Overweight and Pregnant

monette13

Is there anyone on here that is overweight and pregnant? I just found out I will be having my 2nd baby, but this time around I have extra weight on me. I am hoping to find some help from others about what I should and shouldn't do. Does anyone think it is OK to lose weight while pregnant, or does anyone recommend and good eating plan to maintain weight?
I will admit, it is difficult for me to place a healthy eating plan together by myself. I do need help!!
Are there any pregnancy/healthy eating books anyone recommends?
Thanks for your advice!!!
Monette

eazieske

hi, congrats on the baby well my sister was over weight when she got pregnate and at every pregnancy she tends to lose weight but has healthy babys !!! she would just watches what she eats low sodium and alot of veggies and she would have small portions but every one is different ... not sure what are your ristrictions are?

monette13

I have no restrictions. I go in for my first prenatal appt this Friday, so I will be asking lots of questions. I sure hope I have no restrictions.

lawandfitness

No one here can advise you on dieting while pregnant, you need to speak to a doctor. A doctor will let you know how many calories to take in a day to ensure you are not harming yourself or the baby.

I was really heavy with baby #2, I just trie to eat as clean as possible. Whole food like lots of fruits, veggies, protein and whole grains. The first I gained over 50, with the second it was 28, so ask your doctor, only they can provide you witht the best advice

monette13

Thank you so much for response. I do need to eat more fruits, veggies and whole grains and be observant of serving size.

Hickyvikki69

im considered overweight and im 6mo pregnant now. eat right and ask your doc what kind of calorie intake you should be at and if there is any restrictions on exercise. i currectly have no restrictions on exercise n suppose to be taking in 2000 calorie a day. remember our body does need carbs so eat good carbs not bad carbs and your eating should be great.

keeldrum

Hi there,

I've just found out I'm about 6 weeks pregnant but am 10 lbs overweight.
I'm wondering if its safe to try to lose those extra pounds in the first trimester.
I'm not planning on a crash diet, just eating sensibly with healthy snacks and fresh produce.
With my 1st baby I gained far too much and I don't want to go through that again.

If there's anyone in a similar position I'd love to keep in-touch and support eachother throughout it all.

Please add me as a friend.

A problem shared is a problem halved I believe.

DistantJ

No one in their right mind is going to advise you to lose weight while pregnant. If you're really overweight like me, however, they will advise you to control your weight gain. My last pregnancy I was about 65 lbs overweight and she told me to try to not gain more than 15 lbs.

skadoosh33

It is actually alright to exercise and lose weight when you are pregnant if you are overweight/obese unless you have a medical condition that won't allow it. My wife is just trying to maintain her weight and exercising 3-5 times a week and is still running up to 5 miles at a time. She is almost 5 months pregnant now and is 5' 5 128lbs. There isn't much weight gain until 5+ months, where you will begin to gain 1 pound/week. Remember, you are not eating for 2 and the fetus will take the nutrients it needs from you. Since it is early in pregnancy, you should begin eating healthy and an exercise routine now. Good luck!

DawnieB1977

Do you exercise already? I continued to exercise around 5 times a week in my 1st pregnancy, although I did put on weight. I'm not sure how much. At the time I thought it was loads, but actually I don't think it was too bad.

I put on a lot more 2nd time because I didn't exercise enough, and to lose baby weight from no. 1 I had only been eating 1200 calories a day, practically cut out carbs, and other such silly things! So being pregnant and wanting carbs and eating a normal amount ensured I put that weight back on quite fast. My kids are 22 months apart.

My youngest is 20 months now and I'm thinner than I've been for 10 years.

Anyway, I just suggest you exercise and eat as healthily as you can. Continue to log your food on here.

I'd like to try for a 3rd later this year and I fully intend on exercising until my due date, and logging on here every day.

ktsmom430

You need to get advice from your OB, doctor, not a forum like this.

Many women are overweight when they become pregnant, and have normal pregnancies and childbirth experiences, but, there can be additional health issues being extremely overweight and pregnant. Your doctor knows you best and is the one qualified to monitor your pregnancy and give you advice.

Congratulations to you and best of luck!

MyChocolateDiet

I went into my second pregnancy overweight...a little bit. I don't know what your OB would say but that's the person to ask and listen to their advice. They will know if losing weight right now is risky or if it's necessary outweighed by some medical condition your weight may predispose you to. Nobody on here would be able to give you a qualified answer for this but your Dr. with all your bloodwork and history can guide you better. It's up to you ultimately what you do. In my case the Dr. was not for me losing weight at the time, said I could lose it after if I wanted, and gave me the growth expectations so I charted them religiously on my fridge and made sure to stay within the recommended guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy. And they monitored my weigh ins and were happy with my progress. The reason it's hard to tell a fat/obese/overweight pregnant woman to lose weight is because she needs lots of nutrients for that growing baby and a weight loss plan may not allow her to get sufficient for the baby and herself. This is a decision that has to be weighed carefully. While they say that the baby will take what it needs first that is still not a relief or excuse to go on a diet because then baby's safetey vessel (mommy) is walking around undernourished. I don't know about you but I did not want to be prone to fainting, headaches, or anything else hunger or malnourish related while pregnant.

