Anybody trying to get pregnant yet wants to lose weight?

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Cwampler09
Cwampler09 Posts: 5 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am conflicted as my husband and I agreed to start trying for kids this month. I am 5 foot 3 and a 153 pounds and I want to continue to focus on my health and losing weight. I have heard it is harmful to lose weight while pregnant, but what do you all suggest when trying to get pregnant? My tendency is to just keep doing like I have been as it can take woman months/years to get pregnant and I do not want to focus so much on getting pregnant that I leave behind my goal to lose weight.

Any advice welcome :)

Replies

  • ehimay10ins
    ehimay10ins Posts: 57 Member
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    i'm pretty much in the same boat as you except I just found out yesterday that I am pregnant.

    This is something i will talk to my doctor when I go in for my first appointment in a month.

    MFP said i should be eating 1450 calories to lose 1 lb a week and work out 4 times.
    Then I just changed it and got 1700 to lose .5 lbs a week and work out 2-3 times a week.

    I checked online with a pregnancy calculator saying that I want to work out 2-3 times a week and it said 1900.

    I know the idea is to add 300 calories when pregnant (verses eating for 2). Therefore here is my plan. I will eat 1700 a day. When I work out I will not worry about eating those extra calories (in the past I didnt). Once I talk to my OB, I can contact you again to see what he said.

    I'll tell you, it was a surprise to me that I conceived so quickly (this is #4). I think it was due to me being in good shape.
  • Cwampler09
    Cwampler09 Posts: 5 Member
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    First off, congratulations!! That is wonderful that you got pregnant so quickly!!

    Thank you for replying to my message. I have my calories set to 1200 as I put it to 2lbs per week. I tend to eat back most of my exercise calories as I have heard to keep your net calories at 1200 to keep from going into starvation mode. Any thoughts or opinions about this while trying to conceive? Should I be eating more or less?

    I had a miscarriage a year and a half ago and I was eating very unhealthy as well as not exercising so I am hoping my changes will help to have a healthy pregnancy.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    It's not unhealthy to lose fat while pregnant if you have a lot of fat to lose. But proper nutrition during pregnancy is very important. Pregnancy does not have to mean ruining your figure or getting fat. But the main focus during this time needs to be the baby.

    I would suggest talking to your OB/GYN about your plans and concerns.
  • ehimay10ins
    ehimay10ins Posts: 57 Member
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    I had a miscarriage between children #2 and #3. To this day I blame it on my exercise routine. I had started exercising a few weeks before I got pregnant and I continued hard core.

    This time around I started exercising hard core for 3 months before trying to try and prevent that issue.

    In terms of conceiving I dont see any problem with losing weight, i have lost 10 lbs in the last 3 months and I think that help me. Once you actually are pregnant......thats where I'm confused.
  • youngcaseyr
    youngcaseyr Posts: 293 Member
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    i'm pretty much in the same boat as you except I just found out yesterday that I am pregnant.

    This is something i will talk to my doctor when I go in for my first appointment in a month.

    MFP said i should be eating 1450 calories to lose 1 lb a week and work out 4 times.
    Then I just changed it and got 1700 to lose .5 lbs a week and work out 2-3 times a week.

    I checked online with a pregnancy calculator saying that I want to work out 2-3 times a week and it said 1900.

    I know the idea is to add 300 calories when pregnant (verses eating for 2). Therefore here is my plan. I will eat 1700 a day. When I work out I will not worry about eating those extra calories (in the past I didnt). Once I talk to my OB, I can contact you again to see what he said.

    I'll tell you, it was a surprise to me that I conceived so quickly (this is #4). I think it was due to me being in good shape.

    There's evidence now that, unless you're underweight or very athletic, you don't have to increase your calories at all in the first trimester, only 150 in the second, and 300 in the third trimester.
  • suska007
    suska007 Posts: 20 Member
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    First...read the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility." If you are healthy, it shouldn't take too long to get pregnant (unless body is a bit off kilter from just coming off birth control) seeing how a woman can only conceive 1-3 days in her cycle. It will explain when those days are.

    Second...a lot of people suggest being where you want to be health-wise before getting pregnant. But I would absolutely consult with a doctor before you do anything.
  • ostrichagain
    ostrichagain Posts: 271 Member
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    I think this is a question for a dietician. Your doctor may or may not be very knowledgeable when it comes to nutrition, but I'm sure a Dr. could give general advice.

    My advice would be eat at maintenance and continue moderate exercise. You'll still be burning calories and losing weight (as you gain as your baby grows), but your body will be getting everything it needs to keep you and your baby healthy. It's not just calories that count when you are trying to grow another person.
  • mab33
    mab33 Posts: 242 Member
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    Last year my goal was to lose weight to get pregnant. I successfully lost a bit over 20 pounds, then gained it all back about a month later. How I wish we had tried to get pregnant then, because I am now 20 pounds heavier than when I started losing weight to begin with.

    That said, I did get pregnant a few months ago, and lost the baby in June. My doctor, despite me being obese, did not seem overly concerned with my weight. She encouraged me to be healthy, but never even mentioned me losing weight before trying again. I'm going to speak with her next week, and ask her about losing weight while pregnant. It seems that studies show it is safe for women to lose fat while pregnant, as long as they are getting enough calories for their bodies and their babies. Of course, certain exercises are no-nos.

    Good luck!

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