Can I Lose Weight When I Am Pregnant?

You came to this page because you are pregnant and you want to ensure you do not gain too much weight while you are pregnant. As you already know, you are pregnant and your main goal is to protect the baby but you are afraid that you will gain too much weight during the pregnancy. If you thought about it for a moment you are really asking if you can have a healthy baby and not end up being overweight. In the spirit of answering your question the answer is that you do not have to become and stay over weight after child birth. Before you jump for joy let us explore that answer a bit deeper because there really is much to know about weightloss and nutrition even without the added mix of having a child.

One thing worth mentioning is that in that womb is a life that can feel, hear and even sense emotions. That life that is growing inside of you can actually feel hunger if it needs nutrients. The mother’s body will always take care of the needs of the child first and then tend to the needs of itself. The child is not being selfish; it is just that a woman’s body is built to protect the fetus first. What is important during pregnancy is that there is a balanced diet. All too often a mother to be worries more about what not to do and not enough about what she should do. All mothers know that beer and cigarettes do harm to a baby but what is just as important is what needs to be done for the baby. What needs to be done is to fulfill the requirement for a well balanced meal plan and that there is a moderate exercise program in place. This is not only important before the birth of the child but also after the child is born.
During the first few months of pregnancy a woman may not notice an increase in her appetite but during the last few months there may be an increase that makes mom thinks she will balloon into being an overweight person for life. This is when mom starts to get nervous. About this time mom needs to ensure she is receiving enough Omega-3 in her diet on a daily basis. The benefits are enormous to not only child but also to mom. The list of these benefits is too extensive to be listed here.

How much you allow yourself to gain in weight during your pregnancy depends on how much you weighed before conception. Those who were overweight do not need to gain as much as a person who is considered skinny. Those that are very slim must allow themselves a larger weight increase in order to reduce the risk that the child will be underweight when born. There really is no single answer that fits everyone who asks the question. You need to look at your size and adjust it from there. Just remember that bigger woman will need to gain less weight than a skinny woman.

The world is obsessed with rapid weight loss but in reality losing a few pounds after a pregnancy will take some time. All too often if weight loss is not rapid depression sets in and this escalates the cycle of being overweight.  A true weight loss plan, with realistic goals does not entail losing 20 pounds in 2 weeks. A true plan to lose weight requires a healthy and nutritionally sound diet plan. This type of plan needs to be enacted long BEFORE the baby arrives. This is because it will be easier to not gain the weight than it will be to lose the weight. In short, if you follow the same plan before you gave birth, it will be much easier on Mom after the birth. Also, the child should be born a healthy weight and have a higher metabolism.

Usually it takes 6 months for a woman’s body to return to “normal” after giving birth. What this means is that the average metabolic rate and hormonal amounts that were experienced before conception return once again to your life. Sometimes they may never return and that is why it is so important to ensure your fitness and nutrition levels are maintained during the pregnancy.

After childbirth, for the first few months, the focus should be very much on eating a healthy diet. A 2000 calorie diet that includes 50% carbohydrates, 30% proteins, 10% fats with adequate fiber is a good common sense starting point. If you have some mathematical savvy you will note the numbers do not add up to 100%. This is because in every meal plan there need to be room for treats and enjoyment. Excluding those “treats” is where so many people fail on their intentions because they feel as if they failed when they stray from their rigid plans.

Moderate exercise is good, but here again is the keyword “moderate”. New moms are busy enough without having to worry about getting in that 15 mile bike ride every day. The goal should be on slowly increasing stamina and overall fitness and tone. The goals should be mood elevation and general health and not trying to look like someone out of a fashion magazine.

In closing the answer to the original question is easy. No! You do not need to gain any weight that you will be stuck with for life. What you should do is join a support group with similar goals of weight and fitness. The best plan for not gaining weight after a pregnancy is to not gain any unnecessary weight during pregnancy. With the understanding that you will gain weight, but it will be weight you are able to shed after childbirth. By eating well and exercising moderately you have to potential to not even miss a beat. But, as with all diets, the choices are yours. In this case, as you prepare for childbirth, do not go on a diet but go on a “live-it”. You need a lifestyle change that will be able to carry you into the rest of your forever. If you choose well then that will be a healthy and an exciting period of your life.

Good Luck and God Bless!!!