If you are overweight when you get pregnant, you are at greater risk for complications. According to the National Institutes of Health, your weight also makes it more likely that you will have a hard delivery and need a cesarean section C-section. For those reasons, you may consider losing weight while pregnant if your body mass index is too high. But pregnancy weight loss should be handled with care. In fact, in many cases, pregnancy weight loss may actually mean reduced pregnancy weight gain. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists encourages women to reach a healthy weight before getting pregnant.
Losing weight before you become pregnant is the best way to decrease the risk of problems caused by obesity.
But what if you get pregnant unexpectedly and your body mass index falls into the overweight or obese categories? Or what if you are following a healthy diet and exercise program for weight loss and you get pregnant before you reach your goal? She is double board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility REI. According to Dr. Rhee, if you are overweight or obese, there is no need to discontinue a healthy diet and exercise program once you get pregnant. She adds a few cautions, however, for weight loss during pregnancy. When you get pregnant, one of your first steps will be to meet with an obstetrician to develop a plan for the next nine months.
During your first conversations, you may want to discuss a plan for nutritious eating and healthy exercise. You may also discuss your changing weight. Depending on your current weight loss program or dietary habits, it is very likely that the focus will be on healthy weight gain rather than weight loss. According to the Institute of Medicine IOM , there are different weight gain recommendations for women of different weights classified by body-mass index , or BMI. But there that there has been some controversy over the recommendations for obese women because there is no distinction between classes of obesity.
So, for example, the guidelines may not be appropriate for morbidly obese women. According to the guidelines reaffirmed by ACOG in , weight gain below the IOM recommendations among overweight pregnant women does not appear to have a negative effect on the health of the baby. For the overweight pregnant woman who is gaining less than the recommended amount but has an appropriately growing fetus, no evidence exists that encouraging increased weight gain to conform with the current IOM guidelines will improve maternal or fetal outcomes.
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Felice Gersh, M. Both Dr. Rhee and Dr. Gersh say that the key is getting personalized advice from your own healthcare provider.
Your weight during pregnancy
I would say that weight loss should be avoided while pregnant, but not much weight gain is needed if the woman already is carrying excess weight. A balanced, nutritious diet becomes more important during pregnancy. And a program of physical activity is helpful as well. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy.
Is It Safe to Lose Weight While Pregnant? | fawzyzakhary.com
You're not working out to shed pounds now, but a good fitness plan can keep your gain from becoming insane. The best way to measure if you're eating the right number of calories for both your baby and your pregnancy exercise routine is to monitor your weight gain. If you're gaining too much weight, you're giving yourself too much calorie credit after your workouts.
If you're not gaining enough, either you're not compensating for the calories you're burning — or you're burning too many. Adjust accordingly to get your weight gain back on target. Small, frequent meals and regular fluid intake throughout the day is the best eating formula for all pregnant women — but it's especially smart on days when you exercise. That way, you'll have a steady flow of nutrients to help you keep up your energy, without the discomfort that can come from exercising on a full stomach.
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Three Types of Exercises to Consider. But if you have conceived even as you were trying to lose weight, make sure you are having a controlled weight gain so that you are not crossing the threshold of the recommended weight gain see the next section. The best approach to deal with excess weight gain is to have a concrete plan and focus on having a healthy lifestyle.
If you are overweight or obese and your doctor recommends weight management, you may follow the below ways:.
Overweight and pregnant: How to manage weight gain during pregnancy
The amount of weight that you should gain during pregnancy depends on your pre-pregnancy BMI body mass index. Before you decide to lose weight during pregnancy, it is good to know your threshold for pregnancy weight gain. The below chart helps you know how much weight you can gain 2 :. According to ACOG, women who are overweight or obese can gain lesser weight than that recommended as long as the baby is growing fine.
So, you need to know your calorie requirements. Your calorie requirement increases in the second and third trimester. However, it varies depending on your BMI among other things. Therefore, talk to your doctor to understand your specific needs 4.
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This could help you manage your weight, whether you are pregnant or not. Eating frequent but small meals helps you manage your portion size. This is especially useful during pregnancy when eating a full meal can make you feel sick. Experts advise eating three not-too-big main meals and two to three smaller meals per day 5.
Losing weight does not mean starving yourself; definitely not when you are pregnant. It means eating healthy. Here are some foods you should eat :. Pregnancy does not mean you have to eat for two. In fact you do not have to eat for two but eat healthy food.