How many calories

[samadhisoul]

do you consume on a typical day?
I have begun to think tha I may not be getting enough. I am currently nursing and it seems that my milk supply has dwindled.

does anyone have ideas on ways I can ensure getting upwards of 2500 calories on a daily basis?

thanks in advance,
aisha :)

[sport]

You are probably very busy but maybe you could eat more often. It is hard to up your calories drastically without leading to an unhealthy increase in fats.

[karenisraw]

I personally can only eat about 500-750 calories per day or I pretty much begin gaining weight. I am meeting with my RVD in mid April to find out why my metabolism is so low. He thinks I may have a hormonal problem.

For you, I would eat avocados, coconut oil (supposed to be great for babies milk), nuts, seeds, and bananas. Also tons of dark greens. Maybe you dould dehydrate sweet potatos marinated in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper for sweet potato chips. Maybe some raw corn would be good too.

k :)

[paprika]

I'm only eating about 1000-1700 calories a day, here's what my typical day looks like:

Dreamsicle Smoothie: 1 young coconut, 2 bananas, honey, vanilla, dates
Snack: 2 oranges, 1 apple
Diva Salad: romaine, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, lemon juice
Pineapples and Cheese: pineapple slices topped with a mix of cashews, sun-dried tomatoes, orange bell pepper, garlic, and lemon juice

Totals: 1323 cals, 50g fat(35%), 227g carbs, 35g fibre, 22g protein

Of course, I'm aiming to keep my calories low right now. If you make the effort to eat constantly throughout the day, maybe make sure you eat something every hour, then I'm sure you could keep your calories up.

[misslinda]

My metabolism has become so efficient, that I eat every 2 hours before, I couldn't get away with every 3-4 hours. I'd say increase the frequency. :)

btw, does dwindling of milk have direct relations to caloric intake or is it another function that is underworking? anyone know?

:)

[samadhisoul]

keep the responses coming :))

[ljannise]

A WHOLE LOT- almond butter jars scream when I open the cabinet, avocados shiver in their little peels when I open the fridge. They fear me!!!

I dont dehydrate & I'm not gourmet so I noticed that the less I do those things, the more results I have.

[Revvell]

How many calories do you consume on a typical day?

I haven't the foggiest idea.

Revvell

[Vandy]

Also, sweet fruits are much higher in calories without all of the fat. Dried fruits are also very high in calories: i.e: raisins, dates, figs, dried tomatoes, gogi berries...

Exotic fruits are also high: have you tried a cherimoya or a persimmon or a durian??? sooooo nutritious AND high in cals...

[swiss_miss]

Karenisraw, just a thought but your metabolism might be low because your caloric intake is low. The less you eat the more the metabolism drops so that could be it. Do you eat throughout the day or 2 or 3 times a day? If you can add on about 100 calories in the next 3 days and get up to 1000 cal, you could jump start your metabolism if you eat about 6-7 times a day or more. Just nibble throughout the day it might help. :)

[karenisraw]

swiss_miss,

Thank you for caring. Yes I believe I have a very low metabolism. If I increase the calories, I begin to gain weight. About 1 1/2 years ago, I tried the "jumpstart" technique and increased my calories to about 1200-1700 calories per day on a about 80% raw 20% baked chicken breast and small amounts of dairy. I gained about 80 lb's and went from about 105 lb's to about 198 lb's. When I was 105, I was literally not eating at all. No food. I knew when I was in about kindergarten I had a weight problem.

Thank you, I am afraid to jumpstart again because I am already at 186 and don't want to gain anymore. It is nearly impossible to take off.

k
:) :)

[fiddler]

Since lettuce and other vegetables are not calorically dense, one's calories either have to come from sweet fruits or fats. So, since many folks have studied that over consumption of fats is not good for the body, I choose to get the bulk of my calories from sweet fruits (bananas, oranges, etc...)

Many raw fooders seem to either undereat (calories) or get their calories from fats (avocados, nuts, seeds).

These days, I seem to want to follow Graham's approach. Eat 2-4% calories from greens (that's alot of greens on a 3000 calorie diet) and the rest from sweet fruits with occasional nuts and seeds.

I'm currently averaging somewhere between 2500 - 3000 calories a day.

Now, having stated the above; Alissa says not to worry about such things when you initially start out. I would caution that most nuts are NOT really RAW so if you do have to have fat that you try other sources such as the avocado.

hth, Gil

[Sunshine9]

Because you are breastfeeding, I think the calorie question shifts because it's not how much you're eating, but also what you're eating. A lot of sweet fruit may have calories but it will not provide you with a large array of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Some is certianly great, but a really high fruit diet won't give you enough. If it was me, I would balance out what I was eating and focus on fruit, fats, and greens. Juicing can help you get some extra cals and nutrition. Specifically fats like coconut butter, avocado, and nuts & seeds blended into pates or otherwise more digestible concotions. Postpartum women have higher needs for ALA, DHA, EFA's etc. One of the best sources is flaxseeds, I grind golden flax and sprinkle it over my salad... it's really delicious and filling. Seaweeds are great for DHA. I know i've also read somewhere that fennel in all forms is great for milk production, and hydration is also essential. I remember reading that Shazzie was drinking about 4 liters of water per day while she was breast feeding. Gabriel Cousens has some information in his books about breast feeding, and while I consulted those books, they didn't talk a lot about stimulating milk production. I would recommend "Conscious Eating" though because he talks a nutrition for a nursing mother. Also "Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine" has a lot of information about nutrition for infants. Hope this helps :)

[Lunar*Fey]

I would suggest using fitday.com if you want to ensure that you're getting an adequate amount of calories...which is probably an especially good idea since you're breast feeding. I would suggest an increased amount of nuts/seeds, avocados, bananas, dried fruit, etc.

