HI all, I just found out a couple of weeks ago that I am pregnant. I have been struggling with my weight since the birth of my 3rd daughter, now 21 months old. I need to keep my weight down during this pregnancy. are there any proven diets that I can try while not hurting the baby. I am 8 weeks right now and need to lose at least a few more pounds before I have to gain some. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I completley understand where you're coming from, but will tell you that even Weight Watchers won't let pregnant people join any more. Most doctors will advise not going on a diet while pregnant.
I would call your OB/GYN before doing anything even remotely related to a "diet" - they may have some programs/guidelines to follow.
Good luck!
Diets are NOT healthy for anyone esp. pregnant women-- but DO change your lifestyle to only organic, whole, natural foods--lots of vegeys, whole grains, beans and fruits with some nuts and small amounts of fish and free range chicken and eggs. This kind of food is nutrient and fiber dense thus you won't be filling up on empty calories and you will be healthier and won't gain weight that you don't need. Cut out all HFCS and white sugar and flour products. But do NOT ever cut your calories of healthy foods while pregnant. Also add some gentle exercise--walking, prenatal yoga, swim class etc.
Hi Dorothy,
Congratulations on your pregnancy! Please take note that pregnancy is not a time for trying to lose weight. It is a time to be as healthy as possible; eating healthy foods, exercise, hydration, and rest. As a Nutrition and Wellness Coach I would be happy to discuss with you the lifestyle I recommend to anyone wanting to be healthier.
Have a great day!
Dena
Dorothy,
My advice to you is to eat healthy and do gentle or moderate exercise. There is a possibility that you may NOT gain any weight during this pregnancy. I have known several people who have had enough "padding" before a pregnancy that they did not gain any weight and then when the baby was born, they actually weighed less than before they started! Just take care of yourself, you know by now after already having three kidlets what you need to do. Good luck on #4 and let us know what happened!
Hi Dorothy. I have to chime in with the other moms, now is not the time to worry about weight.I've been overweight all of my adult life, after 6 pregnancies, I feel that the best thing to do is follow the Brewer Diet. It is the very best pregnancy diet, it will keep you and baby healthy. You can google it or their is a nutritonal list that is almost identical at the website home4birth. It would really be good to research this diet. Dr. Brewer came up with it to prevent pre-eclampsia. It really works, I know from experience! CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK!
You should never diet while pregnant. I had gestational diabetes and was on a special food plan while pregnant and gain very little weight. i think I would loose weight, but the baby would gain. You need to talk to your dr. about any sudden change in eating. If you eat healthy and have a nice portion control (which i dont) that would be great and may reduce your risk for diabetes, but you should not be on a drastic diet. This could be very bad for the baby if your body thinks it is starving. Worry about your diet after the baby is born.
You should not be dieting while pregnant. Focas on eating several small meals and eating healthy. If you are overweight to begin with and gestational diabetes is a concern ask your doctor for a referal to a nutritionist. You can still exercize some. I walked at least 30 min a day throughout both of my pregnancies. But no matter what you are going to gain some and you are expected too.
Like others said don't diet, but have a healthy diet (eating habits). You really do have to think of it in a different way and it could help in the future with healthy eating habits. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant and it is a different way of thinking than I was used to towards my eating. But I still ate quite a bit, but I ate different things and several small healthy snacks throughout the day. The one thing that the nutrionist said was one of the "free" foods because it didn't affect my sugar much was vegetables. So get lots of those, good for you and really good for your growing baby. Look up information about gestational diabetes since lots of other women have gone through the same and have stayed healthy and have had healthy babies.
Good luck.
When I was pregnant, my doctor had me on a controlled diet. It wasn't so much a diet as it was changing the way I eated. I was minimizing my salt intake, counting calories and eating less more frequently. I was overweight to begin with and I ended up losing weight during most of my pregnancy and what I ended up gaining back was all in baby...I can honestly say that I didn't weigh more at the end of my pregnancy. If you really would like to lose a few pounds...just cut out 200-300 calories a day...and if you're eating 5-6 small meals a day you'll never be hungry.
