How many calories a day are you eating?

tinyhumantoe

I'm 5'4, 165 lb, 10 wk preg,

I've been loosely counting calories and shoot for 2000/day. 

My first appt isn't until I'm 12.5 weeks so I have no clue how many cals I should be eating since I'm overweight.  I have gained 6 lb over the past 5 weeks and haven't gotten exercise due to m/s.  It would help to know what other people are doing!

teamsweet

I don't count calories and just try to follow my appetite.  I have read that you need an extra 300 calories a day when pregnant, so maybe whatever you used to need +300.  

I can't remember how much I had gained by 10 weeks.  This time however I think I'm already up 5 lbs and I'm only ~7 weeks.  I think it's mostly bloat and the same might be true for you.

Jenelle101

I don't count calories when I'm pregnant! Haha... but seriously, I just eat when I'm hungry and I try to eat healthy. They say you only need an extra 300 calories when you're pregnant.

Cherry3142

When I have been counting calories i've only been getting between 1000 and 1200 a day. However, I lost 3lb over the weekend despite eating mainly fast food. My body seems to be doing what it likes, and I have noticed more weight gain than I would have liked 3 weeks in, which I have put down to no longer skating 3 times a week for 2 hours a time.

tinyhumantoe

Cherry3142:

When I have been counting calories i've only been getting between 1000 and 1200 a day. However, I lost 3lb over the weekend despite eating mainly fast food. My body seems to be doing what it likes, and I have noticed more weight gain than I would have liked 3 weeks in, which I have put down to no longer skating 3 times a week for 2 hours a time.

Is that because you have morning sickness or is that what you usually consume?  I thought anything under 1600 for a woman with regular activity was the bottom line (with the exception of extreme dieting of course).  Before getting pregnant I was dieting and eating 1000-1500 but I upped to 2000 when I got pregnant.

266psyche

I don't count calories I just eat what ever i'm craving at this rate.  But I read some where that your baby only needs an extra 300 calories actually.  I hope that this is helpful and there are a lot of helpful books out there.  Also I found an app I found called Surbaby which will take your height and weight and tell you how much you should gain through out your pregnancy.  I find it helpful.  

Cherry3142

Just my usual calorie intake. I haven't really had much morning sickness, just some nausea and one day of dizziness and throwing up in the shower lol

SecretAgentK

Okay, I'm waaaaaaaaaay overweight (well into "obese" category by BMI) so what applies to me might not apply to you or anyone else. 

Before I got pregnant I was losing weight at about 17-1800 calories per day with 3-4 days of exercise per week.  My goal was 1200-1400 but I was having a hard time hitting that most days. Though since I'm super heavy and exercising, I was still losing at that amount, albeit more slowly than I could have. 

When I got pregnant, my goal, according to my trainer (I'm planning to see a dietitian in a month or so when I get back from a long trip overseas) was 16-1800 at least. And then my appetite kind of disappeared, so for some days getting to 1200 calories was a chore. Meanwhile, I've been exercising more, 6 days a week. As a result, I've lost about 12 pounds since I found out I was pregnant at 5 weeks--now I'm 12 weeks.

When I went to the doctor at 10 weeks, I was advised that 10-20 pounds would be a healthy gain for the entire pregnancy, and they were pretty happy that I'd been losing weight during my pregnancy so far. I was told that I didn't need to gain any weight until I was 20 weeks.  

However, the weight loss for me in the meanwhile should come from eating plenty of healthier calories, and exercise, and not from calorie restriction.

A lot of people say an extra 300 calories or so while you're pregnant, but realistically that's not until the 2nd trimester. In the first trimester, the baby's nutritional needs are pretty tiny. Although, not so tiny that we should be dieting or restrictive. 

Hope it helps. Again, I know my situation is different. I was 285 when I got pregnant and am 272 today, at 5'6". 

