Pregnant and gaining too much weight!

jillcaudill
jillcaudill Posts: 54 Member
in Motivation and Support
OK so I got pregnant in March. I weighed 155. I was hoping to lose weight before hand and start my pregnancy at 130-135. Didn't happen!!! So I've been eating lots of healthy fruits and veggies and lean meats for good nutrition, but I've also been eating a lot of butter, mayo, and deserts! Woopsy ;P So now im only at 22.5 weeks and I weigh a whoping 180. My ankles are swollen so bad you can't see my ankle bones and my hands are so swollen I had to take off my wedding rings. My knees and my hips are stressed and in pain. I've decided to cut out all the junk, raise my dieting calorie count to a safe pregnancy calorie count, and try to get some of this extra pudge off before the baby comes. I am hoping to have a natural water birth, and my chances of making this happen will be greatly improved if I'm in better health. Wish me luck!

Replies

  • ru4art2
    ru4art2 Posts: 14 Member
    Ugh. I know the feeling! I was the exact same way! I never ate that many sweets before, but when I got pregnant, that is all I wanted!! I ended up gaining way too much and I was wanting to lose weight even before I got pregnant to begin with!

    Things that I learned was:
    - Don't start a new or more vigorous workout schedule while pregnant, because this could put added strain and/or your baby. I tried to walk when I could.
    -Don't be too hard on yourself. You are pregnant and those cravings can be fierce!
    -I have heard not to try to lose weight while pregnant, so instead I just tried to slow down the weight gain.

    Good Luck! Once your little one gets here, you will realize it was all worth it!
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    You have to realize that your body is not your own when you are pregnant.
  • jillcaudill
    jillcaudill Posts: 54 Member
    Ugh. I know the feeling! I was the exact same way! I never ate that many sweets before, but when I got pregnant, that is all I wanted!! I ended up gaining way too much and I was wanting to lose weight even before I got pregnant to begin with!

    Things that I learned was:
    - Don't start a new or more vigorous workout schedule while pregnant, because this could put added strain and/or your baby. I tried to walk when I could.
    -Don't be too hard on yourself. You are pregnant and those cravings can be fierce!
    -I have heard not to try to lose weight while pregnant, so instead I just tried to slow down the weight gain.

    Good Luck! Once your little one gets here, you will realize it was all worth it!

    Do you think I should not count calories? Or do you think its ok? I'm concerned that if I cut out all the junk that I may eat too few calories! I don't have a good sense of what 2200 calories is.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I think counting calories is fine if you use it simply as a visual way to see where you are. It's a helpful way to see if you are getting the nutrients you need while pregnant.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    Apparently you shouldn't be upping your calories in the 1st Trimester.

    2nd Trimester = add 300 calories per day (to your regular caloric consumption)
    3rd Trimester = add 450 calories per day

    http://www.babycenter.com/eating-for-two
  • lwoods34
    lwoods34 Posts: 302 Member
    My son is 22 months old and I gained 36 lbs while pregnant even though I exercised 6 days per week. All you need to eat is an extra 200-300 calories while pregnant. I didn't necessarily count my calories while pregnant but I worked out and made healthier choices. I didn't allow myself to get into the "I'm eating for 2" phase. Instead I was mindful of what I ate and I continued to do my weekly weigh ins and recorded them to make sure I wasnt gaining too much weight too quickly.

    At this point you can't and shouldn't try to lose weight while pregnant! Instead find healthier alternatives to your cravings in order to at least try and slow the rate of weight gain. Remember that whatever you eat, your baby is eating too!
  • UnderCoverShyGirl
    UnderCoverShyGirl Posts: 254 Member
    Personally, i think there is nothing wrong with counting calories while pregnant...as in "recording" what you eat. People count calories for many reasons, to stay in check, to gain weight if they are too thin, just to be aware, to know nutrition, etc...as long as you are eating well and healthy, aka not depriving your body of the food and not expecting to "lose" per se, you should be fine. Since you weren't very obese when getting pregnant (i believe you said you were just about 20 lbs from where you were hoping to be - hope i remember right), i definately wouldn't concentrate on losing at all...of course if your calories are what they should be for a pregnant woman and you are eating healthy, ignore the scale, whether it goes up or down.

