Pregnant, gaining too much too fast
evolve33
Posts: 61 Member
Good morning,
This is not really a plea for advice, but if you have any (besides "You're pregant! Don't be vain, gain more fat for your baby!) I'm happy to hear it.
Mostly, I just need a place to vent my frustratrion. I'm 17 weeks pregnant with my second baby, and couldn't be happier about it. I had a goal of maintaining a healthy weight and gaining within the reccomended 25 to 35 lbs with this one, since I gained over 50 with my first, and didn't want to have to struggle to lose excess weight during the first year of my baby's life.
I am by no means strict with my diet, deprive myself of nothing, but I am trying to eat mostly healthy foods and stay active. I weigh myself once a week, and try not to feel bad every time when the scale number jumps up.
This morning, I weighed in at 140lbs. I started this pregnancy at 120. My baby weighs a little over 3 ounces now, so that extra weight has not been going to them, as much as it has to my thighs, hips, and butt.
It's just disheartening, watching the pounds pile on before this little one even weighs one, and knowing I'm not even halfway through pregnancy. I can't cut calories, and apparently I suck at "moderation".
This is not really a plea for advice, but if you have any (besides "You're pregant! Don't be vain, gain more fat for your baby!) I'm happy to hear it.
Mostly, I just need a place to vent my frustratrion. I'm 17 weeks pregnant with my second baby, and couldn't be happier about it. I had a goal of maintaining a healthy weight and gaining within the reccomended 25 to 35 lbs with this one, since I gained over 50 with my first, and didn't want to have to struggle to lose excess weight during the first year of my baby's life.
I am by no means strict with my diet, deprive myself of nothing, but I am trying to eat mostly healthy foods and stay active. I weigh myself once a week, and try not to feel bad every time when the scale number jumps up.
This morning, I weighed in at 140lbs. I started this pregnancy at 120. My baby weighs a little over 3 ounces now, so that extra weight has not been going to them, as much as it has to my thighs, hips, and butt.
It's just disheartening, watching the pounds pile on before this little one even weighs one, and knowing I'm not even halfway through pregnancy. I can't cut calories, and apparently I suck at "moderation".
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Replies
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I don't have any good advice, besides keep moving. Do some pregnancy specific work outs & yoga, go for walks. As for the food end, I hear ya, I was hungry all. the. time. while pregnant. & I ate pretty crappy. It's taken a bit of work, but I've shed the preggo weight & then some. My youngest will be a year next month.2
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I think you should talk to your doctors and figure out how many calories you should be eating to support your pregnancy at the different stages and try to stay within that calories budget. I would be very hesitant to try to come up with that calculation yourself as you don't want to adversely affect your baby. I know this probably isn't what you want to hear, but if I was in your situation I would consult my pregnancy team as I wouldn't want to take an unnecessary risks.
Congratulations and good luck!2 -
I logged my food for my entire second pregnancy (I had lost 57 lbs when I got pregnant). I weighed all of my food and I ate an appropriate amount for me (and baby). And if I went over on calories, I went over. I ended up gaining 24.6 lbs overall which was just within my recommended amount to gain.
The best advice I can give you is to just be mindful of how much you're eating, stay active and try not to stress out about it. I feel like I was way too hard on myself when I went over calories. It was a huge mental battle (not to mention drain) for me.
Also, because I think it's worth mentioning, you'll most likely gain weight is spurts. There were specific weeks where I would shoot up like 3-5 lbs whereas the rest would be like, 1-1.5 lbs. It was not a linear line whatsoever.6 -
You probably already know this but your weight gain is also tissue and fluids needed to support your baby's growth. Talk to your doctor to figure out how many calories you should be eating. My biggest weight gain was during the second trimester. Then I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and completely changed how I ate. I ended up gaining around 7 kg total during my pregnancy but I was obese to start with. If needed, ask for a referral to a dietitian if you aren't sure what you should be eating. Good luck.0
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How tall are you?0
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No advice other than what has been given already. Log your calories and then talk to your doctor about whether they are appropriate.
