Still lose fat while pregnant?

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chicagocubsfan23
chicagocubsfan23 Posts: 186
in Health and Weight Loss
So we just found out we're having a baby and are absolutely ecstatic!!!! My question is, I still had some body fat I wanted to get rid of. Is it possible if I keep eating healthy and exercising (which my doctor said was ok to keep doing) I can still lose fat while I'm pregnant? At least right now during the early stages, before I start to show? I want to make sure I am staying as healthy as I can for the baby of course! And if I'm not able to lose the fat while pregnant, no big deal obviously. I just wondered if anybody had experience with this?

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,708 Member
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    You lose fat on calorie deficit. Probably not a thing you want to do while pregnant.
  • Tams1408
    Tams1408 Posts: 13
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    You should talk to your doctor about it, but I was always told to not lose weight while pregnant because it can hurt you and the baby.
  • chicagocubsfan23
    chicagocubsfan23 Posts: 186
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    Ok thanks guys!!!!! My doctor told me I should keep eating the calories that I am right now, between 1200-1500 because I'm so short, and I can continue working out. So I wasn't sure since that's how I'm losing the fat right now
  • Aviendha_RJ
    Aviendha_RJ Posts: 600 Member
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    My Mom was on weight watchers the first 5 months of her pregnancy with my older sister. Just keep the exercise to low impact... elliptical, walking, cycling. You'll be fine.

    She lost a lot of the weight off of her legs, & her doctor told her she had an easier birth because she did lose all of that weight. Give it a try... and Congratulations!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    With hormone changes whild pregnant, and if you have a significant amount of body fat, you can lose some while pregnant, and your body will use fat stores for baby development and milk production. It should not be a goal while pregnant. Your goal should be to ensure you have the proper calories and nutrients for you and your baby and that you get the exercise you need to be strong and healthy at delivery. - Oh, don't look at the scale anymore. Don't look at it at home or at the doctor's office during your appointments. It can trigger some horrible feelings even when you know it is to support the development of your child!
  • tifmarie9
    tifmarie9 Posts: 28 Member
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    You need to keep eating healthy and add about 500 calories to your eating routine daily. I have heard of people loosing weight during pregnancy, some in a healthy way (not even trying) but then of course as the baby grows so does the scale (but that doesn't mean that you are getting fat, it means the baby is getting bigger and all the fluids weigh more. Some people I know lost due to illness. Obviously you want to be healthy and make sure the baby is getting as many nutrients as possible. Usually though people gain weight because they are so stinkin' hungry (AKA ME!!!). CONGRATS!
  • kbanzhaf
    kbanzhaf Posts: 601 Member
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    Way before MFP and my weight loss journey, I actually never gained any weight when I was pregnant (pre-pregnancy compared to post-pregnancy). I had a big baby (9 lb, 11 oz), but because I was eating so well and not drinking beer, my weight was exactly the same. I wasn't doing much exercise during that time.....but I didn't gain, for whatever reason.
    Kaye
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    First off congratulations!

    Everything I've read says no. You need to keep both you and your hub healthy!

    Some links:
    http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/nutrition/overweightexpert/

    http://www.babycenter.com.au/pregnancy/plus-size/manageweightinpregnancy/

    http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/staying_fit/exercising_pregnancy.html

    The consensus is maintain but don't aim to lose. This is for overweight and obese mothers to be. If you're in the normal weight range then you abouslely need to gain weight.
  • Mommyof3loves
    Mommyof3loves Posts: 276
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    I would just continue what you are doing as long as your doctor says it's ok and with the exercise you'll keep a healthy weight gain during your pregnancy. Congrats and good luck!!
  • SPheonix22
    SPheonix22 Posts: 90 Member
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    I want you to listen to your doctor. But remember around the beginning up the fourth month you should up your calories by 200-300 calories mainly carbs and protein. The fat hopefully will come from your body. Baby's utilize different things during different stages. At the end, you can eat a diet of mainly protein because thats when the baby needs it most. And keep exercising, at least until the sixth month, then you might have have to chill. (Your lungs get all squished from the baby)

