Pregnant & scared of getting HUGE

sarahpetway

This is my very first pregnancy and I consider myself to be fairly healthy. I'm looking for support/advice on things I can do to maintain and healthy weight gain and tips on how to avoid being HUGE...this is mostly why I'm scared I know I will be gaining but I just want to do it in the most healthy way for the little growing life inside me! Please tell me what you did to stay fit during pregnancy & what types of things you ate on a daily basis! I'm 30, 5'5 (143 lbs) 9 weeks along...any advice is welcome!

brynnsmom

I was just like you when I was pregnant with my daughter. I was at my best weight ever and the thought of gaining terrified me. But, it's inevitable. I tried really hard to stay active - mostly walking and doing some prenatal videos. Of course there were times when I was too exhausted to even think about it though! I ate tons of fresh fruits and vegetables for snacks. You just have to listen to your body - if you're hungry, eat - but make nutritionally sound choices. Sounds like you are in a good place starting out. I gained less than 30 pounds and it came off relatively quickly.

ironmonkeystyle

http://www.tvfanatic.com/quotes/shows/its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia/episodes/who-got-dee-pregnant/

lithezebra

The important thing is that the weight gain is temporary. If you exercise and watch what you eat, after giving birth, you will return to your normal size. You can even exercise now, as long as everything is okay and your doctor approves. Eat healthily, and eat enough. You're building a whole other person. Best wishes to you and your baby!

larsensue

I was 32 when I got pregnant and I was so scared to get huge and lose my body. I did water aerobics classes 3 times a week while I was pregnant and for the whole year after I had my baby. it helped SOOO much!! I was back to my normal self in3 months... I would highly recommend water aerobics (aquasize classes).

RunHardBeStrong

The important thing is that the weight gain is temporary. If you exercise and watch what you eat, after giving birth, you will return to your normal size. You can even exercise now, as long as everything is okay and your doctor approves. Eat healthily, and eat enough. You're building a whole other person. Best wishes to you and your baby!

Agreed. I had the same thoughts, completely normal. I kept up my exercise routine (with dr's approval) my eating was impecable throughout my pregnancy. Only gained 20 lbs and with in 2 weeks of delivery I had lost that 20 plus 5 more. I know it was because I stayed active and healthy through my pregnancy. Good luck and enjoy!

kittyhasclaws

Simplest things to do:

Don't eat for two; you only have to have an extra 400ish calories a day to grow the baby.
Keep active; probably shouldn't be doing insanity or anything like that, but unless your doctor tells you "NO", then keep it up.
Put away the scale; the scale will only frustrate you. You will be weighed at your prenatal appointments, and that's enough.
Relax; stress makes things worse. Just enjoy every bit of your pregnancy that you can- some stuff is going to suck, but enjoy what you can. If you like massages, find someone who does prenatal massages because they're awesome.

Cp731

Congrats on a new baby...

Its not true when ppl say your eating for 2. Your eating for 1

Lots of veggies and fruits in low acidity and try to stay away from sodium filled snacks and entrees

Too many Carbs will keep you craving carbs.

If your having cravings its because your hormones are trying to find a happy balance. (well not the scientific description)

Try to eat as balanced of a diet as possible

You also prolly have an opportunity to see a nutritionist, most insurances will pay for that.

MercenaryNoetic26

I got HUGE! LOL, so I can't help you, but good luck and congrats on the baby.

Alisontheice

My experience was like Mayra's. Don't do what I did and eat everything in sight. I was good the first 3 months because I was so nauseous but after that ebbed I ballooned up.

So I can tell you what not to do...don't snack constantly, do exercise, do continue eating healthy foods.

JoRocka

don't have kids

otherwise... don' teat everything in site- you only need like a couple hundred extra calories- like 400 + or - a hundred or so. You do NOT need to be eating for 2 full sized humans.

Fitfully_me

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Here are my two cents...

You don't "NEED" any "extra" calories until your 3rd trimester and even then you only need a few hundred more. (like 300)
So you eating at YOUR maintenance calories is all you need, until you reach about 28 weeks... So don't overdo it with the whole "I'm eating for two" mentality. Indulge in those cravings though. :bigsmile: They're incessant and won't just go away.

You can still exercise while pregnant. (obviously, you'll want to consult with your Dr if you have specific concerns), but generally speaking women who were exercising prior to getting pregnant can, and should continue to exercise if possible.

Don't stress too much again the weight gain. It'll be ok. You are after all growing a human... :happy:

Again, congratulations.

Hildy_J

Awww - congratulations on the start of an amazing journey. :-)

Getting big freaked me out quite a bit, I have to say, when I was pregnant, especially around month 7.

My mantra for those times was: 'I'm not fat - I'm pregnant'.

All the best xx

running_free_1984

If i could have done it again i wouldn't have literally eaten for two and would have kept an appropriate exercise regime. I'm now probably the fittest I've been since i was in my early teens but its only taken a year and a half to get there (and i still am struggling to drop that last stone despite having lost 49.2 lbs).

This is after two more or less consecutive pregnancies and being totally lazy and eating with reckless abandonment during both. I just feel so lucky to have gained two such gorgeous people from it.

lithezebra

You're not eating for two full grown people, however if you don't eat enough, the protein and the calcium needed come out of your muscles and bones.

ValerieMartini2Olives

If you eat right and do mild exercise you will not get huge. I gained around 20 pounds my pregnancy and it all dropped off after a week. However, for the first 6 weeks postpartum, I kept my calories high to recover from my csection so I gained about 10 pounds back.