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Pregnancy is a magical and much awaited moment by some women, but generating a life is hard work and can bring some unwanted effects.
Getting fat in pregnancy is normal, as your body is preparing to give life to a new life. In addition, anxiety and all the preparations to receive a child can contribute to an unwanted weight gain.
To avoid being overweight during pregnancy, you must take care of your food and always think about your health and that of your child.
So we put together some suggestions not to get too fat on pregnancy that will surely help you in this troubled but very happy phase.
How many pounds is it normal to gain weight in a pregnancy?
It is normal to gain weight during pregnancy, but some women suffer from weight gain beyond expectations. This will depend on each type of body, metabolism, lifestyle, diet, among other factors.
Some women may have difficulty losing weight after the baby arrives and then worry in advance not to get too much weight during pregnancy.
If, when you were pregnant, you were at your ideal weight, it is normal to make between 10 and 20 pounds until the end of pregnancy. If you were overweight, you would expect to earn around 10 pounds during pregnancy.
These are, of course, estimates. Every woman and every pregnancy is different and there are those who earn almost 30 kilos during pregnancy.
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Eat for two?
This expression could encourage some women to eat more than they should during pregnancy, but the fact is that "eating for two" does not define well what a pregnancy is.
The child does not need the same amount of food as an adult, so a pregnant woman should only eat a little more than normal. It is estimated that, in general, a woman should ingest between 200 and 400 calories more than normal during gestation.
Where do the extra pounds come from?
Most of the weight gained during pregnancy is not related to fat, but rather to the baby and the changes that your body has to do to adapt it. On average, a woman gets fat about 15 pounds in a pregnancy and these extra pounds refer to:
• Baby: 3, 5 pounds;
• Placenta: 1 to 1, 5 pounds;
• Amino acid fluids: 1 to 1, 5 pounds;
• Breast tissue: 1 to 1, 5 pounds;
• Blood supply: 2 pounds;
• Fat reserve: from 2, 5 to 4 pounds;
• Uterus growth: from 1 to 2, 5 kilos.
How not to overlap in pregnancy
It is not healthy to try to control too much weight during pregnancy since your body needs more strength and nutrients to produce a healthy life.
There are no miraculous secrets and magic formulas when it comes to food: our bodies need nutrients that are found in healthy and natural foods. Coupled with a nutritious diet, it is necessary to keep active by doing light exercises, such as walking.
See more: moderate exercise during pregnancy prevents diabetes and reduces weight gain
Be very careful not to risk supplements or restrictive diets during pregnancy. The health of the child and mother matters more.
During pregnancy, a woman's body needs to gain weight to provide an environment conducive to the child's healthy growth, so it is important not to stay on a diet during pregnancy.
However, there are some suggestions to improve nutrition and to understand how not to get too fat during pregnancy. We will see below what you can do.
Tips for not getting too fat during pregnancy
1. Make healthy choices, really!
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A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, cereals, and cereals is the solution to most health problems, including obesity. To avoid excessive weight gain during pregnancy, prioritize healthy foods in meals.
Eating lots of fiber and protein, as well as helping digestion and avoiding constipation, is a great way to stay full longer. So invest in foods naturally rich in these nutrients.
Try to stay away from sugary foods and drinks. Many juices are even full of sugar and are not as healthy. Cookies and other processed snacks can easily add hundreds of empty calories to your day.
And remember that being healthy does not mean choosing everything that is light and diet in the market.
2. Avoid artificial foods
They are the main cause of illness and weight gain. Artificial foods are harmful to health in any quantity, especially when most of the food is industrially produced.
During pregnancy, avoid foods with the artificial addition of sugars and dyes and give preference to fruits, which are naturally sweet. Even sweet drinks, such as processed juices and soft drinks, are a bad choice because they contain excess sugars in their composition.
Deprived of consumed snacks, filled biscuits, and industrialized ice creams. You can get healthier versions of these products, such as baked potato chips, homemade cookies, and frozen fruit ice creams.
3. Eat moderately and at short intervals
Since your body does not need a lot of extra calories (this number can vary from 200 to 400 calories, depending on some factors), there is no need to overdo the consumption of food during pregnancy.
To placate the desire to eat for two, choose foods rich in nutrients and that gives you a greater sense of satiety. One tip is to make small snacks between meals, always looking for a healthy option, with enough fiber.
Fruit, eggs, yogurt, and nuts are good snacks that will help keep blood sugar levels and ease hunger between meals.
4. Drink a lot of water
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In addition to being very important to avoid dehydration during pregnancy, water consumption can help you feel more satisfied between meals.
Experts recommend that pregnant women drink at least two and a half liters of water during the day.
See also: How to drink more water during the diet.
This amount can increase if you train regularly. A good way to know if your body is taking enough water by monitoring the color of the urine. Darker urine is an indication that your body needs more fluids. Ideally, the color of the urine should be light yellow.
5. Exercise
If you are already used to doing physical exercises, it is important to continue the activities so that your body does not fail to burn calories. Of course, if you play a sport that can endanger your pregnancy, it should be replaced with something lighter.
If you are not in the habit of training, a simple daily walk can be a great help for a pregnancy without being overweight. Start with short walks of 10 minutes and every month, increase this time by another 10 minutes.
This will help you to create a routine exercise and by the end of the third month, you will already walk half an hour a day, which should be maintained for the rest of the pregnancy.
See also: Advice for women who want to run during pregnancy
It is vital not to exercise excessively during pregnancy. Observe signs of fatigue, nausea and other disorders due to physical exercise.
6. Turn your wishes into good meals
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You do not need to ignore all your cravings for food after all this is a natural trait of any pregnancy. However, it is possible to turn these desires into nutritionally complete and nutritious meals.
The secret to satisfying your desires is to invest in the healthy, high-protein fats that you and your child need. One tip is to mix the desired foods with healthier foods.
Also, ignoring all food cravings will only help them increase further. Therefore, it is advisable to satisfy your desires at one time or another if it means that you will be able to maintain a healthy diet.
7. Check your weight gain
It is important to know if the weight gain is within the normal range, ie what is expected for the gestation phase or if it is excessive.
A good advice to know how not to get too fat during pregnancy is to notice, even superficially, the calories eaten during the day. This will help you understand what time and what foods are making you fat.
8. Eat complex carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are excellent allies for the control of morning sickness and nausea and therefore it is easy to abuse foods such as bread, pasta, and rice. These foods are sources of simple carbohydrates, easily digested by our system and do not give satiety for long.
Instead, try consuming complex carbohydrates such as rice, bread and pasta, quinoa and other grains that are harder to digest quickly. This will contribute to satiety as well as providing you and your baby with many more nutrients.
9. Sleep well
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Gestation can be a very troubled phase and can lead to problems like insomnia. Little sleep can be a factor that causes weight gain since it causes the metabolism to slow down, generate more fatigue and laziness to exercise.
To avoid this, try going to bed early or take a nap in the afternoon. If possible, do a little 'exercise to tire the body and sleep better at night.
10. Breastfeeding can help
This is a postpartum advice, but it is important for pregnant women.
Experts claim that breastfeeding is the best way to lose weight that has been acquired during pregnancy. During the period of breastfeeding, a woman can burn up to 500 calories a day.
In addition, childbirth and changes that your body will experience during the first six weeks after the baby's arrival will help you lose at least the first 10 pounds more. This is a good incentive to continue to feed well and do exercises until you reach your ideal weight again.