Calorie Counting.36 weeks. Hospitalized.

[ShadyAmy]

Hey ladies.

So i'm a calorie counter and I just can't give it up even tho i'm pregnant. I allowed extra calories for the growth of my baby but I ended up in the hospital yesterday from dizzy spells,nausea, heart palpitations... They said it was because I'm not eating enough or drinking enough water.
I don't really believe that to be the case as I had just eaten before the dizzy spells hit and even today i've made a point of eating quite a bit more *every two hours* and I still feel really gross. Is it just the stage of pregnancy that i'm at or what do you think? I'll be 37 weeks on sunday and the nurse told me that I need to eat 2500 calories at least for my baby.. That seems a bit high but i'm willing to do it for him but i'm just not convinced that this is why i'm feeling this way...
Do you feel completely drained near the end of your pregnancy and like you're walking around in a fog??
This is my second pregnancy and I never had these problems with my first.

 

[jensha]

I've done calorie counting in the past and it was a very effective way to lose weight. However, there is no way that I would do that all the time. It's not a way to live your life. It's a short term solution to help you change your bad habits and learn to eat healthy food. Sorry about that, but I feel very strongly about the topic.
Having said that, I don't know if the lack of calories can be only the reason why you feel like that. How many were you eating? You can calculate your daily calory requirements here: https://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
Don't forget to add 300 more calories because of the baby.

Your symptoms sounds like you're dehydrated as well. Drink a lot of water and avoid caffeine and other diuretic teas. You could also be anemic. Lack of iron leads to fatigue, palpitations and other issues.

 

[mrsc81]

I counted calories for 2 years prior to getting pregnant, i lost half of my body weight, 8.5stone and was worried how i would react with pregnancy as i was very obsessive with food. But since i found out i was pregnant i stopped the calorie counting, i will start again after baby is born to lose the baby weight.
I really dont think pregnancy is a time to be counting calories.

 

[ShadyAmy]

I do not feel comfortable ending my calorie counting as it saved my life. I lost 150 pounds before this pregnancy because of it and I still have another 50-60 to lose. Before pregnancy I was eating 1400 cals a day and now at the end of my pregnancy i'm eating 2000 a day .. some times a bit more if I feel hungry. I figured this would be plenty for baby??

I only have 23 days till due date and am still at the weight I was when I found out I was pregnant ( only because I lost 10 pounds in the first trimester, unintentionally )

Do you think upping my cals to 2500 would help and also do you think it will make me pack on the pounds very fast in these last few weeks ??
I eat healthy calories so i'm really not sure why I would be feeling this way..

 

[ShadyAmy]

I know it sounds crazy to be counting cals while pregnant but i'm kind of an all or nothing girl.. I know if I stopped I would gain all my weight back as I'm still learning moderation .. I was a very very big girl to the point where my dr didnt see me living past the age of 35 and I don't know any other way to eat healthily now so that I dont gain or go back to my old habbits...

 

[felix555]

you could use this to work out how much you should be eating ..

https://www.freedieting.com/tools/pregnancy_calorie_calculator.htm

 

[britgirl82]

I'd be surprised if you needed more than 2000 kcal a day, even when pregnant, to feel 'normal', unless you were also exercising a huge amount (how much you need for optimum health is obviously debatable, but I'd think you'd need to eat quite a lot less than this to feel so ill...).

Do you space your food out and eat regularly, or do you go for long periods without eating?: if the latter, then you're more likely to get periods of low blood sugar (and feel correspondingly awful), even though your overall consumption is ok.

Are you drinking enough water? Dehydration can make you feel horrible. You can tell by how often you pee and its colour (should be light straw colour).

What makes you feel better? Does eating/drinking when you feel rubbish actually help? If not, then this suggests it's something else I would have thought..

Even though you're eating healthy foods, are they low GI (foods which release energy slowly - porridge, whole grains etc)? These foods keep your blood sugar more constant than more sugary foods (which include fruits, not just chocolate!).

Finally, are you sure that you're accurately counting everything? You've lost a lot of weight (congratulations!), so you're used to aiming towards the lower end of calorie intake - so could you be thinking that, say, a meal is 400 kcal whereas really it's closer to 200kcal? That could make a huge difference over the course of the day.

Based on what you've said, I'd ask to see a dietician to go over your daily intake and see where/if you can make changes. It might also be worth asking for extra tests to check on everything should the problem NOT be your food intake (for example, is your BP very low, causing the dizziness?).

 

[aimeefolds]

Oh my goodness.. I agree with the other posters who've said pregnancy is NOT the time to count calories... I think you are only pregnant a few times in your life and it's about the baby. I think eat as many healthy foods as you can (which I should have done more of.. woops) and enjoy yourself. You only live once, you can't make yourself crazy worrying about dieting while pregnant, and limiting calories is not healthy for you or the baby. I've gained probably 30 pounds and I don't care.. I didn't overdo it or overeat. I just ate what I wanted and enjoyed myself. I'll worry about it when I'm not pregnant anymore.

 

[aliss]

I know it sounds crazy to be counting cals while pregnant but i'm kind of an all or nothing girl.. I know if I stopped I would gain all my weight back as I'm still learning moderation .. I was a very very big girl to the point where my dr didnt see me living past the age of 35 and I don't know any other way to eat healthily now so that I dont gain or go back to my old habbits...

One thing to keep in mind is that people's habits and addictions tend to transfer. It is not unusual for a formerly very overweight/obese person (food addiction) to end up underweight with an eating disorder. It can take years, if not a lifetime, for some people to learn to balance eating proper amounts.

