How to lose weight during pregnancy: diet and exercise for weight loss. How to lose weight during pregnancy? Is it possible for pregnant women to lose weight and how

After the gynecologist confirms the fact of pregnancy, the woman happily imagines how her life will change after the birth of the desired baby. Planning a child's room and acquiring all sorts of things push any worries out of the head of the expectant mother. At a later date, the representatives of the weaker sex begin to notice how quickly their figure is changing. Some young ladies are calm about weight gain, while others begin to get nervous and count every kilogram. But is it possible to lose weight during pregnancy in such a way as not to harm the little man?

How to eat during pregnancy to lose weight?

In fact, all women who are expecting a baby face dramatic changes in taste preferences. Moreover, the appetite also increases. This is quite normal, as a growing body requires a lot of micronutrients. But if you choose the right diet, then the expectant mother will not have to eat for two. In addition, an increase in body weight not exceeding twelve kilograms is considered normal.

First of all, a woman should establish her own mode of eating, because uncontrolled eating of sweets will definitely not benefit the figure. It is recommended to eat five times a day. In the end, you will get three main meals and two light snacks that will help get rid of the feeling of hunger. It is very important to eat at the same time. Of course, initially it will be difficult to rebuild, but the result is really worth the effort.

The expectant mother must definitely drink two liters of plain water daily until the beginning of the third trimester. The liquid has a positive effect on metabolic processes, so subcutaneous fat will be deposited in much smaller quantities. A woman must definitely give up her favorite fast food, peppered crackers and chips, sweets with a high content of dyes and flavors, carbonated fruit drinks, smoked meats, sausages and sausages with a dubious composition.

It is important to remember that certain foods can provoke the development of severe allergies, which has an extremely negative effect on the state of the body as a whole. Therefore, it is necessary to exclude citrus fruits, specific seafood, honey and chocolate from the usual menu. It may seem that the diet of the expectant mother should consist exclusively of vegetables and fruits, but this is not so.

You should consider what food will help you lose weight during pregnancy without harm to the baby. If earlier a woman preferred all kinds of meat dishes, now she needs to limit herself to chicken fillet, since it contains a sufficient amount of the most important trace elements and is low-fat. But it should be remembered that the bird needs to be baked, boiled, stewed, but not fried. But fish should be consumed with caution, giving preference to species with a minimum fat content.

Dairy products must be present in the daily menu. A future mother can drink a glass of low-fat kefir or yogurt daily, eat one hundred grams of cottage cheese or a few pieces of cheese. It is also desirable to eat wholemeal bread and rolls, but, of course, in small quantities.

Sweets should be replaced with a variety of dried fruits, fruit desserts and jellies. But if a woman really wants to eat a piece of chocolate, then it is better to do it before twelve o'clock in the afternoon, since at this time the food is well processed and does not transform into subcutaneous fat. As for fruits and vegetables, they can be consumed almost without restrictions. It should be remembered that some foods contain too many carbohydrates (grapes, pineapple, avocados, pears, bananas).

Can exercise help you lose weight during pregnancy?

In normal times, training brings exceptional benefits to the body, but women in position should be more careful. In the presence of any complications, the threat of miscarriage, anemia, varicose veins, isthmic-cervical insufficiency, it is better to refuse any physical activity. The only available activity for all, without exception, expectant mothers is walking. If you set aside thirty minutes every day for walking, you will be able not only to avoid weight gain, but also to get rid of unwanted extra pounds.

Pregnant women are also allowed to swim. It is recommended to visit the pool two or three times a week. This sport helps to relax the spine and venous system, actively burn subcutaneous fat and strengthen the muscles of the abdomen, legs and arms. If a woman regularly engages in swimming, she will get rid of excess weight and prepare the body for the upcoming birth.

In the absence of contraindications, the fair sex is allowed to attend yoga and gymnastics for pregnant women. Such exercises are unlikely to help you lose weight, but they will help strengthen various muscle groups and significantly reduce the load on the spine. Thus, you can reduce weight during pregnancy with the help of proper nutrition and light exercise.

There is a certain group of women who are convinced that during pregnancy they need to eat double portions of food, that is, eat for two. But, being overweight during this period is not just an aesthetic defect. In fact, this is a risk factor that contributes to the development of various complications, such as increased arterial compression, flat feet, or kidney problems. In addition, excess weight harms not only the health of the expectant mother, but also the health of her baby.

