Just found out Im PREGNANT! Calorie advice needed :)

bkay30
bkay30 Posts: 43
in Health and Weight Loss
So Im only 5 weeks into my weight loss journey, and I find out Im 5 weeks pregnant!!! We conceived 3 weeks ago, and couldnt be more thrilled! I have lost 11 pounds so far, and have seen a drastic change in the way my belly and waist look. Ive been so "into" weight loss and healthy eating, this pregnancy came as a huge shock. We had tried and tried to get pregnant for 6 months and nothing was happening. We were taking a break so I could lose some weight this summer. I guess my body just needed some exercise and healthy food to conceive LOL We werent even actively trying! Granted, we weren't preventing either, but after 6 months of trying everything under the sun, I was not expecting to get pregnant anytime soon. :)

I still want to try to lose some of this "hamburger/fries weight, while gaining my baby weight. Kind of like it might all even out. I lose 20 more pounds of gross fat, and gain the recommended amount of pregnancy weight. Ive read the recommended weight gain for "overweight" women is 10-15 pounds. I am 164 right now. With my other 2 pregnancies I was 170 on delivery day. I am hoping to be no more than 175-180 on delivery day this time around. I also plan to continue exercising, just lowering the intensity level. My Dr said "No jumping" :)

What should I raise my calories too? 1600? 1800? Ive been eating 1200 , but i know I need to eat more than that. And how to I go about setting my diary to the new calorie intake? My BMI is 28.3 , my BMR is 1523, Im 5' 4".

Thanks for all your help. And if any of you are pregnant, I would love to be MFP friends :)

Replies

  • Trutra
    Trutra Posts: 131 Member
    When I fell pregnant years ago, I was overweight and referred to a dietician to prevent me picking up too much. My doctor stated that in the first trimester the baby takes very little so you dont need to adjust your eating at all. It is only as the baby gets bigger that you need to eat more.
    Unfortunatly by the time my appointment with the dietician rolled around I had lost 20lbs with morning sickness and she spent her time telling me how to pick up weight, lol! So I dont really have much to suggest from her.I ended my pregnancy on the same weight I started.
  • Jacole18
    Jacole18 Posts: 716 Member
    Congrats on the pregnancy :)
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I would say at least 1800 calories. I was doing Atkins when I conceived my youngest. My doctor told me 2200-2400 calories, and I needed to go back to a "normal" amount of carbs--because of my insulin resistance, she sent me to a nutritionist to help me with a healthy eating plan.

    Truthfully, if you eat a clean and healthy diet ( limiting "empty" calories, white breads, etc) with plenty of complex carbs, protein, fresh fruit and veggies, you could very well end up gaining 10lbs or less, and leaving the hospital weighing less than you do now. My mother told me a story about an average sized woman who could only stomach grilled chicken and steamed veggies ( maybe a few other things) during her pregnancy. she gained like 12 pounds and had an 8 pound baby! Your body comp can/will change and the scale may not reflect it--you can lose fat, but gain weight associated with the pregnancy ( baby, uterus, fluids, etc)
  • BriaMc
    BriaMc Posts: 177 Member
    personally i wouldn't really count calories. Eat healthy, and count if you want, but don't be strict because your baby needs nutrition and you can't do that very well if you are calorie deficient. Definitely ask your doctor. CONGRATS!!! :D
  • sdavis448
    sdavis448 Posts: 193 Member
    I think that as long as you are eating around 1800, you should be good. I would just make sure those 1800 calories really count, and take prenatals. The baby is going to take all the nutrients from the food first, and you get whatever is left over.
  • SafireBleu
    SafireBleu Posts: 881 Member
    Talk to your doctor. He/She is the right person to give you advise. You could also seek help from a nutrtionist.
  • sensualmess
    sensualmess Posts: 46 Member
    I think that you should consult your doctor about the amount of calories you should be eating, and what exercises you could do! :) Congratulations! :)
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    You should be discussing this with your doctor. He/She is more qualified to answer this and I'd take their answer over a group with different answers to ever question asked.
  • Tracey0013
    Tracey0013 Posts: 154 Member
    if you go to the groups on here there are a few that deal with women and being pregnant they might have more info for you :) Oh and Congratulations :)
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
    I would talk to a doctor or nutritionist about your calorie requirements. From what I remember during my pregnancies, you don't really need to add that many calories to ensure the baby's proper growth and development, however, that's if you're already eating at a normal rate, not dieting.

    With my second child, I gained 19 lbs because I was already overweight. I made sure to take walks every day (usually about 3 miles, but not always), but I wasn't rushing it, it was at a normal pace.

    Congratulations on your great news!
  • sarinaturner
    sarinaturner Posts: 9 Member
    For "normal weight" women most doctors recommend to take the BMR and increase their calorie intake by 300 per day. Generally in cases when the mom is slightly overweight, they will recommend ~ 200-250 calories per day instead of 300.

