Can you count calories while pregnant??

fitnessnewbie2012

So Ive been doing MFP for two months and have lost 20 pounds!! I am so happy and can't wait to lose more!

BUT, this morning, I found out I am pregnant. I want to have a fit healthy pregnancy. I do not want to hurt my child, but I do not want to gain 30 pounds! Before, I would eat whatever and how much ever I wanted and play the "It doesnt matter cuz I'm pregnant" card. But I dont want that this time.

Please dont answer that you cant give me advice because you're not a doctor. I'm not going to sue you. If you are knowlegdable of the human body and fitness and being healthy, then please respond. I know I will gain weight, but I want to be healthy.

Thank you!

omma_to_3

I would say it definitely depends on your current size. If you're obese, yes, you could still lose weight while maintaining a healthy pregnancy. That was always my goal when we were TTC. I had hoped to maintain my weight during a pregnancy which would be the same as losing 20 lbs. or so. Definitely not severe calorie restriction. You can also do lots of low impact workouts (probably high impact for most of the pg too but check with your OB for sure).

If you're not obese, I personally would just work on minimizing the gain to 20 lbs.

fitnessnewbie2012

Thank you Omma for replying. The wii fit said I was obese. Havent checked in awhile but since I've lost 20 pounds I think I would be at the very bottom of the obese mark or maybe just in the overweight area. I definitely have more weight to lose before I would be considered healthy and in-shape.

So how do you maintain your current weight?? By eating the same as I am now?? MFP has been doing 1200 calories a day. And I'm making better choices like salad with a meat for dinner instead of the mac-n-cheese and Breads, and all those other things. So Im making those calories count...

Thanks.

mfoulkebrown

First off, congrats! I'm sure you're very excited.

A close coworker of mine counted calories while pregnant (she should be having the baby any day now). She said she wanted to be "cute pregnant, not fat pregnant."

I was surprised when she told me that her doctor had told her to only add a few hundred calories at different points throughout her pregnancy. So, she would add calories, but not too many and on the recommendation of her doctor. She usually ate healthy things.

She also did a lot of walking, also on the recommendation of her doctor.

So I guess the answer is yes, you can count calories and exercise, but you should also definitely do it under a doctor's guidance.

mhotch

The increase in calories are not all that much, and it changes during different stages of your pregnancy. This is where "quality in", " calories out" is extremely important. You need to speak with your GYN and follow the diet and exercise guidelines your Doc provides for you.

Congrats on your pregnancy. I have 2 children and cannot imagine my life without them. It's the most exasperating job you will ever love!

mfoulkebrown

Thank you Omma for replying. The wii fit said I was obese. Havent checked in awhile but since I've lost 20 pounds I think I would be at the very bottom of the obese mark or maybe just in the overweight area. I definitely have more weight to lose before I would be considered healthy and in-shape.

So how do you maintain your current weight?? By eating the same as I am now?? MFP has been doing 1200 calories a day. And I'm making better choices like salad with a meat for dinner instead of the mac-n-cheese and Breads, and all those other things. So Im making those calories count...

Thanks.

To maintain your current weight you add back in however many calories MFP takes out, if you want to lose a pound a week, you take 500 calories off a day. For example, MFP give me 1440 calories a day after taking out 500. So, if I wanted to maintain my weight, I would eat around 1940 calories a day.

alibel

The first two trimesters of my pregnancy I gained 46lbs (YIKES!). Then, upon speaking with my Bradley instructor about it, I changed just one thing in my diet and I didn't gain anything after that.

This is what I did: eat fresh fruits and/or vegetables with EVERY meal. I ate a ton of protein (very important in pregnancy) and replaced my sides with fresh fruits and veggies, occasionally steamed veggies. I felt better and I didn't gain a single pound the last 3 months (even though my baby and belly were getting bigger and bigger).

Simple little tweaks will help, just keep baby's health top priority. There are certain nutrients your body needs to best fuel those cells your baby is being made of.

VelociMama

Congratulations!

Check out the Fit, Fabulous, and Pregnant group here on MFP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/1903-fit-fabulous-pregnant

Lots of answers to your questions, and there are a lovely group of ladies there to help you along your way.

Unfortunately, some women just gain a lot during pregnancy despite eating well. Don't stress so much about the weight gain. Focus on eating at maintenance for your first trimester with lots of good healthy foods. Second trimester should be maintenance plus 1/2 lb per week.

nxd10

Congratulations!

You need to watch what you eat carefully and this is a great thing to talk to your doctor or nurse practitioner about. They will give you tons of information on what to eat.

I'm a developmental psychologist and teach prenatal development (but am NOT a health professional). This is what we teach:

In general, women who become pregnant while overweight gain much less weight than those who were not overweight. The weight re-distributes itself to breasts, as well as your thighs and buttocks. Healthy weight and especially healthy eating are important for infant and mom safety.

Although there is a myth that the baby will take their nutrition first and the mom will lose weight/nutrtion, this isn't true in general. Babies do preferentially sequester calcium, which is why it is critical that you make sure you get enough for you (so you don't lose teeth) and for the babe (who is growing all those bones!)

They may ask you to watch your calories if you are gaining weight too fast. Again, it is essential to choose your calories wisely. Lots of veggies, whole foods, and good protein. Most of those additives cross the placenta. They will also come out in your breast milk. So think of everything you put in your mouth going directly into your baby.

