Overwhelmed...
kickingpounds
Posts: 42 Member
*Backstory* I am currently 180 pounds at 5'2. I am 12 weeks pregnant. I work a desk job and do little to no walking (think about 4000 steps on a really really active day). My doctor saw me Thursday and told me she wanted me to work on losing weight the first two trimesters, and that "carbs turn to sugar so dont eat them". I dont even know how to deal with all of this. I am a self proclaimed carb addict. How do I know if I am eating enough for my pregnancy? Is it good to completely cut out carbs?
I asked my doctor, and she said "just eat healthy more veggies and fruit and protein" when I asked for specific caloric numbers she wouldnt give me a straight number "its different for everyone" I am so confused and overwhelmed and really really could use any advice.
I asked my doctor, and she said "just eat healthy more veggies and fruit and protein" when I asked for specific caloric numbers she wouldnt give me a straight number "its different for everyone" I am so confused and overwhelmed and really really could use any advice.
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Replies
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Perhaps you could see a Nutritionist?0
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yes, it is safe to cut out carbs to an extent! did he mean all fruit? maybe get carbs from berries and veggies and skip the rolls, bread, cake...sugar...research low carb diets for prego's....i have many friends that did this safely and had more energy, lost weight and a healthy baby! Best wishes to you and baby!0
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janicelo1971 wrote: »yes, it is safe to cut out carbs to an extent! did he mean all fruit? maybe get carbs from berries and veggies and skip the rolls, bread, cake...sugar...research low carb diets for prego's....i have many friends that did this safely and had more energy, lost weight and a healthy baby! Best wishes to you and baby!
I told her I had been craving fruit a lot lately and she said that I could eat fruits in moderation but she would like me to focus on veggies and protein. I eat a lot of brown rice and she told me to try to keep on a minimum. Thank you. I will look into low carb diets during pregnancy.CupcakesMom2 wrote: »Perhaps you could see a Nutritionist?
I asked to be set up with one through my OB office, my doctor sent a referral but they said it could be a month before I could get an appointment.0 -
Not a nutritionist. If anything, a registered dietician.
Is this a GP or an obstetrician? I would be hesitant to cut below maintenance calories during pregnancy. Maybe calculate your maintenance calories based on not being pregnant, and then eat at that. That will actually be a deficit in light of the pregnancy. I think that if you could maintain at your current weight for the first while, that would be a win. Then after the pregnancy and nursing, you can up your deficit.
While you are pregnant you really need to focus on getting good nutrition. Especially while you are restricting calories, so I won't disagree with the advice to eat lots of fruit, veggies and protein.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10257474/starting-out-restarting-basics-inside#latest
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blankiefinder wrote: »Not a nutritionist. If anything, a registered dietician.
Is this a GP or an obstetrician? I would be hesitant to cut below maintenance calories during pregnancy. Maybe calculate your maintenance calories based on not being pregnant, and then eat at that. That will actually be a deficit in light of the pregnancy. I think that if you could maintain at your current weight for the first while, that would be a win. Then after the pregnancy and nursing, you can up your deficit.
While you are pregnant you really need to focus on getting good nutrition. Especially while you are restricting calories, so I won't disagree with the advice to eat lots of fruit, veggies and protein.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10257474/starting-out-restarting-basics-inside#latest
It is my OBGYN
Thank you for the tips. I will look into a dietician.
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kickingpounds wrote: »janicelo1971 wrote: »yes, it is safe to cut out carbs to an extent! did he mean all fruit? maybe get carbs from berries and veggies and skip the rolls, bread, cake...sugar...research low carb diets for prego's....i have many friends that did this safely and had more energy, lost weight and a healthy baby! Best wishes to you and baby!
I told her I had been craving fruit a lot lately and she said that I could eat fruits in moderation but she would like me to focus on veggies and protein. I eat a lot of brown rice and she told me to try to keep on a minimum. Thank you. I will look into low carb diets during pregnancy.CupcakesMom2 wrote: »Perhaps you could see a Nutritionist?
I asked to be set up with one through my OB office, my doctor sent a referral but they said it could be a month before I could get an appointment.
