Would You Log This?

Options
alibali79
alibali79 Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey

I have put my settings to sedentary - I am on maternity leave with a 22 week old cutie pie of a daughter and I am breastfeeding. I log the breastfeeding but we go out for a walk everyday for about 40-60 mins. I haven't been logging this as exercise - should I? I don't just stroll along, I walk purposely and pushing a stroller.

I don't want to undereat by too much in case it affects my milk supply and the ability to stay awake or makes me binge if I am too hungry.

I log any structured exercise I do ie Body Combat, running etc and I use a heart rate monitor for accuracy.

Thanks,
Ali
«1

Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Options
    A brisk walk of 40 to 60 minutes? Yup, I'd log it.
  • lwoods34
    lwoods34 Posts: 302 Member
    Options
    Its definitely exercise so you should log it. If you wear a heart rate monitor thats even better because you will know for sure how many calories you are burning while walking...
  • rfarinha
    rfarinha Posts: 388 Member
    Options
    So you are logging "breastfeeding", but not logging a brisk walk of nearly an hour pushing a stroller? Don't take this the wrong way, but I think it should be the other way around.... =)
  • alibali79
    alibali79 Posts: 7
    Options
    Thanks guys - I shall log the walking instead of the breastfeeding as my daughter is a very efficient feeder and I have often wondered if I really did burn up the calories when feeding! Perhaps not or I wouldn't be on here!
  • Guitarjon
    Guitarjon Posts: 204 Member
    Options
    Sorry, excuse my idiotism here but do you burn calories breastfeeding over what you would on day to day movement? Not really in the know about this type of thing due to being a man!
  • AMummysLife
    AMummysLife Posts: 264 Member
    Options
    Log both but make sure you have the right breast feeding amount. Especially if your 22 week old has started on solids. You won't be burning as much as you would be exclusively breast feeding.

    I'm only assuming baby has started on solids though from the number of weeks old.
  • Happymom12
    Happymom12 Posts: 114 Member
    Options
    there is actually walking pushing stoller listed in the exercises
  • sammi402
    sammi402 Posts: 232 Member
    Options
    You know I breastfed two children and it never occured to me you could burn calories that way.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Options
    Log both but make sure you have the right breast feeding amount. Especially if your 22 week old has started on solids. You won't be burning as much as you would be exclusively breast feeding.

    I'm only assuming baby has started on solids though from the number of weeks old.

    I agree log both.
  • flyingwrite
    flyingwrite Posts: 264
    Options
    According to WebMD, a woman can burn up to 500 calories breastfeeding in any given day. That's fascinating. I had no idea! Good luck to you!
  • amymoore728
    amymoore728 Posts: 72
    Options
    Two comments:

    You do need to log the breastfeeding because it does burn calories, and you need to eat those extra calories to provide nourishing milk for baby.

    Also, you burn 30% more calories when you push a stroller so that's a big deal too!

    Good job mama - it'll come off!
  • asudheimer
    asudheimer Posts: 82 Member
    Options
    I think you should log both. If you pump, there is about 20 calories per ounce of milk, and youre daughter is better at nursing than a pump is at getting the milk out. And the walk is also burning calories. The more specific you are the closer mfp can figure where your calories should be at. I am nursing a 16 month old as well as pumping 3-4 times a day, so I log 500 calories a day for breastfeeding on top of whatever exercise I may do. This puts my daily goal at about 1,700 and when I stick to that like I'm supposed to, I'm losing 1.5-2 lbs a week. :) Hope this helps.
  • jenn26point2
    jenn26point2 Posts: 429 Member
    Options
    I log my walk to the gym and back everyday and it only takes 16 minutes...
  • KellyBurton1
    KellyBurton1 Posts: 529 Member
    Options
    Walking is a very effective excerise. I lost my first 70lbs just walking for an hour a day.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Options
    Sorry, excuse my idiotism here but do you burn calories breastfeeding over what you would on day to day movement? Not really in the know about this type of thing due to being a man!

    It takes calories to make the breast milk, so technically, yes.
  • avafrisbee
    avafrisbee Posts: 234 Member
    Options
    I log my walks too. Especially since I set my life style at sedentary. I don't log a quick run to the store or the bakery across the street, but a 40-60 minute walk pushing a stroller, you bet'cha.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 829 Member
    Options
    Yes, log both. And if you're doing that consistently, prepare to watch the pounds drop off. :)
  • londongirl2012
    londongirl2012 Posts: 151 Member
    Options
    It burns about 500kcals per day if its just breastfeeding, if the baby's eating solids and less milk, you burn less cals.
  • leika79
    leika79 Posts: 114
    Options
    there is actually walking pushing stoller listed in the exercises

    i couldnt find this when i looked! thanks x
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Options
    Sorry, excuse my idiotism here but do you burn calories breastfeeding over what you would on day to day movement? Not really in the know about this type of thing due to being a man!

    To keep up the milk supply you need a decent amount of extra calories a day. With a baby that is exclusively breastfeeding, it can be 500 or more calories.

    Log your walk and your breastfeeding. Your primary concern right now should be yours and your baby's health. Weight loss will come.

Categories