You see, 2500 for a pregnant woman is minimal levels, especially if you are someone who still has 50ish pounds to lose. I don't know your weight, but I'm5'5 and 136lbs and my maintenance is 2100-2700 (not nursing, and nursing). And I'm not pregnant.

2000 is not enough to maintain your bodyweight let alone nourish your baby. You've been dieting on such low calories for so long that it is inevitable that you will suffer from it (and when you undereat, its YOU who suffers, as your baby takes so many of your nutrients).

I would recommend a dietician. Good luck

 

[kareha]

I think counting calories isn't necessarily a bad thing. Recently returning to pescetarianism, I do not eat much because my choices are limited, especially when I don't feel like cooking fish everyday. I'd much rather eat fruit and things I don't have to cook, but I have noticed I've lost a small amount of weight and that I feel like I'm not getting enough calories. I don't know how many calories I'm eating because I'm not keeping track of them, but I was an on-off calorie counter pre-pregnancy. I think if it works for you and you're eating the recommended amount of calories then there's nothing wrong with counting.

 

[Karenesque9]

I would think your symptoms are likely related to dehydration. (If you're eating 2000 cals a day I would think that is enough.) I have been hitting around there and gaining a ton of weight because my metabolism sucks. (I had to eat 1200 to 1400 cals/day pre-pregnancy to MAINTAIN my former 75 lb weight loss) Since they do want you to eat more, how about also adding some more fruit to your diet above the 2000 cals- so you can get some carbs with high water content (like oranges.) Don't let the other posters make you feel bad about your calorie counting - they don't understand the mental anguish of being formerly morbidly obese.

 

[ILoveYouZandT]

I had just lost 42 pounds from calorie counting when I got pregnant and gave it up immediately. I didn't read through this entire thread but you CAN still calorie count while pregnant. You would just need to talk to your health care provider to get a good number from the get go. And keep in mind you may have to up your calories as you go, and also will need more once breastfeeding!!

I'd be surprised if while eating 2000 calories a day you felt off. I would imagine there could be an underlying issue. But you could always try raising your intake 200 or so calories a day and seeing what helps. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[ILoveYouZandT]

Oh yess, agreed with the poster above me! Definitely DRINK MORE WATER!

 

[justmeinlove]

go for 2500 a day. 2000 is the amount for a woman's daily intake for weight maintenance. If you want to be minimalist, add another 200 for the third trimester.
This is working purely from official recommendations. Also, do remember to include fats,not all fats are bad.
How much water do you drink a day?

 

[_jellybean_]

The amount of calories that you need depends on what your pre-pregnancy weight was, and if you're exercising or not.

From what I have read, I think you would be better off eating 2,500 calories per day.

 

[Lizzy Lou]

I lost 70 and hit my goal weight then a month later I was pregnant, had to stop smoking, so I started eating way too much. I'm at 7 months, I've gained about 35. It's insane but not beating myself up! I've felt the feeling u feel too! I think it's not enough water. U only have a few weeks left, do what makes u comfortable!

 

[ShadyAmy]

Thanks ladies!

I think it might be due to the water intake that day as I hadn't had much to drink so i've made a point of making sure I'm getting enough water.

I increased my calories to 2500 for the last 2-3 days and i'm already up a pound a day.. I hate to say it but I think i'm going to go back down to 2000 unless i feel like i'm starving because a pound of weight gain a day is just not something i'm willing to accept especially since everything I've read says the baby get his nutrients either way and will take what he needs from me.. I dont consider 2000 to be under eating either?

Ugh ... I wish I was just a normal small preggo girl who didnt have to worry about a 30 pound weight gain but that's just not the case with me.

 

[aliss]

But you know realistically you cannot gain a pound of fat in 2-3 days from 500 calorie increase right? Fluid retention when increasing calories to proper levels (especially when pregnant) cannot be measured properly on a scale.

 

[_jellybean_]

What have the doctors said about the calorie counting? Do they think that 2000 a day is enough? If they don't, and if they think you should be eating 2500 per day, then I would follow their orders. Either way, PLEASE listen to your doctors. It sounds like they think that you should be eating more. Remember, you are also getting hydration from food. Please take care of yourself and your baby.

 

[meandmrb2011]

I know it sounds crazy to be counting cals while pregnant but i'm kind of an all or nothing girl.. I know if I stopped I would gain all my weight back as I'm still learning moderation .. I was a very very big girl to the point where my dr didnt see me living past the age of 35 and I don't know any other way to eat healthily now so that I dont gain or go back to my old habbits...

One thing to keep in mind is that people's habits and addictions tend to transfer. It is not unusual for a formerly very overweight/obese person (food addiction) to end up underweight with an eating disorder. It can take years, if not a lifetime, for some people to learn to balance eating proper amounts.

You see, 2500 for a pregnant woman is minimal levels, especially if you are someone who still has 50ish pounds to lose. I don't know your weight, but I'm5'5 and 136lbs and my maintenance is 2100-2700 (not nursing, and nursing). And I'm not pregnant.

2000 is not enough to maintain your bodyweight let alone nourish your baby. You've been dieting on such low calories for so long that it is inevitable that you will suffer from it (and when you undereat, its YOU who suffers, as your baby takes so many of your nutrients).

I would recommend a dietician. Good luck

I have to disagree with you there .... Before getting pregnant I was marathon training and averaging 1500/1600cals a day. I always had enough energy and was tipping scales at 138lb , 5ft3 , uk10. Throughout my pregnancy my calories have stayed exactly the same. . . I have gained 14lb and my baby is 95th centile. Everyone is different

I have continued calorie counting in my pregnancy and I always get praised by midwives and hospital team for how healthy I am including weight , bp , pulse , general appearance. I truly believe keeping an eye on what I ate is the reason I am so healthy.