Calories while pregnant?

amyxteresax
amyxteresax Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, I am currently 5"5 and 190 lbs and 16 weeks pregnant. I have been trying to find exactly how much I should be eating and if it is actually safe to have some fat loss during my pregnancy. I would think that since I am already obese that it may be possible to lose some fat during this pregnancy. I started the pregnancy at 196 and so far the baby is completely healthy even with a 6 lb weight loss. I have tried some online calculators but they give me some crazy amounts of calories like 2000 + which seem really high for a sedentary woman even though I am pregnant.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Replies

  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    edited February 2021
    You need to discuss this with your doctor. Generally, weight loss isn’t encouraged during pregnancy. Some do lose during first trimester due to morning sickness.
  • amyxteresax
    amyxteresax Posts: 3 Member
    I did and I never really got a set amount just "eat healthy" was basically the answer. Perhaps a nutritionist would be better?
  • amyxteresax
    amyxteresax Posts: 3 Member
    I was reading that it depends highly on the doctor and that some do put pregnant women on calorie restricted diets if they are pregnant and obese...but how obese? Looking at me you wouldn't think I was more than 160 lbs. I want someone who can help me with a good number and macro levels for my BF too.
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    I don't know if this will help any, but I believe I remember reading that if you are already overweight/obese when pregnant, you should aim to gain 15-20 lbs in total.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    amyxteresax wrote: »
    I did and I never really got a set amount just "eat healthy" was basically the answer. Perhaps a nutritionist would be better?

    Do ask for a referral to a registered dietitian.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    I'm 5'5", too. Your BMI is just barely into the obese range, so whether you're overfat in current circumstances is definitely a medical question. Doctor. Registered dietitian. Not us idiots on the internet. Please?
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,513 Member
    Definitely a referral to a dietitian is the way to go

    I was bmi 40 in my last pregnancy after a rapid drop from bmi 70

    She became invaluable as I was very unwell, she could tailor my diet in and out of hospital depending on what my body was doing at the time

    There's no way I could have kept myself balanced without her expert advise and the maternity staff weren't comfortable giving me goals and advice without her signing off on it
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    In general you need to eat more when you are pregnant (not that much more, only a few hundred extra calories) but I know doctors tend to have different "rules" for people who are overweight or obese. So I would check with your dr.
  • AlannaWulf194
    AlannaWulf194 Posts: 24 Member
    when I was pregnant I set my calories to gain a half a pound a week in the first half of my pregnancy and one pound a week towards the end. Ended up only gaining five pounds above my doctor's recommendation of 20 pounds (then I gained extra after birth but that's another story).
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    this is a question to ask your OB.

    They know your history and any risks with the pregnancy.

    Follow THEIR advice, not random people off the interwebz.
  • ALZ14
    ALZ14 Posts: 202 Member
    Talk to your doctor first but eat at maintenance at an absolute minimum. Many studies have shown that pregnant women only need an extra 300 calories a day (ballpark, discuss with your doctor about your specific needs) to support the pregnancy in the second and third trimester.

    I’ve had three gestational diabetes pregnancies and each one I’ve gained less than 10 pounds and a few weeks after birth was down almost 20 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight due to my reduced carb intake.
  • hipari
    hipari Posts: 1,367 Member
    I agree with everyone else who told you to look for actual medical advice instead of internet weirdos.

    However - I'm also obese and pregnant (just week 6 here) and visited the doctor yesterday for an ultrasound. She mentioned that it would be a good idea to ask the prenatal clinic for info on the diet recommended for treatment of gestational diabetes, since obesity puts me at high risk and following the diet could prevent getting it altogether. Still, even the doctor referred me to the professionals specialized in prenatal care with that suggestion instead of shooting random advice to be followed.

    Another thing I've been researching as I'm in the same boat is pregnancy weight gain: obese women are recommended a gain of 11-20 lbs. An average baby weighs 7.5lbs at birth, placenta 1.5lbs, amniotic fluid 2lbs, grown uterus 2lbs, increased breast tissue 2lbs, increased fluids and blood volume 8lbs combined. The sum of all that is 23lbs, which means if you only gain the recommended 11-20lbs during pregnancy you'd already be losing some fat that turns in to all that, even though you're gaining weight. (This info was from thebump.com, not super scientific, I know.)

    Seriously, talk to your medical care providers. Fat loss is NOT important enough to risk your or your baby's health.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    Speakeasy76 wrote: »
    I don't know if this will help any, but I believe I remember reading that if you are already overweight/obese when pregnant, you should aim to gain 15-20 lbs in total.

    This is the advice I have received.
    hipari wrote: »
    I agree with everyone else who told you to look for actual medical advice instead of internet weirdos.

    However - I'm also obese and pregnant (just week 6 here) and visited the doctor yesterday for an ultrasound. She mentioned that it would be a good idea to ask the prenatal clinic for info on the diet recommended for treatment of gestational diabetes, since obesity puts me at high risk and following the diet could prevent getting it altogether. Still, even the doctor referred me to the professionals specialized in prenatal care with that suggestion instead of shooting random advice to be followed.

    Another thing I've been researching as I'm in the same boat is pregnancy weight gain: obese women are recommended a gain of 11-20 lbs. An average baby weighs 7.5lbs at birth, placenta 1.5lbs, amniotic fluid 2lbs, grown uterus 2lbs, increased breast tissue 2lbs, increased fluids and blood volume 8lbs combined. The sum of all that is 23lbs, which means if you only gain the recommended 11-20lbs during pregnancy you'd already be losing some fat that turns in to all that, even though you're gaining weight. (This info was from thebump.com, not super scientific, I know.)

    Seriously, talk to your medical care providers. Fat loss is NOT important enough to risk your or your baby's health.

    This is excellent advice. I have been overweight or obese for all of my pregnancies and while it was recommended I eat a healthy diet (naturally), it was not ever recommended that I try to actually lose weight. Some practices will do nutrition consultations or ask that you keep a food diary for a few days or a week. That might be helpful for you!

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