Getting fit while pregnant? stories and pics please!!!!!

rahlpn

No pictures but here's my story. Pre pregnancy (any pregnancy) I was about 190, I've always hovered between 170-195 throughout young adulthood. So when I got pregnant with my first I was around 190, I ended up gaining 35 lbs or so to full term, had the baby and left the hospital at 211, I breast fed exclusively for 3 months but couldn't keep up, started supplementing but still BFing as much as I could, went down a bit then back up to 210 when he was 7 months. I then found out I was pregnant with #2 (daughter). My pregnancy with her was completely different, instead of craving meat, cheese and PB like I did with my son all I wanted was fruit, fruit and more fruit. I also stayed more active and went to my gyms pool almost every day after work. I would do push ups on the pool wall, flutter kicks, go up and down the stairs, jog in the pool, punch the water holding pool weights, anything to stay in motion in the water. I only gained 17 lbs, and the baby came out weighing 9lbs 1oz ! So I pretty much maintained my weight and just gained baby and fluid. Since then though being started on a medication that made me gain 30+ lbs in a year my new starting weight was 240 but I am now back down to 202

tamjak

Every pregnancy and woman is different, so just be patient with yourself if you don't match what others are saying happened to them. Do the best you can with keeping up the exercise. Eat the freshest and healthiest food you can, but don't go overboard on eating large quantities.

rfornelli

Bump -- this may be useful to me in the future.

savemama

It is dangerous to aim for weight loss while pregnant. Depending on your health and starting weight- you might only need to "maintain" or "gain a small amount" but a doctor would know.

There is some interesting research on pregnancy calories- in that they are not all created equal. It is certainly true in my experience. My first pregnancy I had GD and ate VERY healthfully because of it (no sugar, balanced carbs). Second pregnancy I did not, so I ate more of what I wanted. The weight came off very differently. The "healthY" weight melted off after. The unhealthy weight I'm still doing battle with.

I'd aim for "maintenance calories" +100 in the first tri, and "Maintenance"+ 300 in the 2nd and 3rd. But check with your doctor. I plan to get pregnatn in the future and I will track calories so I don't let my mouth run away with me again!

Stay active and eat healthy. It will come off in the end

CONGRATLS!!!

nicola1141

I'd try to continue to log as much as you can. Remember to give yourself a few extra calories (probably 350) for pregnancy (and afterwards 350-500 for nursing if you nurse). Try to stay as active as possible, but listen to your body.

Sparlingo

So, I just recently found out I was pregnant it was a huge surprise, so I had my mind set into the weightloss/excersise, getting to my goal weight and now to have to change from that to hey you're growing a baby is hard and I still can't see not still being able to get fit, I know I'm not trying to lose the weight right now, I know that wouldn't want to be healthy but I still think I could make my body look better with exercise while I'm pregnant not to just maintain what I look like now, so have any of you not reached your goal weight before you got pregnant and still kept up getting fit and looking great I would love to hear about what you did, how much you ate, and if you have pics showing your progress that would be great. Thanks!!

I'm glad you're not looking to lose weight while pregnant! I have a friend on MFP who was told this was okay and went into premature labour . . . her baby is in the NICU (not necessarily related, but it makes me nervous). Just a word of caution in case you ever begin considering it.

In terms of getting fit while pregnant, I sure wish I had! I wish you luck in it .

sarahertzberger

Thanks for all the great responses :-)

cmmoc

I'm also very interested in this thread.

I am 35 and I lost 20kg before getting pregnant (100 to 80kg) by tracking 1200 cals on MFP and exercising 5 days a week. When i got pregnant I lightened up a little but still went to gym etc. Then I had a big miscarriage scare (bleeding) at week 6 and was put on bed rest and told no more exercise, no sex, no calorie restricting (in fact I was told to increase it to help hormone levels). I am now 12 weeks and doc says I can start '''light activity again'' and need to watch my food (I have gained 8 kg now in 8 weeks by eating whatever I want). So after some research I have decided I will stick to around 1800 calories tracking on here and then increase to 2000 as I get more into 2nd and 3rd trimester. I am going to start walking on treadmill again at gym and doing some light exercise at home.

My only advice to anyone would be to really take things easy in the first trimester. It's so easy to over do it in those first 12 weeks and you really need to be extra careful. It's not really worth the risk if you do overdo it.

Once you have doctors clearance then you can be more active but make sure doctor clears everything including your calorie limit and how much weight he expects you to gain.

savemama

Oh ps- google the Blue Ribbon diet while pregnant. Super interesting!

mooglysmom

Staying active is really good while you're pregnant! I mean you don't want to be doing hard core exercise, lol, but walking is perfect. I had such an easier time my second time because I stayed active, and a lot less weight. Having a 1 1/2 year old helped, lol.

servilia

I am surprised by the amount of weight gain by some people when they are pregnant. I gained 22 pounds with my baby and lost all but 3 before I left the hospital.... I did have some belly flab that I worked off after the ok from doctor.... So now many women gain 50 pounds???? I just ate the good stuff and "treated" myself every now and then with ice cream,etc....

Wow good for you. Be glad you're not one of those women like me who feel horribly nauseous UNLESS they eat all the time. You sound more than a little smug.

