Losing Weight While Pregnant?

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triscuitsmom08
triscuitsmom08 Posts: 47 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it possible? I lost so much weight over the last two years I finally made it to 169 and then I got pregnant. I'm 191 at 7 weeks, (weight gained happened because I went from half a pack a day down to 3 cigs a day) I'm having such an issue accepting the fact I've gained back a bunch of weight. I want to exercise and see if I can't shed a few unneeded pounds. My doctor hasn't given me a clear yes or no, only the words "eat healthy" well thanks to my thyroid issue that ONLY seems to flare up during pregnancy and my type 1 diabetes I gain weight fast even when I DONT eat

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  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    You should really be more concerned about eating enough to have a healthy pregnancy than losing weight right now. Yes you might lose some fat just as a result of eating well and exercising, but I personally don't see the sense in actively trying to lose weight while pregnant. I'd really talk to your doctor though.
  • Megan2Project
    Megan2Project Posts: 351 Member
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    Its not recommended for most. I however, lost and then maintained my weight through pregnancy. I also started at 307lbs... went down to 290 and gave birth at 307. I would recommend eating healthy and working out, but not worrying too much what the scale says. As long as you are nourishing yourself and keeping fit, during pregnancy you're body's got a mind of its own!
  • iKapuniai
    iKapuniai Posts: 594 Member
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    Once you're pregnant, it's no longer JUST about you. Stop worrying so much about gaining back some weight and think about eating healthy for you AND YOUR CHILD. Your baby WANTS you to gain weight, because the weight you put on reflects the nutrition the baby is getting. Don't misinterpret this as an okay to overeat and gain a bunch of weight, but keep NUTRITION in mind whilst eating. I've learned (from my pregnancy as well as friends') that eating nutrient dense small meals and snacks every 3 hours will keep you from getting hungry or craving, and may also keep your weight in check during your pregnancy. I guess that might be the rule of thumb for all though, pregnant or not lol

    Anywho... like I said, it's all about maintaining your overall health, while also keeping your baby's health in mind. Continue working out if you can/want.Other than that, do what you do and congratulations! :)

    Love and Alohas,
    Ihilani Kapuniai
  • triscuitsmom08
    triscuitsmom08 Posts: 47 Member
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    I might also add another reason I wanted to get to a lower weight before maintaining for pregnancy is with my daughter I started out at 188 ended up to 250 by the time she was born and had blood pressure problems so bad they had to take her at 36 weeks because my blood pressure was out of control and it was taking a huge toll on her and me. So its not JUST about me. I don't want to put myself and my child through that again.....my type 1 diabetes makes it so I have to have my children at 37 weeks due to their safety and mine but I dont want to push it ya know? Id rather get healthy now so I dont run into blood pressure problems again later and have to have my baby even earlier, last time with my daughter it was pushing it bad we almost didnt make it to 36 weeks
  • derposaurus
    derposaurus Posts: 53 Member
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    Wow. dont some of you people realize that this woman clearly is concerned about having a healthy pregnancy? and wanting to lose weight for that reason. she let herself go last pregnancy, and it was irresponsible. now she realizes she's overweight, and that's unhealthy. losing weight to be a healthy body size for your pregnancy is perfectly acceptable. and its good that she's aware of it. my sister did the same thing. she lost 20 pounds while she was pregnant. some people are overweight enough where losing weight for a pregnancy makes sense.

    yeah i think its a good idea to try and do that. i'd say call around with nutritionists and/or personal trainers who specialize in working with pregnant people because they'd be able to help you better than your doctor does.
  • crunchybubblez
    crunchybubblez Posts: 387 Member
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    Is it possible? I lost so much weight over the last two years I finally made it to 169 and then I got pregnant. I'm 191 at 7 weeks, (weight gained happened because I went from half a pack a day down to 3 cigs a day) I'm having such an issue accepting the fact I've gained back a bunch of weight. I want to exercise and see if I can't shed a few unneeded pounds. My doctor hasn't given me a clear yes or no, only the words "eat healthy" well thanks to my thyroid issue that ONLY seems to flare up during pregnancy and my type 1 diabetes I gain weight fast even when I DONT eat