See what your doctor says and go to a few and some nutritionists if you are really interested and pull all their advice together for yourself to make the best decisions for you and your baby. He/she's gonna need a strong and healthy mommy to carry him/her around for nine months and then care for him/her after. Proceed carefully and of course Happily, congratulations.

dqgirl1

my doctor told me she didnt want me to gain more than 10 lbs...I lost almost 20 and delivered an almost 10 lb little boy;) She was SOOOO happy with me and he was super healthy!!

AmandaReimer1

Hi there,

I've just found out I'm about 6 weeks pregnant but am 10 lbs overweight.
I'm wondering if its safe to try to lose those extra pounds in the first trimester.
I'm not planning on a crash diet, just eating sensibly with healthy snacks and fresh produce.
With my 1st baby I gained far too much and I don't want to go through that again.

If there's anyone in a similar position I'd love to keep in-touch and support eachother throughout it all.

Please add me as a friend.

A problem shared is a problem halved I believe.

Trying to lose weight while pregnant, especially in the first trimester is a bad idea. Consut your dr/ob...I bet being 10 lbs overweight will NOT harm you or the baby.

ebonyroche

Congrats! I was 100 lbs overweight when we found out I was pregnant. I don't recommend trying to lose weight now but instead make healthy choices for you and the baby and incorporate exercise into your routine. I was doing turbo jam videos before I found out then switched to walk away the pounds with Leslie Sansone. I only gained 15 pounds when I was pregnant. I wasn't a saint, I did give into fast food and ice cream but I did not give into that "eating for two" mentality and I exercised 4-5 days. Good luck to you and always consult your doctor. :flowerforyou:

rhiannonk81

Hi, there. I found out two weeks ago that I'm pregnant with my 5th. (Quite unexpectedly) A month prior to this, I had resumed a healthy lifestyle to take off those last 20 lbs. Lost about 10 since beginning of January. I had thought it was going to be easy for me to continue with the exercising and eating because I was feeling good. I was very optimistic. Now the morning sickness and exhaustion is starting to kick in so it's becoming hard for me to focus on my health. When I do want to eat, it's mostly carbs that I want because of the calming effect on my stomach. I've already started creeping up on the scale which I'm thinking is water retention because I'm so bloated. (still keeping track on here and counting my calories and activity) My feelings are really mixed right now. Ive been working hard to get to a healthy place and had no intention of getting pregnant with another baby. Don't get me wrong. I'm happy but the emotions are running high. I will say this is the smallest I have ever been at the start of a pregnancy and I tend to have big babies. My three boys were all over 9 lbs. Maybe a lighter and healthier me will make for a lighter baby. haha I won't be scheduling my first prenatal appointment until the end of this month. I usually wait until the end of the first trimester to go in because I'm low risk. I plan on asking the midwife what her opinion is on how much weight is okay for me to gain. God bless and good luck with your pregnancy! Feel free to keep in touch.

crunchybubblez

No one in their right mind is going to advise you to lose weight while pregnant. If you're really overweight like me, however, they will advise you to control your weight gain. My last pregnancy I was about 65 lbs overweight and she told me to try to not gain more than 15 lbs.

This is not accurate.
My obgyn said to eat healthy, and exercise, and if I lost a little weight it would be ideal.
By the time I was full term I was only 12lbs heavier than when I started.

Mandylynne1979

All you have to do is eat fruit, veggies, and meat...eat things that are all natural and/or organic! Don't eat any processed food or things with chemicals in them and your baby and body will thank you for it...oh and drink plenty of water! I have learned my lesson I ate tons of junk food when i was preg with my son (mostly fast food stuff) and I ended up gaining 75 lbs while i was preg...very exhausting and health threatening...but I have been eating healthy and now finally losing the weight...so you probably will lose some extra pounds but the baby will be fine!

sallydurkin

I am preg and overweight to, I have been working for the last year to loose this weight but was not there yet. I joined a group on here for fit fablous pregnant (group of women dedicated to a healthy pregnancy who want to support one another on this journey), I continue to work out and eat healthy to the best of my ability, eating healthy I am not having trouble with.... its the tiredness and sickness leading to non workouts. Although that seems to be lifting as I am nearing the end of first tri.... This is also my 5th preg, in all others I have gained a large amount of weight even the 2nd on where I worked out until 38 weeks, during the last month I retain a lot of water and my amnoic fluid majorly increases, I look like I am having twins but it only happens in the last 1-2 months. I have lost a little weight in the first trimester I still have 2-3 weeks left. I was hoping to lose a little more but I am not going to push myself to Lose weight while being pregnant, I have been eating 1500 cal approved by my dr.... and second tri I will up my calories to 1700-1800 but also if I am truly hungry I will eat!

dnunny

Your doctor would be the best person to talk with you about this.