ViDexSha

bump

Mia_RagazzaTosta

I am surprised by the amount of weight gain by some people when they are pregnant. I gained 22 pounds with my baby and lost all but 3 before I left the hospital.... I did have some belly flab that I worked off after the ok from doctor.... So now many women gain 50 pounds???? I just ate the good stuff and "treated" myself every now and then with ice cream,etc....

Congrats on being 1% of the population that lost almost all their weight prior to leaving the hospital. The other 99% are not that fortunate.

*rolls eyes

Mommylicous

Good for you for considering your health while pregnant.

I'm not going to be much help, but I have become buddies with a lady at my gym who's pregnant. She makes me feel so lazy! She says there aren't many things that she can't do. She does a lot of weight training (not super heavy, but she does work with weights) and she can outdo me on cardio, even though she's due in 2 weeks lol..

hismommy2

I am 24 weeks pregnant, tomorrow. Before baby one (5 yeas ago) I was 155, 5 years later, I was 206...yeah.
Can't say baby weight anymore. I am now about 216 and I feel like crap. I am out of breath and gross feeling. I know I can't do weights or run, but was thinking of walking and eating "good" calories instead of junk, as usual. This thread is very informative. :0)

mycupyourcake

I am surprised by the amount of weight gain by some people when they are pregnant. I gained 22 pounds with my baby and lost all but 3 before I left the hospital.... I did have some belly flab that I worked off after the ok from doctor.... So now many women gain 50 pounds???? I just ate the good stuff and "treated" myself every now and then with ice cream,etc....

Good for you. I love listening to women brag about how awesome they are and how others must be failures. Perhaps you deserve a cookie.

LindzENo

Congratulations! I gave birth in October 2012 to my first child. I had done IVF and got some complications so when I conceived i was 239. At around 3 months I dropped the fluid and went down to 214. The day before I delivered I was 232. My son was a little early, but otherwise healthy. Go by what your body tells you, not what people tell you. Eat healthy, drink lots of water (even though it means you will pee every 5 minutes)! If you gain 20 or 30 lbs, you will lose it after you have the baby. If you lose 10 lbs when you are pregnant because you are eating healthy then thats great too. Try not to stress about your weight, because you are growing a human and they deserve good nutrition (and you deserve lots of rest and enjoy the pregnancy).

Marcillene

I am surprised by the amount of weight gain by some people when they are pregnant. I gained 22 pounds with my baby and lost all but 3 before I left the hospital.... I did have some belly flab that I worked off after the ok from doctor.... So now many women gain 50 pounds???? I just ate the good stuff and "treated" myself every now and then with ice cream,etc....

i gained about 65-70lbs (The last 25lbs or so was water weight in the last week or 2 before the gave me a csection from preeclampsia). but before that.. i didnt eat very much... since highschool i only ate 1 meal a day.. maybe..and then found out i was pregnant.... i was young..20.. and looking back now i wish i would have eased my way into it but i automatically started eating atleast 2 meals and snacks a day to eat the 200 cals. + 300-500 cals. for baby... automatically the first couple months i started gained weight like crazy.. then got preeclampsia. i was definitally uneducated as far as pregnancy goes, and being healthy for that matter. i was on my feet all the time and busted every vein in my legs, and developed a hernia in THE WRONG SPOT.... Safe to say.... learning as much as you can about being healthy and staying healthy especially in pregnancy is all the advice in the world i could give someone.

Marcillene

So, I just recently found out I was pregnant it was a huge surprise, so I had my mind set into the weightloss/excersise, getting to my goal weight and now to have to change from that to hey you're growing a baby is hard and I still can't see not still being able to get fit, I know I'm not trying to lose the weight right now, I know that wouldn't want to be healthy but I still think I could make my body look better with exercise while I'm pregnant not to just maintain what I look like now, so have any of you not reached your goal weight before you got pregnant and still kept up getting fit and looking great I would love to hear about what you did, how much you ate, and if you have pics showing your progress that would be great. Thanks!!

I'm glad you're not looking to lose weight while pregnant! I have a friend on MFP who was told this was okay and went into premature labour . . . her baby is in the NICU (not necessarily related, but it makes me nervous). Just a word of caution in case you ever begin considering it.

In terms of getting fit while pregnant, I sure wish I had! I wish you luck in it .

if you dont me asking, do you know how much your friend weighed when she got pregnant? out of curiosity. i am glad you posted this, it is a very scary thought and i think for women who are smaller when they concieve its more dangerous to loose weight. but then again, i guess it may depend on the person/doctor. my little sister was underweight (bulemic), and only gained 13lbs total her whole pregnancy. left the hospital weighing less than before she got pregnant, and had her doctor never seemed concerned. but i guess everyone is different.

eep223

I did my second 5km as scheduled (ran and walked, because it was hot!), and while I was walking at about the 4km mark, a lady stopped and walked with me and said that she was trying to keep up with me during the entire race, and that if "that pregnant lady" could do it, so could she. She told me that I inspired her, and I will never forget her, or the way that she made me feel. In that moment, I knew I was a runner.

Haha, I've totally been the lady at the 5k trying to keep up with the pregnant lady! Super inspiring! Congrats, OP! I love that you are already setting a positive example for the kid, and s/he isn't even here yet!