Lose weight while pregnant?

nmensen18

Hey everyone -

So I'm a little over half way with my weight loss goal, but planning to get pregnant in the next 1-3 months. I always thought I would meet my goal weight before I got pregnant again, but my weight loss has slowed down a bit and I'm afraid I wont. My doctor said that as long as I'm active before I get preggo that I can continue to do the same level of fitness, just not to increase the intensity of it. This is great, but I still want to reshape my body while I'm expecting.

Thoughts on this? The plan is to continue to use MFP and track my calories, while of course adding any additional recommended calories during the pregnancy. I would never deprive whats growing inside my belly, but can I still lose weight overall? Anyone else do this while pregnant?

Saucy_lil_Minx

With my first child I lost weight during the first 7 months of pregnancy (I was not trying to. I just had SEVERE!!! morning sickness) I went from 201 down to 180. My OBGYN told my husband (who was freaking out!) that I was
OK as long as I did not lose more than 10%, and the baby was getting everything he needed. I was the one that was missing out. I know this isn't truly an answer to your question, but it is the closest answer I can give you. Remember too, you may not get pregnant right away either. Healthy couples can take up to a year to get pregnant, so you may have more time than you think. I imagine as long as you clear it with your Doctor you should be OK.

aj11016

Right now, I am about 5.5 mos along and it was a SHOCK to say the least when I found out!!! But my OB said that as long as I listen to my body (like pain, dizziness, or anything out of the norm) that I was pretty much free to do what I want as far as exercise... that will change the farther I get along of course. For instance, right now I am still doing a program called Turbofire and using a treadmill since the weather here is cold and wet. Also one thing to remember is FOOD choices! I have actually lost fat during this pregnancy just giving my body what it needs versus what I think I need aka "I need that doughnut or I'm gunna die" lol

NoAdditives

No. Absolutely not. Calorie restriction during pregnancy is dangerous. You will rob both your baby and yourself of vital nutrients. Trying to lose weight during pregnancy will likely result in a low birth weight baby with the possibility of other problems, preterm labor, and other problems for both of you. If you want to have a baby you have to be willing to do what is necessary to ensure your baby's health. That means eating your maintenance calories during the first half of pregnancy and an extra 300 calories during the second half. Exercising to stay healthy is fine, but you cannot be concerned with losing weight during pregnancy. Don't let vanity jeopardize the health of your child.

calibriintx

Lots of women lose weight when they're pregnant. Those women are "generally" seriously overweight or obese. Be more specific with your doctor. Don't just talk about whether it's okay to continue to work out. Ask her whether you should be gaining or losing and ask her how much. Whatever you do should be under the strict care of your doctor. We don't know whether you're at the upper end of healthy, slightly overweight, obese, etc. and we don't know your medical history, so you're really going to need to rely on her to help you figure out what's right for your body and your pregnancy.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

ldrosophila

Remember whatever you do if you have a healthy pregnancy, and we want healthy, your body will change, and it will grow. A normal pregnancy at term you can expect a 25-35lb weight gain that is the weight from the baby, placenta, breast tissue, blood volume, and fluid volume.

In the mean time, take your prenatals, eat tons of leafy greens, protein, and fat.

Love4fitnesslove4food2

Who cares about hitting a stupid number on the scale at that point. What difference does it make anyway??

Concentrate on having a healthy baby and not being selfish thinking of a number on the scale.

THIS!

ktsimons

No. Absolutely not. Calorie restriction during pregnancy is dangerous. You will rob both your baby and yourself of vital nutrients. Trying to lose weight during pregnancy will likely result in a low birth weight baby with the possibility of other problems, preterm labor, and other problems for both of you. If you want to have a baby you have to be willing to do what is necessary to ensure your baby's health. That means eating your maintenance calories during the first half of pregnancy and an extra 300 calories during the second half. Exercising to stay healthy is fine, but you cannot be concerned with losing weight during pregnancy. Don't let vanity jeopardize the health of your child.

she said she was going to eat what her doctor recomended, but continue to exercise. I don't see anything wrong with excercise during pregnancy...are you saying that she can't lift a dumbell or ride a bike or take a walk on a treadmill for 9 months??

nmensen18

Thank you to those who responded - but all I can say is WOW to the comments like this:
"Concentrate on having a healthy baby and not being selfish thinking of a number on the scale. "

I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. When I got pregnant with my first child, I gained over 50lbs during that time. I'm 5'6" and weighed in at 242lbs at the end of my pregnancy. I sat at about 220lbs for several months after I returned to work. When I started MFP back in April/May I was 203 and have lost over 35lbs since then.

