Pregnant - stop or continue?

Jhowardmomof3
Jhowardmomof3 Posts: 4 Member
edited November 9 in Food and Nutrition
I recently learned that I am pregnant and have been using the tool for several weeks now. I had 43 lbs. to lose before reaching my ideal weight and now I'm not concerned about weight loss, as much as I am about consuming enough calories to be healthy, but no too much to continue gaining. Anyone have any experience with this? I'm currently consuming about 1100 calories per day and still maintaining my cardio workouts.

Replies

  • clairetillman
    clairetillman Posts: 8 Member
    bump
  • caroldot
    caroldot Posts: 388 Member
    With my first pregnancy, I continued my healthy eating and workouts (which included step aerobics) until I was about 7 months pregnant. I only gained 23 lbs, had minimal morning sickness (not that its connected) and gave birth to a perfectly healthy 7lb baby boy. It was also much easier to get the weight off after giving birth.

    Now my second pregnancy was different story but I didn't do those things with it - didn't work out & didn't eat healthy so I can say there was a total difference between the two. The weight was much harder to come off 2nd go around.

    As long as you're eating healthy (not depriving baby of nutrients) and taking care of yourself, then I say yes - continue to use this site to monitor yourself. It will help you track your progress as well.

    Congrats!!!:flowerforyou:
  • rwalterrn
    rwalterrn Posts: 8
    Hi -
    Im Pregnant too, about 13 weeks now and I have Gestational Diabetes for the second time around. I have actually come back to using this site because it works well to help me manage my intake with regard to carb and protien balance (based on information from my Registered Dietician) and my sugars are much better controlled because Im not underestimating carbs. I did change my goal to maintaining weight for now, which i recommend you do just to make sure that you are getting enough nutrients for you and your baby. I also added tracking of iron and calcium to my diet to make sure I am getting enough of them too. I think it is a wonderful tool to help us stay at our healthiest in this very important time, just make sure you are focused on healthy eating and good nutrition and not weight loss. Weight loss can be achieved after delivery when you have a healthy happy baby. Added bonus if you plan on breastfeeding you burn a lot more calories :). Good luck. I will be wishing you a safe and healthy delivery and baby!
    Renee
  • SarahMorganP
    SarahMorganP Posts: 921 Member
    Even while not pregnant 1100 calories is not enough, so please make sure you eat more than that now. I'm not sure how much extra a pregnant woman needs, but even while not pregnant you should eat at least 1200 calories, and you should eat back any calories you burn while working out. Please eat more.
  • bahacca
    bahacca Posts: 878 Member
    What Sarah said. You need more than 1100 even when NOT pregnant. You are BUILDING A HUMAN. Men get to build huge muscles, we get to build other humans. Put your tracker to maintain OR speak to your OB. Best diet I ever went on was getting pregnant, but that is because I was so freakin sick nothing sounded good to eat!LOL
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    Most dr's/midwives would advise you to not try to lose weight while pregnant. Women who are obese might be advised to gain less than women at a healthy weight, but usually they don't want you actively trying to lose weight. During the first trimester, you really don't need a LOT of extra calories for the pregnancy, you could probably set your profile to 'maintain my current weight' and then just let yourself have an extra snack over that if you feel hungry. If you just coincidentally lost a little weight early on, it's normally not a big deal b/c you would more than make up for it in the second and third trimesters - some moms either maintain their weight or lose some due to morning sickness in the beginning. Most pregnancy weight is put on during the second and third trimesters, you do need to eat more calories than your maintenance during those times b/c that's when baby is gaining his weight, too. About 250-300 over maintenance is the common recommendation, you can talk to your dr. and see if they have any specific recommendations for you. Also, be sure to eat plenty of protein, iron, and calcium. You need the calories plus you need the nutrition you get from those calories to have a healthy pregnancy and baby. Talk to your dr. about your concerns and get their advice if you need a specific plan. Good luck. :-)
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    Ask your doctor. End of story.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    You need to figure out your BMR and your TDEE ( http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html ).
    When you are trying to lose weight, don't eat under your BMR, otherwise you slow your metabolism (that's what you're doing with your 1100 cals).
    TDEE = total daily energy expenditure. It's the amount for maintaining your weight. Now is not the right time to lose weight. Put that on hold for 9 months.
    Eat your TDEE in the first trimester. Then, in the second and third, you eat 200 and 400 more cals.
    You have to ask yourself what is the most important? Giving all the chances to your baby to be able to grow and be healthy or look good in a bikini by this summer? And also the quality of the food you eat is very important.
    You can keep being active though. Walk everyday or as often as you can. You'll feel better, especially at 8-9 months preggo.