I will also share that, when I was pregnant with my first child, I continued to run on the treadmill and weight train... and do step aerobics until the instructor made me get off the step. I gained 56 pounds. Yeah, I ate too many cheeseburger clubs but certainly not every day! My second pregnancy (10 months later; kids 18 mos apart), I did zero exercise and ate whatever and lost weight the first half of my pregnancy and gained only a net of 15 pounds. So, every body and pregnancy is different. I'd talk to your doctor and focus on your health and your baby for now.
Congratulations!
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Thank you for your input. I have talked to my OB about my concerns, and his reply is "I'm not really focused on weight, as long as you're not losing it." He's a very laid-back kind of Dr., which I generally like.
I've gained 22 lbs now, am only 17 weeks, and my goal for this pregnancy was 30 lbs total. Even though Im trying to eat healthy and be active, I feel I have absolutely no control of how much I gain or how fast, and will gain at least another 30lbs in the next 23 weeks at this rate. Feeling like a failure, combined with pregancy hormones, has me crying most of the day (I never cry) but I know it will pass. I'm grateful for a healthy pregnancy, and I'm sure when she's born I'll be able to take the weight off again like I did with my firs0 -
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Stop feeling like a failure, first of all. Gaining weight is natural during pregnancy, so it seems your body is doing what it's supposed to be doing. I gained a whopping 78 lbs with my first pregnancy, and I was still overweight for my second one, but only gained 20 that time. It is what it is. My instinct is to say what you don't want to hear, but I need to. Focus on you, and your beautiful baby. Not pounds, unless they are dropping, like your doctor says. Enjoy this time while you can, and worry about the weight AFTER baby comes. Good luck xo1
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At 5'7" your starting weight of 120 was on the extreme low end of healthy. Even if you gain 50 you'll be barely overweight. I would encourage you to begin practicing moderation (not restriction) now within the goals for your pregnancy. You need this skill for the rest of your life.8
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Hello. Just try to eat healthy, exercise and don't be too hard on yourself. Pregnancy isn't easy so be kind to yourself. When I was pregnant I exercised regularly and tried to eat well but my weight climbed at an uncomfortable rate. I will admit to regular ice cream indulgences; it was hot! Lol... My Daughter was only 6 lbs. Crap - that meant the rest was on me. Well in 1.5 weeks I lost 30 pounds! Likely water weight but huge so try not to worry too much.1
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At 5'7" your starting weight of 120 was on the extreme low end of healthy. Even if you gain 50 you'll be barely overweight. I would encourage you to begin practicing moderation (not restriction) now within the goals for your pregnancy. You need this skill for the rest of your life.
All of this.0 -
At 5'7" your starting weight of 120 was on the extreme low end of healthy. Even if you gain 50 you'll be barely overweight. I would encourage you to begin practicing moderation (not restriction) now within the goals for your pregnancy. You need this skill for the rest of your life.
I agree with this.
Also, if you aren't already, it's fine to be tracking what you eat here. Set the system for gaining .5 pounds per week. Focus on nutritious foods, getting plenty of protein as well as fruits and vegetables. And, as long as you feel okay and don't have any complications, you can maintain your previous levels of exercise (always talk with your doctor if you have any concerns, this is just the general advice) but eat back those calories.
Develop the habits of eating mostly nutritious foods and allowing yourself treats that fit in your calorie goals. It is the same concept that will help you lose weight after the birth and maintain your goal.
And congratulations!!
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You might not want to hear this, but I gained the same 45-50 lbs with each pregnancy (I've had four children). It didn't really matter what I did; with my first I ate pretty crappy and didn't exercise - gained 50 lbs; with my second I improved my diet (cut soda, less take out, less junk) - gained 50 lbs; with my third I was eating in perfect accordance with the USDA guidelines, counted calories, watched portions, and took up prenatal yoga - gained 45 lbs (and was pissed that going through all that and obsessing and being miserable and hungry my whole pregnancy only "saved" me 5 measley lbs!); with my fourth I had used LCHF to drop the weight after my third pregnancy and continued a moderate carb diet thru the pregnancy, along with cardio 5 days a week - gained 50 lbs (but at least I didn't drive myself crazy).
