Pregnancy weight gain after extreme weight loss.

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acook1679
acook1679 Posts: 30 Member
Since 2007 I have really changed my lifestyle with healthy eating and routine exercise. I lost a total of 160lbs all on my own. However I am now pregnant with my 3rd child and am so petrified of gaining the weight back. I am 22 weeks and have gained 15lbs. But I feel like I have severly expanded. Anyone else have this fear? Or even any tricks to over come the fear?

Replies

  • HeyNikkita
    HeyNikkita Posts: 147 Member
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    I did not have extreme weight loss like you... but this is my second kid. I gained 50 lbs with my first and I solemnly swore to myself I won't gain more than 20 lbs this time. I am overweight to begin with!

    I am so calorie and exercise cautious compared to the first pregnancy. I thought it was a free pass... turns out, it IS a free pass to obesity!!
  • emny86
    emny86 Posts: 18 Member
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    I think it's normal to have that fear even if you haven't experienced extreme weight loss. But I can see how that would be an even greater fear after you worked so hard to lose weight in the past. I think the best way to tackle the fear is to be really objective about what you're eating by tracking calories and protein, as well as trying to keep active. You can try to have a weight gain goal, but sometimes the body has its own agenda. We can only do so much while we're pregnant (can't do extreme exercising or diets)... So you have to just try your best but also cut yourself some slack.. You're growing a human after all ;)
  • meggwyn
    meggwyn Posts: 226 Member
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    I go back and forth with this. I was a little over weight (about 150 @ 5'4) with my first pregnancy and gained 45lbs. Super swollen from 24 weeks on. Ended up with high blood pressure at 41 weeks and had to be induced. Afterwards, I was stuck in the 160's for almost a year! I've never been heavy, in fact, had always been on the thin side, so it really bothered me. It was SO hard to lose weight. I got on Weight Watchers online, started doing tae bo and running and was able to get into the 130's and stay there until my next pregnancy. The next pregnancy, I was so weight conscientious, it wasn't good. I exercised and ate well for the most part...and still gained 45lbs!!! So, pretty much I was just mad at myself the whole time and stressed out. It took a year, but I was able to get back to the 130's and then even the 120's, so I know I can do it. Its just hard work!

    This time around, I've realized I will end up gaining whatever I gain and I will lose it again afterwards. I started at a higher weight than last time (145lbs thanks to my husband returning from a long deployment and me thinking that meant I could lay around with him and eat lots of yummy junk food....whoops!) and I have already gone through cycles of depression and acceptance with the scale. I'm trying hard to just focus on exercise and staying fit and strong and not worry about what the scale says since I will have plenty of time to lose the weight afterwards (with my little nursling helping me out!) If I gain 45lbs again, its not the end of the world, even though I'd love for it to be less.

    So, basically, you've learned great habits. Stick with them as much as you can and try not to let the scale rob your joy! Remember that its healthy to gain weight! Pregnancy is an amazing and incredible time. And pregnant women are so beautiful! :) (I have to tell myself these things too! lol)
  • usernameMAMA
    usernameMAMA Posts: 681 Member
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    First off, awesome job on the lifestyle change. Be proud of that. I think all of us are terrified to see the weight pack on during pregnancy, especially when we've work hard to lose the weight in the first place. I live by the fact that I'm strong enough to lose the weight once and I will be strong enough to lose whatever excess weight I have once the baby is born. You're strong enough too. You can do it because you already have once right? Not that I'm saying go hog wild and eat whatever you want, just make sure to keep some activity in your daily schedule and it will help you greatly in the pregnancy weight gain and loss.
  • MeanieD
    MeanieD Posts: 79
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    Hi there,

    I had the same fear because I've worked so hard to get my weight to a healthy level. Fortunately my husband has been good about reminding me that the weight I gain now is to make sure our baby is going to be healthy.

    Just remember, now that you have the good habits, the baby weight will come off easier. :)
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I have days when I get really upset about being bigger, and when I look through photos from last year and wonder if I'll be that slim again!

    I put on a lot of weight with my second child, and I lost 67lbs after her, so I started off my third pregnancy lighter than I started my first one, and a couple of sizes smaller.

    I'm 35 weeks tomorrow and have exercised regularly (zumba, aerobics, spinning until about 25 weeks, step aerobics and gym) as well as lots of walks with my kids, and being generally active. I've also logged my food pretty much every day, and although it hasn't always been as perfect as I would've liked, I haven't gone above calories many times. So I know I've done everything right.

    I haven't weighed myself since I was 12.5 weeks - I'm in England and they don't obsess over weight here at all - so I don't actually know how much I've gained, but I feel like I've gained more than I should've done.

    I know that I can lose weight though as I've done it before, and I figure I'm going to be pretty busy and active running round after three kids!
  • spunkychelsea
    spunkychelsea Posts: 316 Member
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    I've had trouble with this. My first pregnancy I was 22 lbs overweight, had GD and gained 23 lbs. I lost 33 lbs in the 9 months after baby (the 23 baaby weight came off in a week! Was crazy! The other 10 to work). Got pregnant when my son was 9 months old and worried I would have GD again I ate EVERYTHING, found out I didn't have GD, ate everything still, gained 46 lbs. I was so upset at my weight gain my husband hid our house scale, but I live in the US and they weighed me at every appt so I would just get more and more upset, but kept eating. I lost 22 lbs by the time I stepped on a scale at 2 months pp. Then found MFP. In the following 5 months I lost another 37 lbs. I watched what I ate, walked the kids and breastfed, and that was it. Then I got pregnant again when my daughter was 7 months old. I stopped counting calories for several months - first sick then it was the holidays... But I've been counting again and at least I've been aware of my weight. 3rd pregnancy in 3 years I feel like my weight is a yoyo. I really don't want to have to lose 59 lbs again! So I've been trying to be reasonable, but like the other girls said, you KNOW how to lose weight now! So after baby I know if I have plenty to lose I can and I don't need to be too discouraged. BUt the numbers on the scale going up really do my head in. Some days I'm fine with it, others when the scale jumps up 2 lbs over the weekend I want to cry! I'm 31 weeks tomorrow and I've gained 17 lbs so far. HOPING to keep it at 25 lbs total, but if I go up to 30 then so be it. (I gained 15 & 21 lbs in my 3rd trimesters before). Then my goal is to lose another 10 lbs for my long term weight (which I haven't been in about 9 years!)

