Content

• Steps
• Warning

Losing weight during pregnancy is not recommended by health professionals - even overweight and obese women are often advised to gain weight during pregnancy. However, there are a few things you can do to avoid unnecessary weight gain during pregnancy. Here are the things you should know.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Safety Precautions

1. 

   Do not diet while pregnant. You should never try to lose weight while pregnant unless your doctor advises you to. Don't go on to any weight-loss regimen after you find out you are pregnant. All pregnant women are encouraged to gain weight during this period.
   • Women who are obese should gain between 5 and 9 kg.
   • Women who are overweight should gain between 7 and 11 kg.
   • Women of normal weight should gain between 11 and 16 kg.
   • Women who are underweight should gain between 13 and 18 kg.
   • Dieting during pregnancy can deprive your baby of calories, vitamins and minerals.

2. 

   
   
   Know when to lose weight. Although it is not recommended to lose weight during pregnancy, it is normal for some women to lose weight in their first trimester.
   • Many women experience severe dizziness and vomiting, which is known as the "morning sickness" phenomenon. The most hangover is most likely during the first trimester of pregnancy, and it may be difficult to keep food in the stomach or eat a regular meal during this period. If you lose a slight amount of weight, that's fine, especially if you're already overweight, as your baby can take up the extra energy stored in your adipose tissue.

3. 

   
   
   Talk to your doctor or dietitian. If you are really concerned about your weight, talk to your doctor or pregnancy dietitian about how to manage your weight in a healthy way for both you and your baby. Never eat or drink on a special diet before discussing it with a specialist.
   • You should also talk to your doctor if you are unable to keep any food in your stomach or experience severe weight loss, even during the first trimester.
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Part 2 of 2: Staying healthy

1. 

   
   
   Understand your calorie needs. Women at a normal weight at the start of pregnancy need an average of 300 extra calories per day during the second or third trimester.
   • Such individuals should consume 1900 to 2500 calories per day.
   • Consuming more calories than recommended can lead to unhealthy weight gain.
   • If you were underweight, overweight or obese prior to pregnancy, discuss your caloric needs with your doctor. The needs of each person will be different. Even if there are rare circumstances during pregnancy that make weight loss a healthy choice, you still need to maintain or increase your calorie intake.
   • Ask your doctor about your calorie requirements if you are pregnant with multiple pregnancies. You may need more calories if you are carrying more than one fetus.

2. 

   Avoid foods that contain empty calories and are unhealthy. Empty energy will lead to unnecessary weight gain while not providing enough nutrition for the fetus. Avoiding empty calories is essential to maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight.
   • Avoid sugary foods and solid fats. These foods include soft drinks, desserts, fried foods, unsaturated dairy foods such as whole milk or cheese, and fatty meats.
   • Choose low-fat, fat-free, sugar-free, and non-sweet options when possible.
   • Also, avoid caffeine, alcohol, fresh seafood, and foods with the potential to contain bacteria.

3. 

   Take vitamins for pregnant women. Your body will need more nutrients during pregnancy. Pregnancy vitamins will help you meet those needs without having to add more calories than necessary.
   • Never consider vitamins as an alternative to real food, even if your doctor says weight loss is appropriate in your case. Supplements are best tolerated when eaten with foods, and food vitamins are often more easily absorbed by the body than supplements.
   • Folic acid is one of the most important vitamins you need. It will reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus.
   • Iron, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids also help your body maintain good health while supporting your fetal development.
   • Avoid supplements that contain too many vitamins A, D, E, or K.

4. 

   Eat small and frequent meals. Eating many small meals a day instead of three big ones is a trick used by dieters to control food intake, but it also benefits pregnant women.
   • Fear of food, hangover, heartburn, and indigestion often make eating a large meal uncomfortable during pregnancy. Eating 5 to 6 small meals a day can make eating and drinking easier and easier to digest. This is even more reasonable as the fetus grows and takes the place of internal organs.

5. 

   Maintain a healthy, nutritious meal suitable for pregnant women. Focus on foods that contain folate and make sure you eat enough protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, and fiber.
   • Foods rich in folate include orange juice, strawberries, spinach, broccoli, beans, breads and fortified cereals.
   • Start with a varied breakfast to help you feel better throughout the day.
   • Choose whole wheat sources of carbohydrates over refined products like white bread.
   • High-fiber foods can help you manage your weight and prevent digestive problems like constipation. Whole grains, green vegetables, fruits and legumes are excellent sources of fiber.
   • Make sure to eat both fruits and vegetables with your meals as often as possible.
   • Choose healthy unsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, and peanut oil.

6. 

   Healthy snacks. Snacks can be great for pregnancy, even if your doctor only encourages you to gain little weight or lose weight. Choose healthy and nutritious snacks over processed foods and desserts high in sugar or dairy fat.
   • You can eat a banana smoothie or nonfat fruit ice cream instead of regular ice cream and shakes.
   • Snacks with nuts and fruits between meals.
   • Instead of white flour crackers and fatty cheese, eat whole grain crackers topped with a small amount of low-fat cheese.
   • You can eat hard-boiled eggs, whole-wheat bread and unsweetened yogurt and a few other types of bread.
   • Instead of sugary drinks, drink low-salt vegetable juice, carbonated water with some juice, flavored skim milk or soymilk with ice.

7. 

   Do light exercise. Exercise is also an important part of the non-pregnancy weight loss process, and it also plays a very important role in maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight. Healthy pregnant women should exercise at least 2 hours 30 minutes with gentle exercises per week.
   • Exercise also reduces pain during pregnancy, improves sleep, regulates emotions, and reduces the risk of complications. It also makes it easier to lose weight after giving birth.
   • Talk to your doctor before starting any exercise regimen. Stop exercising immediately if you experience vaginal bleeding or premature rupture of your membranes.
   • Good exercises include low-intensity exercises like walking, swimming, dancing and cycling.
   • Avoid activities that force your abs, like kickboxing or basketball. You should also avoid activities that are prone to crashes such as horseback riding. Do not scuba dive as it can cause a bubble in the fetus's blood to develop.
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Warning

• Never attempt to lose weight while pregnant, especially without a prescription from your doctor.