It’s extremely common for women to gain weight during pregnancy as the body adjusts to having a growing fetus within. However it is possible to prevent excessive weight gain that you will find hard to lose when you eventually give birth. If you follow these tips, you will prevent extra weight gain, and maybe lose a few pounds too. And all this without harming your pregnancy. Here’s what you need to do to manage your weight during pregnancy:
1. Understand your Caloric need
Your caloric need is totally dependent on your weight before and during pregnancy. Women who started at a normal weight before pregnancy need an average of 300 extra calories per day during their second and third trimesters. Eating more calories than recommended may lead to an unhealthy increase in weight. If you were underweight, overweight, or obese before pregnancy, discuss your caloric needs with your doctor. These needs vary from person to person.
Even if there are rare circumstances surrounding your pregnancy that make weight loss a healthy option, you may still need to maintain or increase your caloric intake. You will likely need even more calories if you are carrying more than one baby.
2. Eat frequent, small meals
Studies have shown that, pregnant or not, eating frequent small meals will help you manage your portion size, thereby managing your weight too. This is especially helpful when you are pregnant and eating a full meal some way or the other makes you sick.
3. Take prenatal vitamins
These are pills that your doctor is likely to prescribe for you when you’re pregnant. Your body needs extra nutrition during pregnancy and if you really want to manage your weight and take in the nutrients without loading yourself with calories, take your vitamins. Just don’t attempt to completely replace food with vitamins.
4. Maintain a healthy diet
This shouldn’t be news to you. There’s no way to lose weight without being selective with what you eat. Fill up your daily diet with foods like such as fresh fruits and vegetables, cereals and breads made with whole grains, low-fat milk and dairy products; foods rich in folate such as strawberries, spinach, and beans, unsaturated “good” fats such as olive oil, canola oil, and peanut oil. There is also a long list of foods you should avoid to manage your weight during pregnancy particularly:
food laced with artificial sweeteners, food and drinks that contain sugar or corn syrup, junk food like chips, candy, cake, cookies, and ice cream. It’s okay to cheat once in a while, just don’t make it a habit.
Salt causes water retention in the body. So, avoid adding salt to the foods you cook at home.
Unhealthy fats like margarine, butter, gravy, sauces, mayonnaise, and salad dressings.
5. Exercise
Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean that you should stop working out. Though it’s true that there are certain degrees of exercises that can affect your health, exercises like walking, weight lifting, swimming, dancing etc., are great workout options for expectant mothers.
Be sure to talk to your doctor before you plan your workout regimen. You need at least 2 – 3 hours of moderate aerobic activity weekly.
Conclusion
It is important to take note that you will need to consult your doctor at all times, especially when trying to determine the appropriate calorie intake for your body. You could also choose to hire a personal fitness instructor to help you design an exercise and nutrition plan that works just for you.
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