What should be done to reduce weight during pregnancy without risking the health and development of the fetus?

First, you need to clearly understand that exorbitant appetite during pregnancy is a pathology, and not the demands of the future baby. Obesity can lead to late toxicosis, overload the kidneys, cause edema, and make the spine suffer.

Pregnancy is already a burden for the female body, and if body weight still increases due to obesity, the internal organs may simply refuse to function. Moreover, the labor activity of overweight mothers is also hampered by the huge risk of developing all sorts of complications.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

In order not to exceed the normal, it is important to know its norms during this period. So, the weight of a normal fetus should not exceed four kilograms. Approximately three kilograms are allocated to the amniotic fluid. Of course, the fat layer and the volume of blood in the vessels of the expectant mother increase.

This implies. That it will be normal to gain no more than twelve kilograms of weight during pregnancy (including a singleton pregnancy). When the expectant mother gains more than two kilograms per month after the sixteenth week of pregnancy, it is worth starting to worry and take measures to reduce weight.

Expert advice on weight loss during pregnancy

  1. Forget about strict diets. Strict diets during pregnancy are not acceptable. Any kind of starvation for expectant mothers is strictly prohibited. Even fasting days on the same water can not be done. The fetus needs to receive a certain set of vitamins and minerals daily. Therefore, it is necessary to make a light but healthy diet.
  2. It is necessary to absolutely and completely abandon smoked and salty foods and dishes. Salt retains water in the body, which leads to. Its use must be reduced to the bare minimum.
  3. The same should be done with sweets. Cakes, pastries, cakes with excess weight during pregnancy are surpluses. You can, of course, not abandon them for good, but put yourself in the framework, for example. No more than one cake per week. The excess carbohydrates contained in these dishes turn into fat, which is deposited in the body and is difficult to remove from it. From this, the arrow of the scales will show an increasing number of kilograms in the body weight of the expectant mother.
  4. Pregnant women are advised to replace chocolate with fruits. And for a new organism growing inside the womb, it will be several tens of times more useful. It is best to take fruits that grow in the climatic zone in which the expectant mother lives. Exotic fruits can cause allergic reactions.
  5. A good source of complex carbohydrates are various cereals. They are important to use during pregnancy for the prevention of constipation, fiber saturation and healthy bowel function.
  6. A balanced diet for a pregnant woman involves the use of protein in foods such as nuts, fish, lean meat, veal or beef, rabbit, chicken, low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, milk.
  7. Fats should also be included in the menu of a pregnant woman. But fats should be mostly vegetable. Butter can be replaced with olive oil, or sunflower oil.
  8. The method of cooking should also be special for pregnant women. With a rapid increase in weight during pregnancy, a woman should give up fried foods. It is best to stew and boil vegetables during this period. And fish meat is best cooked in the oven, baked with vegetables with a minimum amount of salt. Any fried foods are very high in calories, and their frequent use leads to excess fat deposits in the body.
  9. Water consumption regimen - it should be observed as strictly as dietary nutrition. It is necessary to refuse from carbonated drinks for the entire period of pregnancy, but to use more natural juices and pure mineral water. A half liter bottle of mineral water should always be at hand for a future mother.
  10. Undoubtedly, the expectant mother, being in a position, has a slightly larger appetite than any other woman without such a responsible position. And when you should not “crush” your appetite with just water. You can have light snacks, which may consist of an apple or yogurt, and such. It is these foods that will be more useful as a light snack than chocolate bars or chips.

With strict observance of all these, the above-mentioned simple rules and recommendations, for the entire period of pregnancy, you simply will not be able to gain weight more than the prescribed norm. Therefore, all nine months you can not worry about your health and the normal development of your unborn child.

To build a personal weekly weight gain schedule during pregnancy - you can use the site

Olya Likhacheva

Beauty is like a precious stone: the simpler it is, the more precious :)

Mar 20 2017

Content

It used to be that a woman expecting a baby should eat for two. Nowadays, gynecologists recommend expectant mothers to be attentive to nutrition and their lifestyle. In order for the baby to be born healthy, and the woman not to lose her attractiveness after pregnancy, she must know how to lose weight during this difficult period.

