Calorie Goal Questions: Breastfeeding and Exercise

jlnk
jlnk Posts: 188 Member
edited October 4 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello there!

I've already posted once about this, but I'm still a bit confused. Is there anyone out there who can walk me through using MFP while breastfeeding? I am breastfeeding successfully, baby is 2 1/2 months. I've been told (by other women) that I should be consuming 2,000 calories a day. This seems like a lot if I intend to lose weight. I set my goal at 1800/day know that approximately 500 of those calories will be burnt by breastfeeding.(I'm considering lowering that to 1700 to hit a nice 1200/day.) I have entered my food intake and accounted for the breastfeeding by subtracting the 500 calories. Is this how it is done? Anyone have caloric intake suggestions/advice?

Secondly, and unrelated to breastfeeding, why does my goal number of calories increase with exercise?? For example, today I burned 304 calories exercising, but they just added those calories to my daily caloric goal. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the exercise? Is there a setting that will prevent this from happening? The whole point is to create a calorie deficiency, right??

Replies

  • miffyrach
    miffyrach Posts: 2 Member
    You can search for 'breastfeeding' in the food diary - it comes up with a few options, but for 'breastfeeding exclusively' you get an extra 500 calories per day. I have a 9 month old and have using this for quite a few months now, aiming for about 1700 calories per day and have been losing weight. I do find that if I lose weight too quickly ( or do too much exercise) milk supply can drop off so aim for slow weight loss.
  • jlnk
    jlnk Posts: 188 Member
    Hi! Thank you for responding! Do you set your daily goal at 1700 in the program?
  • Eleisabelle
    Eleisabelle Posts: 365
    When you're breastfeeding, it has nothing to do with how much weight you need to lose, it has to do with making sure the baby is getting all the nutrients he or she needs.

    Don't diet while you're feeding another being through your body. Especially not as severely as only 1200 net calories per day. With that few calories, it's hard enough to keep the right balance of nutrition for yourself, let alone a child who desperately needs nutrition to grow healthy.

    A friend of mine was eating between 2000 and 2500 calories per day and still lost weight.

    Take care of yourself and your baby, and get back on a more strict diet when the little one is weaned for the best health for both of you. I'd bet you'll still lose--maybe not as much, but it'll still point you toward your goal.

    Peace
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
    as far as calories from exercise being added back into your daily allotment, thats the way this site is set up. the deficit they give is based on no exercise - just eating less. if you exercise you need to refuel your body (ie: eat more). normally it would defeat the purpose, but MFP is different in that respect.
  • Bonny272
    Bonny272 Posts: 154 Member
    MFP calculates your calorie deficit for you so you are supposed to be eating most of your exercise calories. According to the La Leche League Breastfeeding answer book you need at least 1800 calories to lose weight while breastfeeding. I know you want to lose weight as fast as possible, but you need to go slow. One pound a week is what's reccomended so you don't lose your supply. Enjoy that baby!
  • jlnk
    jlnk Posts: 188 Member
    @Bonny272...would I set 1800 calories as my daily goal or 2300 to compensate for the roughly 500 calories of breastfeeding?

    I promise I'm not an idiot....I'm just having a hard time grasping this concept! (First baby...can you tell??)
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