Bottom line - you gain what you gain (within reason of course). For someone your height and starting weight you should expect to gain on the high end anyway (I'm also 5'7" and cannot for the life of me see how us taller gals could get away with less than 35 lbs). I'm not saying give up or don't bother caring, but don't starve yourself or your baby either. The weight will come off after. Do exercise (so long as your doc approves)- the pregnancies where I stayed active were definitely more comfortable. And do make healthy choices - I may have gained the same amounts with all of my pregnancies, but the last one (the moderate carb one) was the one where the weight came off easiest afterwards, despite being nine years older than with my first; probably due to having good habits throughout. Good luck and congratulations!4 -
Guuurl, I'm 13 weeks and I totally know where you're coming from with the insatiable hunger. I eat all day long. Ask your OB for a referral to a nutritionist/dietitian who specializes in pregnancy. As much as we'd like to believe the contrary, our docs just don't have the training on this. Once you have a plan unique to you, log everything in MFP and do your best to stay in that goal. Be active. Go on walks as you can, whatever you can do.
And really, how many times in your life do you get to be pregnant. Try and enjoy it
The weight can come off later. 1 -
I'm 5'7" and gained 25 lbs during my pregnancy. No more, no less. I stayed active until SPD kicked in until 6 months, and I also made sure to eat fairly balanced. Maybe try eating at maintanance cals.0
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Colorscheme wrote: »I'm 5'7" and gained 25 lbs during my pregnancy. No more, no less. I stayed active until SPD kicked in until 6 months, and I also made sure to eat fairly balanced. Maybe try eating at maintanance cals.
Out of curiosity, what was your starting weight?
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Good morning,
This is not really a plea for advice, but if you have any (besides "You're pregant! Don't be vain, gain more fat for your baby!) I'm happy to hear it.
Mostly, I just need a place to vent my frustratrion. I'm 17 weeks pregnant with my second baby, and couldn't be happier about it. I had a goal of maintaining a healthy weight and gaining within the reccomended 25 to 35 lbs with this one, since I gained over 50 with my first, and didn't want to have to struggle to lose excess weight during the first year of my baby's life.
I am by no means strict with my diet, deprive myself of nothing, but I am trying to eat mostly healthy foods and stay active. I weigh myself once a week, and try not to feel bad every time when the scale number jumps up.
This morning, I weighed in at 140lbs. I started this pregnancy at 120. My baby weighs a little over 3 ounces now, so that extra weight has not been going to them, as much as it has to my thighs, hips, and butt.
It's just disheartening, watching the pounds pile on before this little one even weighs one, and knowing I'm not even halfway through pregnancy. I can't cut calories, and apparently I suck at "moderation".
Congrats on the incoming family member!
What if instead of "cutting" calories you just eat 100-200 above maintenance? That would result in .25-.5 lbs gained a week, which should be a healthy rate of gaining weight. It would also be only another 5-11 lbs during the pregnancy. Just make sure you get your doctors approval before you start anything.0 -
Hi, I did not read all the replies so forgive me if I offer a repeat experience and/or advice. But, I gained 28 pounds during my pregnancy and believe it or not, a lot of that came during the first half. I did start out relatively slim. But still.... focus on lots of fruits, veggies, and lean protien. Calories are important but don't overstress if you are eating well. Focus on exercising. Even if just walking.0
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If your beginning weight was 120 and your height is 5'7, it gives normal bmi of 18.8, but it is very close to underweight. So you have to gain close to 35 lb, maybe more. During pregnancy your body stores nutrients and fat for future breastfeeding, so it's normal that you gained so much weight although your baby is only 3 oz now.
If I were you, I would just focus more on eating healthy food and less on the weight.0 -
Good morning,
This is not really a plea for advice, but if you have any (besides "You're pregant! Don't be vain, gain more fat for your baby!) I'm happy to hear it.
