I gained weight counting calories….WTF?!

[Anonymous]

36 year old F, 5’6” 168 lbs. Breastfeeding a 12 month old. Pre-pregnancy I was around 155.

I counted calories this last week (1600/day) and somehow managed to GAIN 3 lbs. admittedly I didn’t exercise once but what am
I doing wrong?! Based on my BMR plus breastfeeding this should be on range.

[Anonymous]

Are you weighing yourself at the same time each day? My weight fluctuates about 4 pounds during the day.

[Anonymous]

At 12 months you don’t right really need the extra 300-500 calories to make milk. The same advice of not eating calories you “earn” through exercise applies here. Cut back by 200 more for a couple weeks and see how that goes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you weighing yourself at the same time each day? My weight fluctuates about 4 pounds during the day.

I think so- I mean as much as possible. Because I’m breastfeeding I’m actually weighing myself a few times a day and the lowest of the day as my final if that makes sense. Depends so much on when he last nursed, when I pumped, etx

[Anonymous]

Weigh yourself every day and track the trend over the course of the month. Weight fluctuates all the time for any number of reasons (hormones, salt, constipation, more carbs, less carbs). If you only weigh once a week progress can get caught up in the fluctuations.

Unless you went on an all out bender you didn’t gain 3 lbs if fat in a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you weighing yourself at the same time each day? My weight fluctuates about 4 pounds during the day.

I think so- I mean as much as possible. Because I’m breastfeeding I’m actually weighing myself a few times a day and the lowest of the day as my final if that makes sense. Depends so much on when he last nursed, when I pumped, etx

Weigh once a day at the same time. First thing In the morning is best. Multiple times is hard.

You really need to give it more time to really know if your plan is working. A week is not long enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:36 year old F, 5’6” 168 lbs. Breastfeeding a 12 month old. Pre-pregnancy I was around 155.

I counted calories this last week (1600/day) and somehow managed to GAIN 3 lbs. admittedly I didn’t exercise once but what am
I doing wrong?! Based on my BMR plus breastfeeding this should be on range.

If you are actually in a calorie deficit (ie losing) you would feel a teeny bit hungry at the end of the day at least. Do you?

[Anonymous]

Were you exercising before?

You figured you could just cut calories instead?

[Anonymous]

It’s possible you weren’t actually eating 1600 before and by counting up and eating TO 1600 you upped your daily intake. It’s also possible it’s just water weight due to various things with your cycle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At 12 months you don’t right really need the extra 300-500 calories to make milk. The same advice of not eating calories you “earn” through exercise applies here. Cut back by 200 more for a couple weeks and see how that goes.

This. I would eat 1400 calories and not take into account calories burned breastfeeding, because it probably isn't very many. Your baby is likely eating more solids than drinking breastmilk. Plus I believe the milk consistence for an older baby/toddler is more watery and less fatty, which takes a lot less energy to make.

[Anonymous]

Stop weighing yourself throughout the day. Weigh yourself once a day, naked right after you wake up. Record it once a week on the same day.

Also, give yourself a lot of grace. It’s really hard to lose weight when you’re nursing.

[Anonymous]

So, you were eating fewer calories before, that's simple.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't make any sense to weigh yourself multiple times per day. Why??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't make any sense to weigh yourself multiple times per day. Why??

I was weighing myself multiple times because if I weigh myself immediately after waking I have two breasts full of milk. When DS wakes up and nurses I’m generally down a pound or more. After I have coffee and go to the bathroom I’m down a little more. I’ll generally pump the side he didn’t nurse on when he woke up and weigh myself again and figure that’s rhe “truest” weight. It’s been interesting to see how much it fluctuates based on when he last nursed. I’m not manic about it just curious really.

[Anonymous]

bump down to 1200 calories to jump start your weightloss, then slowly add.