    I would much rather have a healthy baby - meaning I'd like to gain enough weight for her to be happy - but not too much weight like I did last time because they were concerned her shoulders might get stuck! I'll lose whatever weight I need to afterwards. Best of luck with the mental part of this. Everyday I wonder if I'll feel ok with the scale or not. I recently got a FitBit though and have made it my mission to be more active and walk more (since I really haven't felt like exercising).
  • hiba_84
    hiba_84 Posts: 177 Member
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    I suffer with this everyday! I have gained 55 lbs in my first pregnancy. I was eating EVERYTHING, and I was a total couch potato. Once my son was almost 18 m o, and those 11 lbs were going no where, i had a total lifestyle change myself. I joined MFP, had a membership at curves and started working so hard. In about 9 months i lost 31 lbs.
    This pregnancy I am doing everything right: Working out 5 times a week, counting calories and have not yet had any junk food (i was junk food crazy in my previous pregnancy). Yet, the weight is just adding and the scale shows a bigger number every two days. Last time I checked i had already gained 16 lbs at 23 weeks. VERY DEPRESSING.
    What I keep telling myself though is, i know all the tricks now so losing weight this time around shouldn't be that difficult.
    As long as i am doing everything right, no matter how much i put on, it should be easier to lose because i am very conscious about what i eat so it couldn't be all fat.
    Some women, obviously, are meant to gain plenty during pregnancy no matter what we do :(
  • acook1679
    acook1679 Posts: 30 Member
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    I apologize for my neglect in responding to all this wonderful support. I am new to the community, I have only just used the app in the past. I appreciate the repsonses and encouragement. Also I appreciate knowing that I am not alone. Its a daily struggle and fear that I have to constantly calm down. I will continue my workouts and logging. As for treating myself occasionally I do and I do my best not to beat myself up about it. I haven't over indulged without compensating in another area. Yet seeing the scale climb makes it a struggle regardless of the reason. Again thank you all:)
  • LadyG0915
    LadyG0915 Posts: 137 Member
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    I have lost 105 lbs and then found out I was preg. I still had about 30 to lose to get to my goal. So EVERY SINGLE lb I gain is terrifying! I EAT 1000x better than I did with #1 and I gained 80 lbs. #2 I was ok and didn't really work out and gained about 45. I have been eating healthy and working out this time and I have still gained almost 40 at 30 weeks. It is heart breaking and very hard to look at it as just baby weight.
  • SummerNights32
    SummerNights32 Posts: 86 Member
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    Im in the same boat. I feel like Ive been eating bad, but not as bad as the scale is showing. I started tracking my food again this month and I go back for a check up next Thursday. At 5.5 months, I was already up 23 pounds. It is heart breaking, especially since you are just able now to tell I am pregnant. In other words...I have gained FAT, not baby weight. I have stopped weighing at home because I am getting so down about it. I am hoping to be up no more than 4 pounds next week, but who knows. I don't know how to slow it down at this point.
  • acook1679
    acook1679 Posts: 30 Member
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    I am so so happy to hear that I am not alone in this. Every doctor appointment is so scarey for what they will tell me I have gained. I am just over six months pregnant and overall I have gained 19 pounds. That doesn't sound like much but then I have to take it to the next level and say ok by the time the pregnancy is over I will have gained 28 pounds, based on how I have gained so far. Its so scarey. I know I should be thinking of just our health but I let the scarey/negative thoughts creep in. Some people look at me like I am pathetic but its so hard after such a weight loss. Thank you so much for posting and caring.
  • auntkk28
    auntkk28 Posts: 55 Member
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    Hi everyone,

    I'm due with #4 on Sept 6th and I already look like I'm 6 months along when I'm only currently starting week 19 tomorrow:noway: I've already gained 13 pounds:sad: I was pretty much at my goal weight last summer (I lost 90 pounds all together) but then my mom passed away and I turned back to food for comfort and with the holidays I put about 15 back on when I got pregnant in December so I started this pregnancy overweight. I'm also having a really hard time watching the scale go up but what bothers me the most are some of my coworkers always commenting on how big I am already!:explode:
  • acook1679
    acook1679 Posts: 30 Member
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    Hi everyone,

    I'm due with #4 on Sept 6th and I already look like I'm 6 months along when I'm only currently starting week 19 tomorrow:noway: I've already gained 13 pounds:sad: I was pretty much at my goal weight last summer (I lost 90 pounds all together) but then my mom passed away and I turned back to food for comfort and with the holidays I put about 15 back on when I got pregnant in December so I started this pregnancy overweight. I'm also having a really hard time watching the scale go up but what bothers me the most are some of my coworkers always commenting on how big I am already!:explode:


    I know exactly what you are going through. I am here if you need:)