gaining weight quickly in first tri? help! :)

getfitgal123

Hi there - I'm about 7 weeks and have put on 6-7 pounds already! And this is while tracking and averaging 1600-1800 cals per day (total!) and working out 5-6 times per week (*not* eating back exercise calories.) I do kettlebell training with a trainer 3 times/week, take 2 Zumba classes and run or do elliptical 2 days. I am 5'3" and currently 147. As background - I have PCOS and was taking metformin and Femara to help get pregnant. When we started TTC in September 2012 I was 130 but rapidly gained after getting off bc pills.

I have been on 400 mg of progesterone/day since ovulation this cycle, which could be contributing to the weight gain.

Should I lower calories back down? Exercise more? I was eating very low carb before and about 1400 calories per day (total not net) but upped the carbs and calories when I found out I was pregnant. Maybe I should lower calories down and decrease carbs. (I read a helpful, recent post on here about lower carb diets can be ok during pregnancy as long as it's not super low carb/ketogenic.)

I have first OB appt next week so I guess I will ask her. I just feel frustrated that I am keeping such close track of things and gaining weight so fast. My boobs are 2 cup sizes bigger so there's that I guess. LOL

Any advice?

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

I gained a lot in the first as well (I think about 12 lbs) then in the second I gained most of what else I gained. Now that I'm well into the third and pretty much ready to deliver any day I'm not gaining much at all (two weeks ago I was up 0.5 lbs and this past week I lost 0.5). As long as your care provider isn't concerned and you're not over eating (I mean, if you're hungry then you're hungry, right?) then I wouldn't worry about it.

Now I have gained 43 lbs so far, which is a fair bit more than recommended so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but I'm feeling good and my midwife isn't concerned with my weight gain.

joianett

I was gaining rather fast in the first tri because I could only eat carbohydrates but once I hit the second tri, I backed down on the carbohydrates and now have a net gain of 10 lbs @ 30 weeks. Now, I might be eating too little carbohydrates? I am not sure. I wish I could have gone to a nutritionist. What is your carbohydrate intake?

getfitgal123

JustAnother - thanks that's good to know! I wish you a happy and smooth delivery! I gained about 40 lbs with my son and was able to lose it fairly easily but I was 25 at the time and when this baby is born I will be 35.

joianett - While TTC I was keeping carbs pretty low - aiming for a net of under 25 g/day. Once I found out I was pg I did find myself reaching for more carbs to settle the stomach and net carbs are now around 100-150 g/day. Maybe I should try to aim for the 50-100 g range? The PCOS causes some level of insulin resistance so I generally do better on lower carb.

joianett

I would definitely talk to your doctor but I find that I am below 100 MOST days with some days between 100-120. I think being pregnant you wouldn't want to go below 25 as you may not have energy, not sure though. It might be that your body is use to not eating carbohydrates so now that you are eating some (though still very minimal) your body is holding onto them.

psmd

I have been going through the same thing! I am at 8w 6d (just found out yesterday, I thought I was almost 12 weeks!)--which means I've gained about 5 pounds so far and I still have a few weeks left! This morning I was 145.

You are doing really good though, because I haven't been exercising and I have been trying to stay around 1700-1800 but I know for sure I have gone over almost every day by about 1000 calories (( But I have been sick almost every day and then by evening I'm eating and then at night I'm starving! Then at that point I'm getting into a habit of eating and I end up eating too much.

Now that I'm realizing I'm earlier than I thought I plan to reign it back; I don't want to gain another 5 pounds before I hit my second trimester.

Good luck and feel free to add me if you like!

Cheeky_and_Geeky

With my first, I gained 34lbs & gained most of it in my first & second trimesters. No worries!

I'm 5 weeks pregnant with my second & haven't gained any weight yet, but eat 1800+ exercise calories. I think I haven't gained because I'm eating a better all around diet than my last pregnancy. I'm hoping to gain 25-35lbs this time again.