I'm not looking to starve my future baby or be selfish. I'm not expecting to meet my goal weight while pregnant, but I am still overweight. I want to continue with my journey to get to a healthy weight through food and exercise. I was asking for feedback to get an understanding on whether this is possible or what other moms went through.

nmensen18

No. Absolutely not. Calorie restriction during pregnancy is dangerous. You will rob both your baby and yourself of vital nutrients. Trying to lose weight during pregnancy will likely result in a low birth weight baby with the possibility of other problems, preterm labor, and other problems for both of you. If you want to have a baby you have to be willing to do what is necessary to ensure your baby's health. That means eating your maintenance calories during the first half of pregnancy and an extra 300 calories during the second half. Exercising to stay healthy is fine, but you cannot be concerned with losing weight during pregnancy. Don't let vanity jeopardize the health of your child.

she said she was going to eat what her doctor recomended, but continue to exercise. I don't see anything wrong with excercise during pregnancy...are you saying that she can't lift a dumbell or ride a bike or take a walk on a treadmill for 9 months??

THANK YOU!

hottamolly00

I lost 10 pounds during my first trimester just because I stopped drinking! :P

NoAdditives

No. Absolutely not. Calorie restriction during pregnancy is dangerous. You will rob both your baby and yourself of vital nutrients. Trying to lose weight during pregnancy will likely result in a low birth weight baby with the possibility of other problems, preterm labor, and other problems for both of you. If you want to have a baby you have to be willing to do what is necessary to ensure your baby's health. That means eating your maintenance calories during the first half of pregnancy and an extra 300 calories during the second half. Exercising to stay healthy is fine, but you cannot be concerned with losing weight during pregnancy. Don't let vanity jeopardize the health of your child.

she said she was going to eat what her doctor recomended, but continue to exercise. I don't see anything wrong with excercise during pregnancy...are you saying that she can't lift a dumbell or ride a bike or take a walk on a treadmill for 9 months??

I'm saying she shouldn't focus on losing weight during pregnancy because it isn't health for her or her baby.

chandanista

Thank you to those who responded - but all I can say is WOW to the comments like this:
"Concentrate on having a healthy baby and not being selfish thinking of a number on the scale. "

I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. When I got pregnant with my first child, I gained over 50lbs during that time. I'm 5'6" and weighed in at 242lbs at the end of my pregnancy. I sat at about 220lbs for several months after I returned to work. When I started MFP back in April/May I was 203 and have lost over 35lbs since then.

I'm not looking to starve my future baby or be selfish. I'm not expecting to meet my goal weight while pregnant, but I am still overweight. I want to continue with my journey to get to a healthy weight through food and exercise. I was asking for feedback to get an understanding on whether this is possible or what other moms went through.

OP there have been a some threads like yours lately, with women laying out plans to lose weight while pregnant and be goal size upon birth. Probably this user jumped on you in an effort to curb the perception that you were going to go the same direction.

Personal thoughts? Exercise while pregnant, but eat all the food (I know the cravings well). It'll come off after the baby leaves your body and hormones level out. Plus, you'll have stronger muscles, which burn calories faster.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

NoAdditives

Thank you to those who responded - but all I can say is WOW to the comments like this:
"Concentrate on having a healthy baby and not being selfish thinking of a number on the scale. "

I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. When I got pregnant with my first child, I gained over 50lbs during that time. I'm 5'6" and weighed in at 242lbs at the end of my pregnancy. I sat at about 220lbs for several months after I returned to work. When I started MFP back in April/May I was 203 and have lost over 35lbs since then.

I'm not looking to starve my future baby or be selfish. I'm not expecting to meet my goal weight while pregnant, but I am still overweight. I want to continue with my journey to get to a healthy weight through food and exercise. I was asking for feedback to get an understanding on whether this is possible or what other moms went through.

I guess I wasn't as clear as I intended to be. Exercising is fine, but trying to lose weight is not. You are at a healthy enough weight that trying to lose is potentially harmful to both you and your baby. Get some exercise, eat healthy foods, and you shouldn't gain too much weight.

teresamwhite

I was in the Army for my first pregnancy, and my OB said that whatever I was doing before I got pregnant I could still do after I got pregnant, I just had to keep my heart rate under a number she calibrated for me, and listen to my body. I gained 25lbs and the baby weight pretty much fell off within 6 months. I ran during my first trimester, and scaled back to speedwalking during my last two trimesters. I still lifted weights, though the excercises slowly became modified over time, and the weight went down. At the time, I didn't have a problem with my weight, so I didn't worry about what I ate, or how many calories I took in.

My second child, though, I gained a LOT of weight, because i pretty much worked an office job and didn't excercise at all. The baby weight stuck around forever, too.

As long as you and your doctor work together and she is satsfied with your numbers, then you are probably okay.

michellechawner

We are not doctors - please consult a physician. What works for others, may not work for you.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Eat healthy. Exercise. But no, it's not healthy to try to lose weight while pregnant. Try to gain a healthy amount.

