Lose weight and lose weight while pregnant

[Article updated on 19/09/2023]

Many women gain considerable weight during pregnancy. If this phenomenon, from which men are definitely spared, is completely normal during this period, it is nevertheless important to put limits on this weight gain and take measures in the event of excessive excess weight.

It is possible to lose weight and losing weight during pregnancy. If you are one of those women who want to lose weight without compromising your health and that of the baby in your belly, discover this overview of the tips to follow and everything you need know.

Why do women gain weight during pregnancy?

Gaining weight, an almost inevitable step

Pregnancy is a particularly delicate period for women, especially in terms of their weight and figure. Getting bigger is almost systematic as long as you carry your little man inside you.

But have you really wondered where those extra pounds come from? The first reason is very simple: you are eating for two. This little man seems tiny, but he requires a maximum intake of calories and especially nutrients and vitamins to ensure his growth and development.

Also during pregnancy, the body changes and prepares for the birth of the baby. On average, throughout period, the volume of the breasts increases by half a kilo, the placenta makes around 0.6 kg, the amniotic fluid weighs 1 kg, fat reserves are form automatically and weigh around 3 kg, without forgetting the baby who weighs on average 3.5 kg.

All this little surplus accumulates and, in the end, you panic the scales without really understanding why. Generally, it is from the fourth month of pregnancy that women start to gain weight.

Causes beyond their control

It is true that this phenomenon is not unanimous and there are women who hardly take any weight when they are pregnant and without even the slightest diet. However, the majority will not survive, but there is no need to panic.

In fact, almost all women who are overweight during pregnancy lose weight automatically once the baby is born. If gaining weight is obligatory, you must understand that it’s not really your fault, but several factors enters the game.

First, the hormones secreted during pregnancy boost the appetite of future mothers, which makes them a very greedy. They rarely notice this increase in volume of the food they ingest and only notice the damage in front of the scales or the mirror.

Second, water retention and edema also appears in the feet or hands, leading to consecutive increase in weight around the seventh month of pregnancy.

What is weight gain “normal” during pregnancy?

Not every pregnant woman gains weight in the same way. On average, weight gain varies between 9 and 13 kg, but Much thinner women can gain up to twenty kilos.

So, depending on your body size starting, the increased “normal” weight will change. For example, for a thin woman, the tolerated increase in weight is between 12.5 and 18 kg, a thin woman can gain between 11.5 and 16 kg, an overweight woman before pregnancy or obese should not gain more than 10 kg.

In order to know in what category you are in, monitor your BMI or mass index bodily. Calculate yours by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters.

Below 18, you are thin. Between 18 and 25, you are in the normal size. Beyond that, you are in overweight and if you exceed 30, you are obese.

What categories of pregnant women should thinking about losing weight?

During pregnancy, it is out question of deciding to lose weight any way you want. It’s about your health and that of the baby in your womb. You absolutely must ask your doctor and gynecologist before starting a any weight loss diet.

As mentioned above, taking Weight is a systematic and normal step during pregnancy. However, if it becomes too much, it risks harming your baby and your childbirth. The baby may arrive too prematurely or delivery must be by cesarean section.

To monitor your intake weight, get yourself a scale and when you notice that you dangerously exceed 20 kg gained, you must think seriously lose weight.

What to do if you want to lose weight being pregnant?

If you want to lose weight when you are pregnant, start a draconian diet similar to the time when you were not yet pregnant is inconceivable. Your body needs to lose weight superfluous gradually, but not suddenly so as not to harm the baby in your belly. Here are some practical tips to follow.

Favor quality over quantity

It is true that women pregnant women tend to eat anything and everything, especially foods stuffy. What matters is not eating more, but eating better.

In fact, too much diet rich in calories, and poor in nutrients and vitamins will not bring you only extra pounds and almost nothing for the baby. On the other hand, if you favor a balanced diet, this will be both beneficial for you, but especially for your baby.

If you used to eat all the junk from fast food restaurants, like pizza, burgers and sodas, turn to good healthy dishes cooked at home, in balancing meat, vegetables and fruits.

Since you want lose weight, it is essential to limit what you eat and avoid too much eat. Don’t give in to your desires and when you have to eat, choose eat healthy food and drink plenty of water.

Vary the diet

A tip for losing too weight during your pregnancy: vary your diet. In fact, changing menu frequently prevents you from quickly getting bored and allows you to keep the motivation to eat healthy and balanced, especially if you are not used to it.

It is sometimes difficult to do facing his desires, especially the usual poor diet. So take it time to carefully prepare your quality dishes so that your taste buds go crazy every time it’s time to eat.