    It is possible, very safe, and ideal for you and the baby.
    Make sure you're eating a sufficient amount of calories, never dropping below a net of 1,200.
    Once you hit 6 months you need to start working your way up to an extra 300 calories day.
    You want to make sure most of what you eat is healthy, whole foods.
    Moderate exercise is ok, but don't try to push for any new goals.
    A 20-30 min walk everyday would be sufficient if you're not very athletic to begin with.
    No all out sprinting, no lifting heavy weights.
    Swimming and prenatal yoga are excellent ways to stay/get fit and prepare your body for the Herculean task of carrying and birthing a baby.
    Drink more water than normal, and take breaks more often to avoid fatigue.
    Good luck, and congratulations!
  • crunchybubblez
    crunchybubblez Posts: 387 Member
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    Wow. dont some of you people realize that this woman clearly is concerned about having a healthy pregnancy? and wanting to lose weight for that reason. she let herself go last pregnancy, and it was irresponsible. now she realizes she's overweight, and that's unhealthy. losing weight to be a healthy body size for your pregnancy is perfectly acceptable. and its good that she's aware of it. my sister did the same thing. she lost 20 pounds while she was pregnant. some people are overweight enough where losing weight for a pregnancy makes sense.

    yeah i think its a good idea to try and do that. i'd say call around with nutritionists and/or personal trainers who specialize in working with pregnant people because they'd be able to help you better than your doctor does.

    Very well said.
    Most MDs know nothing about nutrition. They're there to promote pharmaceuticals.
    They have their place, but most of the time you can use food instead of drugs and it's more effective.
    I agree about you finding a nutritionist, or if you can't afford one do your research online.
    Google a mostly plant based and whole foods diet for pregnancy.
    I recommend the Foodmatters.com to start with.
  • Marll
    Marll Posts: 904 Member
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    Probably get flamed because I'm not a woman, but here goes:

    No reason not to continue to loose weight while pregnant unless you are starving yourself to get there. I'd personally recommend a slightly lower carb diet with whole natural foods and plenty of exercise up until your belly is too large, then walking is great every day.

    American women seem to have carte blanche to eat whatever the heck they want and gain any amount of weight during pregnancy even though there are plenty of things that doctors warn about with higher weight pregnancies.

    Focus on health and safely dropping your weight and you'll be fine. Again don't starve yourself, and fat is your friend (eating fat that is). Look at the breakdown of breast milk and you'll see that babies need tons of fat in their early diet and starting in the womb isn't a bad place to start.
  • danielle5806
    danielle5806 Posts: 3
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    Your eating and exercising habits should change while you're pregnant. I was told by my mid wife that if you're losing as a result of making better food choices, as long as you're consuming enough calories and adding light to moderate exercise to your daily routine than it is perfectly fine to slowly lose weight if you were overweight to begin with. The key is to making sure you are consuming enough calories. Just make those calories healthful and beneficial to you and your baby.
  • lollienluke
    lollienluke Posts: 36 Member
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    whilst pregnant i had hyperemesis and lost 2 1/2 stone in 4 weeks and nearly died. losing weight while pregnant is dangerous for your baby and for you. if you are going to "diet" make sure its not extreme, make it more healthy eating, the baby will take everything it needs from you first but you need to make sure that you are healthy as well. Having had such an extreme condition when pregnant makes you realise how important food is to a baby's development. Hope your pregnancy is going well
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
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    Is it possible? I lost so much weight over the last two years I finally made it to 169 and then I got pregnant. I'm 191 at 7 weeks, (weight gained happened because I went from half a pack a day down to 3 cigs a day) I'm having such an issue accepting the fact I've gained back a bunch of weight. I want to exercise and see if I can't shed a few unneeded pounds. My doctor hasn't given me a clear yes or no, only the words "eat healthy" well thanks to my thyroid issue that ONLY seems to flare up during pregnancy and my type 1 diabetes I gain weight fast even when I DONT eat

