor9
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Eat at maintenance1
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I would determine what your maintenance calories are for your desired weight and stick with that. No one ever has to eat "more" when they are pregnant. If you are overeating, causing your excess weight, there is nothing wrong with cutting back to "normal" portions. What you don't want to do is go on some strict, calorically controlled diet meant for extreme weight loss.
I've known several very overweight women who've used their pregnancy to clean up their eating habits and ended up weighing less at delivery than when they started out.
The March of Dimes and pretty much every health organization would disagree with you. This is honestly one of the most dangerous comments I've ever seen on here.
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/weight-gain-during-pregnancy.aspx15 -
What is your BMI? BMI of 25-29 should gain 15-25 pounds and 30+ should gain 11-20 pounds. First trimester focus on maintaining, and after increase calories slightly depending on what your BMI is.2
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DomesticKat wrote: »I would determine what your maintenance calories are for your desired weight and stick with that. No one ever has to eat "more" when they are pregnant. If you are overeating, causing your excess weight, there is nothing wrong with cutting back to "normal" portions. What you don't want to do is go on some strict, calorically controlled diet meant for extreme weight loss.
I've known several very overweight women who've used their pregnancy to clean up their eating habits and ended up weighing less at delivery than when they started out.
The March of Dimes and pretty much every health organization would disagree with you. This is honestly one of the most dangerous comments I've ever seen on here.
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/weight-gain-during-pregnancy.aspx
I agree that my post was "dangerous" in regards to a woman who is already at an ideal weight and eats "normally." For instance, during my first pregnancy, I was 5'7" tall, weighed 130 lbs, and ate a normal diet. Of course, I wouldn't cut my calories. Of course, I added foods to my diet.
In this case, we are talking about a poster who is already significantly overweight. I would venture to say that to get to being that overweight, the poster probably eats well over 2,000 calories a day, probably more. This poster does not need to follow the March of Dimes advice and add 300 calories per day to her diet. In fact, she could safely cut her calories to 2,000 a day, wonderfully feed her baby in utero, and probably shed a good amount of pounds during pregnancy. My own OB/GYN recommends this for overweight women in pregnancy. It's a heck of a lot safer then going into pregnancy overweight and adding more weight on...lots of problems there.17 -
DomesticKat wrote: »I would determine what your maintenance calories are for your desired weight and stick with that. No one ever has to eat "more" when they are pregnant. If you are overeating, causing your excess weight, there is nothing wrong with cutting back to "normal" portions. What you don't want to do is go on some strict, calorically controlled diet meant for extreme weight loss.
I've known several very overweight women who've used their pregnancy to clean up their eating habits and ended up weighing less at delivery than when they started out.
The March of Dimes and pretty much every health organization would disagree with you. This is honestly one of the most dangerous comments I've ever seen on here.
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/weight-gain-during-pregnancy.aspx
I agree that my post was "dangerous" in regards to a woman who is already at an ideal weight and eats "normally." For instance, during my first pregnancy, I was 5'7" tall, weighed 130 lbs, and ate a normal diet. Of course, I wouldn't cut my calories. Of course, I added foods to my diet.
In this case, we are talking about a poster who is already significantly overweight. I would venture to say that to get to being that overweight, the poster probably eats well over 2,000 calories a day, probably more. This poster does not need to follow the March of Dimes advice and add 300 calories per day to her diet. In fact, she could safely cut her calories to 2,000 a day, wonderfully feed her baby in utero, and probably shed a good amount of pounds during pregnancy. My own OB/GYN recommends this for overweight women in pregnancy. It's a heck of a lot safer then going into pregnancy overweight and adding more weight on...lots of problems there.
You are NOT this woman's doctor and you are not more of an authority than an organization like the March of Dimes. Even obese women should gain weight. Stop.14 -
DomesticKat wrote: »I would determine what your maintenance calories are for your desired weight and stick with that. No one ever has to eat "more" when they are pregnant. If you are overeating, causing your excess weight, there is nothing wrong with cutting back to "normal" portions. What you don't want to do is go on some strict, calorically controlled diet meant for extreme weight loss.
I've known several very overweight women who've used their pregnancy to clean up their eating habits and ended up weighing less at delivery than when they started out.
The March of Dimes and pretty much every health organization would disagree with you. This is honestly one of the most dangerous comments I've ever seen on here.
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/weight-gain-during-pregnancy.aspx
I agree that my post was "dangerous" in regards to a woman who is already at an ideal weight and eats "normally." For instance, during my first pregnancy, I was 5'7" tall, weighed 130 lbs, and ate a normal diet. Of course, I wouldn't cut my calories. Of course, I added foods to my diet.
In this case, we are talking about a poster who is already significantly overweight. I would venture to say that to get to being that overweight, the poster probably eats well over 2,000 calories a day, probably more. This poster does not need to follow the March of Dimes advice and add 300 calories per day to her diet. In fact, she could safely cut her calories to 2,000 a day, wonderfully feed her baby in utero, and probably shed a good amount of pounds during pregnancy. My own OB/GYN recommends this for overweight women in pregnancy. It's a heck of a lot safer then going into pregnancy overweight and adding more weight on...lots of problems there.
Are you her doctor? No? You know nothing of the OP, she should discuss this with her doctor.8 -
cupsizecases26 wrote: »I guess what I'm asking is how many calories should I be eating while pregant?