    Good luck!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,409 Member
    Talk to your doctor. 1100 is way way low, though.
  • melrose09
    melrose09 Posts: 271
    Ask your doctor. End of story.

    ^^^This
  • caroldot
    caroldot Posts: 388 Member
    Just to clarify, I totally agree with the other ladies - talk to your doctor! When I said its a good way to track your progress, I meant just to see where you are now compared to your weight at giving birth and being able to start over. 1100 calories is definitely not enough for a pregnant woman! But also don't go overboard - I've seen women use their pregnancy as an excuse to sit & eat an entire cake - "eating for two" they say! But really eating like that only hurts themselves in the long run.

    I think the best advice is to talk to your doctor and use common sense! Most of all enjoy your pregnancy!
  • ebonyroche
    ebonyroche Posts: 682 Member
    I would definitely talk to your doctor. I was obese and pregnant, my daughter is almost 5 months, my doctor recommended me to keep exercising and to watch my carbs. I would keep exercising, it will help with the weight gain and you will bounce back faster. But talk to your doctor and congrats!
  • garnet1483
    garnet1483 Posts: 249 Member
    Most dr's/midwives would advise you to not try to lose weight while pregnant. Women who are obese might be advised to gain less than women at a healthy weight, but usually they don't want you actively trying to lose weight. During the first trimester, you really don't need a LOT of extra calories for the pregnancy, you could probably set your profile to 'maintain my current weight' and then just let yourself have an extra snack over that if you feel hungry. If you just coincidentally lost a little weight early on, it's normally not a big deal b/c you would more than make up for it in the second and third trimesters - some moms either maintain their weight or lose some due to morning sickness in the beginning. Most pregnancy weight is put on during the second and third trimesters, you do need to eat more calories than your maintenance during those times b/c that's when baby is gaining his weight, too. About 250-300 over maintenance is the common recommendation, you can talk to your dr. and see if they have any specific recommendations for you. Also, be sure to eat plenty of protein, iron, and calcium. You need the calories plus you need the nutrition you get from those calories to have a healthy pregnancy and baby. Talk to your dr. about your concerns and get their advice if you need a specific plan. Good luck. :-)

    This! And for exercise, as long as your pregnancy is healthy, you can absolutely exercise. If you walk or jog, you should be able to safely continue both for quite a while. Consult with your doctor, but out of all the women I know who've had children, the ones who kept up a steady (safe, doctor-approved) exercise routine (often including walking and pre-natal yoga or aerobics) had much, much better recovery than those who didn't.
  • Jhowardmomof3
    Jhowardmomof3 Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you everyone! I am meeting with my doctor and will of course get professional consult. My goal is not to lose, but hopefully not gain anything unnecessarily. Health is certainly my first priority and I seriously hope that I can maintain my exercise. I will play with my current settings and continue tracking as well as add in the iron, calcium and other opportunities to ensure I'm keeping a well balanced diet. Regarding the 1100 being too low, please keep in mind for each of us based on our height and weight the calories to lose and maintain are set differently. That is the beauty of this tool. I was only taking in about 100 calories less than what the tool set for me to lose at a healthy pace. I'm certainly not starving, but I appreciate the concern.

    I love the tool and this forum and congrats to the other mom's out there and fabulous losers!! I'm super excited about this baby and hopefully bouncing back quickly afterwards.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    Talk to your doctor. Don't take advice from the internet.
  • gnrshelton
    gnrshelton Posts: 358 Member
    Even while not pregnant 1100 calories is not enough, so please make sure you eat more than that now. I'm not sure how much extra a pregnant woman needs, but even while not pregnant you should eat at least 1200 calories, and you should eat back any calories you burn while working out. Please eat more.
    This
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