I'm eating an average of 3800 calories a day

[mom2happy]

I wish I did not down load this app for my iPod. I always knew I eat more than other people, but this is crazy. I put in everything I ate for 2 weeks and on the days where I thouht I was starving myself I was eating around 3500.
I'm nursing a 6 month old and have 17 extra pounds on me.
How the heck do people not think about food all the time and want it to taste
yummy things all day?
I am really just complaining. I know I'm the only one to blame, but it's just so darn hard.
I really look forward to eating. It's my one indulgence, the only thing I really get right now.
I just can't stand to be naked or for dh to see me.
I'm not gaining but can't lose. I'm starving! I exercise and move around all day sonthat must be why I don't gain.
When I look at pictures of myself I'm grossed out-so I just don't look.
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[camracrazy]

Are you eating enough protein? If I eat a lot of carbs I feel like I am starving all day. I recently went low-carb and I don't eat nearly as much as I used to! I would also snack all the time but I've lost my desire to do that. I don't know if low-carb is recommended during nursing, though.

[Thyme Mama]

you know, the calorie amount doesn't really matter! it's what foods that are making up those calories that really count. for example, 3800 calories in candy bars, potato chips, soda, and pizza is processed waaaaay differently than 3800 calories of whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts, yogurt, meat etc.,

so don't focus on how much you are eating, focus on *what* you are eating!

[treeoflife3]

I am a food addict (I'm not saying this like one might say 'I'm totally addicted to one tree hill!!' I have a serious food problem) so I completely understand the issue of thinking about food all the time and struggling with wanting to taste yummy things all day. Food is so difficult because you can't just NOT have it... but you certainly want to enjoy it! Food is definitely something I look forward to and the vast majority of the time is really all I think about.

I agree with PP that the most important thing is that WHAT you are eating is healthy rather than focusing on HOW MUCH. Counting calories is just not something I understand. I also agree about getting in more proteins and filling foods so that you don't want to eat more (although if you are like me, being full might not always stop you... but it could help!) Try to focus more on the nutrient content of your food. A huge yummy salad that uses olive oil as a dressing and is otherwise filled with veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds or even 5 small ones like that is going to be worlds better for you than another grilled cheese sandwich (one of my favorites!) or more fried chicken, no matter how many calories are in that salad (unless half the calories are from things that aren't exactly healthy but make it nummy... I have a weak spot for a TON of cheese on salads... )

The thing with being healthy is that ultimately, there is no 'right' number. calories, percentage of protein, mg of vitamins... what is best is going to differ from person to person. Just try to eat mostly good healthy whole foods that are nutrient packed and less of the processed, boxed, junk foods and consider it a good day even if you go over some set number of calories.

[sewaneecook]

I've never counted my calories, but I'm certain I'm around the 3000-3500+ range. However, I mostly eat whole grains, fruits, veggies, and quality meats (buffalo, free range chicken, grassfed beef) and I'm at a very normal weight. I agree that not all calories are created equal (despite what some nutrition experts say!).

[mom2happy]

Originally Posted by sewaneecook

I've never counted my calories, but I'm certain I'm around the 3000-3500+ range.

Yeah- Dont do it.
I have NEVER cared about calories but after my third baby the weight wasnt moving. I figured it would be fun to track what I ate. I thought it would be around 3000. There were days when I thought I ate well and was so proud of my self that I got to 4000!
I dont even eat more when I'm nursing than usual. Maybe my body is just holding onto it.
Im 6 months pp and my body is just starting to budge a little. I know I have to be patient.
How do woman live on less than 3000 calories a day?
I eat healthy with some treats . I just really want to lose weight and feel pretty. I'm so tired of looking like a chunky old mommy.

[camracrazy]

If you posted a sample menu of your day here I'm sure there are lots of posters who could give you tips.

[ambereva]

Originally Posted by Thyme Mama

you know, the calorie amount doesn't really matter! it's what foods that are making up those calories that really count.

If this were true, no one on MDC would be overweight.

