Can I continue to lose weight during pregnancy?
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Please don't restrict calories while pregnant. Eat to your levels of hunger, and try to choose foods with good nutrition: protein, calcium, and vitamins. Stay hydrated. Get plenty of low-impact exercise and sleep.
I found that when I was pregnant my appetite almost entirely disappeared. I did gain weight, but not nearly as much as some women do. So if you're already heavy, you may find you don't gain that much. You WILL gain a ton of water weight. I recommend staying off the scale as much as possible.
Once the baby is born, you have the opportunity to take the baby weight off. Walking is great with a newborn, or get a jogging stroller and learn to run. If you choose to breastfeed you will also lose calories that way. If you're careful with what you eat in those first few months, the extra pounds should come rolling off.
Congratulations!0 -
You're going to see your Obgyn in 3-4 weeks. Realistically, as long as you're not eating at extremes (either severely restricting intake, or eating significantly over maintenance), however much you choose to consume until that appointment won't be significant for you or your baby. The guidance I was given was that in developed countries overeating and gaining a lot of weight is generally a bigger issue for pregnant women than undereating, both in terms of maternal and fetal outcomes, and that obese/very overweight women should actively try to not gain much weight at all.
Maybe focus on improving the quality of your diet (more vegetables, whole grains, nuts etc.), eat around maintenance and try and get lots of restful sleep as well as exercise. Don't worry too much. Your life will change so much that in 9 months' time you'll wander what you were so concerned for..0 -
LucyAndKay wrote: »definitely no weight lifting of ANY type.
There is nothing wrong with weightlifting during pregnancy - especially if it was part of your life prior to pregnancy.
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I am above the weight you mentioned and have "lost weight" during both of my pregnancies which resulted in two healthy full term babies that were 8lbs and above. For me my metabolism actually kicks in, I can eat normal and lose about 10-15 lbs in the first trimester. Stay about the same or up a few in the second tri and gain about 8-10 in the third. At due date for both of my children, I weighed within 2lbs of what I weighed when I got pregnant. A few weeks after birth, I was 20+ lbs lighter than when I got pregnant. The thing is, your body and the baby needs what it needs. First talk to your dr (don't google, and stay away from the doctor that told you to google) and second listen to your body. Your first goal has to be a healthy baby!! Congrats!0
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call your obgyn in advance of your first appointment and talk to his/her nurse or assistant..... this is not advice you should be getting from any other resource.0
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I am overweight and pregnant. My doctor told me it was fine to eat to maintain my current weight as long as they are good, quality foods. I am trying to gain as little as possible, but please don't restrict calories or actively try to lose weight. I second those who said to find a new doctor!0
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As a fellow pregnant woman, I say you need to talk to your doctor and see what he says. I've heard of women still being able to lose weight, I've heard of women being put on light duty, it all depends on your specific situation which only your doctor knows.
My doctor told me I could continue my activity level as before, but then in Trimester 2 we discovered previa via US so I had to take it easy for 4 weeks. Luckily the previa went away and I'm back to being active, but my point is your doctor will know your body...we will not.
I've continued to eat healthy and count calories (added 340 cals to my BMR in TRI2, 450 to BMR in TRI3).
Also, primary doctors are useless in situations such as these. Talk to your OB, if he says google it, get a new OB.
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I am above the weight you mentioned and have "lost weight" during both of my pregnancies which resulted in two healthy full term babies that were 8lbs and above. For me my metabolism actually kicks in, I can eat normal and lose about 10-15 lbs in the first trimester. Stay about the same or up a few in the second tri and gain about 8-10 in the third. At due date for both of my children, I weighed within 2lbs of what I weighed when I got pregnant. A few weeks after birth, I was 20+ lbs lighter than when I got pregnant. The thing is, your body and the baby needs what it needs. First talk to your dr (don't google, and stay away from the doctor that told you to google) and second listen to your body. Your first goal has to be a healthy baby!! Congrats!
This is all so very true.
Your metabolism will most likely react very differently in order to accommodate the babies growth, whilst keeping you as healthy as possible. Eat healthy foods, do light exercise i.e. moderate walking, pool work, pilates etc... enjoy your pregnancy and the learnings about your baby and your body that comes with it. Congratulations.
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The day I found out I was pregnant I weighed 209lbs. I'm 5'2. I talked with my OB and asked to see a nutritionist/dietician. I was able to eat at a small deficit in the first trimester, maintenance in the 2nd and then some added, 150kcal in the 3rd. I made it right into "onederland" while pregnant and then obviously started to gain in the third trimester but only put on 6lbs from my lowest which was 199lbs. I also stayed as active as I could until my round ligament pain put me out of running but then I was walking walking walking everywhere. So, it's possible with a good team working with you. Congratulations!0
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I have not read any of the replies because they're all irrelevant unless they say to speak to a doctor. Your OB, presumably, since your primary care physician sucks *kitten*.
We can all share our personal experiences, but they will not be useful to you.0 -
I am HIPPOing because I'm a lazy f*cker.
First off, listen to your OB's recommendations. With my first pregnancy, I was 10 pounds overweight, but the moment I got pregnant, I ate whatever I wanted, stopped tracking on MFP, stopped working out. I gained 70 pounds.
I am currently 38 weeks with my second. I started at 22 pounds overweight. My Midwife said to only gain 20 pounds max. I have my calories set in MFP to lose .5 pound a week, which puts me at like 1650-1700 calories a day. My midwife said this was fine. At 38 weeks, I am at a 16 pound weight gain. I record what I eat, and workout. But the biggest difference in weight gain is WHAT I eat. Eating carbs are amazing and delicious, but I can be under calories till the cows come home, but if I overdo it on the carbs I will gain weight like crazy. I've been all about eating protein and that has been a huge difference.