Also - I did end up getting diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant. I was on insulin injections and all. The change in diet didn't impact me too much at this point because I already had done so much...I just needed to adjust it for carb monitoring and counting instead.
I wish I could do that now...just not as easy to do when you're not doing it for that baby inside of you.
I'm not sure "dieting" is a good idea when you're pregnant. Maybe just watching your foods? Stick to fruits/vegetables and meats.
With my first child I ate Subway almost daily and didn't have much weight gain. Maybe subs or sandwiches are a good route?
Eat all you want of vegetables. Make sure you get skim milk, fruit and 3 portions of protein a day. Otherwise, cut out all junk, chocolate, sweets and limit carbs- breads and pastas. Take your prenatal vitamins.
Dorthy,
I think at this point you should just concentrate on eating healthy food. If you stay away from high fat/calorie foods and get at least 30 min of excercize every day you should be fine. Don't be so focused on an actual diet when you are pregnant because you want to make sure the baby is getting the nutrients it needs. Also be aware of your portions. Don't over eat. I have heard of some women, who just started eating more healthy or they cut out soda pop and they began to loose weight while in their first trimester. Good luck,
Teresa
It's all about what you eat, not dieting. If you cook with vegetable oil, switch to olive, if you drink a lot of pop, switch to diet, if you eat late night snacks, pick up a hobby to keep you busy during those times like reading or scrapbooking, if you cook a lot, serve yourself a smaller plate, and drink lots of water while you're eating. It's about making different choices. I manage my weight by just making good choices. I have weeks when I have a serious sweet tooth for ice cream, but if I have some, I just make sure it's not on a day where I've had a lot of extra calories, or I pay attention the following day to limiting my calories. The best way to do that is just make something low fat that day, like I may choose to make grilled chicken, a baked potato, and veggies instead of something heavy like meatloaf or pasta.
Weight watchers it is not a diet but a healthy lifestyle change which will help you lose weight if you are overweight. It will keep you healthy during your preganancy and is really easy to follow now :)
Hello Dorothy,
Losing weight can be done, but you must be cautious that you are eating nutritiously to feed yourself and your baby and not taking anything that raises your heart rate dramatically.
I coach people on weight loss. I believe in the Herbalife nutritional products to give the body what it needs. If you want further information, send a message to me and I will customize a program for you. You can also visit www.shopherbalife.com/lpalmer to view the product catalog. ahead of time if you wish. We conduct Weight Loss Challenges in the Akron area if you live close by if having weekly meetings holding you accountable would help. You can be on any weight loss program of your choice to join.
Let me know if you have an interest! Laura
Honestly, it's as "simple" as counting calories. That is the best "diet". Now I know that isn't an easy thing to do but if you are really serious about making things better for your baby and yourself, you can do it!
Good luck!
C
Dear Dorothy,
If you are really serious about keeping your weight down and being healthier then consider getting in to see Dr. Merkle. He does a custom diet and supplement plan based upon your blood work and other tests. It works remarkably well and it will be perfect while you are pregnant.
His web site is www.3000health.com and his phone is 937 433-3241 He does everything by blood and other tests so there is no need to come to Dayton, Ohio as you can do the consult over the phone.
God Bless (and I hope you get your son)
Suzi
I'm actually in the same boat as you. I'm 8 weeks along and am overweight. I find that I eat the healthiest when I write down my meals. babyfit.com is a really helpful website for pregnant women trying to eat healthy. If you spend some time inputting your foods you can track all the nutrients you need. I have done south beach diet in the past and it's pretty much guidelines to healthy eating. I remember reading that that was a safe diet (starting on phase 2) for pregnant women.
Good luck and hopefully we'll both be smart about what we eat for the next 32 weeks and beyond! :)
I'm sorry pregnant women should not be on diets. Now that said you can change the way you eat emphasizing vegetables and lean meats and of course fruits. Maybe walking half a hour a day with the kids. Ask your doctor what foods to NOT take out of your diet for the development of your baby. I have a few kids who have special needs and I still go back and wonder if I should have done things differently while they were in the womb. Make sure whatever you do it gets your ob/gyn's approval or ask him if he knows a nutritionist you can talk to. Good luck and have a healthy pregnancy.