I was overweight with my younger son. I didn't gain weight (lost a few pounds) until the very end.

It was never an issue. I saw my doctor weekly from 26 weeks until delivery (for medical reason).

fougamou

When I got pregnant with my second I was about 20 lbs heavier than with my first. Without trying, I naturally lost weight before I started gaining. When I expressed concern to my OB, she said sometimes your body will naturally regulate your body to get it where it needs to be. In the end, my highest weight with both pregnancies was within five pounds of each other.

alexisu96

Losing weight especially if obese will not harm a baby. Extreme dieting and a huge calorie deficit is dangerous. I know many women who lost at the beginning. Mainly from 1. Cutting any alcohol cold turkey 2. Eating more sensibly
3. Morning sickness.

If you are obese and just happen to lose by eating normal and no alcohol that is good. Just know what your minimum cal needs which your Dr. Can tell you.

I also know of some obese women including myself, whose dr. Suggested a healthy diet change during the pregnancy. Hinting to a minor weight loss before the 2nd 3rd trimester. This is when blood pressure and sugar levels can go off , edpecially when overweight. I was also told unless underweight there is no need to increase my calories at any point until i was breastfeeding. Again I was over 200 lbs and pregnant.

carlye12380

I am currently 7 months pregnant and was 187lbs to start and although I only put on 10 pounds throughout the first 5 months, I made up for it by putting on 21 in the last 2 months! Between my demanding work and trying to get around with another child I knew I needed to slow down the weight gain at the very least! My OB suggested the usual (whole grains, carbs from veggies and fruit, and plenty of dairy which is a good source of protein). I've been logging for the past week on MFP and with the exception of an ice cream sundae that my husband surprised me with, I've been following her instructions and I feel so great already! I am hoping to avoid high blood pressure and other ensuing problems from being too far overweight.

I put in my current weight and then set the goal to "maintain". I think if you plug in "pregnant" or "pregnancy" into your food tracker it gives you 300 more calories to eat which is the recommended amount of extra calories by doctors.

taso42

I don't understand. Don't you have a care provider?

janalayn

I was overweight with my first pregnancy. Was on Weight Watchers and exercised regularly (walked 4 miles in an hour 5 to 6 days a week)- I gained 7 pounds the last two weeks I was pregnant and was down 28 pounds 3 weeks after the birth. My son was a healthy 8 lbs, 14 oz and 21 inches long. Listen to your doctors advice but regular exercise will make your delivery and recovery much easier.

MadeInDR022

It is actually alright to exercise and lose weight when you are pregnant if you are overweight/obese unless you have a medical condition that won't allow it. My wife is just trying to maintain her weight and exercising 3-5 times a week and is still running up to 5 miles at a time. She is almost 5 months pregnant now and is 5' 5 128lbs. There isn't much weight gain until 5+ months, where you will begin to gain 1 pound/week. Remember, you are not eating for 2 and the fetus will take the nutrients it needs from you. Since it is early in pregnancy, you should begin eating healthy and an exercise routine now. Good luck!

^^^THIS^^^
I was pregnant and overweight. I just put my calories up to maintance (not that I followed it really, I ended up eating whatever, and then stopped logging...bad idea). Good luck! Have a happy, healthy pregnancy!

AlsDonkBoxSquat

It is actually alright to exercise and lose weight when you are pregnant if you are overweight/obese unless you have a medical condition that won't allow it. My wife is just trying to maintain her weight and exercising 3-5 times a week and is still running up to 5 miles at a time. She is almost 5 months pregnant now and is 5' 5 128lbs. There isn't much weight gain until 5+ months, where you will begin to gain 1 pound/week. Remember, you are not eating for 2 and the fetus will take the nutrients it needs from you. Since it is early in pregnancy, you should begin eating healthy and an exercise routine now. Good luck!

^^^THIS^^^
I was pregnant and overweight. I just put my calories up to maintance (not that I followed it really, I ended up eating whatever, and then stopped logging...bad idea). Good luck! Have a happy, healthy pregnancy!

talk to your doctor and see what they say.

That aside, when I was pregnant my provider told me that I should continue at my then exercise level, but not add intensity during the pregnancy. As far as diet, it's not recommended that you eat at your body's deficit during pregnancy, but an obese woman who normally eats at her body's excess would lose weight by eating at a healthy level. While pregnant the normal recommended is tdee + 300.

Chanti1620

My daughter is 4 months, i lost about 85lbs while pregnant with her. my doctors weren't worried and she was healthy 7lbs 15 oz
I just drank a lot of water and made healthier choices (sometimes). I cooked a lot because i don't really eat fast food, but the baby really made my appetite disappear... after the pregnancy i did gain like 7-10 lbs, but now i have it under control.

Plan out your meals and you'll be fine!

Have a healthy pregnancy!

Mami21080

I'm newly pregnant and will continue doing what I had been doing just lessen my intensity

vim_n_vigor

You might want to check out this group - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/1920-fit-fabulous-pregnant-