can't get my calories down page

[ktgrok]

So, I'm 5'1", 192lbs, and nursing a 5 month old exclusivley and a 3 year old a few times a day. I'm already 10lbs below my prepregnancy weight (combo of Weight Watchers - which left me constipated and with dry skin, and then low carb.) Right now I'm desperately trying to lose more weight. I am NOT healthy, obviously, at this weight. However, I am nursing, and that means I am not supposed to go into ketosis? That I need to watch my nutrients? Plus it makes me hungry, lol. Or I'm just using it as an excuse, I don't know.

I'm looking for help tweaking my eating, and seeing where I could improve. I already know I need to get rid of the artificial sweetener, but coke zero is my only vice, lol. I've purchased no calorie, non flavored seltzer and that is helping me...I'm down to half the soda volume per day. And as of yesterday dropped the splenda in my coffee to one packet instead of two. Will eventually give that up. But otherwise...do you see issues? This is yesterday's food:

Breakfast: 2 eggs fried in butter, 2 strips of thick cut bacon, cofee with heavy cream and 2 splenda
Lunch: 5 1/2 oz steak (cheap steaks), sliced tomato, some mayo to dip the tomato in, spinach cooked in the steak drippings and extra butter, sprinkle of blue cheese
Dinner: I got home exhausted from visiting my mom so just ate leftover: another 5-6 oz steak, 2 pieces left over bacon, mayo, coffee with heavy cream and 1 splenda

Snacks: 1 cup berries in 1/4 cup heavy cream (grass fed), square of dark chocolate,

Later snack, as I was feeling hungry/craving something: 5 pork rinds, 1/2 oz cheese, spoonful of coconut butter.

(I log everything in fitday, and my breakdowns yesterday were:
fat: 68%, 195.9g
Protein:24%, 146.7g
carbs: 8%, 54.4g
calories: 2565
Is this (with more veggies...can't believe I didn't eat any last night. Normally I eat 1 bag of broccoli/cauliflower, roasted in coconut oil topped with parmesan cheese at dinner), what I should be doing? Scale is moving up and down, and my clothes are elastic so I can't tell if they are getting looser. I do FEEL better most days. This morning was ROUGH though..but my baby wakes at night, plus allergies are awful right now, so that is to be expected I guess. Most days though I have more energy and am less foggy. I seem to be craving the bacon. But my calorie count is through the roof...well over 2,000 calories most days, never under. Any thoughts as to why I can't seem to get the food down lower without being hungry?

[eKatherine]

Because right now your baby needs those calories.

[glorth2]

So I'm reading this straight, are you nursing the 3yo?

[Ayla2010]

Both children it looks like
Good on you for doing that, I did it, its not fun, but its so worth it.

I think while feeding them both especially just focus on eating only primal foods and as much as you need. I don't think right now its important to focus on anything like low carb etc, just eat when hungry.

[firemanswife]

Try drinking a little more water. You are nursing. Thirst also sometimes mask itself as hunger and tiredness.
Take advantage of every sleep oportunity you get. Being tired can make you go looking for energy in other sources, usually food.
If you really want it, eat the bacon, but try to evaluate whether you are truly hungry or just thirsty or flippin' exhausted. I am a Mom of 4, I know. I have almost recovered from all the lost sleep that I experienced when they were young.
Glad you are getting the soda and splenda out of your diet. I have never been one to ween myself off of anything. Cold turkey for me. It is always a matter of how I look at it. Sure it seems to taste good or look pretty but it is really poison. Artificial sweetners especially in sodas are pure poison and can trigger an addicitive response. Yellow dye #5 would do that to me.
The allergy relief will take time, but it will happen. My daughter is experiencing the best allergy season I think ever. She has been paleo since July 2012.

[Ayla2010]

Also do you co-sleep?
It will help with getting more rest, as you can feed the baby laying down, and sleep at the same time

[JoanieL]

This is yesterday's food:

Breakfast: 2 eggs fried in butter, 2 strips of thick cut bacon, cofee with heavy cream and 2 splenda
Lunch: 5 1/2 oz steak (cheap steaks), sliced tomato, some mayo to dip the tomato in, spinach cooked in the steak drippings and extra butter, sprinkle of blue cheese
Dinner: I got home exhausted from visiting my mom so just ate leftover: another 5-6 oz steak, 2 pieces left over bacon, mayo, coffee with heavy cream and 1 splenda

Snacks: 1 cup berries in 1/4 cup heavy cream (grass fed), square of dark chocolate,

Later snack, as I was feeling hungry/craving something: 5 pork rinds, 1/2 oz cheese, spoonful of coconut butter.

First, I have no idea what the caloric needs are of a nursing mother. But if you want to tweak just a bit.

-Not sure how much butter you're using to fry your eggs. When I started primal, I was so psyched to be using real butter again that I'd often fry my eggs in 1-2 tablespoons of butter. Now I use a teaspoon to half a tablespoon. The eggs still taste great.

-Are you measuring your heavy cream? One tblsp of heavy cream has 52 calories. Two tblsp of half and half have 40 calories. Many people are surprised to find that the 'splash' of cream/half'n'half is way more than the tablespoon or two they thought they were putting in their coffee.

-Mostly, if you're counting calories, I would advise not eyeballing portions. My food scale and measuring spoons/cups have been a great help in learning what different portions of different foods look like.

Good luck!

[ktgrok]

yup, nursing the 3 year old usually twice a day..when she wakes up and at bedtime.Sometimes one other time in the day. (normal weaning age worldwide is around 4 years old).

[ktgrok]

ok..so more water...yeah..that sounds like a good idea. My daughter is constantly stealing my drink, lol.

cosleeping..does passing out in my chair nursing count? Sometimes I bring him to bed, but i end up hanging off the end of the bed, and my back feels better after sleeping in the chair than it does nursing on my side, believe it or not. My neck...that's another story. My chiropracter says I have mommy neck. Not helping is that the 3 year old started sleep walking when her brother was born...so more nights than not she is wandering, talking to herself in her sleep, and needs to be guided back to a safe sleeping spot. I'd sell a kidney for a nap right now.

So yeah, I'm willing to bet sometimes I'm turning to food in a desperate attempt to use that energy to replace sleep.

[magicmerl]

Sometimes people crave things (water, food etc) when they are really suffering from a lack of *something*, but not the exact thing they want. So someone might be lacking salt, and feel really thirsty for example.

I wouldn't calorie restrict AT ALL while you are breastfeeding.