Is It Ok To Lose Weight While Pregnant?

Is it ok to lose weight while pregnant?

Well, there is a countless number of new mamas who are concerned about losing weight while they are pregnant. You cannot really blame them, either. First-time pregnancies can be way more complicated as new moms have no idea what to do and what not to do.

In such a case, a gradual reduction of weight can easily be a matter of worry among pregnant women. There is also a completely different aspect to it. Some women tend to put on more weight than others. This makes them more concerned, along with their protruding bellies. For them, shedding off the excess weight becomes a bit more important than anything else. So, they are usually on the internet, looking for the safest ways to lose weight while they are pregnant. But is it really okay to do so?

Weight loss during pregnancy is just a bit more complicated than what you think. In this article, we will unfold all the intricacies of losing weight during pregnancy and if it is at all okay to do so.

Is It Ok To Safe Weight While Pregnant?

Weight concerns are way more common than you think among pregnant women. Some women worry about gaining weight or insufficient weight. On the other hand, some may just be underweight or overweight during pregnancy and are just trying to control it.

Weight alternations are very normal during pregnancy, keeping in mind the sickness, food cravings, and shift in hormonal levels. These fluctuations occur during medical visits and are accounted for in the post-partum care plan.

Weight gain during pregnancy is normal, anticipated, and healthy. As per healthcare professionals, it is suggested that you do not pursue anything that will make you lose weight.

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Is It Ok To Lose Weight While Pregnant?

Generally, certified dietitians and doctors would advise you not to lose weight during pregnancy. High obesity makes pregnancy and delivery complicated. So, in such a case, weight reduction may be advisory. Yet, because of how weight loss can affect the baby inside, most medical professionals choose to make a mistake on the side of precaution.

While gynaecologists usually suggest you not lose weight, they may exercise “practitioner discretion” if the patient is too obese. Even then, they would suggest you maintain your healthy weight and not cut it down.

Morning sickness will not do much to make you lose weight in the first trimester, particularly if you maintain the correct amount of water later in the pregnancy. If you lose weight even after the first trimester, it is better to visit a healthcare professional.

If your weight goes beyond 125 kg, the pregnancy might be at risk because of the weight.

It is also important to note that extra weight will guarantee that you will have an unhealthy pregnancy. Without putting emphasis on weight loss, maintaining a proper diet and good physical activity regimen may just go a long way to keeping you and the baby healthy throughout the whole pregnancy.

Is It Ok To Lose Weight In Early Pregnancy?

Losing weight during the early days of pregnancy can be just as normal as it can get. Here are the common reasons why women tend to lose weight in the early pregnancy days:

Morning sickness: Morning sickness is one of the major reasons why you are possibly losing weight in the early pregnancy days. The constant nausea diminishes your appetite, and the puking causes you to miss out on the calories. But there is nothing to worry about. The baby gets just the right amount of all the nutrients it needs at this point.

Fat reserves: Women suffering from obesity carry an extra reserve of calories stored in as fats. So, as the baby grows, there is nothing harmful in losing some of that weight at first.

Improved lifestyle: You may lose some weight early on if you start working out or eating healthy foods right when you become pregnant.

In most cases, losing weight is not dangerous. However, if it becomes a lot, there may be a case of hyperemesis gravidarum or excess morning sickness. If that is the case, it is necessary that you tell your provider immediately.

How To Lose Weight Safely During Pregnancy?

Even before the baby is born, you need to look after their health. From the moment you get the news, you live for two – you and your baby. So, you need to keep in mind that anything you do to yourself will eventually affect the baby – including weight loss.

So, if you are at all advised to lose weight during pregnancy, here are the safest ways in which you may do it:

• Know your limit for weight gain
• Cut down on all the unhealthy calories
• Workout for at least thirty minutes every day
• Do not eat processed food
• Avoid stress at all costs

Weight loss during pregnancy is only possible when you are just healthy enough to cut off some weight. Also, a health advisor’s opinion is a must on this. We shall elaborate on these later in the article.

Pregnancy Hazards Of Being Overweight

Now that I have mentioned that weight loss is only advised under the supervision of a health expert, it is only fair if I mention why health experts suggest that their pregnant patients lose some weight.

Obesity is bad news when it comes to an expecting mother and her baby. A BMI of more than 29kg/m2 reduces the chances of conception and increases the chances of additional risks. These risks may include:

• A major case of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia
• Increased blood pressure
• Perinatal death
• Pregnancy diabetes
• You may even experience obstructive sleep apnea. This results in short breathing pauses while sleeping.

