Is it safe to diet while pregnant?

jasmineheaven
jasmineheaven Posts: 189
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
If your pregnant is it okay to stay under the 1200 calories consumption or should you bump it up to maybe 1500 or higher just to stay on the safe side?

Replies

  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    You can diet but you need to talk to your doctor first.
  • JuliePete
    JuliePete Posts: 53
    I agree. Check with your dr. they will know what is safe so that you are both healthy!
  • ashfuse
    ashfuse Posts: 224 Member
    You need to eat 350 calories MORE per day than you would pre-pregnancy...so let us say 1200 (which is the safest number to go from) add 350 = 1550 calories per day. If you walk for exercise, eat more. If you lose weight during pregnancy due to extreme dieting, you can harm your baby or even cause death. Your baby needs nutrients (good nutrients not junk food). Hope that helps. To be honest, you should be eating at least 1700 cals of good nutrients so your baby (AND YOU) can be healthy.
  • nukehiker
    nukehiker Posts: 457
    like they said I would check with your doctor, but i would say remember you are providing nourishment to not only you but to your baby...............
  • Larius
    Larius Posts: 507 Member
    like they said I would check with your doctor, but i would say remember you are providing nourishment to not only you but to your baby...............

    Right. Food isn't only Calories, it's vitamins and nutrients too.
  • Dellie22
    Dellie22 Posts: 167
    Just eat healthily. If you're eating healthy enough, you won't gain as much weight during pregnancy and most of that will come off straight after birth..
  • MichelleFirestone
    MichelleFirestone Posts: 212 Member
    I didn't diet with my second pregnancy, but I tried to stay active, and not pig out like 1st one. I gained 44lbs with 1st pregnancy. then right before he turned 1, I found out pregnant again. I never lost that weight. so I didn't want to add to it. I watched what I ate, and walked alot. I was able to keep my weight gain to 21lbs, and I lost all of that within first 3 months after giving birth to daughter. I gained baby weight unlike with my 1st. now I'm working on losing that weight.

    good luck with the pregnancy!
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
    Ask you car mechanic...might as well since you're asking us. LOL

    No, really...ask your Dr. I personally would not eat at a deficit without his/her supervision. You're eating for 2.

    Look at what not eating did to Bella in Breaking Dawn. She almost lost the demon child. Thank God the Cullens had bags of blood around. LOL
  • jessilee119
    jessilee119 Posts: 444 Member
    Def. talk to your doctor. I was trying to lose weight myself until I found out I was pregnant. Now is not the time to worry about dieting as long as you eat healthy and get plenty of nutrition. Now my goal is to maintain and my doctor said that a healthy weight gain would be 25 pounds. He also said that as long as I don't starve myself, and as long as I don't gorge, not to worry about what the scale says-what happens will happen. Some women my weight have only gained 15lbs, others more. I've been eating roughly 1700 calories per day and have been able to maintain my weight so far. He also told me to keep my heartrate at 140 or below during exercise, so ask your doctor about that as well. Good luck with everything!!!
  • 4thehardman
    4thehardman Posts: 731 Member
    In the very early stages I'd take the exercise easy, you are at teh highest risk of miscarriage then. My friend took up swimming at the start of her pregnancy and ended her pregnancy 47lbs lighter!! I lost weight with both of my pregnancies due to severe morning sickness and then at the end of my second pregnancy because I was on bed rest and couldn't get to the fridge!!!
    If someone was 'extreme dieting' very early in their pregnancy without knowing they were pregnant they almost certainly will not have done any harm at all. The baby does not need nourishment from the mother until later in the pregnancy (remember it doesn't have organs yet!) so usually by the time a woman knows she is expecting a baby she still has plenty of time to eat healthily and to speak to her doctors.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    Depending on your current weight you should have a specific calorie intake then when preggers add about 200-300. That's my understanding. Don't call it dieting. Call it eating healthy. There should be no dieting when pregnant. If you do that baby is likely to suck all the calcium out of your bones not to mention other things from you if you do not properly eat for two.
  • Puffins1958
    Puffins1958 Posts: 614 Member
    I would ask your OB/GYN, I think your doctor should be able to answer all your questions, my opinion whould never go against your own doctor's advise.

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  • BOYZIIMOMM
    BOYZIIMOMM Posts: 4
    Your baby needs the extra calories. Instead of dieting..Change to CLEAN EATING! You both will benefit from it! You need good fats and vitamins for your babies development... Please check with your doctor but do not diet!
  • teasdino
    teasdino Posts: 228 Member
    My mother dieted while pregnant with me. I have a spinal disease, one leg shorter than the other that aggravates the spinal disease, and bad lungs. While I was pregnant I ate completely healthy with my 4th child. I had eaten somewhat healthy with the others but really stuck with organic foods with the last one. At one point the nurse actually was mad at me for not gaining pnds. She had the nerve to tell me to go to a fast food place and buy shakes! She did not want to hear that I ate as much as I wanted, just kept it healthy food. No I did not go vegan. I even ate out at my fav mexican place at least once a week. My children have the immune systems of sharks, and are healthy people.
    My point is instead of considering limiting your intake, make everything you ingest count. Your child and you will be better for it.
    By the way, her doctor was the one that told her to diet. My older sister was born completely healthy with no issues. Different doctor and hospital. Yes, sometimes things happen no matter what. But this one thing you can control. Just my two cents and perspective.
  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
    I would just switch to maintain and then bump up your cals to 300 more in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. I've seen babies born underweight etc because the mother was "dieting". Just eat healthy for you and your baby and worry about weightloss after the baby is born.
  • Health_Gal
    Health_Gal Posts: 715 Member
    You should talk to your doctor before you attempt to diet while pregnant.
  • kbonamour
    kbonamour Posts: 49 Member
    I just had a baby 7 weeks ago, and I lost 20 pounds while I was pregnant just by watching my carb intake and walking a couple days a week.
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