    It is possible, very safe, and ideal for you and the baby.
    Make sure you're eating a sufficient amount of calories, never dropping below a net of 1,200.
    Once you hit 6 months you need to start working your way up to an extra 300 calories day.
    You want to make sure most of what you eat is healthy, whole foods.
    Moderate exercise is ok, but don't try to push for any new goals.
    A 20-30 min walk everyday would be sufficient if you're not very athletic to begin with.
    No all out sprinting, no lifting heavy weights.
    Swimming and prenatal yoga are excellent ways to stay/get fit and prepare your body for the Herculean task of carrying and birthing a baby.
    Drink more water than normal, and take breaks more often to avoid fatigue.
    Good luck, and congratulations!
    Most of this is true except it is not "ideal" and I would never encourage 1200 calories during a pregnancy. It is always ideal to gain some weight for your baby, even if it is just entirely water and baby. It could also be ideal to maintain your weight if you eat enough and exercise. It is actually better to exercise than to reduce your calories intake extremely. I definitely recommend well over 1200 calories because you will most likely either cause you or the baby malnutrition with that amount of calories.. That said, I am in my third trimester and I have gained at most 10 or 15lbs. I had the same issues you did originally with our first baby and even worse. I went from a weight under 170..maybe even 150 or so up to 215 and my blood pressure went up a lot. My blood pressure nearly doubled by my last few weeks. Now I count my calories and still let myself snack when I want in moderation of course. Some days I lose self-control, like today when I ate nearly 1000calories in fries. LOL Yet I still lose weight, maintain, or gain slowly of course. My average calories are 1700-1900 for each week and I think that is perfectly healthy, but I would not recommend going below 1600. I will also add that my Vitamin D level is dangerously low and it may be because of my smaller diet. My midwife told me my Vitamin D results are the lowest she has ever seen in order 15 years of medicine. I worked out in my second trimester, but when I reached my third I was too tired to work out and now I rarely exercise. Don't worry too much as difficult as it is and remind yourself that it is okay to gain a little because you will lose an average of about 25lbs post delivery. Drink a lot of water or you will save it and think you gained extra fat. I recommend 12glasses (8oz) at least per day from my personal experience. It is also important to eat some of your exercise calories, if not all of them, and know that the recommendation for most pregnant women in calories is over 2000. This is why I don't go below 1700 average if I can.
  • crunchybubblez
    crunchybubblez Posts: 387 Member
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    Is it possible? I lost so much weight over the last two years I finally made it to 169 and then I got pregnant. I'm 191 at 7 weeks, (weight gained happened because I went from half a pack a day down to 3 cigs a day) I'm having such an issue accepting the fact I've gained back a bunch of weight. I want to exercise and see if I can't shed a few unneeded pounds. My doctor hasn't given me a clear yes or no, only the words "eat healthy" well thanks to my thyroid issue that ONLY seems to flare up during pregnancy and my type 1 diabetes I gain weight fast even when I DONT eat