Mostly, I just need a place to vent my frustratrion. I'm 17 weeks pregnant with my second baby, and couldn't be happier about it. I had a goal of maintaining a healthy weight and gaining within the reccomended 25 to 35 lbs with this one, since I gained over 50 with my first, and didn't want to have to struggle to lose excess weight during the first year of my baby's life.
I am by no means strict with my diet, deprive myself of nothing, but I am trying to eat mostly healthy foods and stay active. I weigh myself once a week, and try not to feel bad every time when the scale number jumps up.
This morning, I weighed in at 140lbs. I started this pregnancy at 120. My baby weighs a little over 3 ounces now, so that extra weight has not been going to them, as much as it has to my thighs, hips, and butt.
It's just disheartening, watching the pounds pile on before this little one even weighs one, and knowing I'm not even halfway through pregnancy. I can't cut calories, and apparently I suck at "moderation".
Actually you can cut calories. I do not mean with a goal to lower your weight, but with a goal to limit further weight gain from now on. Figure out your maintenance and eat approximately there. I do not know if it is a cultural thing (I am not American), but I have never heard IRL that excessive weight gain is good for you or the baby and my drs through 3 pregnancies were always monitoring my weight (I actually started with stats similar to yours) and warning me about not gaining too much. Goal per my dr was 7-12 kilos, so 15 to 25 lbs approximately. I had eating plans for GD from the hospital dietician and the calorie goal was close to maintenance throughout the pregnancy.1 -
tlflag1620 wrote: »Colorscheme wrote: »I'm 5'7" and gained 25 lbs during my pregnancy. No more, no less. I stayed active until SPD kicked in until 6 months, and I also made sure to eat fairly balanced. Maybe try eating at maintanance cals.
Out of curiosity, what was your starting weight?
137 was my start weight. 162 was my end weight. I gained 5 lbs the first trimester and then the rest after that. I was biking a lot and focused on eating fresh fruit and produce, but I did get morning sickness and the only thing that helped was eating, hence the first trimester weight gain. But after my OB recommended B6, my morning sickness went away.
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tlflag1620 wrote: »You might not want to hear this, but I gained the same 45-50 lbs with each pregnancy (I've had four children). It didn't really matter what I did; with my first I ate pretty crappy and didn't exercise - gained 50 lbs; with my second I improved my diet (cut soda, less take out, less junk) - gained 50 lbs; with my third I was eating in perfect accordance with the USDA guidelines, counted calories, watched portions, and took up prenatal yoga - gained 45 lbs (and was pissed that going through all that and obsessing and being miserable and hungry my whole pregnancy only "saved" me 5 measley lbs!); with my fourth I had used LCHF to drop the weight after my third pregnancy and continued a moderate carb diet thru the pregnancy, along with cardio 5 days a week - gained 50 lbs (but at least I didn't drive myself crazy).
Bottom line - you gain what you gain (within reason of course). For someone your height and starting weight you should expect to gain on the high end anyway (I'm also 5'7" and cannot for the life of me see how us taller gals could get away with less than 35 lbs). I'm not saying give up or don't bother caring, but don't starve yourself or your baby either. The weight will come off after. Do exercise (so long as your doc approves)- the pregnancies where I stayed active were definitely more comfortable. And do make healthy choices - I may have gained the same amounts with all of my pregnancies, but the last one (the moderate carb one) was the one where the weight came off easiest afterwards, despite being nine years older than with my first; probably due to having good habits throughout. Good luck and congratulations!
Thank you I actually like the curves I have now, and love my growing belly. The things that bother me most are
1) Feeling like I've lost the knowledge and ability to maintain the healthy diet that I learned after have to lose some weight after my first child, and
2)Growing out of ALL my pants within the first 8 weeks and having to spend $ on maternity clothes so early, and knowing many women don't gain ANYTHING in the first trimester (though I'm grateful to have not suffered from morning sickness too much to enjoy eating.)0 -
Good morning,
This is not really a plea for advice, but if you have any (besides "You're pregant! Don't be vain, gain more fat for your baby!) I'm happy to hear it.
