dieting/maintaining weight while pregnant

missataylor22
missataylor22 Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hii there all you lovely people :)
i have been dieting for a year, lost over 30 pounds, which has made me healthier, however i have found out im pregnant. after loosing the weight i did, i still had around 2 stones left to loose to get back to a healthy weight.
i wanted to know if anyone new of any safe ways to diet during pregnancy, obviously i cannot restrict my calories as i was, and cant run or do aerobics as i was, but i do at least a 30 min walk four times a week to keep moving.
all the doc said was try not to put more weight on, but she seemed more interested in getting me out of the door! really i just need to know if theres any way i can avoid putting on lots of weight, i worked so hard i dont want to go back a few steps and have to struggle to loose it all again!!
thankyou for any help if you can give it xxxxxx
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Replies

  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    You are pregnant. I would suggest you stop using the scale as a measure of your progress until after the baby. I mean... you are GOING to weigh more because you are pregnant!

    I know several women that used pregnancy as an excuse to go wild and eat junk all day. I think this is what your doctor is warning against. Now, more than ever, is when you want to be eating clean. Everything you eat goes to the baby first, so you want to make sure you are eating enough proper nutrition for the baby AND you since you just get the leftovers.

    I can't really give you any recommendations on how many calories you should eat to maintain, but I would suspect it would be more than your non-pregnancy TDEE and probably increases as you progress term.

    Just focus on doing the right thing for the baby right now and Congrats!
  • FitMrsR
    FitMrsR Posts: 226 Member
    You are pregnant. I would suggest you stop using the scale as a measure of your progress until after the baby. I mean... you are GOING to weigh more because you are pregnant!

    I know several women that used pregnancy as an excuse to go wild and eat junk all day. I think this is what your doctor is warning against. Now, more than ever, is when you want to be eating clean. Everything you eat goes to the baby first, so you want to make sure you are eating enough proper nutrition for the baby AND you since you just get the leftovers.

    I can't really give you any recommendations on how many calories you should eat to maintain, but I would suspect it would be more than your non-pregnancy TDEE and probably increases as you progress term.

    Just focus on doing the right thing for the baby right now and Congrats!


    Smart man^^ do what he said :and try not to stress to much about weight gain. Also, you can do your pre-pregnancy exercises (yes, even running) as long as you have the energy and feel comfortable (you may have to ease up when you get bigger but listen to your body it will tell you if you're doing too much)

    Edited for typos
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    Congrats on the weight loss..and the pregnancy!

    This is a time to focus on your baby. Eat a healthy diet with all the nutrients the baby needs and worry about losing weight after the baby is born.

    You should only diet while pregnant if your doctor says to because of health reasons.
  • al369
    al369 Posts: 170 Member
    I would learn how many additional calories you need. In early pregnancy, it's none. Later I think it's 200? Find that out and then count calories. Also DO NOT STOP EXERCISING. Do running and aerobics until you get uncomfortable doing them. Let you body tell you when to stop.
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    I'm in the same boat. I'm 8 weeks along, and I've just upped my calories between maintenance and lose 1/2 a lb a week, just so I don't end up gaining too much. I've gained 1 lb so far. Doing quite well, I think. I've been eating basically the same foods as before, just a little more when I'm hungry. If I'm not hungry, I don't strive to eat extra.
  • jules1202
    jules1202 Posts: 65
    Plenty of walking, eat plenty of healthy foods and dont go hog wild. Other than that the baby is more important than dieting so focus on being healthy. I gained about 20 -25 pounds while preg with both my kids because I didn't use pregnancy as an excuse to overindulge so my weight was baby weight and fluid retention at the end and not a bunch of extra excess fat. So post partum the weight came off pretty easy. Breastfeeding was a huge part of that I am sure (BFing takes about an extra 500 calories a day).

    Dump the idea of dieting and focus on healthy weight gain and exercise while pregnant. Congrats to you!!! :)
  • geminijai
    geminijai Posts: 15
    I agree with PP! It's great that you were able to get to a healthier weight before getting pregnant but, for the next 9 months or so, your focus needs to shift... Instead of thinking about your weight and the number on the scale, you need to pay more attention to your health and the life growing inside of you. Continue eating healthy, clean foods and being active. Trust me: if you were a runner before you got pregnant, there's nothing ill-advised about keeping up with your runs while you're pregnant- unless it's uncomfortable. And, even if you don't want to run, you should still be active and keep up with your walking- as you'd mentioned. 30mins of activity a day and healthy eating will help you gain only baby weight and, in turn, it will be easier to shed the extra pounds after your baby is born. Just don't go all "Jessica Simpson" on yourself- eating buttered poptarts and the like- and you should be fine.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    You should be eating at or close to maintenance. I am pregnant with my third and as long as you don't go overboard with what you eat, you are really just going to gain what you gain. With my first, I was up 65 pounds. I was very swollen. 4 weeks after birth, I was 2 pounds under my starting weight. My sister in law gained over 100 with each of her 4 kids and was back down to normal within 6 months. My point is that sometimes, even while eating within the calorie goals we are given, we can still put on a lot of extra weight with all of the extra fluids in our body. Work for healthy choices.
  • aejbx4x7s
    aejbx4x7s Posts: 111
    Talk to your doctor!

    From my understanding, you only need about 100 calories extra per trimester, as in an extra 100 calories during your first trimester, an extra 200 during your second, and an extra 300 during your third. But I am not a medical doctor and you should definitely ask one! And congratulations!
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
    Go to Pinterest and search pregnancy exercise. I've pinned a WHOLE bunch on there! Some are broken down to what exercises you can do each week, and some by trimester.
  • Bunnehface
    Bunnehface Posts: 129 Member
    I was interested in this as I'm currently losing weight but plan on trying for a second baby at the end of the year and don't want to gain back unnecessary weight! I read that you should eat your normal BMR in the first trimester, about 300 extra calories a day in the second trimester, and about 450 extra calories a day in the third trimester. I don't know if this is supported worldwide, but seems to be accurate according to the NHS in the UK. At the end of the day, you're going to gain weight, how much of it is fat depends on what you eat and how much! Just try and make sensible choices, be active - but don't overdo it and hurt yourself - and remember that once you've had the baby a lot of it will go again :flowerforyou:
  • Lib_B
    Lib_B Posts: 446 Member
    Exercise, healthy diet. But do NOT diet. A low glycemic diet would be ok - I had gestational diabetes with my second. The low glycemic diet helped me to keep my blood sugar in check and to not gain any weight while pregnant. But you should only do that if your doctor recommends you not gain. Baby needs you to think about it first. As long as you aren't gorging on junk, you'll be surprised how quickly the baby weight comes off (especially if you elect to nurse). After my first baby (granted I had preeclampsia and HELLP), I lost 35 pounds of water weight in the two days after she was born and was back in a size 8 within 6 weeks after having gained a total of 50 pounds. (35 of that the aforementioned water).

    You CAN exercise. Some women run, etc. I chose to walk and do light weight training during my pregnancies. It will make your labor easier too. Just avoid ab work and they do not advise riding a bicycle or any other sports on wheels (only because your balance is off kilter when you are pregnant and it puts you at greater risk for a fall).

    Please talk to your doctor about all this and do not use these forums as a medical resource. So far, the information you are getting is sound, but only your doctor can properly advise what you should and should not do.
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
    bump for later
  • SoulReckoning
    SoulReckoning Posts: 48 Member
    CONGRATS! To everyone who is pregnant! That is exciting. I heard no extra calories needed in the first trimester, then just 200-300 more during the 2nd & third trimesters. A friend of mine used her pergnancy as an excuse to eat more, she actually got put on a restrictive diet by her doctor, a sort of low-carb thing, because she over ate and was on the verge of getting gestational diabetes, which is bad for mommy & baby. I would just do a little research of your own, find some pregnancy forums and look up their dieting info. It's up to you, but like someone said, don't stop all out exercising until you are uncomfortable. And if your doctor is pushing you out the door, I would recommend a little chat on the phone letting them know you don't appreciate it and you deserve their time and undevided attention when it comes to your questions and concerns, even if it is about diet & exercise while pregnant. That's just my opinion. But after some recent bad doctor's appointments myself, not related to pregnancy just general, I have decided my health & peace of mind is my Drs first priority when I'm at an appointment adn i intend to make it happen.
  • nellyett
    nellyett Posts: 436 Member
    I would learn how many additional calories you need. In early pregnancy, it's none. Later I think it's 200? Find that out and then count calories. Also DO NOT STOP EXERCISING. Do running and aerobics until you get uncomfortable doing them. Let you body tell you when to stop.

    This!!!

    You are NOT eating for two!! Also, if you already have an exercise routine in place, keep at it unless you are high risk or your dr says otherwise. That includes jogging! If you're a runner, keep running!

    There's a girl in my bootcamp that came to classes right up until the last week or so of pregnancy...she was rocking it!!
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    I was interested in this as I'm currently losing weight but plan on trying for a second baby at the end of the year and don't want to gain back unnecessary weight! I read that you should eat your normal BMR in the first trimester, about 300 extra calories a day in the second trimester, and about 450 extra calories a day in the third trimester. I don't know if this is supported worldwide, but seems to be accurate according to the NHS in the UK. At the end of the day, you're going to gain weight, how much of it is fat depends on what you eat and how much! Just try and make sensible choices, be active - but don't overdo it and hurt yourself - and remember that once you've had the baby a lot of it will go again :flowerforyou:

    I don't think you should only eat your BMR while pregnant. You should be eating AT LEAST your TDEE unless your doctor says otherwise.
  • JenS2586
    JenS2586 Posts: 85
    Hi, I am also pregnant. This is my 3rd (plus 1 miscarriage right after my twins). I am almost 6months and have gained 5lbs, both my previous pregnancies I gained 30lbs and the weight all came off within 3weeks, I didn't overeat, although I forced a lot more food down with my twins. My daughter I walked everywhere, my twins I walked 2hrs a day until 20weeks then I stopped being active, other than housecleaning. This pregnancy I have been running and doing prenatal yoga. If you were running and such before becoming pregnant you can continue until you feel you can't handle it anymore. If your belly gets big you can buy running bands for your belly to give support, not sure on price but I've heard of them. Unless you have complications you can and should continue your activity. Just don't do floor ab workouts past 12weeks and don't let yourself get too overheated or dehydrated. As for extra calories, first trimester you don't need to increase, 2nd and 3rd they say 300 extra calories is all you need, but make them count, no empty fast food calories or it'll just turn to fat n give baby no nutrition. If you want to add me as a friend you are more than welome too, as with any other mommy to be's out there.
  • Bunnehface
    Bunnehface Posts: 129 Member
    I was interested in this as I'm currently losing weight but plan on trying for a second baby at the end of the year and don't want to gain back unnecessary weight! I read that you should eat your normal BMR in the first trimester, about 300 extra calories a day in the second trimester, and about 450 extra calories a day in the third trimester. I don't know if this is supported worldwide, but seems to be accurate according to the NHS in the UK. At the end of the day, you're going to gain weight, how much of it is fat depends on what you eat and how much! Just try and make sensible choices, be active - but don't overdo it and hurt yourself - and remember that once you've had the baby a lot of it will go again :flowerforyou:

    I don't think you should only eat your BMR while pregnant. You should be eating AT LEAST your TDEE unless your doctor says otherwise.

    You're right, I apologise, my mistake, I always confuse BMR and TDEE! :blushing:
  • Meg_Shirley_86
    Meg_Shirley_86 Posts: 275 Member
    You are pregnant. I would suggest you stop using the scale as a measure of your progress until after the baby. I mean... you are GOING to weigh more because you are pregnant!

    I know several women that used pregnancy as an excuse to go wild and eat junk all day. I think this is what your doctor is warning against. Now, more than ever, is when you want to be eating clean. Everything you eat goes to the baby first, so you want to make sure you are eating enough proper nutrition for the baby AND you since you just get the leftovers.

    I can't really give you any recommendations on how many calories you should eat to maintain, but I would suspect it would be more than your non-pregnancy TDEE and probably increases as you progress term.

    Just focus on doing the right thing for the baby right now and Congrats!

    From my experience, this is good advice. I am overweight, and I was with my first pregnancy as well. I know this is vilifying myself to a lot of people, but I've lost weight during both healthy pregnancies (or stayed the same, while baby and belly grew, but lost my own body weight). I kept exercising, and kept checking with my doctor to make sure it was ok, and it has been. I also eat loads of clean food. Sometimes after a long day my husband will make a quick-fix dinner, and I end up not eating clean for that night, but other than that, I stick to it easily because I feel so much better. I eat at maintenance and eat back my exercise calories if I want to. I keep myself full, but don't force myself to eat if I'm not hungry, because I trust my body. Good luck!
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    Any exercise you've already been doing for months, you most likely can still do while pregnant (check with your doctor, of course). So you may not have to stop doing all the activities you like. I was able to do circuit training up until I was 8 months pregnant (and only stopped then because it because too hard)

    As long as you eat healthy foods, and don't use pregnancy as an excuse to go wild, it's surprisingly easy to NOT gain significant weight during pregnancy. I made no effort at all during both my pregnancies - the only change was that I concentrated on healthier foods (less crap), and I actually lost as the baby gained. Within a month of delivery I was 15 lbs less than when I got pregnant. My ob/gyn was happy with my progress because I gained within the healthy range they were looking for during the pregnancy.

