How much food SHOULD I eat?

[eternamariposa]

I am a nursing mama with a seven month old and a three year old. I have lost about half of my pregnancy weight and have been doing very well with cardio five mornings a week and walks and active play all week, but I eat SO MUCH. And it seems like the more I do, the more teeth my daughter gets, the more growth spurts I accomodate, etc. the hungrier I am. How much should a breastfeeding mama eat in a day? I typically follow the idea of eating to appetite but...this appetite is giving me a fat you know what. HELP!

[ambereva]

Not everyone can eat to appetite...in the past when I've tried it the result has been obesity and illness. Online calorie calculators can give you an idea of your daily energy requirements and provide a calorie target, I think you can add 500 calories per day for breast feeding. Some people perceive calorie counting as restrictive, but my height, weight and activity level allow me to eat up to 3000 calories a day and maintain my currently healthy weight. If I eat more than 3000 I gain, if I eat less than 2600 I lose. When I'm eating to my energy requirements I don't experience hunger or blood sugar swings and my weight remains stable.

This calculator has given me the most accurate calorie target. Good luck mama!

[GoGoGirl]

I think it depends on what you're eating.

I was RAVENOUS when DD wasn't eating many solids. So I ate to appetite, things like bagels with piles of cream cheese and oatmeal cookie dough (good for the supply, right? ). And it totally gave me a fat you know what.

Now I'm doing Eat to Live, which is a diet made up of vegetables (TONS of vegetables), fruit, beans, nuts, and some whole grains. I'm still eating to appetite, but I'm eating, like, green smoothies and salads, so my you know what is shrinking.

And great job with the weight loss so far and all that exercising!

[e.naomisandoval]

Originally Posted by GoGoGirl

I think it depends on what you're eating.

That. Carbs make me crazy hungry! Low carb has been amazing for me.

[eternamariposa]

I agree totally that it depends on what I am eating, and I am trying to make sure that I am eating really good things. My sister was on Eat To Live for a while with really good results. I don't think that I could do the 6 week plan like she did, it was just so strict. But I really agree with the philosophy that if you are consuming all of the nutrients that you need that you won't be ravenous all of the time. Reading through some of Dr. Furhman's ideas I felt like things were really clicking. I think it makes sense that having just spent the last year and half growing and sustaining a baby that my nutritional needs would be pretty intense and if I am eating empty foods than of course my body just keeps searching for the next thing.