Pregnant, gaining too much too fast

LKArgh

evolve33 wrote: »

Good morning,
This is not really a plea for advice, but if you have any (besides "You're pregant! Don't be vain, gain more fat for your baby!) I'm happy to hear it.

Mostly, I just need a place to vent my frustratrion. I'm 17 weeks pregnant with my second baby, and couldn't be happier about it. I had a goal of maintaining a healthy weight and gaining within the reccomended 25 to 35 lbs with this one, since I gained over 50 with my first, and didn't want to have to struggle to lose excess weight during the first year of my baby's life.

I am by no means strict with my diet, deprive myself of nothing, but I am trying to eat mostly healthy foods and stay active. I weigh myself once a week, and try not to feel bad every time when the scale number jumps up.

This morning, I weighed in at 140lbs. I started this pregnancy at 120. My baby weighs a little over 3 ounces now, so that extra weight has not been going to them, as much as it has to my thighs, hips, and butt.

It's just disheartening, watching the pounds pile on before this little one even weighs one, and knowing I'm not even halfway through pregnancy. I can't cut calories, and apparently I suck at "moderation".

Actually you can cut calories. I do not mean with a goal to lower your weight, but with a goal to limit further weight gain from now on. Figure out your maintenance and eat approximately there. I do not know if it is a cultural thing (I am not American), but I have never heard IRL that excessive weight gain is good for you or the baby and my drs through 3 pregnancies were always monitoring my weight (I actually started with stats similar to yours) and warning me about not gaining too much. Goal per my dr was 7-12 kilos, so 15 to 25 lbs approximately. I had eating plans for GD from the hospital dietician and the calorie goal was close to maintenance throughout the pregnancy.

Colorscheme

tlflag1620 wrote: »

Colorscheme wrote: »

I'm 5'7" and gained 25 lbs during my pregnancy. No more, no less. I stayed active until SPD kicked in until 6 months, and I also made sure to eat fairly balanced. Maybe try eating at maintanance cals.

Out of curiosity, what was your starting weight?

137 was my start weight. 162 was my end weight. I gained 5 lbs the first trimester and then the rest after that. I was biking a lot and focused on eating fresh fruit and produce, but I did get morning sickness and the only thing that helped was eating, hence the first trimester weight gain. But after my OB recommended B6, my morning sickness went away.

evolve33

tlflag1620 wrote: »

You might not want to hear this, but I gained the same 45-50 lbs with each pregnancy (I've had four children). It didn't really matter what I did; with my first I ate pretty crappy and didn't exercise - gained 50 lbs; with my second I improved my diet (cut soda, less take out, less junk) - gained 50 lbs; with my third I was eating in perfect accordance with the USDA guidelines, counted calories, watched portions, and took up prenatal yoga - gained 45 lbs (and was pissed that going through all that and obsessing and being miserable and hungry my whole pregnancy only "saved" me 5 measley lbs!); with my fourth I had used LCHF to drop the weight after my third pregnancy and continued a moderate carb diet thru the pregnancy, along with cardio 5 days a week - gained 50 lbs (but at least I didn't drive myself crazy).

Bottom line - you gain what you gain (within reason of course). For someone your height and starting weight you should expect to gain on the high end anyway (I'm also 5'7" and cannot for the life of me see how us taller gals could get away with less than 35 lbs). I'm not saying give up or don't bother caring, but don't starve yourself or your baby either. The weight will come off after. Do exercise (so long as your doc approves)- the pregnancies where I stayed active were definitely more comfortable. And do make healthy choices - I may have gained the same amounts with all of my pregnancies, but the last one (the moderate carb one) was the one where the weight came off easiest afterwards, despite being nine years older than with my first; probably due to having good habits throughout. Good luck and congratulations!

Thank you I actually like the curves I have now, and love my growing belly. The things that bother me most are
1) Feeling like I've lost the knowledge and ability to maintain the healthy diet that I learned after have to lose some weight after my first child, and

2)Growing out of ALL my pants within the first 8 weeks and having to spend $ on maternity clothes so early, and knowing many women don't gain ANYTHING in the first trimester (though I'm grateful to have not suffered from morning sickness too much to enjoy eating.)

evolve33

aggelikik wrote: »

evolve33 wrote: »

Good morning,
This is not really a plea for advice, but if you have any (besides "You're pregant! Don't be vain, gain more fat for your baby!) I'm happy to hear it.