So though I'm not a medical professional, eating protein, exercising, not indulging in a ton of sugar and carbs, was what made the difference for me.0 -
And op, if you want to friend me or pm me for questions, I'd be more than happy to assist. Good luck and congrats!
Edited to add: I was doing Jillian Michaels 30 ds and running pre pregnancy. Since pregnant, I do a prenatal barre pilates combined with biking. I look more tone in my chest, arms, and back before pre pregnancy. I have the most self esteem I have probably ever had being pregnant, because I feel strong and that I look good.0 -
I would agree that a call to the OB's office prior to your visit is crucial. Healthy mama & healthy baby is the goal...please don't focus on calorie restriction - focus on eating healthy foods at a healthy portion size until you speak with your doctor.0
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I have seen many women in a twelve-step program carefully control their food and stay the same weight, lose weight or gain very little during pregnancy. These women had nutritionist, doctor-approved pregnancy diets that maximized nutrients while controlling calories. With careful food planning, these women emerged from pregnancy with happy, healthy babies and in control of their diets and their weight.
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Your doctor told you to check Google? I'd be googling to find a new PCP if I were you.
I've heard reports on NPR recently about new recommendations for obese pregnant women to maintain weight during pregnancy and not gain at all. Here are a couple of links that you might find helpful.
opb.org/radio/programs/thinkoutloud/segment/study-shows-overweight-pregnant-women-can-safely-lose-weight/
npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/01/16/263110970/does-moms-pregnancy-diet-rewire-babys-brain-for-obesity0 -
You really need to discuss this with your OB.
I'm 4 weeks postpartum. In the first trimester I ate at maintenance. 2nd Trimester I added about 150-200 calories and 3rd trimester I added 300-350 calories. I gained a little over 24 lbs. I logged everyday on MFP, and yes, some days I was waaay over my calorie goal. It happens. But I gained the recommended amount for my BMI and my OB was also in the know about my calorie intake, as I made a point of it since I had lost 58 lbs prior to pregnancy.
But really, you need to speak with your OB... not your GP. And if your GP told you to refer to Dr. Google, it's time to find a new GP too.0 -
http://sogc.org/publications/healthy-eating-exercise-and-weight-gain-beforeand-duringpregnancy/
http://www.acog.org/Resources-And-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Obstetric-Practice/Weight-Gain-During-Pregnancy
guidelines from the canadian OB society and american OB society. Generally the higher the BMI the lesser with weight gain should be. Your OB can tailor these recommendations to fit your particular situation. The baby will take what it needs in the meantime. But please take a mulitvit for pregnant women or just folate. Folate is very important for CNS development and that part of the fetus is forming right now.0 -
I wouldn't do ANYTHING until you speak to your OBGYN! Google and MFP aren't going to give you the medically sound answer0
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jcat410 wrote:after losing 13# (I still have 50# to go), I recently found out I am pregnant. I am currently 5 weeks and I stopped taking my supplements, fat burners, etc... but I am not sure about calorie restriction.
Anyone go through this? I am currently at 240# and it horrifies me to think I will end up 300# by the end of this pregnancy.
And you probably wouldn't gain 60 lb in a pregnancy. The fetus will be maybe 8 lb at the end. This study says that at term, the amniotic fluid is about 600 ml, so about a pound. This says that the placenta is about 1.5 lb.
The study below says that the placenta, fetus, and amniotic fluid are about 35% of pregnancy weight gain, and the gain overall is _less_ in women who are overweight.
So if 10.5 lb is 35%, you're looking at 30 lb total... and remember the gain is less in women who are overweight.
This study says in part:An examination of studies published in the United States from 1985 to the present indicate that the mean total gestational weight gain of normal weight adult women giving birth to term infants ranged from a low of 10.0 to a high of 16.7 kg ...
A consistent finding across studies was an inverse relationship between gestational weight gain and pregravid body mass index... the mean gestational weight gain for 613 obese (BMI > 35) women averaged 9.1 ± 7.4 kg
"an inverse relationship between gestational weight gain and pregravid body mass index" means that the heavier a woman is at the start of a pregnancy, the less she'll gain during it.
I think from the time I found out I was pregnant until I delivered I'd gained under 10 lb. My midwife was constantly fussing at me, asking if I was not eating (either deliberately or because I felt sick). No, I ate whatever I wanted, even frequently indulged in chocolate malt shakes. But I'd started out overweight, so didn't need to gain much, if any. IIRC, he was over 8 lb, perfectly healthy.
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As for trying to continue to lose weight, probably not a good idea right now. All you'll need to support the pregnancy is a couple hundred calories extra per day, so if you eat at maintenance for your current weight (apx. 15 cal/lb if you're active 30 min per day) that would actually put you at a small deficit.
Focus on eating as healthy as possible, getting enough protein & micronutrients, mostly whole fresh foods & trying to have less of the processed stuff.0 -
ketorach wrote:I have not read any of the replies because they're all irrelevant unless they say to speak to a doctor.
And how about the guidelines from the US & Canadian OB societies?lfred12 wrote:if I overdo it on the carbs I will gain weight like crazy
But yes, getting plenty of folate is important very early in pregnancy, since the fetus' nervous system is forming.
https://www.google.com/#q=what+foods+are+high+in+folate0
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