Mostly, I just need a place to vent my frustratrion. I'm 17 weeks pregnant with my second baby, and couldn't be happier about it. I had a goal of maintaining a healthy weight and gaining within the reccomended 25 to 35 lbs with this one, since I gained over 50 with my first, and didn't want to have to struggle to lose excess weight during the first year of my baby's life.
I am by no means strict with my diet, deprive myself of nothing, but I am trying to eat mostly healthy foods and stay active. I weigh myself once a week, and try not to feel bad every time when the scale number jumps up.
This morning, I weighed in at 140lbs. I started this pregnancy at 120. My baby weighs a little over 3 ounces now, so that extra weight has not been going to them, as much as it has to my thighs, hips, and butt.
It's just disheartening, watching the pounds pile on before this little one even weighs one, and knowing I'm not even halfway through pregnancy. I can't cut calories, and apparently I suck at "moderation".
Actually you can cut calories. I do not mean with a goal to lower your weight, but with a goal to limit further weight gain from now on. Figure out your maintenance and eat approximately there. I do not know if it is a cultural thing (I am not American), but I have never heard IRL that excessive weight gain is good for you or the baby and my drs through 3 pregnancies were always monitoring my weight (I actually started with stats similar to yours) and warning me about not gaining too much. Goal per my dr was 7-12 kilos, so 15 to 25 lbs approximately. I had eating plans for GD from the hospital dietician and the calorie goal was close to maintenance throughout the pregnancy.
I stopped strictly counting and logging my calories after I got to my goal weight 6 years ago, and just ate mostly healthy foods while trying to avoid empty calories. Even though I LOVE sweets and cheese, and would have some of each every day, I stayed within a healthy weight without having to really think about it. I am moderately active and have a fast metabolism. Since getting pregnant, I've been pretty much the same with my diet and exercise, with much different results. The week before my last OB appointment, I tried to completely cut out junk and only eat foods that have nutritional value for me and the baby, hoping to not gain any more - and I gained another 2 lbs!
I'll be up to 25 lbs gained by my next apt I'm sure, and I guess I'll just have to resign myself to this and stop getting emotional for the wrong reasons after every apt. Being pregnant has obviously done something to my metabolism, and there seems to be little I can do short of depriving myself to change that.
Maybe it's because I'm over 30 this time around, and with my first I was 25.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »At 5'7" your starting weight of 120 was on the extreme low end of healthy. Even if you gain 50 you'll be barely overweight. I would encourage you to begin practicing moderation (not restriction) now within the goals for your pregnancy. You need this skill for the rest of your life.
All of this.
I know where my BMI was. My weight would fluctuate up or down 5 lbs naturally over the past 4 years, but I looked and felt strong and healthy, and you should see the way I ate lol. After I had my first baby, it took me a year to go from 155 to 130, and it was work. After that I broke up with my child's father, and dropped down to 113 from stress, and an unhealthy lifestyle. Being a size 00 and wearing clothes I could never have dreamed of was fun for a while, but I was not happy or healthy, and I knew it. I got better, and gained 10 lbs. I know how I feel when my body is at the weight it functions best at - before being pregnant, that is.0 -
Congratulations!
I too gained 65lbs with my first. I just ate whatever I wanted, lots of ice cream! Not good. My second was twins and I gained only 35lbs. I really tried to watch what I ate the second time.
What helped me about mid-way through was eating the pregnancy diabetic diet. I didn't have gestational diabetes, but my numbers were close. So my doctor suggested I follow the diet. I'll tell you, it was wonderful! Lots of choices! It really helped me to have this plan.
That's what I credit with keeping my gain down with the twins. This is a doctor prescribed diet, so you can feel good following the plan.
Congrats again and enjoy this time.0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »How tall are you?
I'm 5'7''
at 120 you were nearly underweight at the very low end of BMI.
BMI works for 2 sets of ppl, under weight and obese. Again you started off nearly underweight.
Talk with your doctor.
Track your food.
congrats
Best wishes.
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