StarPanic85

When I was preggie my doc told me to exercise and to loose weight. But I am obese.

wendy0210

I was in the Army for my first pregnancy, and my OB said that whatever I was doing before I got pregnant I could still do after I got pregnant, I just had to keep my heart rate under a number she calibrated for me, and listen to my body. I gained 25lbs and the baby weight pretty much fell off within 6 months. I ran during my first trimester, and scaled back to speedwalking during my last two trimesters. I still lifted weights, though the excercises slowly became modified over time, and the weight went down. At the time, I didn't have a problem with my weight, so I didn't worry about what I ate, or how many calories I took in.

My second child, though, I gained a LOT of weight, because i pretty much worked an office job and didn't excercise at all. The baby weight stuck around forever, too.

As long as you and your doctor work together and she is satsfied with your numbers, then you are probably okay.

This is a great post.

To the OP: I have a friend whose overall body shape changed during pregnancy. Here's what I mean, she started her preganancy a little overweight, and gained the amount of weight recommended by her doctor, continued to exercise moderately (as she had been doing prior to pregnancy) and it's like her weight shifted. She had a very healthy, full-term baby, but did end up losing some fat from hips, thighs etc. Therefore, she probaby did lose some excess weight overall, but the gains from her baby evened out and she continued to lose after pregnancy. Now, 2 pregancies later, she's very healthy, in great shape, and smaller than she was before her first.

I hope this wasn't too confusing and answers what I think you're asking...is it possible to continue to improve your body while ensuring your baby is healthy too?...I think as long as you work with your doctor, as you plan to do, you'll be fine. Good luck to you!

wendy0210

Double post

nmensen18

I was in the Army for my first pregnancy, and my OB said that whatever I was doing before I got pregnant I could still do after I got pregnant, I just had to keep my heart rate under a number she calibrated for me, and listen to my body. I gained 25lbs and the baby weight pretty much fell off within 6 months. I ran during my first trimester, and scaled back to speedwalking during my last two trimesters. I still lifted weights, though the excercises slowly became modified over time, and the weight went down. At the time, I didn't have a problem with my weight, so I didn't worry about what I ate, or how many calories I took in.

My second child, though, I gained a LOT of weight, because i pretty much worked an office job and didn't excercise at all. The baby weight stuck around forever, too.

As long as you and your doctor work together and she is satsfied with your numbers, then you are probably okay.

This is a great post.

To the OP: I have a friend whose overall body shape changed during pregnancy. Here's what I mean, she started her preganancy a little overweight, and gained the amount of weight recommended by her doctor, continued to exercise moderately (as she had been doing prior to pregnancy) and it's like her weight shifted. She had a very healthy, full-term baby, but did end up losing some fat from hips, thighs etc. Therefore, she probaby did lose some excess weight overall, but the gains from her baby evened out and she continued to lose after pregnancy. Now, 2 pregancies later, she's very healthy, in great shape, and smaller than she was before her first.

I hope this wasn't too confusing and answers what I think you're asking...is it possible to continue to improve your body while ensuring your baby is healthy too?...I think as long as you work with your doctor, as you plan to do, you'll be fine. Good luck to you!

I love this post! Thank you! This is exactly what I was referring to. Reshaping my body in areas like my hips, legs, arms and not worrying about the number on the scale.

From previous comments, I get that none of us are doctors. However, there are hundreds of MFP users that are using these forums for questions about their health or fitness/weight loss journey. The point is to gain advice or thoughts from other users who have experienced it...not to replace a doctor. I will continue to work with my OBGYN once I get pregnant with #2 as I would anyway, and I'll keep her involved on my thoughts about continuing to improve my overall health. Wanting to continue with my journey does not make me vain or selfish...if that was the case, then anyone who ever wanted to take control on improving their health must be too? No, I dont think so. I'm not trying to achieve a stick figure look whether I'm pregnant or not. I just want to be the healthiest I can get - not just for me, but so I can continue to be the best I can for my family.

Thanks everyone.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Hey everyone -

So I'm a little over half way with my weight loss goal, but planning to get pregnant in the next 1-3 months. I always thought I would meet my goal weight before I got pregnant again, but my weight loss has slowed down a bit and I'm afraid I wont. My doctor said that as long as I'm active before I get preggo that I can continue to do the same level of fitness, just not to increase the intensity of it. This is great, but I still want to reshape my body while I'm expecting.

Thoughts on this? The plan is to continue to use MFP and track my calories, while of course adding any additional recommended calories during the pregnancy. I would never deprive whats growing inside my belly, but can I still lose weight overall? Anyone else do this while pregnant?