Listen to your doctor. Veggies and protein are a great basis for a diet. It's what I do but I don't get overly strict with myself. I know "overly strict" means different things to different people, so start working on portion control by purchasing a food scale and accurately tracking what you eat for a few weeks without trying to cut back. Then slowly cut your calories. Start by cutting no more than 500 calories a day and work down from there. Keep in mind that you need to make sure that you're getting a well balanced diet for your kiddo so I'd personally avoid going anywhere below 1800 calories even early on. That's not a magic number but I've found it difficult to get enough basic nutrition below that number. In other words, when the MFP calculator tells you that you get 1200 calories per day don't do that. Oh, and walk, walk, walk.
ETA: You can't cut out carbs entirely (veggies are carbs). Form the basis of your diet with veggies, use fruit and yogurt when you get a sweets craving, and go from there. We all know cutting out sweets entirely is very difficult so don't be afraid to feed that craving with a serving once in a while. I'll add that very few people know what a real serving looks like so I'm serious about buying a food scale. You don't need to use it forever but it is a great learning tool.0 -
kickingpounds wrote: »*Backstory* I am currently 180 pounds at 5'2. I am 12 weeks pregnant. I work a desk job and do little to no walking (think about 4000 steps on a really really active day). My doctor saw me Thursday and told me she wanted me to work on losing weight the first two trimesters, and that "carbs turn to sugar so dont eat them".
A couple of things jump out at me: You are 12 weeks pregnant, and your doc wants you to work on losing weight the first two trimesters. You're already through your first trimester, so she wants you to lose weight during the next three months?
I am sensitive to the fact that the title of this thread is "overwhelmed", so the only advice I have in addition to what's been said is that you should not step on the scale for the rest of your pregnancy. (Except at the doctor's office obviously). Concentrate on making healthy food choices, get up and walk around more during the day, maybe take walks before or after work. Now is not the time to start an exercise program if you were not in the habit before pregnancy.
You have a lot going on, and I'm a little irritated with your doctor for telling you to lose weight right now, and not giving you any support. It will not be the end of the world if you don't lose weight until after the baby comes - focus your energy on one or two things, such as like eating more good stuff and less junk, and finding time to walk (which you already know how to do ) Good luck! 0 -
Your doctor is an idiot because carbs don't 'turn into fats'. It's not how that works.
But he's right about decreasing them (I really don't see the point of going low carb if you have no intention of sticking to it forever) and focusing more on protein, fruit, and veggies. You can still have rice... but maybe just 100g once a day or something (that's about 3/4 of a cup I think?).
In your situation, if you haven't been counting calories or anything so far, I'd honestly just eat more lean protein and veggies, and reduce your carbs to one reasonable serving per meal (so a bit of rice, or a slice of bread, or a SMALL potato etc) and try to avoid more carbs for snacks (and instead have some yogurt, nuts, or fruit, for example).
I still don't get the carb hate. I need carbs or my meals are nowhere as satisfying.0 -
Triplestep wrote: »kickingpounds wrote: »*Backstory* I am currently 180 pounds at 5'2. I am 12 weeks pregnant. I work a desk job and do little to no walking (think about 4000 steps on a really really active day). My doctor saw me Thursday and told me she wanted me to work on losing weight the first two trimesters, and that "carbs turn to sugar so dont eat them".
A couple of things jump out at me: You are 12 weeks pregnant, and your doc wants you to work on losing weight the first two trimesters. You're already through your first trimester, so she wants you to lose weight during the next three months?
I am sensitive to the fact that the title of this thread is "overwhelmed", so the only advice I have in addition to what's been said is that you should not step on the scale for the rest of your pregnancy. (Except at the doctor's office obviously). Concentrate on making healthy food choices, get up and walk around more during the day, maybe take walks before or after work. Now is not the time to start an exercise program if you were not in the habit before pregnancy.
You have a lot going on, and I'm a little irritated with your doctor for telling you to lose weight right now, and not giving you any support. It will not be the end of the world if you don't lose weight until after the baby comes - focus your energy on one or two things, such as like eating more good stuff and less junk, and finding time to walk (which you already know how to do ) Good luck!