OP, what you eat absolutely matters, healthy foods will keep your body healthy, strong and full of vitality. Calories ALSO matter. It is quite possible to get fat eating nothing but celery, and it is also possible to get thin eating nothing but twinkies (you'd feel and look like utter crap though). Your weight is determined how MUCH you eat. Your health is about WHAT you eat. (It's not quite that simple, but that will do for our purposes)

Keeping track of what and how much you eat isn't about starving yourself, it is about taking control of your weight and health! I track, and I, like you, eat roughly 3000-3500 calories a day. When I go above 3500 for more than a few days I start gaining weight. When I stay below 2800 I lose weight. If I go below 2400 I lose weight rapidly. Each body is different, your height, muscle mass, gender, age, activity level all factor into how many calories you need to keep your body functioning optimally. OP, it sounds like your body uses a really healthy amount of energy to function and that's great! It's easier to meet all your nutritional requirements when you can eat a reasonable amount of food without gaining weight. If you maintain on 3800, then cut 500 a day to lose about a pound a week. 3300 calories is still plenty of good yummy food.

[Thyme Mama]

Originally Posted by ambereva

If this were true, no one on MDC would be overweight.

hey now, just because a mama is on mdc doesn't mean that she eats organic, healthy, whole foods! i've seen PLENTY of mamas here on mdc who say they eat a "conventional" american diet, replete with mcdonald's, kraft mac'n'cheese and spaghetti-o's. some mamas have severe health issues. we are all in a different part of our journey!

[june'smom]

I noticed that I can move around all day long, doing normal mama stuff, and not lose any weight at all (even though it feels like I am super active). I need a lot of really hard exercise, like running, weights, etc. I can't lose unless I sweat a lot.

It is about how many calories and what you are eating, but it is also about moving more and in different ways than you normally would.

[ambereva]

Originally Posted by Thyme Mama

hey now, just because a mama is on mdc doesn't mean that she eats organic, healthy, whole foods! i've seen PLENTY of mamas here on mdc who say they eat a "conventional" american diet, replete with mcdonald's, kraft mac'n'cheese and spaghetti-o's. some mamas have severe health issues. we are all in a different part of our journey!

Touche. I think you know what I mean though. There are plenty of mamas here (and in real life) who eat really healthy, organic whole food diets and are still overweight, many even obese (I was one of them for many, many years).

And yes! We are all at different stages of our journey! But I think that at the point where a woman says 'hey, I'm eating healthy and moving, but I'm still overweight and I don't like it', there's nothing wrong with saying, 'hey, here's another tool for your arsenal'.

[KatWrangler]

Both calories and WHAT you are eating matters.

I had an eye opening scare at my Doctors back in March. At that time I was at 232 pounds and in bad shape mentally, physically and emotionally. I said this is it. I have now lost 60 pounds. I have about 45 pounds more to lose.

This is a journey, a lifestyle change, not a diet. Something I can live with the rest of my life. Again, it is what you eat, but you have to keep your portions in proper perspective too.

[bronxmom]

I've found that there are days where I feel like I eat very little but somehow by the end of the day I've racked up a ton of calories without feeling like I got to eat much. When I'm more conscious of my eating and actually trying to eat within a weight loss range (I lost 50lbs over the last year and have 15-20 to go), I can actually eat what feels like a really satisfying amount of food and still end up with lower calories. It's a combo of what I eat and how I eat - actually making time for meals and thinking of my food as a meal. Somehow if I don't think of food as a meal (even if it's 400 or 500 calories) I feel unssatisfied and end up wanting more anyways. Some of my lower calorie days for example have me eating a lunch of wheatberry salad made with sesame oil, toasted walnuts, shredded carrots, scallions, onions, garlic, ginger, chili sauce then tossed with grilled chicken. Depending on how much I eat, that meal can run me 350 calories or 700 but either way it's really yummy and satisfying. I might have just a real dinner of some kind of meat (usually 6 oz), a whole grain (brown rice, wild rice) or potato (sweet or white) and veggies. Some snacks of goat cheese on tlc whole grain crackers with fig spread. That type of stuff. It's really good but I can keep it in the 1,800 calorie range (which is where I lose weight on days I exercise; have to do lower if I don't exercise). Anyways, I sometimes find it surprising how easy it is to lower the calories just by conscious eating; and how easy it is to eat TONS without feeling like I got much out of it. Oh, and by the way, I still eat carbs - mostly whole grain but not always. Isn't a problem as long as I have plenty of fat and protein. My diet does seem to always end up 40% fat or so just b/c of olive oil, cheese, meat.