    I think those that started very obese, can even safely lose when pregnant (with doctor knowledge of course) as they still can eat a good healthy generous diet and lose weight, simply because while eating enough for themselves and baby, they may still be eating less than they used to while on the gaining/obese road....

    Of course all should be checked with the doctor, but this feels like a case where logging for health and knowledge can't be bad...you aren't focused on being thin, you are focused on being healthy. However, i would not use the MFP cal calculation...i would think your doc would know the cals that a preg. woman should eat, so you should use their recommendations for your goals and allow for flexibility too!
  • kaseysospacey
    kaseysospacey Posts: 499 Member
    No you dont want to try to lose while pregnant. Also some of that weight is the water that has you swollen so badly.
  • Colleen1980
    Colleen1980 Posts: 148 Member
    I just had my little girl July 31st...I counted calories but it was adjusted up to a safe number based on a combination of a lot of reading and my doctor's advice. I counted until about the last 2 months and it helped me gain a very small (but still healthy) amount. However I stopped the last few months and gained a ton!!! So I'd say go for it just talk to your doctor and make sure you listen to your body.

    I will say that although I gained way more than I wanted (goal was 15-20 which was healthy for my starting weight, but ended up gaining 38)...it is coming off fast. I started re-tracking the day after we came home. Apparently a lot of it was fluid weight because I've already lost 17 pounds!

    Good luck and best wishes with baby. :)
  • maurierose
    maurierose Posts: 574 Member
    Absolutely count calories - and wherever you can, make those calories HEALTHY. Go for lean chicken instead of a greasy burger. Icecream craving? Stick a yogurt in the freezer - they're yummy, or make yogurt popsicles. With all the flavors of yoplait etc (yes, nutrition policers don't start ranting on me now about all the "additives" in yoplait.. it's darn better than breyers deluxe) the flavors are unlimited - chocolate, coffee, apple pie, etc. Making meatloaf? Throw in some veggies (carrots, zucchini, celery, bell peppers, onions all work well when they're finely chopped). Stick veggies into creative places, and try to eat as much nutritionally dense food as you can. And most of all, if your doc ok's it, walk, walk, walk! :) Your doc is also a great source for helping you with how much you need to be eating at your stage of pregnancy, calories, carbs, fats, proteins, calcium, sugars, etc. If they don't know it well enough themselves, they can probably point you towards a prenatal nutritionist your insurance will cover. Logging is FANTASTIC - bring in a week's worth of the food you've been eating, all printed out from MFP and say "here's where I am.... help me". Good luck, and baby dust to you!! :)
  • kaseysospacey
    kaseysospacey Posts: 499 Member
    I agree with just trying to eat as nutritious food as is possible. You will gain weight, obviously, especially towards the end you could gain over a pound a week. But this weight isn't permanent. The baby, placenta, added blood volume, increase in breast tissue, these all contribute to weight gain. A woman of a healthy weight normally gains from 25-35 pounds in pregnancy and if you just eat healthy then it shouldn't leave you a lot heavier than before.

    Losing weight while pregnant is risky, even with an obese person. When body fat is burned, there are chemicals, vitamins, etc released that may not be good for the fetus. I had to deal with issues during pregnancy because I had hyperemesis, which meant I threw up all the time throughout the entire pregnancy and lost 40 lbs.
  • jillcaudill
    jillcaudill Posts: 54 Member
    I'm so glad I am tracking! I made better choices today, and exactly what I thought would happen did. I came up 500 calories short at the end of the day. So instead of making a big bowl of ice cream and hot fudge I poured a big glass of organic milk, and ate some almonds and dried papaya. Thanks for all your input ladies. :)
  • SoullessDestiny
    SoullessDestiny Posts: 1
    Thanks for posting I just found out that I am pregnant and I have been doing so well with losing weigh with this app that I felt a little lost. : )
  • maurierose
    maurierose Posts: 574 Member
    I'm so glad I am tracking! I made better choices today, and exactly what I thought would happen did. I came up 500 calories short at the end of the day. So instead of making a big bowl of ice cream and hot fudge I poured a big glass of organic milk, and ate some almonds and dried papaya. Thanks for all your input ladies. :)

    Good for you!!! And great job making a healthy choice!
  • RealWomenLovePitbulls
    RealWomenLovePitbulls Posts: 729 Member
    congrats on the pregnancy. good luck with everything

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