Thank you! My doctor is going based on my LMP however it is not possible that the date she is using is correct because two weeks after my LMP I went to the ER for bleeding and they found a baby gestationally about 5 weeks which makes more sense as there was only one time I could have gotten pregnant and that coincides with the dating on the ER ultrasound, however my doctor is going based on an arbitrary date that is wrong. She is sending me for a dating ultrasound but that isnt for a few more weeks thanks to a huge backlog. I know I am 12 weeks, she thinks I am 8. So anyway...
I am going to be walking more both during my lunch when its warm out and I can walk the parking lot, and after work either in my living room doing those stupid walking videos or around the neighborhood when its warmer. I know that I am "fat" aka obsese, however I lost a pound between this visit and my first due to morning sickness. I feel like the second doctors see a BMI they do not like that is all they focus on. My doctor literally talked about this the entire visit. I have given birth before, I know the process so I feel like instead of being more pregnancy focused she is being more....idk lifestyle focused. I am going to start focusing on eating consistently because that is always an issue for me. I will be meal planning for the upcoming week, as much protein and veggies and such. I am just so lost at this. When I was on my weight loss journey before I got pregnant I ate everything I ate before but in moderation, as a carb addict I feel like I am going to really struggle with this new "carbs are the devil" mindset
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Your doctor is an idiot because carbs don't 'turn into fats'. It's not how that works.
But he's right about decreasing them (I really don't see the point of going low carb if you have no intention of sticking to it forever) and focusing more on protein, fruit, and veggies. You can still have rice... but maybe just 100g once a day or something (that's about 3/4 of a cup I think?).
In your situation, if you haven't been counting calories or anything so far, I'd honestly just eat more lean protein and veggies, and reduce your carbs to one reasonable serving per meal (so a bit of rice, or a slice of bread, or a SMALL potato etc) and try to avoid more carbs for snacks (and instead have some yogurt, nuts, or fruit, for example).
I still don't get the carb hate. I need carbs or my meals are nowhere as satisfying.
I will not be going low carb forever. I do track my carbs and moderate them when I am on my weight loss journey however, I am a carb addict and to completely deny them causes me to binge. I used this new website I just found...(whataremymacros.com) and went lower carb, so hopefully this will give her what she wants. Thank you 0 -
Oh god, doctors seem to give awful advice on what to eat/diets to go on. Please see a dietician.0
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My midwife once told me she finds more protein and fats in a diet helps to make lean babies and carbs tends to make bigger babies. Her general observation was that woman who ate more carbs and not enough fats and protein tend to eat more calories hence larger babies. I was NOT wanting to push out a huge baby from my lady region so I eat a lot more fat a protein. Worked for me but like I said it was something she noticed in her practice.0
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CinderellaDaisy wrote: »My midwife once told me she finds more protein and fats in a diet helps to make lean babies and carbs tends to make bigger babies. Her general observation was that woman who ate more carbs and not enough fats and protein tend to eat more calories hence larger babies. I was NOT wanting to push out a huge baby from my lady region so I eat a lot more fat a protein. Worked for me but like I said it was something she noticed in her practice.
Even if she had her clients track the macro breakdown of their diet throughout pregnancy in order to make this observation, I don't think anecdotes from the practice of a single midwife are particularly convincing.0 -
CinderellaDaisy wrote: »My midwife once told me she finds more protein and fats in a diet helps to make lean babies and carbs tends to make bigger babies. Her general observation was that woman who ate more carbs and not enough fats and protein tend to eat more calories hence larger babies. I was NOT wanting to push out a huge baby from my lady region so I eat a lot more fat a protein. Worked for me but like I said it was something she noticed in her practice.
I have lived on an extremely high carb diet my entire life (thank you emotional eating) and all 5 of my other children were small, my largest baby was 7 pounds.0 -
Your doctor is an idiot because carbs don't 'turn into fats'. It's not how that works.
But he's right about decreasing them (I really don't see the point of going low carb if you have no intention of sticking to it forever) and focusing more on protein, fruit, and veggies. You can still have rice... but maybe just 100g once a day or something (that's about 3/4 of a cup I think?).