I have to agree with all of those telling you to ask your doctor. He/she may feel that pregnancy is not the time to focus on weight loss, rather the time to focus on excellent nutrition.5 -
DomesticKat wrote: »I would determine what your maintenance calories are for your desired weight and stick with that. No one ever has to eat "more" when they are pregnant. If you are overeating, causing your excess weight, there is nothing wrong with cutting back to "normal" portions. What you don't want to do is go on some strict, calorically controlled diet meant for extreme weight loss.
I've known several very overweight women who've used their pregnancy to clean up their eating habits and ended up weighing less at delivery than when they started out.
The March of Dimes and pretty much every health organization would disagree with you. This is honestly one of the most dangerous comments I've ever seen on here.
https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/weight-gain-during-pregnancy.aspx
I agree that my post was "dangerous" in regards to a woman who is already at an ideal weight and eats "normally." For instance, during my first pregnancy, I was 5'7" tall, weighed 130 lbs, and ate a normal diet. Of course, I wouldn't cut my calories. Of course, I added foods to my diet.
In this case, we are talking about a poster who is already significantly overweight. I would venture to say that to get to being that overweight, the poster probably eats well over 2,000 calories a day, probably more. This poster does not need to follow the March of Dimes advice and add 300 calories per day to her diet. In fact, she could safely cut her calories to 2,000 a day, wonderfully feed her baby in utero, and probably shed a good amount of pounds during pregnancy. My own OB/GYN recommends this for overweight women in pregnancy. It's a heck of a lot safer then going into pregnancy overweight and adding more weight on...lots of problems there.
I have to agree with @DomestiKat. Giving a pregnant woman advice on weight loss, nutrition, health, etc. is dangerous and irresponsible. OP, talk to your OB, GP, midwife, whatever and stop asking for advice on chat forums until after that kid is either born, or if breastfeeding, weaned.5 -
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Set to maintenance until you talk to your doctor
This. Please do NOT take advice, especially weight loss advice during pregnancy from random folks on a message board. There are instances where not gaining weight/losing weight is what's best for the baby, but let a Dr tell you if that applies. Not us.4 -
Maintenance0
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300 calories above what you need to maintain. Congrats!3
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christineturcotte1 wrote: »300 calories above what you need to maintain. Congrats!
300 calories above what she needs to maintain her goal weight or her current weight of 250 pounds?3 -
DomesticKat wrote: »You are NOT this woman's doctor and you are not more of an authority than an organization like the March of Dimes. Even obese women should gain weight. Stop.
I completely agree that OP should consult a doctor for her individual circumstances. But I wanted to correct the misinformation that it is never safe to lose weight during pregnancy.
In many studies, for obese women, maintaining or even losing weight during pregnancy has been associated with BETTER health outcomes for mom and baby.
The idea that one should never attempt to lose weight is propagated so that healthy-weight women do not attempt to restrict their weight gain, which is important.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25730217
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070605185550.htm
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3953/1ec53cd38d064eb521693d2f3dab477a4e51.pdf
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/busting-5-myths-about-pregnancy-and-weight/
http://www.doctorthornton.com/docs/study.pdf
https://www.bda.uk.com/dt/articles/maternal_obesity5 -
whisker1984 wrote: »DomesticKat wrote: »You are NOT this woman's doctor and you are not more of an authority than an organization like the March of Dimes. Even obese women should gain weight. Stop.
I completely agree that OP should consult a doctor for her individual circumstances. But I wanted to correct the misinformation that it is never safe to lose weight during pregnancy.
In many studies, for obese women, maintaining or even losing weight during pregnancy has been associated with BETTER health outcomes for mom and baby.
The idea that one should never attempt to lose weight is propagated so that healthy-weight women do not attempt to restrict their weight gain, which is important.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25730217
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070605185550.htm
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3953/1ec53cd38d064eb521693d2f3dab477a4e51.pdf
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/busting-5-myths-about-pregnancy-and-weight/
http://www.doctorthornton.com/docs/study.pdf
https://www.bda.uk.com/dt/articles/maternal_obesity
Where is the misinformation? Let's do some math:
An obese woman gains 11 pounds during pregnancy according to the chart from March of Dimes. Her baby weighs 7.5 pounds, her amniotic fluid weighs 2 pounds, her extra blood weighs 4 pounds, her increased bodily fluid weighs 4 pounds, her increased breast size weighs 2 pounds, her placenta weighs 1.5 pounds, her growing uterus weighs 2 pounds. That's not including ANY fat stores. That adds up to 23 pounds. If the scale shows an 11 pound gain at the end of her pregnancy, that means she LOST 12 pounds during her pregnancy. She will come out weighing less than she started.
Math is a wonderful thing.5 -
The idea of maintaining one's weight during pregnancy is also misunderstood. If the same woman "maintains" her weight during pregnancy, she LOST 23 pounds. True maintenance would show a 23 pound gain on the scale, and her weight would return to start after birth. As most people understand, pregnant women have special nutritional needs and maternal illness and premature birth can be mitigated by a nutritious diet. Calorie restriction can make it difficult to check all of the nutrition boxes that allow her baby to thrive in utero. An obese woman who allows for a small gain (which is actually a loss) during pregnancy increases the odds that she is getting enough macro and micronutrients in her diet to help herself and her baby thrive, and nutritional counseling during pregnancy can help with that.2
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This would be a doctor question, not a rando internet stranger question...5
This discussion has been closed.
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