Yes, you can lose weight while pregnant, but you should not actively be TRYING to lose weight. If you eat healthy and exercise regularly, and weight loss is a byproduct of that, then so be it. Just stick to the recommended calories during pregnancy like you said, and you'll be fine. Using MFP to track calories while pregnant is awesome, though. I did this to make sure I was always eating healthy foods for my baby, and it was the best way to hold me accountable.

ETA: Yeah, I'm with you OP. It's not like she's asking if losing 8 pounds a month during pregnancy is healthy or not (like a certain OTHER poster did a few days ago.)

christy1027

I am going to go through IVF in just over a month (to be a surrogate). My doctor asked me to lose weight because he was worried about high blood pressure. My blood pressure is fine (btw) and only skyrockets when i am at his office! He asked me to lose 15-20lbs and i am down 18 right now.

I have also been exercising and getting a routine going so that i can continue while i am pregnant. I walk almost every day, i run (or jog rather) occasionally and I go on long crazy mountain hikes (it's just where i live). I recently (about 3 months ago) joined curves knowing that i planned to be pregnant and it seemed like a very easy to do and modifiable workout that i could start now and continue through pregnancy.

With my own child i only gained 6lbs in my pregnancy. I was a lot smaller than i am right now. I was not trying to lose weight, i was just crazy active (and a lot younger as he is 12 now).

I will continue to keep my healthy eating and exercise in hopes that i can continue to "tone" areas of my body, or at least make it easier to get back into reasonable shape more quickly after i deliver, but i probably won't pay attention to the scale while i am pregnant... the doctor will do that for me enough!

I would definitely suggest talking to your doctor or a nutritionist about how many calories you need and the level of fitness that is safe.

And feel free to add me as a friend... who knows, we maybe doing this pregnancy thing at the same time with similar focus! I just won't have a baby/stroller during my runs after delivery!

christy1027

... and remember, it will never be too late to work on yourself (fitness) after the baby is born, but you will never be able to put the baby back and do it again the right way... make sure the health of your baby comes first, that is what parenting is all about! Always put your kids needs before your own...

(btw, this is coming from someone who is also raising her 3yo niece because her sister hasn't quite learned that lesson yet of putting your kids wants/needs first!)

bcattoes

Talk to your doctor and follow his/her advice. If s/he thinks it's safe to lose fat while you are pregnant then go for it. If not, then wait until after. Losing a bit of fat 9 months sooner is not worth risking you or your baby's health.

Asking for or taking advice on something like this from strangers on the internet is crazy!

tworthen79

Who cares about hitting a stupid number on the scale at that point. What difference does it make anyway??

Concentrate on having a healthy baby and not being selfish thinking of a number on the scale.

I agree! It's only 9 mos out of your life. Still eat healthy at maintenance. And walk. I wouldn't do a calorie deficit.
Also, why not wait until you lose the weight to try to conceive? Why in the middle of your weight loss journey?
If it were me, I wouldn't work my tail off to lose a bunch of weight, then get pregnant mid way through.

ewarlow

With my middle child, I lost almost 20 pounds over the first half of my pregnancy and then gained about 15 of those back.. Baby was full term, very healthy and a whopping 10lbs 3 oz.

Eating appropriate portions of healthy foods while remaining active are completely ok

aprilwilliams2729

While I don't know the OP's particular situation, recent studies show that it is safe and often benificial for obese women to maintain or even lose weight during pregnancy (see below). I am currently undergoing fertility treatments and I intend to continue my current plan with my doctor's supervison. I want a healthy pregnancy - and studies show that at my weight (My BMI is 43 :embarassed: ) weight loss during pregnancy actually cuts down on the risk of possible complications.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070605185550.htm
http://contemporaryobgyn.modernmedicine.com/contemporary-obgyn/RC/obesity-and-weight-gain-during-pregnancy
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/12/pregnancy-weight-loss-safe-obese-women/

ccarew77

Hey everyone -

So I'm a little over half way with my weight loss goal, but planning to get pregnant in the next 1-3 months. I always thought I would meet my goal weight before I got pregnant again, but my weight loss has slowed down a bit and I'm afraid I wont. My doctor said that as long as I'm active before I get preggo that I can continue to do the same level of fitness, just not to increase the intensity of it. This is great, but I still want to reshape my body while I'm expecting.

Thoughts on this? The plan is to continue to use MFP and track my calories, while of course adding any additional recommended calories during the pregnancy. I would never deprive whats growing inside my belly, but can I still lose weight overall? Anyone else do this while pregnant?

How about less judgment everyone? She never said she was FOCUSING on losing weight during pregnancy as her priority. She was asking for feedback. She clearly states what her priority is - a healthy baby and that she would be eating extra calories for her baby. There is nothing wrong with her still wanting to be "healthy' and take care of herself during pregnancy.
Ease.Up.