    Remember that.... people kept saying I was so fat because my breathing was so crazy..... But my stomach was HUGE!!! I had twins. iIimagine my lungs were in my throat because my belly acted as a push up bra. LOL!!!:laugh:

    Congratulations! :drinker:
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
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    I would NOT eat at a deficit during pregnancy. And when you are pregnant, I believe you only need an additional 300 calories - which isn't really that much. So perhaps eat at maintenance plus just slightly over for baby. Just chose very heatlhy foods - complex carbs and lean proteins. You'll be just find doing that, especially if you avoid white flour and sugars (especially artificial sugars). Your baby needs good nutrients for a healthy brain and body. I would definetly continue excercising - all the way up to birth. You may need to adjust what you do as your belly grows - for safety reasons.

    Congrats!!!!!!!!!
  • chicagocubsfan23
    chicagocubsfan23 Posts: 186
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    You need to keep eating healthy and add about 500 calories to your eating routine daily. I have heard of people loosing weight during pregnancy, some in a healthy way (not even trying) but then of course as the baby grows so does the scale (but that doesn't mean that you are getting fat, it means the baby is getting bigger and all the fluids weigh more. Some people I know lost due to illness. Obviously you want to be healthy and make sure the baby is getting as many nutrients as possible. Usually though people gain weight because they are so stinkin' hungry (AKA ME!!!). CONGRATS!

    My doctor told me because of how short I am I should not add calories to my diet. At least not right now. She said how much I am eating is perfect.
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
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    I lost weight while pregnant the last time, but you couldn't tell by the scale, it stayed the same the whole time. I lost as the baby gained. Make sure not to lift weights during your pregnancy and for a year afterwards. Normal activity is fine, but not weights for exercise. You get a hormone called relaxin which makes the tendons loose so everything can shift to accomidate the baby.

    I was macho woman in my other pregancies and by the end of my 2nd one I couldn't wring out a wash rag without dropping to the floor in pain. I was lifitng 100 lb bales of hay, 80 lb bags of feed and 40 lbs of dog food, consistantly. So don't do that! lol

    Do lots of squats and one midwife article I recently read suggested squatting and peeing in the shower to work the kegles and open your hips.

    Good luck and read everything you can get your hands on. I highly reccommend: Mothering Magazine; Gentle Birth by Fredrich LeBoyer; and Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin. I can't think of any titles but anything by Suzanne Arms. Also the business of Being Born, produced by Rikki Lake available for streaming on Netflix

    Oy! I almost forgot. Drop soda if you haven't already. It leaches calcium which you really, really need right now. Make sure you get enough vitamin D and E.

    Congratulations too!.
    Mother of 5 all delivered naturally w/no drugs.
  • tjstrandberg
    tjstrandberg Posts: 1
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    "Make sure not to lift weights during your pregnancy and for a year afterwards. Normal activity is fine, but not weights for exercise."-Irridia

    This is complete nonsense. You can and should continue lifting weights, just listen to your body. And for a year afterward?!? Absolutely false.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Ok thanks guys!!!!! My doctor told me I should keep eating the calories that I am right now, between 1200-1500 because I'm so short, and I can continue working out. So I wasn't sure since that's how I'm losing the fat right now

    Your doctor is an idiot. Unless your 4 feet tall, 1200-1500 is likely a calorie deficit, and it is certainly not your TDEE if you include your workouts. Increase your calories. You risk not giving yourself and your baby enough nutrients, let alone calories, to get by. If you continue eating this way, your baby will be absorbing everything he/she can get, and you will be left with fat loss, muscle loss, and probably a decrease in bone density. I don't recommend it.

    ETA: How tall are you anyway? Doctors know very little about nutrition, and I seriously doubt a nutritionist/dietician would recommend those calories for you. That is completely irresponsible of your doctor.

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