How to Lose Weight During Pregnancy: 10 Steps

Table of contents:

How to Lose Weight During Pregnancy: 10 Steps
How to Lose Weight During Pregnancy: 10 Steps

Video: How to Lose Weight During Pregnancy: 10 Steps

Video: How to Lose Weight During Pregnancy: 10 Steps
Video: BEAT ANY ESCAPE ROOM- 10 proven tricks and tips 2024, March
Anonim

Losing weight during pregnancy is not normally recommended by medical professionals – it is even recommended that obese or overweight women gain weight during pregnancy. However, there are many things that can prevent unnecessary weight gain during pregnancy. Here's what you should know.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Safety Precautions

Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 1
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 1

Step 1. Do not try any diet during pregnancy

You should never try to lose weight during pregnancy without specific doctor's orders. Do not start any regimen after discovering pregnancy. It is recommended that all pregnant women gain weight.

  • Obese women should gain between 5 and 9 pounds.
  • Overweight women should gain between 7 and 11 pounds.
  • Normal weight women should gain between 11 and 16 pounds.
  • Underweight women should gain between 13 and 18 pounds.
  • Dieting during pregnancy could deprive your baby of needed calories, vitamins and minerals.
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 2
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 2

Step 2. Find out when weight loss can occur

Although weight loss is not recommended during pregnancy, weight loss in the first trimester is normal for most women.

Many women experience nausea and vomiting known as "morning sickness". This nausea is strongest during the first trimester, and it can be difficult to eat normally or keep food in the body during this time. Minor weight losses are common, especially if you are overweight, as your baby can still take advantage of the calorie store in your fat tissue

Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 3
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 3

Step 3. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist

Talk to a doctor or pregnancy nutritionist if you are really worried about your weight. They will explain how to manage your weight in a way that is healthy for you and your baby. Never start a special diet before discussing it with a medical professional.

You should talk to your doctor if you cannot keep any food in your system or if you lose a considerable amount of weight, even during the first trimester

Method 2 of 2: Staying Healthy

Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 4
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 4

Step 1. Understand your caloric needs

Women who started at a normal weight before pregnancy need an average of 300 extra calories per day during the second and third trimesters.

  • Normal weight women should consume between 1900 and 2500 calories a day.
  • Eating more calories than recommended can lead to unhealthy weight gain.
  • Discuss caloric needs with your doctor if you are underweight, overweight, or obese. Even in the rare pregnancy-related circumstances that could make weight loss a healthy option, it's always necessary to maintain or increase your calorie intake.
  • You should also talk to your doctor about your caloric needs if you are pregnant with twins. You will probably need even more calories when carrying more than one baby.
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 5
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 5

Step 2. Avoid empty calories and unhealthy foods

Empty calories will lead to unnecessary weight gain and will not provide the nutrients your baby needs. Avoiding empty calories is vital to maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight.

  • Avoid foods with added sugars and solid fats. The normal culprits include soft drinks, desserts, fried foods, dairy products (such as cheese or whole milk), and fatty cuts of meat.
  • Opt for fat-free, sugar-free and low-fat options.
  • Avoid caffeine, alcohol, raw seafood, and potential sources of bacteria.
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 6
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 6

Step 3. Take prenatal vitamins

Your body will have additional nutritional needs during pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins will allow you to address these needs without having to take in more calories than absolutely necessary.

  • Never rely on prenatal vitamins as a substitute for real foods, even if your doctor says weight loss is acceptable for you. Supplements are better absorbed when taken with food, and vitamins obtained from food are more easily distributed throughout the body.
  • Folic acid is one of the most important prenatal vitamins to take. It greatly minimizes the risk of neural tube defects.
  • Iron, calcium and omega-3 supplements also help your body function while supporting your baby's development.
  • Avoid supplements that provide too much vitamin A, D, E, or K.
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 7
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 7

Step 4. Eat frequent, small meals

Eating multiple small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones is a tactic used by many people to keep portion control, but it also benefits pregnant women.

Nausea, heat, indigestion, and aversion to food often turn the experience of eating a full meal during pregnancy into something unpleasant. Eating five or six small meals during the day can feel easier and more comfortable. This is especially true when your baby grows up and starts pushing on the digestive organs

Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 8
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 8

Step 5. Maintain a healthy, nutrient-rich diet for pregnancy

Focus on foods that provide folic acids and eat plenty of protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates and fiber.

  • Foods rich in folic acids include orange juice, strawberries, spinach, broccoli, beans, and vitamin cereals and breads.
  • Start with a balanced breakfast that will make you feel better all day long.
  • Swap out processed grains (such as white bread) for whole-grain carbohydrate sources.
  • Include fruits and vegetables in your diet whenever possible.
  • Prefer “good” (unsaturated) fats such as olive, cinnamon and peanut oil.
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 9
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 9

Step 6. Eat healthy snacks

Snacks can be perfectly healthy during pregnancy, even when your doctor recommends a small amount of weight loss or gain. Choose healthy, nutrient-rich snacks. Avoid processed foods and desserts full of sugar or fat.

  • Consider banana candy or fat-free fruit sorbet instead of regular ice cream and shakes.
  • Snack nuts and fruit between meals.
  • Instead of white crackers and fatty cheeses, eat wholegrain crackers topped with a small amount of low-fat cheese.
  • Hard-boiled eggs, wholegrain toast and unsweetened yogurt are other good options.
  • Instead of sugary drinks, prefer low-sodium vegetable juices, mineral water with a few drops of fruit juice, or skim/soy milk with ice.
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 10
Lose Weight While Pregnant Step 10

Step 7. Do moderate exercise

Exercise is an important part of anyone looking to lose weight outside of pregnancy. Yet exercise also plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy weight during pregnancy. Healthy pregnant women should do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly.

  • Exercise also relieves pregnancy pain, improves sleep, regulates emotional health and lowers the risk of complications. They can also facilitate weight loss after pregnancy.
  • Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise regimen. Stop exercising immediately if you experience vaginal bleeding or if your bag bursts prematurely.
  • The best exercises are low-impact ones, such as walking, swimming, dancing, and cycling.
  • Avoid activities where you are likely to get hit in the abdomen, such as kickboxing or basketball. Avoid activities you might fall into, such as horseback riding. Avoid diving with a scuba as gas bubbles could form in your baby's blood.

Recommended: