dieting while pregnant???

RhiannaGonnaBeSoHot
RhiannaGonnaBeSoHot Posts: 17
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
So I just found out over the weekend that my husband and I are expecting. But I still want to calorie count and lose weight. What I'm thinking is with over 200 assorted pounds situated over my body, I could successfully feed a fetus for the whole pregnancy... so wouldn't it be okay to still try and lose weight as long as I eat the right foods that are healthy for the baby. Cutting out alcohol alone and all of the drunk snacking that comes along with it should help too.

Replies

  • Amandac6772
    Amandac6772 Posts: 1,311 Member
    I would consult your physcian about this. They can give you the appropriate guidance.
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
    You should speak with your OB/GYN about this, but my understanding is you should absolutely NOT *try* to lose weight while pregnant.

    When you cut calories, you're cutting essential nutrients. That's no good for baby. Overweight women don't need to gain much weight while pregnant, but for the health of your baby and you, a website is not the place to be asking for confirmation about losing weight while pregnant.
  • kellykat
    kellykat Posts: 180 Member
    It's definitely not a good idea to "diet" while pregnant. You need to talk to your doctor about a healthy menu that can feed both you and your growing baby.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    I'm not a doctor, nor have I ever been pregnant, but I am also under the impression that you should not be cutting calories while pregnant. I have heard that heavier women should not be gaining as MUCH weight when pregnant as a woman who is at a healthy weight when becoming pregnant.

    I would speak to your doctor about how many calories/day you should be consuming and how to stay active and strong during your pregnancy.
  • Melis25Fit
    Melis25Fit Posts: 811 Member
    I saw on the show "The Doctors" that you absolutely should NOT loose weight while pregnant. You need to make sure your baby is getting everything they need! Definately talk to your dr!!!! Please be safe!
  • Supermel
    Supermel Posts: 612 Member
    I would be extremely cautious. I would only go be a Doctor approved plan IMO. Lots of work benefit plans support a one time dietician visit as well, perhaps something to look into. I would be extra cuatious these first months too, you are already using the effort of mountain climbing to build that little heart and lungs and brain etc and you don't want to leave yourself short. From what i understand baby doesn't go without, they draw from you to get what they need, but its not your fat they are drawing, its muscle and nutrients. If you walk moderately and eat very healthy but with a good amount of protein and calories, you should gain little during the pregnancy or even a lose a bit while growing baby, but all in moderation. You may see inches drop if you weren't physically active before though and you walk now moderately. I hope your pregnanyc goes well!
  • sarahricks
    sarahricks Posts: 90 Member
    When I got pregnant with my daughter I weighted around 200 pounds. My doctor told me that I was not to go on any sort of diet. I would just eat what you need to maintain with the extra 300 for the baby and work on the weight loss after you have him.
  • thisemmabites
    thisemmabites Posts: 117
    You should speak with your OB/GYN about this, but my understanding is you should absolutely NOT *try* to lose weight while pregnant.

    When you cut calories, you're cutting essential nutrients. That's no good for baby. Overweight women don't need to gain much weight while pregnant, but for the health of your baby and you, a website is not the place to be asking for confirmation about losing weight while pregnant.

    I agree so much with this post.
  • lilmissy2
    lilmissy2 Posts: 595 Member
    You really shouldn't be trying to cut down on calories but you could focus on healthy eating (ie either finding some info on the recommended number of portions of each food group or eating a variety of foods and trying to eat your ''maintenance' calories) to ensure you don't gain too much extra weight during the pregnancy. Your maintenance calories should be sufficient until the 3rd Trimester where you will need appro 300kcal extra.

    While I understand your reasoning that you have a lot to lose so figure your bub will have plenty, the baby needs nutrients, not just calories.

    Best of luck with the pregnancy :)
  • Jay_83
    Jay_83 Posts: 446
    I read somewhere that if you diet while pregnant, it can pass toxins through/ by the placenta which is not good for baby at all. Talk to your doctor(like everyone else suggested as well).
    Good luck with your pregnany!! :bigsmile: :flowerforyou:
  • katya143
    katya143 Posts: 313 Member
    OFCOURSE ppl would say to speak to a dr, but I dont see that "dieting" should be used in combination with pregnancy, I know that if you are overweight to begin with that you shouldnt gain any weight...I think that if you just eat healthy, lots of fruits and veggies, lean meats and dairy, you should be fine...
  • JStarnes
    JStarnes Posts: 5,576 Member
    I lost 18lbs while PG with DD. It's safe and women do it ALL the time - if you do it right you'll be fine. Speak with your Dr, chances are good he/she will approve of a healthy loss - not a 400 cal a day with 9hrs of exercise crash diet. :tongue: Good luck!
  • Mirlyn
    Mirlyn Posts: 256
    So I just found out over the weekend that my husband and I are expecting. But I still want to calorie count and lose weight. What I'm thinking is with over 200 assorted pounds situated over my body, I could successfully feed a fetus for the whole pregnancy... so wouldn't it be okay to still try and lose weight as long as I eat the right foods that are healthy for the baby. Cutting out alcohol alone and all of the drunk snacking that comes along with it should help too.

    Dieting is not advised but eating healthy and counting calories isn't necessarily dieting, it is just making the right choices. You absolutely can safely lose weight in a healthy way while pregnant if you were highly overweight or obese to start your pregnancy. Definitely speak to your OBGYN, have them set you up with a prenatal nutritionist. My OBGYN told me he wanted me to gain no more than 15lbs my entire pregnancy and told me that at my weight I could actually LOSE weight by eating right and still be completely healthy for my child. I ate much healthier while pregnant than not pregnant and I gained about 20 but those lbs came off almost immediately (about 15 of them) and then I ate bad again and gained them all back post-pregnancy.
  • Mirlyn
    Mirlyn Posts: 256
    And CONGRATULATIONS! *forgot to add that :P*
  • AZDee
    AZDee Posts: 129 Member
    With the oversight of my OBGYN I ate what I referred too as Baby Food, exactly what was needed to grow a healthy baby without gaining unnecessary weight. Basically all the needed healthily foods and none of the junk that we tend to crave during that time.... I would think this site could be a very useful tool to make sure you are getting the right amounts of the right foods! Congratulations!!!
  • AKosky585
    AKosky585 Posts: 607 Member
    First of all, Congrats!!!

    I would consult your OBGYN about this. I just took a Nutrition class last quarter and we learned that women need 300 extra calories a day on top of what they normally consume to properly nourish themselves and the little one growing inside of them.
  • RhiannaGonnaBeSoHot
    RhiannaGonnaBeSoHot Posts: 17
    Thank you for that. I agree I guess. As long as I'm not living on slim fast and water, I should be fine. I lost 10 from start to finish with my first son, and 43 from start to finish with my second son. dieting suits me, I guess.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
    So I just found out over the weekend that my husband and I are expecting. But I still want to calorie count and lose weight. What I'm thinking is with over 200 assorted pounds situated over my body, I could successfully feed a fetus for the whole pregnancy... so wouldn't it be okay to still try and lose weight as long as I eat the right foods that are healthy for the baby. Cutting out alcohol alone and all of the drunk snacking that comes along with it should help too.

    No, it wouldn't be okay. You could end up short of certain nutrients, iron, folic acid, the list is long!

    What you could do however, is eat the correct things and cut out all crap, make sure you take in all the right nutrients and if you play it right, when you have the baby you MAY then weigh less than you did when you first fell pregnant.

    Bear in mind too, that sugar levels in mothers-to-be falls in between meals, sometimes by quite a lot, hence why they want to snack in between. If you tried to diet when pregnant you would, most likely, find yourself starving hungry - not good.
  • shawnalmil
    shawnalmil Posts: 137
    So I just found out over the weekend that my husband and I are expecting. But I still want to calorie count and lose weight. What I'm thinking is with over 200 assorted pounds situated over my body, I could successfully feed a fetus for the whole pregnancy... so wouldn't it be okay to still try and lose weight as long as I eat the right foods that are healthy for the baby. Cutting out alcohol alone and all of the drunk snacking that comes along with it should help too.
    well u are pregnant so for a while u might lose weight but u might get upset if ur not losin at the end,
    i was 240lbs when i got pregnant, i ate regularly and i actualy lost 17lbs not tryen in the 1st 6 mnths, then i gained it back plus 2lbs so i weighed 242 when i gave birth

    there is nothing wrong with watchen what u eat when ur pregnant but you need to be eating enough plus healthy , no hcg diet, or pills, lol good luck
  • shawnalmil
    shawnalmil Posts: 137
    First of all, Congrats!!!

    I would consult your OBGYN about this. I just took a Nutrition class last quarter and we learned that women need 300 extra calories a day on top of what they normally consume to properly nourish themselves and the little one growing inside of them.
    which is half a sandwhich and a glass of milk, most women thing that since they are pregnant they can eat what ever they want because they are "eaten for 2" when in reality right now the baby is not even bigger than ur had and doesnt need all the extra calories LOL,
  • Mookz0r
    Mookz0r Posts: 143
    I guess you've probably gone for the majority view here - don't do it.

    Bear in mind that a lack of certain nutrients - like folic acid - can cause serious problems for the developing baby, like life-threatening problems, such as spina bifida. So whilst some may say they did and all was fine, it's not something to be recommended at all.

    Keeping up extra calories during breastfeeding (if you are going to do this) is also important... and won't affect your post-partum weight loss - the wonders of nature! I was 155lbs before pregnancy, put on 40lbs, lost 30lbs in the first 4 months post-partum due to Nature and breastfeeding without even considering my calorie intake... it's only now that I need to lose the last 10 and I've done that in 6 weeks of only moderate dieting (1550/day)... and still breastfeeding twice a day.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Joy and Happiness and Love and Wonderous Babies!! What a wonderful happy time for you two! Enjoy it knowing you have the tools to learn healthy eating at your fingertips.

    Then when junior is born, you will be the best mommy in the world! Teaching him how to eat his veggies, drink his milk, ride the bike with mom and dad!!

    Use this next 8 months or so to eat right and exercise more. LOG your food so you don't eat for two!! Get a lot of intentional and )
    unintentional exercise (like parking in the back of the parking lot or taking the stairs instead of elevator!) and you will be one hot momma!!:love:

    :flowerforyou: Congrats Jeannie
  • candican
    candican Posts: 96
    Congrats to you! All you need to do is focus on being healthy. As was already mentioned, dieting, in terms of cutting out calories etc is a definite no no.
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