    Don't freak out, and don't over think it. Unless your doctor has specific recommendations on your eating, just concentrate on eating nutritious foods, and you will do fine. If you're looking for a bit of a guide, the book "What to eat when you're expecting" is a fantastic book (written by the same people who did "what to expect when you're expecting").
  • AllyBooMommyof2
    AllyBooMommyof2 Posts: 171
    People will tell you not to lose weight. But, it depends on your weight, I've still got a bmi of over 40 so my OB is letting me lose weight this pregnancy and I basically have free range of how much. I lost 90 pounds last year but gained 13 of it back. I am supposed to eat 2000 calories a day and walk for 30 minutes or more at least 3x a week. I hope to lose 30-50 pounds (I am 279 right now) before I have the baby at the end of June (I am 14 weeks, 3 days today) and then continue to lose. So really it just depends where you are starting and just eat healthy at least 2000 calories a day and lots of water. My OB is always in a hurry it seems but I ask questions even when he's trying to run out the door so I get my questions answered lol I like him and he's a good doctor so I won't complain at all.

    Also my BMR is 2300 or so, but my OB knows this and still says it's perfectly fine and even good for me to lose weight.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    As far as exercise, whatever you were doing before you became pregnant keep doing. Don't add new strenuous exercise to your schedule.

    Eat healty and smartly. If you are really hell bent and determined to put a number on it, I would eat 300 or 400 calories over TDEE. You are growing a human, the creation of all that tissue and matter takes effort and energy, you need to make sure that you are eating sufficiently to nourish yourself and grow that baby or the process will start wicking nutrients from your body. It's a bit alarmist, but I do know women who didn't eat properly through their pregnancies and lost teeth, had serious bone density issues, lost hair, their pallor was striped of that normal pregnancy glow, etc. Undereating while growing babies can be pretty tricky business and is not advisable (as the previous poster mentioned, its not inadvisable to lose weight while pregnant dependiing on your starting point, jut inadvisable to undereat).
  • PaperDahlia
    PaperDahlia Posts: 41 Member
    First and foremost.. take a deep breath, and relax. ;) this is an exciting and happy time!

    I only gained about 15 lbs for most of my pregnancy.. it shot up to 22 lbs towards the end, as my baby grew.
    I am not a small person to begin with, I was already plus size/trying to lose weight, making life changes, and trying to lose weight before I got pregnant... by making healthy choices, using MFP to track my calories (to make sure I was eating enough for baby), eating less processed foods, and walking every day.. I kept my body healthy. It was a very easy, uneventful pregnancy. I didn't even experience morning sickness (which I attribute to walking, and drinking a little tea each morning) And I really avoided all swelling, also, as a result. (again it just came down to the last week or so.. at 41.5 weeks, my body was 'done' being pregnant. so those things can start happening)

    You can totally have a safe, healthy pregnancy... just take it easy. Don't push yourself to run a 5k, if you haven't been at that level of fitness prior to pregnancy. Walking for distance, not speed is helpful.. any chance you get to squeeze in a little walk, as it is comfortable for you, will be helpful..

    And don't deprive yourself. If you are eating healthy 95% of the time-- you certainly can indulge in a reasonable amount of a craving or comfort food. For me, it was soft serve, frozen yogurt. when i really wanted it, i would allow myself 1 cup (portioned), and I would make sure that my calories balanced out. the calcium was a benefit.