Obstetricians monitor the pressure and sugar levels in blood throughout the whole pregnancy and look for any indications of high blood pressure or gestational diabetes. Women, as such, get special dietary instructions or fitness suggestions to lessen these symptoms and continue with a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

What Is The Benchmark Of Healthy Weight During Pregnancy?

Natural weight gain is just as common during pregnancy. Most of the weight gain comes up during the second and the third trimester. The body also grows pretty fast in the latter two months of pregnancy.

However, putting on weight more than the expected amount may negatively affect the health and development of the baby.

Obesity, as I mentioned, can contribute to risks like preeclampsia, premature birth, and blood clots.

Since, you are supposed to lose some amount of weight while pregnant, it is necessary to know how much of it is healthy. Here is a chart that will help you understand how much you are allowed to gain depending on your BMI before pregnancy:

For those suffering from obesity from the very beginning of their pregnancy, there is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guide to help track weight gain during pregnancy.

If, at any given point during the pregnancy, your weight falls within the chart, there is no need for you to lose weight.

If the weight is outside of this range, you can curate a gradual and consistent plan, focusing mainly on healthy lifestyle habits. This brings us to the next portion of our article.

Healthy Lifestyle Habits During Pregnancy

Weight loss or weight gain is the mere outcome of how much of a healthy lifestyle you are maintaining during pregnancy. If you wish to have a healthy pregnancy with a balance in weight, here is what you need to focus on:

Cut Down On Calories

While we do understand the food cravings, you need to cut down the unnecessary calories. Eating more calories than what you burn every day is the most common way to gain weight. It takes approximately 3,500 calorie deficit to be able to lose 1 lb. In just one week, this matches cutting down around 500 calories a day.

If you had an appropriate weight equating with your height before getting pregnant, you would probably need 2,200-2,900 calories every day while pregnant. But, this will change depending on each trimester:

• 1^st Trimester: no additional calories
• 2^nd Trimester: an extra 340 calories per day
• 3^rd Trimester: an extra 450 calories per day than when you were not pregnant

If you take way more calories than this, it is better for you to cut down on it soon. For instance, here is how you may do it:

• Eat small portions
• Skip the condiments
• Fruit snacking
• Eating more veggies and less starchy side dishes
• Swapping unhealthy fats like butter for healthy fats like olive oil
• Drinking lots of water and cutting down on carbonated drinks
• Avoiding processed snacks like candies and chips

Exercise For At Least Thirty Minutes Every Day

Some people get scared to exercise while pregnant, thinking that it may hurt their babies. But that is not the case. While workouts like sit-ups may actually be harmful, overall exercise is quite beneficial.

It may help you keep your weight in check and lessen the chances of developmental issues. It also helps ease some of the pains and aches you may get during pregnancy.

The present recommendation is the same as for the ones who are not pregnant: 30-60 minutes of workout every day, three to five days each week. If this is a lot for you at the beginning, just break up the 30-minute pattern into smaller blocks throughout the day.

Some of the best ways to workout include:

• Walking
• Swimming
• Prenatal yoga
• Gardening
• Jogging

You need to avoid any activity that will cause the following symptoms:

• Causes you pain
• Involves high temperatures
• Relying on balance like skiing or bike riding
• Anything that makes you dizzy
• Involves lying on your back, especially after the 12th week of pregnancy.

Address The Weight Concerns Pretty Early

A study back in 2014 involving 114 pregnant women suffering from obesity found that the ones who got nutritional advice within the 7th and 21st week of pregnancy were less likely to gain excessive weight in the third trimester. These participants also got benefits from weekly support group meetings.

So, if you are at all planning on controlling your weight during pregnancy, talk to your doctor and come up with a plan as easily as you can. Your doctor may refer you to an experienced dietitian who can further do the meal planning if necessary.

Additionally, if you are obese and not pregnant, it is better to lose some weight before getting pregnant. This way, you can lower the risks of developing gestational diabetes.

Frequently Asked Questions!!! [FAQs]:

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The Bottom Line

For most pregnant women, is it a common question to ask if it is ok to lose weight while pregnant?

In this case, it is important to monitor how much calorie you are taking and work accordingly during pregnancy. But, taking it to an extreme level may potentially harm the baby.

This is the reason why multiple doctors do not suggest you lose weight unless you are excessively overweight. It is always better to discuss it with your doctor first if you plan on losing weight during pregnancy or if you are losing weight.

Your doctor will help you make the best and safest decision ever. All in all, it is better not to plan to drop some weight randomly. It’s best if you keep your weight loss plan after the baby is born.

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