    Which is an approximate weight gain of 14 - 18 lbs and is generally healthy weight gain for an "overweight" pregnancy.

    Mind you these numbers are averages and may change if you are special case, such as gestational diabetes, etc.

    Be sure to keep up w/ your folic acid intake and take your prenatal vitamins.

    Good luck and CONGRATS!

    Source: nursing
  • weighlossforbaby
    weighlossforbaby Posts: 847 Member
    Congrats! I would suggest eat more calories than 1200 and eat healthy though :smile: Maybe talking with your doctor will help too.
  • bkay30
    bkay30 Posts: 43
    Thanks for the congrats :)

    Ive already talked to my doctor about diet and exercise. She said exercise was fine, since I had been doing it reguraly for over a month. She said to not let my heart rate get above 150, and no jumping. Basically just lower the intensity.

    As far as diet, she didnt have a lot to say. Just to eat healthy and eat when I was hungry. When I asked for a number, she said around 2000-2300 is a normal intake. It was almost like no one had ever asked about a specific number before. 2300 seems like a HUGE number... I dont plan on "restricting" calories, I plan on eating the exact same foods Ive been eating (grilled chicken , whole grains, veggies,etc) but just a little more of it and adding more carbs.

    Ive also been taking prenatal vitamins for 7 months, so all good there :)
  • ThirdAct
    ThirdAct Posts: 1 Member
    From an old OB Nurse....Your goal now should not be weight loss per se, but NUTRITION! Ask your Midwife/OB Doc for a nutrition consult to establish caloric intake goals and nutrient minimums (protein, calcium, iron, Bvits)) Keep an accurate daily food record with notes (your child will find it interesting to read some day). Walk, walk walk. Keep well hydrated (helps prevent constipation, premature contractions). Make sure your food choices weigh quality before quantity. Watch your salt intake. A good balanced multivitamin will probably be prescribed. The first trimester is the most important for micro nutrition and you have a great diary to share with a nutritionist! Congrats! What a great start! Don't try specifically to loose weight, just go for the accurate calorie count and your natural appetite and make your food choices really count (nutrition wise). And plan on Breastfeeding. The pounds will melt away.

    PS...If any of this grandmotherly advice has been superseded by new research or you run into any special circumstances (i.e. twins), by all means listen to your Midwife/Nutritionist.

    Also I've discovered a great book for nutrition info...learned stuff I never knew (even as an RN) about great wholesome food. It's called "The World's Healthiest Foods" by George Mateljan. whfoods.org is the website. Read it in small chucks. It's the equivalent of a PHD in nutrition plus a home ec course in cooking. You'll never look at food the same way again. I've given the book to all my Nieces when they were pregnant. This is a genuinely unsolicited endorsement. The book's editing is sometimes confusing, but it's the best out there for the lay person, homemaker, chef, parent, friend, relative...anybody who loves themselves and others and wants to feed/eat the best they can.
  • aprilgraciete
    aprilgraciete Posts: 37 Member
    Congratulations!!!! I have heard that it is a lot easier to lose baby weight when you don't gain too much and eat healthy throughout the pregnancy......I wouldn't know. I didn't do either of those things during my pregnancies lol. You should check with your doctor at your next appointment to see how much more you actually need to eat. Best of luck!!!!
  • pucenavel
    pucenavel Posts: 972 Member
    I would advise that you not ask us idiots and ask your doctor instead. :laugh:
  • Amburglar
    Amburglar Posts: 32
    Congrats on your pregnancy!! I was looking for answers to these same questions a couple weeks ago...I'm 11 weeks pregnant. :) Basically, my doctor said to add 100 calories to my maintenance weight for the 1st trimester and 150 for my 2nd. I also have a coach I work with that has gotten quite a few athletes through their pregnancies and back into fitness competition form post-pregnancy. Calorie intake will be on a net end of 2050 per day for me for the next couple weeks and then 2100-2150 through app October. (Before workout calories burnt, I'm actually take in a totally for 2050-2800). Obviously, this will be monitored to make sure I'm gaining appropriately. Good luck...and, although I thought I'd share what my doc told me...you should definitely talk to your doctor about it.
  • maggiestoecker
    maggiestoecker Posts: 26
    i was working on losing weight when i got pregnant with my youngest (she's about 7 months now) and my midwife told me that i really didn't need to eat more than i was (i was eating around 1500 cal/day) but that i needed to be working on eating the best things. quality over quantity i guess. basically she said my body would give my baby what it needed first & then the rest of me would get whatever was "leftover". so the "leftovers" needed to be good for my overall nutrition.
    really though, just keep talking with your OB about your & your baby's overall health. that's more important right now than the number on the scale (something that is/was HARD for me to remember!)
    also, congrats on your pregnancy!:flowerforyou:

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