Pregnant- should I eat to satisfaction or count calories?

jennk5309

I don't want to gain more than 25 pounds, since I am already 11 pounds above a healthy BMI. I could count calories, but is it a better plan to just focus on eating healthfully to satisfaction?

I'm already tired and nauseated, and it seems like I want starches and fruit to fend off nausea.

I frankly don't feel like dealing with entering all my food into MFP.

IDontLikeRegistering

http://www.babycenter.com/406_is-it-safe-to-diet-during-pregnancy_1246178.bc

Atishi87

http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/eating-well/pregnancy-diet/calories.aspx

jessicameadsstephens

Years ago my dr told me how many calories to increase per day and how to count exercise if i did safe exercise during pregnant. I would ask your Dr. and follow their lead, they dont want you to overgain either.

Kat120285

I'm also pregnant, due in April actually. I was 15 pounds over what I normally am when I found out I was pregnant. Luckily my appetite never changed and I never became ravenous. I was also able to keep working out, with that said I haven't counted calories. I've tried to make healthy choices but have also enjoyed things that baby wanted. I wouldn't worry about calories, just eat when you're hungry and if you're really hungry just try and make it something healthy. Congrats and good luck.

fannyfrost

Ask your Dr what your calorie range should be before you even count calories.

As for eating to satisfaction, watch that. I was hungry all the time when I was pregnant. I mean I would eat a large meal and 1 hour later I was starving. I gained a lot of weight, but if I didn't eat, I got sick to my stomach. So you can't go by that and expect not to gain. Everyone is different though.

I do recommend that you eat a varied diet, lots of veggies and plenty of calcium rich foods. The added bonus to this is that your baby is more likely eat a healthy diet. I am convinced that what you eat when pregnant effects how your kids eat after. When I was pregnant I didn't eat chocolate, candy, avoided cakes and cookies. no empty calories. My daughter loves veggies, salad and does not like cookies. She does like ice cream and I ate frozen yogurt everyday because I don't like milk it was a way to add dairy.

fannyfrost

I exercised all the way through pregnancy even with all the weight I gained.

mmckee10

I'm due in June and I still try to log. (Under the advice of my OB) I have upped my calories by 200/day in the first trimester and 400/day in the second trimester. On the days I feel like logging, I log. Days that I feel sick/can't eat very much I just eat whatever I'm craving. *steals boyfriend's tator tot*

Talk to your OB and follow his/her advice. Congrats!! :flowerforyou:

calibriintx

Sounds like counting calories would help you to gain a healthy amount of weight but might not be good for your mental health. If that's the case, maybe try to wing it. If you wind up freaking out over gains or stressing about your weight, then maybe switching back to counting would be good for your mental health after all. Either way, talk to your doc about the appropriate changes you should make to your diet, as far as increasing intake and then go from there.

I can tell you that I ate to satisfaction during my pregnancy and I gained 70 lbs. I wasn't counting calories at the time but I've gone back and logged a couple sample days to get an idea of how I gained that much. I didn't feel like I was really eating that much but I was hungry often and craved lots of calorie rich foods. I think I ate all the cheese when I was pregnant. If you couldn't find any cheese at the store in 2009, it was my fault.

unFATuated

If you're nauseated and eating certain foods staves off the nausea, just go with it. Some women find that frequent, small meals helps them feel better in the first trimester. I found eating meat or the mere smell of it would make me feel, not sick exactly, but like I didn't want to eat. I survived on carbs pretty much the first 12 weeks or so.

If/when you start to feel better, make sure you're getting plenty of balance in your meals. Lean protein, grains and veggies/fruit, plus good fats (esp Omega 3s from fish if you eat it, or things like chia or flax if you don't). Don't stress too much about the weight gain - while you can eat healthy during pregnancy and not overeat, sometimes the weight gain is out of your control. Some women will gain very little but appear to be eating for their country, and others will gain stacks despite having a healthy, balanced diet. You will probably fall in the middle of those two extremes, but that's what happens to some people.

You're only a little bit over your healthy weight. Of course watching what you eat is great and important but if there's not much you can eat without feeling sick, then just eat what you can. You need energy and calories to help your baby grow.

mulecanter

Follow your doctor's orders and place your priority on the health of your baby. (Advice from a father of three )