    It is possible, very safe, and ideal for you and the baby.
    Make sure you're eating a sufficient amount of calories, never dropping below a net of 1,200.
    Once you hit 6 months you need to start working your way up to an extra 300 calories day.
    You want to make sure most of what you eat is healthy, whole foods.
    Moderate exercise is ok, but don't try to push for any new goals.
    A 20-30 min walk everyday would be sufficient if you're not very athletic to begin with.
    No all out sprinting, no lifting heavy weights.
    Swimming and prenatal yoga are excellent ways to stay/get fit and prepare your body for the Herculean task of carrying and birthing a baby.
    Drink more water than normal, and take breaks more often to avoid fatigue.
    Good luck, and congratulations!
    Most of this is true except it is not "ideal" and I would never encourage 1200 calories during a pregnancy. It is always ideal to gain some weight for your baby, even if it is just entirely water and baby. It could also be ideal to maintain your weight if you eat enough and exercise. It is actually better to exercise than to reduce your calories intake extremely. I definitely recommend well over 1200 calories because you will most likely either cause you or the baby malnutrition with that amount of calories.. That said, I am in my third trimester and I have gained at most 10 or 15lbs. I had the same issues you did originally with our first baby and even worse. I went from a weight under 170..maybe even 150 or so up to 215 and my blood pressure went up a lot. My blood pressure nearly doubled by my last few weeks. Now I count my calories and still let myself snack when I want in moderation of course. Some days I lose self-control, like today when I ate nearly 1000calories in fries. LOL Yet I still lose weight, maintain, or gain slowly of course. My average calories are 1700-1900 for each week and I think that is perfectly healthy, but I would not recommend going below 1600. I will also add that my Vitamin D level is dangerously low and it may be because of my smaller diet. My midwife told me my Vitamin D results are the lowest she has ever seen in order 15 years of medicine. I worked out in my second trimester, but when I reached my third I was too tired to work out and now I rarely exercise. Don't worry too much as difficult as it is and remind yourself that it is okay to gain a little because you will lose an average of about 25lbs post delivery. Drink a lot of water or you will save it and think you gained extra fat. I recommend 12glasses (8oz) at least per day from my personal experience. It is also important to eat some of your exercise calories, if not all of them, and know that the recommendation for most pregnant women in calories is over 2000. This is why I don't go below 1700 average if I can.



    Actually everything I said was true. I never said restrict to 1200cals.
    I believe I said WATCH your caloric intake, and try to not drop below 1,200.
    I know during my first trimester I didnt want to eat a darn thing and struggled to consume any calories at all.
    Too many woman think pregnancy= free for all and wind up consuming 2,000-4,000+ per day. This is very easy to do when eating out more often.
    You will gain weight from baby, fluids, placenta, cord, etc...
    But there is nothing wrong with losing fat while keeping your net Cal's about 1800 during the first 1.5 trimesters.
    It is actually common to lose weight during the first trimester due to morning sickness and aversions. I lost a total of 24lbs during my first pregnancy without doing anything at all and my OB was completely OK with it because I was eating enough calories (when I wasn't sick to my stomach of course).
  • Floobaloob
    Floobaloob Posts: 25 Member
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    In cows (yes I know they're not humans, but all mammals have fairly similar physiology) we actually promote weight loss in overweight cows during the first 2 trimesters. This is because the risks associated with being overweight at parturition greatly outweigh the small risks associated with controlled weight loss in early pregnancy.

    Most foetal and placental growth happens in the last trimester and this is where it may become dangerous to lose weight especially if this is done actively with diet restriction and potential dietary deficiencies.

    Any safe slow weight loss during the first 6 months will help reduce potential complications later on in pregnancy. Be sensible and listen to your body
  • mom2jrn
    mom2jrn Posts: 40
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    With my son I started at 189 and weighed 191 when he was born. Obviously, I lost weight. I had gestational diabetes and lost weight with that diet. I wasn't trying to lose weight, it just happened. He was born at 36w, weighing 5lbs 14oz and was perfectly healthy. All of my kids were small at birth, 5.14, 6 and 6.4, so it wasn't losing weight that made them that small. I wouldn't actively try to lose weight while pregnant but if you aim to maintain then in the end you will have lost weight.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/pregnancy_calorie_calculator.htm

    I found this by Googling.In all honestly I would go back to your doctor and tell him/her what you told us. Explain you've lost weight, you're terrified of putting it all back on and want to know healthy guidelines so you can look after yourself AND your baby.

    If that doctor can't give you better advice then 'eat healthy' find a new one.

    Good luck!

    Oh and forgot to say, CONGRATULATIONS!

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