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gnomely

From what I've read, the first trimester you don't 'need' to eat more calories than normal. Which can go either way--sometimes you don't feel like eating at all and sometimes you're ravenous, so, just play it by ear. If you're eating well, it should even out.

Last time my MWs told me that calories should be upped by "a snack" in the second trimester (150-200 calories) and a "mini-meal" in the third (250-300). 

KristenMC2001

I found a great little bit on the Mayo Clinic site called "Pregnancy Nutrition: Healthy-eating Basics".  I don't recall it specifically discussing calories but it does talk about how much of each food group you should eat.

...now if I can just put their advice into practice.  lol

bluesilverstone

I'm at 7 weeks and nausea is preventing me from eating as much as I used to.  I was 5'7" and 135 pounds, eating around 1500 calories a day, but since morning sickness began, I've actually dropped five pounds.  I eat as much as I dare for breakfast and lunch, but haven't eaten dinner in several weeks.  (Or dessert...*sniffle*)  I'm hoping the queasiness goes away by second trimester, because that's when I heard baby will need an extra 300 calories a day.

AMossy

As someone else mentioned, you don't need any extra calories during the first trimester.  I have been using the app MyFitness Pal to track my calories to ensure I don't over indulge.  

MississippiCatfish

Here's a calculator to show how many calories you need to maintain your weight.  https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/calorie-calculator/NU00598

I've read in a handful of places that during first trimester you don't need extra calories, you can stick to your normal caloric intake. And after that, you only need 300 extra/day. Obviously, things are a little different for everyone so check with your doc! https://www.ehow.com/way_5585184_many-calories-eat-pregnant_.html

I've always been a calorie counter, so I've continued to do that.  I'm almost 10 weeks and am still aiming for 1800 calories a day, as I did pre-pregnancy.  I'm 5'9", pre-pregnancy weight 140lb and have gained 3 lbs.  I'm obviously loose with it, just like you are.  If I've had 1800 and I'm hungry, I eat.  If I've only had 1500 and just feel too bloated and stuffed, I won't eat.  The first scenario happens more often....:)

CrazyLife3

I am 5'4" and 7w pregnant. I am attempting to eat about 1800 per day or 2100 on days I exercise. I am eating more than this though. I think yesterday I ended at 2300 because I am hungry all the time! I have gained 6 pounds already. My problem is the snacking. And it not on bad things, it is healthy food but you can gain weight eating too much healthy food too!  I have a very sedentary job but I am very athletic outside of work.  You are right OP that you should not eat below your BMR which for most women is not going to be lower than 1400 cals per day.

katiedidthat

I tried tracking for about a week, but I found myself over-eating to meet the calorie recommendation for my weight, so now I'm just eating the way I always have.   I usually skip breakfast(I'm not a morning person), have a small lunch around 11am, a snack around 3pm, dinner around 6pm and then another small snack around 9pm.  The only thing I've cut back is my caffeine(I replaced most pop with vitamin water).

I'm 5'3" and I didn't weigh myself right before I got pregnant, but I was 128.4 at my wedding in December and now at 7w 0d, I'm 130.2.  I've had no m/s.

aaimee

I've been using the site myfitnesspal.com (free) over the past two yrs to keep everything in check. I lost 50lbs in a little over a year, and maintained that from May '11 til Dec '11. It had my calorie intake around 1700(while half marathon training, otherwise I was about 1450) + any exercise calories I burn, to eat back to refuel, which is how I lost the weight. Now, I put myself on a gain 1/2lb a week and I still exercise (and eat back those calories) and my calorie intake is 2200. I'm also 5'5" and currently 206lbs. I still log everything since I've been doing it for 2yrs, it's like a second nature to me. It helps me watch my sodium and sugar intake too

 

natashamarie

I am a similar height and weight. I have found that 1600-1800 during the first trimester kept me at a stable weight.

Now that I am starting into the 2nd trimester, I think I am going to need to increase because I have been losing a bit at the same level. I will probably shoot for 1800-2000, and see how that goes.