It used to be that doctors had people diet during pregnancy and try to gain less than 15 pounds. That proved to put the baby at risk. Then they tended to say gain whatever you need to, which led to obese babies who were also at risk. Now they tend to say gain 25 pounds on average. More if you're thin and less if you're overweight.

Honestly - your doctor will give you lots of great advice on this and hand you tons of information. If you don't have a doctor, the department of public health will give you it for free.

But if you eat your best and hit normal calorie goals (not diet), you should do great. Your diet calories will go into building a baby.

And enjoy the pregmancy.

nxd10

BTW (and in response to the person who gained 47 pounds early).

Most healthy women lose weight the first few months and don't gain much until the third trimester. Most early, healthy weight gain is in your breasts. The baby is around 7 pounds of what you'll gain. Placenta and fluid 5 pounds. Two pounds of breasts. Five pounds for expanded lungs and vasculature. Five pounds of fat WHICH YOU NEED to breastfeed.

VelociMama

OP:

I gained 12 lbs my first trimester, and I was not overeating (tracked my calories diligently throughout). My doctor said it's perfectly normal for some women to gain in first trimester, especially ones like me who didn't have to deal with much in the way of morning sickness. Progesterone can cause bloating and water retention, and apparently, my progesterone levels are high even for a pregnant woman. There are a lot of reasons for early pregnancy weight gain, and as long as your doctor checks it, it can be totally normal and healthy.

Each pregnancy is different, and each woman's response to that pregnancy is different. Don't focus so much on your weight. Instead, focus on eating well, staying active, and keeping up with your doctor about what you should and should not do. It's not abnormal for women to gain a lot during pregnancy, even women who are overweight to begin with. It happens. Just focus on being as healthy as you can for yourself and your baby. As soon as the baby is born, you'll be able to work off any weight you gained with the tools you've learned here on MFP.

Also, I think counting calories during pregnancy is a GOOD thing. It helps you realize when you need to eat more or less and what nutrients (calcium and iron particularly) you may need to adjust in your diet for optimal pregnancy health. Plus, exercising will help strengthen your back which will go a long way in preventing back strain later in pregnancy. All good things.

danimills2005

Great info! Just an FYI - all of you ladies that have had a baby before , remember the day after you have the baby? You lose a lot more than just the weight of the baby! When DS was born I lost 17 lbs in that one day and he only weighed 7lbs 3oz!

lynn_glenmont

fitnessnewbie2012 wrote: »

Thank you Omma for replying. The wii fit said I was obese. Havent checked in awhile but since I've lost 20 pounds I think I would be at the very bottom of the obese mark or maybe just in the overweight area. I definitely have more weight to lose before I would be considered healthy and in-shape.

So how do you maintain your current weight?? By eating the same as I am now?? MFP has been doing 1200 calories a day. And I'm making better choices like salad with a meat for dinner instead of the mac-n-cheese and Breads, and all those other things. So Im making those calories count...

Thanks.

But haven't you lost 20 lbs on 1200 cals per day? You won't maintain on 1200 cals then.

L1zardQueen

Necro thread.

RAinWA

L1zardQueen wrote: »

Necro thread.

Yeah, that baby should be in about 1st grade by now!

Salixiana

Congratulations, OP!
I'm a certified childbirth instructor. What I tell the women in my classes is that nutrition -- not weight per se -- should be their central focus during pregnancy. So, that doesn't mean that you should eat as much as you want of whatever you want. Instead (especially if you're overweight) focus on making sure that everything you eat is as nutrient-dense as possible.

You can watch your weight safely during pregnancy by skipping all the purely empty calories: Drink sparkling water instead of soda (the flavored waters are nice.) Instead of reaching for a bag of candy, try snacking on a handful of raisins or a plate of almonds and apple slices. Try substituting some whole grain bread for white bread. Treat yourself to fancy fruit instead of pastries. Broil some parmesan cheese on veggies if you're not a big veggie fan, so that they taste decadent. Basically, eat lots of produce, whole grains, dairy products, nuts, beans, lean meat, and *some* fish. And as little sweet stuff as you can manage -- so eat a few beautiful high-quality sweets rather than a bunch of the cheap ones.

Homemade desserts are generally healthier than packaged ones, because homemade ones don't have the added chemical enhancers and preservatives. The fact that additives are permitted on the market is NOT a guarantee that they are safe for your growing baby, so it's better to reduce your consumption of them. Here are three links to articles about that topic, if you want more information:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11424812
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-food-additives-you-should-avoid/
https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/AAP-Says-Some-Common-Food-Additives-May-Pose-Health-Risks-to-Children.aspx

The Cleveland Clinic has a nice page about nutrition during pregnancy, and they talk about how important it is to get all the magic little micronutrients. They also remind us that there's a reason for the weight gain:
Baby, 6-8 pounds
Placenta, 2-3 pounds
Amniotic fluid, 2-3 pounds
Breast tissue, 0-3 pounds
Blood supply, 3-4 pounds
Fat stores for delivery and breastfeeding (remainder of weight)
Uterus increase, 2-5 pounds

Here's the link to that page:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12593-pregnancy-nutrition

This is all generic advice, but obviously if you have any special conditions you should discuss diet with your doctor or midwife. They can sometimes refer you for an appointment with a dietician.