Weight loss during pregnancy, or at least paying attention to managing your weight, is important because this is a time when many pregnant women are going through some major changes that can cause them to gain weight quickly.
Weight loss during pregnancy through any form of reduced calorie diet is usually not a good idea. If you are significantly overweight (generally considered to have a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or more) and you are pregnant, you should not purposely try to lose weight through diet, for health reasons for you and your baby. Eat a healthy diet, and of course, in the beginning, if you get morning sickness, you may lose a little weight naturally, that’s normal.
Most pregnant women should add about two to four pounds to their normal weight during the first few months of their pregnancy, and one to two pounds a month after that until the baby is born. A good rule of thumb here is that a woman who weighs between fifty and eighty pounds, and who has not gained more than twenty pounds during pregnancy, can achieve weight loss during early pregnancy by eating small portions at each meal. It is also important that dieters do not go on crash diets. This will only increase the risk of developing high blood pressure and high blood sugar.
Healthy weight loss during pregnancy can also be achieved by following a healthy diet. Many pregnant women who have not lost weight before becoming pregnant are advised to cut down on foods high in fat and sugar, such as junk food and soda, and instead eat more fruits and vegetables and protein-rich foods, such as eggs, fish and lean meat. The recommended food intake for pregnant women who are already healthy eaters is two hundred calories per day and up to five hundred calories per day.
Weight loss during pregnancy can also be achieved through regular exercise. This can be done by walking or cycling. Walking and bicycling are great ways to burn calories and build muscle. Women who already have a regular exercise routine will find that their pregnancy weight loss is faster.
Another common mistake pregnant women make is dieting and fasting. These can put too much pressure on the body and can actually make it difficult to lose weight. It is not healthy to do this. Rather, it is best to choose one meal a day for a week and consume only the recommended amount of food, which usually consists of a glass and a half of skimmed milk, two bananas, and a cup of coffee or tea. For this type of diet, eating at least three meals a day is still a good idea.
Pregnancy is a time of joy and excitement. However, there are also some serious side effects that come with pregnancy that you should be aware of. These include diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. A pregnant woman should be aware of all these problems and try to avoid them by eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and being careful about what she eats and how she eats.