[eatyourbroccoli]

i eat somewhere around 500-1500 a day im guessing?

huge range. sorry :confused:

:cool:

[faith4u]

Gosh, I don't know what to say.

I am nursing my almost 4 month old baby with no problems. My milk supply is very good.

I do eat more of Dr. Graham's style of lots of fruit with little fat. I find that if I eat the higher amounts of fat that my baby gets a green mucous nose (sorry).

What are you eating in a typical day?

Do you exercise? How and for how long?

How old is your baby? How is his/her weight?

I know it is a lot of questions but there are so many variables.

[heabrook]

I don't count calories.

I don't think it's really about calories, it's more about increasing your milk output. I haven't heard of calories being directed linked to that.

Here are some foods that are supposed to increase milk supply in nursing mothers:

Flax seed
Fennel
Comfrey
Dill (supposed to be an excellent galactagogue)
Chlorophyll

[greeninlosangeles]

What about your water intake? When you are nursing that is even more important. I nurse my 2.5 year old, so it is not that important how much milk he gets, but he gups pretty well. 6-8 glasses a day would be perfect. I drink my 3 in the morning with lemon juice.
I do not agree with freguent eating, because, unless you eat just one kind of fruit by itself at one time, you will have digestion and gas problems... between heavier meals i would let at least 3 hours brake(better 4). two hours after meal you can drink your water, but the last glass half an hour before the meal. If you have better digestion, you absorb more, not if you justkeep stuffing yourself.
as for milk supply- I go to LLL and they say, that mother must be awfully depleted before she doesn't have enough milk, because nature tries to save the young generation first... Why do you think you don't have enough milk? Do you feed your baby often enough

[greeninlosangeles]

Sorry for spelling-my son is on my lap helping...

[rawpriestess]

I don't count calories, never have, never will

but if you are wanting more, I think calories relate to starches, sugars and fats.

so eat more grains, fruits and fats such as nut butters, nuts, avocados

Hope this helps

[honeybee joy]

Originally Posted By karenisraw

I am meeting with my RVD in mid April to find out why my metabolism is so low. He thinks I may have a hormonal problem.


You might be right on that. Some believe mercury fillings do cause autoimmune diseases. I could be wrong, but it kinda sounds like to me that you might have hypothyrodism. Make sure your doc runs a full thyroid panel. The TSH levels don't always show it.

Fatigue is a symptom. So is hair loss, depression, memory problems, constipation, cold intolerance. From what it sounds like you have problems with gaining weight easily. That is a big red flag for thyroid disease.

These can be symptoms of other hormone probs, sometimes you have more than one.

I was reading some where that Adrenal insuficiancy causes hypothyroidism.

If I can find the info I will give it to ya.

If you get easily stressed and/or tired but wired those are symptoms of low adrenal.

I have those two problems, and I know how irritating they can be.

HelenofTennesee is a great person to talk to about this stuff.


Originally Posted By karenisraw

Thank you, I am afraid to jumpstart again because I am already at 186 and don't want to gain anymore. It is nearly impossible to take off.

I am sorry you are dealing with that. I do notice when I eat more fats I seems to loose more. Everyones situation is different. I might have the same problem as you if I was not on thyroid meds and Cortef.
HelenofTennesee was telling me that your adrenal glands have to rest for a couple of years before things get better. The cortef helps with that.
Raw foods will definantly help.

I wish you well, and hope you get better soon!

[samadhisoul]

thanks all!
as far as I understand it, the body burns many calories simply "making" the milk--when I asked the ?, I noticed that my "let-down" was not as noticeable as it had been, and my daughter seemed to be a little more fussy and restless at night than usual. I really am not too concerned that she does not get enough, as she eats other foods as well. silly, doting me just wants to make sure I remain her "main" source of nutrition-plus prolong the return of my cycle--*hangs head in shame*, lol

[Conscious Midwife]

Lots of Ice cold water, almonds and avacados helpedme to sustain my milk.

I think that when the milks flavor changes ( hormones, exercise, our own intake) babies start getting picky especially when they start exploring other varities of foods.

I once nursed my son hours after I ate a load of cabbage and he ended up with gas that smelled just like old cabbage. The same thing would happen when I over did the brocoli.

Also frequently nursing snacks for the baby also helps restore milk flow.

I was out of town for a week once while nursig and didn't pump, just expressed a little in the shower 2x/ day to keep from getting engorged. When I returned home my son picked up where he left off and my ore abundat flow returned.

[Rmiller]

If you want to figure out how many calories that you eat in a day, do to "www.Fitday.com".

Right now I eat between 2800 to 3000 calories and am not gaining weight. Most of it is juiced. I make veggie and/or fruit juices and make nut milks. The only things I don't juice are avocados, young coconut meat, bananas, mangos, pears and other really soft fruit that digests easy for me. All greens I'm juicing now instead of smoothies just until my body can properly digest the stuff.

I don't know how some of you survive on 1200 cal's. I'd waste away to nothing if I did that.

Lisa

[faith4u]

It sounds like maybe it was something you recently ate that mader her dislike your milk.

I wouldn't worry too much. Just make sure that you are eating when hungry and getting enough rest. Also watch your stress levels as that can affect your milk supply.