[JenniferLynn]

Hello. I am new to this website. My history ... I am 5'5" and I am not positive how much I weigh at the moment, although my guess is 155. Throughout High School I weighed 122 at the most. I exercised about 15 hours a week, though. During college, I can remember being upset that I was 128 pounds and was a size 8. I can't believe I ever was upset about that! Right after college, I went through a two week period of not eating very much at all because I had IBS and was getting anxiety attacks. So, then I was 114 pounds. That was in 2000.

Upon my cousin's recommendation, I first joined Weight Watchers Online in May of 03, weighing in at 139. So, from 00 to 03, I gained 25 pounds. I wanted to lose weight for my wedding, which was in May of 04. During my first 6 months, I lost 7 pounds and then put that 7 pounds back on. I restarted in Jan 04 at 141 pounds and got down to 135 for my wedding, which I wasn't happy with (at the time), but it worked. (And now that's my goad weight ... he he). Fast forward to Nov 04 and I weighed 150. 15 pounds in 6 months. At the end of Jan of 05, I weight in at 154. By April of 05, I lost 10 pounds, now 144total. 6 weeks after this, in May, I have gained 8 pounds back. And then in the next 6 week, July, I lost 6 pounds. I took a break for the whole diet thing and this past April 06, my FIL passed away and even my "fat pants" weren't fitting me anymore. Turns out that I was 156. So, I decided to join an actual Weight Watchers Meeting in the town where I live. From May 06 to August 06, I lost 14 pounds. And, I am fearing stepping on that scale again. I think I have gained it all back. But, I am going to try to weigh myself today.

DH & I started TTC in August. For WW I was having 1,250 calories a day. I was doing it and it was going well, but I was very, very hungry. I didn't feel like I was making a healthy decision, I didn't feel it was healthy for TTC.

In my "online research," ... with all the different calorie calculators, it says I should have 1500 calories per day. Do you guys think that's healthy? How many calories do you have a day or did you have a day when you were TTC and/or pregnant.

Also, I hear that you should increase your calories by 300 when you enter the second trimester. That would be 1800. Do you thinks that's in a healthy range?

We have been TTC for three months, with no luck. I am onto my fourth month. I don't really know what to do. I didn't mean to put all the weight I had worked so hard to lose, right back on. I know it's the stress from TTC, as the only way I feel better after getting AF each month is with eating as much chocolate that I can find. Also, I am exercising 4 hours a week now and I just started that in July.

Thanks in advance for any help you could give me. Jen

[aphil]

Hopefully I can help you here.

Your calorie intake while TTC insn't as important as when you are in fact, pregnant. From what I took from your post, you are currently eating 1500 a day to LOSE weight, correct? This is really just fine for right now, given your current weight.
While trying to conceive, the biggest thing I can tell you, and I know it is hard, is to RELAX. Stress will make it, for some reason, less likely. Are you using an ovulation predictor kit or anything-or simply just having lots of sex?
Take vitamins, and if your vitamin does not contain folic acid, take a folic acid supplement, or drink a glass of orange juice each morning. (Having folic acid in your system whil TTC and while pregnant-it is IN your prenatal vitamins-helps against birth defects.)
Other than that-just let nature take its course. Some people get pregnant completely by accident-like all three of my children-but for other couples it simply takes longer. A few months, up to a year is not uncommon at all.

As for your calorie intake when you become pregnant-you are NOT going to be eating 1500 calories during your first trimester, and adding 300 to that in the second. This is because 1500 is your calorie intake for weight LOSS right now-not for weight maintenance. You would not be eating at a weight loss level in the first trimester of pregnancy.
Upon becoming pregnant, I would aim for 1800-2000 calories a day for the first trimester. You would add approximately 300 to that amount in the second trimester, for a total of 2100-2300 a day.
You should expect a small gain in your first trimester-anywhere from a couple to about 8 pounds-but not a real large amount. The larger gains of about 1/2 pound-1 pound a week happen at times in the second and third trimesters.

Do you have any more questions? If there is anything that you need me to explain, feel free to ask. Good luck to you.

[Dairy Fairy]

I have been on a diet every time I was ttc and probably doing 1200-1500 calories each time and actively losing weight. My doctor says your caloric needs are not really great during the first trimester. I am pg with twins and started at 168 (170 for the sake of argument) so she said each 1700 calories to maintain my 170ish weight and add 300 per fetus. I am sure if I started out underweight I might need to eat more than that, but it gives you an idea. If you are eating healthy food, it is hard to get in 2300 calories per day.

I don't worry about normal weight gain during pregnancy...of all the times in my life I have indulged myself I'm not about to put my baby on a starvation diet just because I didn't have the willpower to get my eating in control before pregnancy. I think that is really unfair to make them pay for our bad choices. It's time to eat right, of course, but not try to diet...NOT THAT YOU WERE SAYING THAT...I just wanted to get on that soap box for a minute I'm on an overweight/pregnant board on another forum and I'm so sick of people trying to scheme how to make their pregnancy a weight loss plan (like how can they NOT gain any weight so after they deliver they will lose 20 or more pounds from their start weight). Some folks can't help not gaining weight, but to TRY to diet while pg after a lifetime of overeating is silly.