How to Prevent Unhealthy Weight Gain During Pregnancy

It is a commonly believed that pregnant women must eat more and gain weight to support the baby’s development. Indeed if you are underweight you need to eat more during pregnancy. However, it is still necessary to watch what you eat to prevent too much weight gain. Being overweight during pregnancy brings not just discomfort but also health risks to you and your baby.

For women who are overweight to begin with, the maximum recommended weight gain is 15-25 pounds (from pre-pregnancy weight) while for underweight women, it should be within 28-40 pounds. If you have a normal weight before pregnancy, you still need to gain weight between 25-35 pounds.

Here are some tips to prevent excessive pregnancy weight gain:

  1. Avoid junk food. These are loaded with salt, refined carbs, and fat which promote quick weight gain. Instead, eat healthy energy sources like wholegrain bread, sweet potatoes, milk, and low fat yogurt.
  2. Drink lots of water1. Oddly enough, the more water you drink, the less your body retains. It can also prevent common problems during pregnancy like constipation and hemorrhoids. About 8-10 glasses a day is recommended.
  3. Eat a well balanced diet. Pregnant women need to increase their uptake of important nutrients2 like folic acid, iron, and other minerals and vitamins. Avoid processed foods and focus on healthy unrefined, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, fish etc. Supplements are fine but it is better to get your vitamins and nutrients mostly from food.
  4. Be physically active. Exercise releases endorphins that make you feel better, keeps you fit during pregnancy, prepares your body for birth, and allows you to lose your belly fat after pregnancy faster. Choose exercises that are gentle and safe for you and the baby.

Sources:

  1. http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/health_wellness/fitness_food_weight/article/water-and-pregnancy
  2. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp001.cfm

 

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