In your situation, if you haven't been counting calories or anything so far, I'd honestly just eat more lean protein and veggies, and reduce your carbs to one reasonable serving per meal (so a bit of rice, or a slice of bread, or a SMALL potato etc) and try to avoid more carbs for snacks (and instead have some yogurt, nuts, or fruit, for example).
I still don't get the carb hate. I need carbs or my meals are nowhere as satisfying.
The doc said carbs turn into sugar, not fat. Maybe he meant you should limit the sugary food. Carbs are more than starches like bread rice and potatos. Some fruits are very high in carbs so should be eaten in moderation. Veggies and lean protein are always your best bet. Congratulations on the bambino!0 -
Your doctor is an idiot because carbs don't 'turn into fats'. It's not how that works.
But he's right about decreasing them (I really don't see the point of going low carb if you have no intention of sticking to it forever) and focusing more on protein, fruit, and veggies. You can still have rice... but maybe just 100g once a day or something (that's about 3/4 of a cup I think?).
In your situation, if you haven't been counting calories or anything so far, I'd honestly just eat more lean protein and veggies, and reduce your carbs to one reasonable serving per meal (so a bit of rice, or a slice of bread, or a SMALL potato etc) and try to avoid more carbs for snacks (and instead have some yogurt, nuts, or fruit, for example).
I still don't get the carb hate. I need carbs or my meals are nowhere as satisfying.
The doc said carbs turn into sugar, not fat. Maybe he meant you should limit the sugary food. Carbs are more than starches like bread rice and potatos. Some fruits are very high in carbs so should be eaten in moderation. Veggies and lean protein are always your best bet. Congratulations on the bambino!
She made a point to talk about pastas, breads, and rice. Those were specifically what she wants me to stop eating. She said to go low carb and that if I stuck to that then I wouldnt be obviously eating the rice/pasta/bread.
I dont know. I went shopping today and got a bunch of fruits and veggies (she told me I could eat whatever I wanted of those) but like...I dont know. Everything I know about food and losing weight is calories in must be less than calories out. I dont know anything more than that, so her telling me "I dont care if you eat 20 oranges a day" doesnt really compute with calories in vs out in my mind...0 -
kickingpounds wrote: »Your doctor is an idiot because carbs don't 'turn into fats'. It's not how that works.
But he's right about decreasing them (I really don't see the point of going low carb if you have no intention of sticking to it forever) and focusing more on protein, fruit, and veggies. You can still have rice... but maybe just 100g once a day or something (that's about 3/4 of a cup I think?).
In your situation, if you haven't been counting calories or anything so far, I'd honestly just eat more lean protein and veggies, and reduce your carbs to one reasonable serving per meal (so a bit of rice, or a slice of bread, or a SMALL potato etc) and try to avoid more carbs for snacks (and instead have some yogurt, nuts, or fruit, for example).
I still don't get the carb hate. I need carbs or my meals are nowhere as satisfying.
The doc said carbs turn into sugar, not fat. Maybe he meant you should limit the sugary food. Carbs are more than starches like bread rice and potatos. Some fruits are very high in carbs so should be eaten in moderation. Veggies and lean protein are always your best bet. Congratulations on the bambino!
She made a point to talk about pastas, breads, and rice. Those were specifically what she wants me to stop eating. She said to go low carb and that if I stuck to that then I wouldnt be obviously eating the rice/pasta/bread.
I dont know. I went shopping today and got a bunch of fruits and veggies (she told me I could eat whatever I wanted of those) but like...I dont know. Everything I know about food and losing weight is calories in must be less than calories out. I dont know anything more than that, so her telling me "I dont care if you eat 20 oranges a day" doesnt really compute with calories in vs out in my mind...
Most doctors have a very basic understanding of nutrition and weight loss. They are just as susceptible as anyone else when it comes to 'bro science', etc.
If it were me, as I said upthread, I would eat at maintenance for now (calculated by MFP), use a food scale, eat lots of veggies, some fruits, lots of protein, smaller portions of things like bread, pasta and rice, definitely dairy for the baby, a good multi-vitamin (since you're eating for two) and then monitor your weight. If you're actually losing, eat more. If you're gaining too fast, eat less. Adjust as you move through your pregnancy. Keep in mind normal weight fluctuations, so look at the bigger trend.0
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