Mostly, I just need a place to vent my frustratrion. I'm 17 weeks pregnant with my second baby, and couldn't be happier about it. I had a goal of maintaining a healthy weight and gaining within the reccomended 25 to 35 lbs with this one, since I gained over 50 with my first, and didn't want to have to struggle to lose excess weight during the first year of my baby's life.

I am by no means strict with my diet, deprive myself of nothing, but I am trying to eat mostly healthy foods and stay active. I weigh myself once a week, and try not to feel bad every time when the scale number jumps up.

This morning, I weighed in at 140lbs. I started this pregnancy at 120. My baby weighs a little over 3 ounces now, so that extra weight has not been going to them, as much as it has to my thighs, hips, and butt.

It's just disheartening, watching the pounds pile on before this little one even weighs one, and knowing I'm not even halfway through pregnancy. I can't cut calories, and apparently I suck at "moderation".

Actually you can cut calories. I do not mean with a goal to lower your weight, but with a goal to limit further weight gain from now on. Figure out your maintenance and eat approximately there. I do not know if it is a cultural thing (I am not American), but I have never heard IRL that excessive weight gain is good for you or the baby and my drs through 3 pregnancies were always monitoring my weight (I actually started with stats similar to yours) and warning me about not gaining too much. Goal per my dr was 7-12 kilos, so 15 to 25 lbs approximately. I had eating plans for GD from the hospital dietician and the calorie goal was close to maintenance throughout the pregnancy.

I stopped strictly counting and logging my calories after I got to my goal weight 6 years ago, and just ate mostly healthy foods while trying to avoid empty calories. Even though I LOVE sweets and cheese, and would have some of each every day, I stayed within a healthy weight without having to really think about it. I am moderately active and have a fast metabolism. Since getting pregnant, I've been pretty much the same with my diet and exercise, with much different results. The week before my last OB appointment, I tried to completely cut out junk and only eat foods that have nutritional value for me and the baby, hoping to not gain any more - and I gained another 2 lbs!

I'll be up to 25 lbs gained by my next apt I'm sure, and I guess I'll just have to resign myself to this and stop getting emotional for the wrong reasons after every apt. Being pregnant has obviously done something to my metabolism, and there seems to be little I can do short of depriving myself to change that.

Maybe it's because I'm over 30 this time around, and with my first I was 25.

evolve33

TavistockToad wrote: »

lorrpb wrote: »

At 5'7" your starting weight of 120 was on the extreme low end of healthy. Even if you gain 50 you'll be barely overweight. I would encourage you to begin practicing moderation (not restriction) now within the goals for your pregnancy. You need this skill for the rest of your life.

All of this.

I know where my BMI was. My weight would fluctuate up or down 5 lbs naturally over the past 4 years, but I looked and felt strong and healthy, and you should see the way I ate lol. After I had my first baby, it took me a year to go from 155 to 130, and it was work. After that I broke up with my child's father, and dropped down to 113 from stress, and an unhealthy lifestyle. Being a size 00 and wearing clothes I could never have dreamed of was fun for a while, but I was not happy or healthy, and I knew it. I got better, and gained 10 lbs. I know how I feel when my body is at the weight it functions best at - before being pregnant, that is.

mom2wessarah

Congratulations!

I too gained 65lbs with my first. I just ate whatever I wanted, lots of ice cream! Not good. My second was twins and I gained only 35lbs. I really tried to watch what I ate the second time.

What helped me about mid-way through was eating the pregnancy diabetic diet. I didn't have gestational diabetes, but my numbers were close. So my doctor suggested I follow the diet. I'll tell you, it was wonderful! Lots of choices! It really helped me to have this plan.

That's what I credit with keeping my gain down with the twins. This is a doctor prescribed diet, so you can feel good following the plan.

Congrats again and enjoy this time.

sarahlifts

evolve33 wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

How tall are you?

I'm 5'7''

at 120 you were nearly underweight at the very low end of BMI.
BMI works for 2 sets of ppl, under weight and obese. Again you started off nearly underweight.

Talk with your doctor.
Track your food.
congrats
Best wishes.