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Adjusting cals after first tri weight gain/Support needed

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getfitgal123
getfitgal123 Posts: 267 Member
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Hi Ladies! So I have put on a TON of weight in the first tri. Around 12-13 lbs. I went from really limiting carbs and calories while TTC to eating around 1800-2000 calories total (and more carbs due to nausea) during first tri. If you look at "net" calories I was getting around 1500-1700 calories/day.

I am 12+4 today but baby is measuring a week ahead.

I should mention I have PCOS and was on metformin prior to preg, but taken off of it at 7 weeks.
I was at the top of the healthy BMI range and very muscular when I got preg. I continued to do kettlebell training with a trainer 3X week and Zumba 2-3 X per week in the first tri.

Saw OB yesterday and she didn't really seem concerned w/ the gain but said to the extent I am, I could safely take the *total* daily calories down to 1600 calories/day as long as I pay close attention to eating nutritious foods. So I am going to try that out and hopefully slow down the gain.

Would love to add some preg friends to my friends list to help cheer me along in this journey!

Replies

  • mommyrunning
    mommyrunning Posts: 495 Member
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    I am 11 weeks 1 day. This is baby #3 for me. With 1 & 2 I gained about a lb a week but I didn't log food at all with the first and only some of the time with the 2nd. Are you logging your food? In the end if your OB thinks it's ok it probably is but I understand your concern. I am trying to be more careful this time around.
  • getfitgal123
    getfitgal123 Posts: 267 Member
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    Yes I have been logging my food each day and getting around 1500-1700 net (1800-2000 total). I guess I just didn't expect to gain so much in the first tri especially with those numbers.
  • kemiley
    kemiley Posts: 6 Member
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    Keep in mind that pregnancy weight gain isn't all fat/calorie gain. You've got amniotic fluid, extra blood, larger breasts and many people retain water like they're getting ready for a drought (especially if you're eating more carbs - those tend to help us retain water). Stay active and keep doing what you're doing!

    If it helps any... this is my 4th pregnancy. The only pregnancy I didn't consistently exercise during, I gained about 15lbs. Those that I've worked out more consistently and with more intensity I've gained more. My doctor explained that because I'm active, my body seems to want to hold on to anything extra it can because it "knows" I'll need it for baby to be healthy.
  • joianett
    joianett Posts: 79 Member
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    If anyone understands how you are feeling, I do.

    Now, I am almost 36 weeks pregnant and I gained weight the first tri due to carbohydrate intake but once that craving ended, I cut back and was/is able to control the weight. With that being said, I have gained too little weight (according to my doctor) so I am by no means an expert on nutrition during pregnancy. At 33 weeks I was told no more working out due to the lack of gain.

    Anyway, my advice would be to watch the carb intake and make sure they are healthy carbs. I was living on fruit, which is great but you tend to forget how many carbs/sugar are in some fruits so make sure you eat plenty of protein and eat protein WITH carbs
  • getfitgal123
    getfitgal123 Posts: 267 Member
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    Keep in mind that pregnancy weight gain isn't all fat/calorie gain. You've got amniotic fluid, extra blood, larger breasts and many people retain water like they're getting ready for a drought (especially if you're eating more carbs - those tend to help us retain water). Stay active and keep doing what you're doing!

    If it helps any... this is my 4th pregnancy. The only pregnancy I didn't consistently exercise during, I gained about 15lbs. Those that I've worked out more consistently and with more intensity I've gained more. My doctor explained that because I'm active, my body seems to want to hold on to anything extra it can because it "knows" I'll need it for baby to be healthy.

    Very interesting - thanks! Perhaps that's what is happening to me. I have been working out almost everyday.
    Also I'm sure a lot of it is water because one day I drank a TON of water (like 5 liters) and found the scale went down by almost 4 lbs overnight (I guess flushing it out?) And lol, yes boobs are almost 3 sizes bigger at this point.
  • getfitgal123
    getfitgal123 Posts: 267 Member
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    If anyone understands how you are feeling, I do.

    Now, I am almost 36 weeks pregnant and I gained weight the first tri due to carbohydrate intake but once that craving ended, I cut back and was/is able to control the weight. With that being said, I have gained too little weight (according to my doctor) so I am by no means an expert on nutrition during pregnancy. At 33 weeks I was told no more working out due to the lack of gain.

    Anyway, my advice would be to watch the carb intake and make sure they are healthy carbs. I was living on fruit, which is great but you tend to forget how many carbs/sugar are in some fruits so make sure you eat plenty of protein and eat protein WITH carbs

    Thanks for your perspective. Now that the first tri is ended I am feeling better and not craving carbs as much so I am finding it easier to eat a little less. I am hoping to maintain for a bit.... So we'll see what happens. I had not been weighing myself every day (or even regularly) so I think that's part of what let the gain get away from me. I have committed to weighing myself everyday now so I can keep a better track. Who knows, I might just be one who starts off gaining quickly and then the rate slows a bit.
  • Love4fitnesslove4food2
    Love4fitnesslove4food2 Posts: 711 Member
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    If you were restricting carbohydrates then the weight gain you are seeing is water weight and after the initial replenishment if glycogen stores the weight gain will likely taper off--which it should have done by now. I really wouldn't recommend that any pregnant woman in the 2nd trimester eat only 1600 calories. That is weight loss range for most women and I think if you had discussed your dieting history with your OB then maybe she wouldn't have recommended that.

    My normal weight is ~110 and I'm 137 at the moment at 36 weeks pregnant. I should end my pregnancy at less than 35 pounds gained and I eat 2200 calories on average minimum.
  • verbenaverbena
    verbenaverbena Posts: 12
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    This is my first pregnancy - I'm 5'2" and was 108lbs prepregnancy (a bit above my usually 104 "fit weight"). I'm 24 weeks and 118lbs, but I gained most of that 10 lbs in the first trimester eating what I normally ate but not exercising at all (d/t sleepiness and mild nausea) and since then my weight gain has plateaued. Weight gain is not always linear throughout pregnancy.

    I've been using the Brewer pregnancy diet as a guide, maintaining 80-100g of protein and netting about 1450 kcal per day until this week. One concerns is that insufficient healthy weight gain will reduce your plasma volume and restrict uterine blood flow thereby complicating pregnancy (preeclampsia, preterm, IUGR, etc). My midwife felt that I should not limit my calories but go with my appetite and this has been a challenge for me because my appetite has never been a great marker of hunger but is usually an excellent marker for stress. I did however get a lot hungrier this week and I'm trying to eat healthy things, maintain my protein intake and not pay so much attention to the total kcal - and luckily my appetite has mostly been aligned with my new kcal goals.

    Hope this helps. :)
  • getfitgal123
    getfitgal123 Posts: 267 Member
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    If you were restricting carbohydrates then the weight gain you are seeing is water weight and after the initial replenishment if glycogen stores the weight gain will likely taper off--which it should have done by now. I really wouldn't recommend that any pregnant woman in the 2nd trimester eat only 1600 calories. That is weight loss range for most women and I think if you had discussed your dieting history with your OB then maybe she wouldn't have recommended that.

    My normal weight is ~110 and I'm 137 at the moment at 36 weeks pregnant. I should end my pregnancy at less than 35 pounds gained and I eat 2200 calories on average minimum.

    I did discuss my dieting history with the OB and 1600 total is what she recommended. :) I have PCOS also and maintain my weight at a very low level of calories.
  • asilmegan34
    asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
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    Sorry you have PCOS, that certainly makes it tougher. When I was pregnant the first time around, I'll tell you that carbs killed me in the weight gain. This time around, its fresh fruits like blueberries and strawberries , with a focus on protein intake.

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