Finally, don’t forget dessert which will obviously be fresh fruit and not a slice of cake. He will bring complete satiety to your stomach and a surplus of vitamins and nutrients for the body and for the baby in your belly.

Limit certain foods

Although your goal is to lose weight during pregnancy, there is no point in permanently banning certain foods in your diet.

However, you must do be careful to limit their consumption so as not to cause more overweight and possible health problems. For example, stuffed foods sugars with a high glycemic index such as cakes, jam and sweets should be limited as much as possible, not excluded.

In fact, this type of food can very quickly create severe hypoglycemia following their consumption. When you are hungry and you take them, they will boost the production of insulin which will cause a craving in the hours following their consumption, which leads to snacking again.

For example, at breakfast, prefer low-sugar cereals or wholemeal bread as well as flakes oats. You will be full throughout the morning and will not feel not hugely hungry at snack time.

You can still allow one small whim per week without overdoing it. To help you avoid any excess, do not eat these delicacies when you are hungry, but eat something else first, which will then limit your consumption.

Opt for an adapted sport

Many women think that playing sports is harmful for the baby. On the contrary, moving is as much beneficial for the future mother and for the growth of the baby, except, of course, if the doctor prohibits it.

However, not every sport is adapted to the situation and it is important to identify the physical activity that you will practice according to its intensity, its difficulty to be achieved and the duration of each workout. Sports are perfectly suited to women speakers.

You can practice, by example walking which is particularly recommended to facilitate vaginal delivery. If you know how to swim, take the plunge and go swimming or aquagym. The idea is not to get tired of doing lengths, but to move moderately in the water. Just moving in the water is a physical exercise.

Yoga is also recommended and full of virtue, especially if you are stressed on a daily basis. This activity combines low intensity sport and relaxation.

Whatever sport you practice, go at your own pace without killing yourself. Don’t settle as alone goal weight loss, but above all have fun. This is one of the moments where you can forget the stress and the little glitches linked to pregnancy. In If possible, get assistance from a sports coach or a loved one to help you in case of problems.

Typical example of adequate nutrition during pregnancy

If you want to lose weight without suffering from a restricted diet during your pregnancy, here is a typical day to follow which guarantees you an optimal intake of nutrients and vitamins without excess calories or deficiency.

For breakfast, have a usual hot drink, a dairy product, 2 slices of wholemeal bread or cereals with a little sugar and a fruit. Use honey to sweeten, but not sugar in dice.

As a morning snack, you You can have a little biscuit or dairy.

Eat meat for lunch or fish, a little raw vegetable and 2 slices of bread or a portion of starchy foods. Have a fruit for dessert.

Your afternoon snack can consist of a low-fat dairy product or 2 slices of wholemeal bread spread with hazelnut butter.

At dinner, opt for a good vegetable soup and poultry or eggs.

Special diet slimming foods avoid during pregnancy

When you are relatively overweight, you are sometimes tempted to follow a slimming diet or consume products powerful fat burners.

However, these alternatives are strongly discouraged during your pregnancy. Indeed, these methods more or less less drastic and risk affecting the health of the baby.

Here are the foods to avoid during your weight loss period.

Light products

Whether it is yogurt or diet soda, this type of product is not recommended for expectant mothers. Indeed, these modified products risk creating nutritional deficiencies if you consume them over time. If you wish to consume powerful appetite suppressants, talk to your doctor first.

Sweeteners

Sweeteners are, of course, little caloric, but are mainly chemical. However, this can turn out to be very dangerous for the fetus. Sweeteners to absolutely avoid are those that contain aspartame which contains phenylalanine. This is a amino acid that is toxic to many babies, especially those who are prone to a hereditary disease, phenylketonuria.

High protein products

Anything full of protein, in particular bars and cans are strongly prohibited during the pregnancy. Although these products are excellent meal replacements while by being low in calories, they in no way compensate for the nutritional intake minimums that a pregnant woman and her baby need.

Additionally, your calorie rate will drop too low from the minimum acceptable threshold for a pregnant woman. They will follow a lot of fatigue and stress as well as muscle wasting.

Conclusion

Losing weight during pregnancy is perfectly possible. However, you must remain reasonable and give the body time to lose the pounds. Avoid attacking it in any way (draconian diet, intensive physical activity, etc.) and tell yourself that after giving birth, your body will gradually return to its previous state, with some effort that will no longer harm your body. your baby. If you are at this stage, continue reading with our article on weight loss after pregnancy.