[bronxmom]

Ambereva - if you don't mind sharing, what height/weight/approximate muscle mass and activity level do you have that you are able to sustain 3,000-3,500 calories/day. After I lose all my weight, that's my goal. Truth be told, I'd be happy to be able to eat more like 2,400-2,600 calories/day and maintain. That would probably be plenty to me. So I'm trying to lose healthily and gradually so my body doesn't adjust to a dramatically lower calorie intake - and I'm losing a lot by exercise as opposed to food restriction and lifting heavy to maintain muscle mass. But I'd like to end up at my ideal weight with a good activity level, fitness level and muscle mass to be able to eat a decent amount and maintain. I have no interest in eating 1,600 cals/day for the rest of my life

[ambereva]

Originally Posted by bronxmom

Ambereva - if you don't mind sharing, what height/weight/approximate muscle mass and activity level do you have that you are able to sustain 3,000-3,500 calories/day.

I'm 5'9 and weigh 150-155. I'm about 20% body fat, so 120ish pounds of lean mass. I try to get 60-90 minutes of exercise most days of the week...that's strength and cardio combined. I do cardio every day (except rest days) and I lift heavy 2-3 times a week (I do less cardio on lifting days). I also have a physically demanding job, I'm a massage therapist, and am on my feet and using my muscles for 5+ hours a day 4 days a week.

[tinuviel_k]

Also please keep in mind that those iPod calorie counters may not be accurate! You would not believe how many bugs that applications like that can have.

[mom2happy]

Originally Posted by Thyme Mama

hey now, just because a mama is on mdc doesn't mean that she eats organic, healthy, whole foods! i've seen PLENTY of mamas here on mdc who say they eat a "conventional" american diet, replete with mcdonald's, kraft mac'n'cheese and spaghetti-o's. some mamas have severe health issues. we are all in a different part of our journey!

My diet consists of:
vegetables
fruits
lean meats
fish
nuts, seeds, eggs
whole grain
some dairy

oh and ........
chocolate covered almonds
organic flaxy treats that I bake
sweet granola with rice milk
whole milk and a spoon of sugar in my tea/ coffee habit

I eat truly healthy but with *healthy* carb stuff in between.
I know if I stay away from ALL wheat, dairy, and sugar I feel amazing.
I know Im not fooling myself with healthy treats. I know its all crap.
It's a cycle I go in and out of.
I dont know why food tasting delicious is SO important to me.

[ambereva]

Originally Posted by mom2happy

I dont know why food tasting delicious is SO important to me.

There's NO point in eating food that tastes yucky!

[newcastlemama]

In The Diet Cure Julia Ross recomends that women eat  2,500ish + calories a day...She said she eats about 3,000 (and she is a normal weight woman and not having babies/nursing ect). 

I am like you pp....I cannot eat tiny portions of food and feel happy..I like substantial meals of good wholesome food where I feel satisfied...if I don't then I start wanting sugary goodies.  

That book talks about sometimes we can't lose weight because: thyroid/adreanal/allergy  ect. issues, we expect to get down to a weight that is unnatural for our body  to maintain without starvation levels of cals, and a ruined metabolism from dieting so much. (I have had issues with all three!)

[elus0814]

I could have written your post! I downloaded tap and track to my iphone then wrote down what I was eating during the day then entered it in at night (so seeing the calories add up wouldn't change what I ate later in the day and I could get an accurate idea of the number of calories I was taking in). I thought I ate pretty well the first day but it was nearly 4000 calories. I didn't think that some bread and butter was a big deal but when I punched it in it turned out that my little snack was 500 calories. Drinks were another big one for me. A glass of juice could easily be 250 calories. I no longer track my calories because I found myself becoming obsessive about it but tracking and measuring everything for a couple months allowed me to become very aware of portion sizes and calorie content. Now if I find myself falling off the weight loss wagon I spend a couple days getting a reality check by going back to measuring and counting.