    Depending on how you were eating before, based on your size, you need about 300 extra calories per day, when pregnant.
    Doctors seem too rushed these days, without offering much in the way of help-- they just tell you the result they want to see, and leave it at that.

    if you are very unsure, i would recommend consulting with a nutritionist. My dr's office happens to have one on staff..and that was very helpful to me, also :)
  • staplebug
    staplebug Posts: 189
    I like what's being said above. Don't take being pregnant as a license to stop eating healthy. Eat clean and remember for the first few months, your body only needs about 300 extra calories a day. I've talked to a lot of people about this and have mostly heard that if you were exercising before you were pregnant, you can keep exercising during pregnancy with little problems (I mean, obviously you shouldn't do abs or run a half marathon by the time you're 7 mo. pregnant). Keep doing what you're doing with exercising, but don't push yourself too much.
  • Christie0428
    Christie0428 Posts: 221 Member
    When I got pregnant I was very over weight (278lbs), I focused on very good nutrician - whole foods and lost about 10lbs in my fist trimester mostly due to morning sickness and then only gained 8 of than 10lbs back over the rest of the pregnancy - most of it in the last trimester. I had an excellenve midwife tell me "if you want to have a treat (brownie or icecream) you should eat a lean protein, a fruit and a veggie first and then you can have a treat - one serving ... and if you want another treat you first eat a lean protein. fruit and a veggie... repeat... as you will find out the space for your stomach will lesson and I actually found it much easier to eat well and the right (small portions) than I do not pregnant.

    I was also told( and it worked well for me and my baby as both were very healthy during and after pregnancy), that if you are heavy when you get pregnant - you don't have to gain any weight or increase your calories.
  • kafajardo
    kafajardo Posts: 1
    Congrats on your pregnancy! If you have the option with your insurance, speak with a nutritionist. When I was pregnant with my now 10-yr-old I had gestational diabetes and was set up with an appt with a nutritionist. We talked about my eating habits and what I like to eat so she could come up with a daily plan of protein, carbs, sugars, etc. Having these guidelines helped me so much. I had only a 25 lb weight gain and, since I was used to the menu, followed a slightly modified version after the birth to accommodate nursing, etc. By the time my daughter was a year old I was actually a little lower than my pre-pregnancy weight and fit into my jeans comfortably. Hope that helps. :-)
  • ZombieSlayer
    ZombieSlayer Posts: 369 Member
    I would learn how many additional calories you need. In early pregnancy, it's none. Later I think it's 200? Find that out and then count calories. Also DO NOT STOP EXERCISING. Do running and aerobics until you get uncomfortable doing them. Let you body tell you when to stop.

    This!

    Calorie requirements can be calculated here: http://www.freedieting.com/tools/pregnancy_calorie_calculator.htm

    If the cardio gets too intense, you could switch to just walking and pre-natal yoga (excellent videos with the modifications needed are readily available online).
  • msjenkalvoda
    msjenkalvoda Posts: 7 Member
    Up until my 28-week check-up I had put on 8.5 pounds. Then, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I began eating healthier and counting my calories to make sure I was getting enough. I started my pregnancy at 222 pounds (I'm 5'9") and was told at my first OB appointment to eat around 1800 calories. I thought that seemed a little low, but knew I was overweight to begin with. (I actually fell into the obese category by quite a bit.) By then end of my pregnancy, I took off the weight I had gained and then another 5 pounds. Five weeks after delivery I weighed 25 pounds less than what I started at.

    My midwife asked me at one of my appointments why I thought I was losing weight. I told her I was eating healthier and tracking how many calories I took in. She was not at all concerned, and told me I was doing myself a favor in the long run.

    It's different for everyone, but I would ask your Dr. their opinion on what to do. If you feel like they rushed you out the door, find a new one the first chance you get.

    Good luck with this exciting journey and remember that the weight and the stretch marks (I got a TON even though I lost weight throughout) are all worth it in the end!
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Congratulations!

    I guess we each carry a bit differently. I found it hard to understand how people gained so much weight while pregnant because after about the 4th month, there was no room for food; I was filled to the max! I actually lost weight the second half of each of my pregnancies while doing my best to maintain a good healthy diet.

    So who knows; weight gain might not be an issue for you.
  • julesxo
    julesxo Posts: 422 Member
    Congrats!

    I suggest eating a healthy diet and exercising (not pushing yourself) 30 minutes a day most days a week. Keeping yourself physically active is fine as long as you were active before you got pregnant, which you say you were. Studies show that being active makes for an easier delivery and I can speak for myself and say both of mine were very quick and easy. Also it will make weight loss faster after you give birth. I am 8 months post partum and finding weight loss a lot easier the second time around since I did not gain nearly as much this pregnancy and remained active the whole time.
    Don't worry too much about the scale though, as long as you are taking care of yourself and baby it will be fine.

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