Overweight and pregnancy

For the entire period of waiting for the child, an increase in body weight of 12 kg is read as normal. When a woman gains much more, she begins to think about how to lose weight during pregnancy and not harm the fetus. Weight is made up of amniotic fluid, baby weight, placenta, extra blood volume, and enlarging breasts. The fat layer is also growing, which is associated with the maintenance of hormonal balance in the female body.

For this reason, pregnancy and excess weight are very vague concepts. However, if a woman gains it rapidly, this contributes to the development of complications such as varicose veins, cardiac pathologies, preeclampsia. The most common consequence of extra pounds is swelling, which indicates poor kidney function. It is important for a future mother to be able to control weight in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Is it possible to lose weight during pregnancy

Gynecologists say that only those women whose kilograms threaten to cause complications for her health or the development of the baby should think about how to lose weight during pregnancy. It is necessary to remove excess weight during pregnancy if strong fullness poses a danger:

  • spontaneous expulsion of the embryo;
  • increased blood loss during childbirth;
  • premature birth;
  • severe rehabilitation.

How to lose weight pregnant without harm to the child

To lose extra pounds, but not harm the baby, you should review your diet and perform special exercises for expectant mothers daily. Losing weight during pregnancy will be faster with an active lifestyle. For this you need:

  • regularly engage in stretching, stretching, gymnastics;
  • to swim in the swimming pool;
  • go for a massage
  • breathe properly while walking;
  • walk more often in the fresh air.

Diet for pregnant women for weight loss

Proper bearing of a child requires a revision of nutrition. For expectant mothers, weight loss through a strict diet is unacceptable. However, in order for alimentary obesity not to cause complications, you need to know some nuances:

  • diet for weight loss during pregnancy should contain 10% more protein;
  • fast carbohydrates (sugar, sweets) should be abandoned;
  • most of the diet should consist of cereals, vegetables, cereals, legumes and hard fruits;
  • avoid excessive consumption of freshly squeezed fruit juices;
  • it is necessary to reduce the time for heat treatment of food;
  • To lose weight, you need to eat heavy food until 15 hours.

Exercises for weight loss during pregnancy

In addition to adjusting nutrition, how else to lose weight during pregnancy? Physical activity, which includes a complex of breathing techniques and muscle stretching. Particular attention should be paid to the muscles of the pelvis, perineum, vagina. Training contributes not only to weight loss, but also prepares the future mother for labor, normalizes the work of the heart and vascular system. Before doing any exercises for weight loss during pregnancy, you should definitely go for a consultation with your gynecologist.

How to lose weight during pregnancy

Excess body weight in a pregnant woman, as a rule, begins from the second trimester. How to lose weight during pregnancy, the doctor decides in each individual case. However, there are general recommendations for weight loss:

  • it is necessary to exclude fluid retention (do not eat salt, drink more water);
  • take additional vitamins and minerals;
  • reduce the consumption of unhealthy fats, flour products, sweet pastries;
  • peel meat from the skin before cooking;
  • eat fractionally;
  • count calories (2400 kcal/day).

Weight loss in the first trimester of pregnancy

It is much easier to lose weight in the first months than in subsequent ones. How to lose weight during pregnancy if a woman gained a lot of weight already in the first trimester? The only thing you need is to follow the rules of rational nutrition. Promotes weight loss in the first trimester of pregnancy, the rejection of overly spicy and highly salty foods, which retain water in the body.

How to lose weight during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester

If after 14 weeks the weight began to rapidly gain, then your menu should be taken seriously. Weight loss for pregnant women of this period includes one unloading day per week, which is desirable to spend on fermented milk products. You should be careful with chocolate and coffee, as these delicacies do not allow calcium to be fully absorbed, which is necessary for the intrauterine development of the child. Eat less cholesterol-containing foods: butter, chicken yolks, lard, rich desserts. It is better to replace them with fruits: apples, oranges, pomegranates.

During pregnancy, the body experiences a powerful hormonal surge. It's time to learn how to eat right, exclude high-calorie foods from the menu in order to create the most favorable conditions for a tiny life. Many women are afraid of rapid weight gain, so they want to know how to lose weight during pregnancy.

You can not adhere to strict diets, which can cause deviations in the growing fetus, but you can avoid the appearance of extra pounds, switch to a healthy diet, and rejuvenate the body.

Pregnancy and weight change

Weight gain during pregnancy is normal. At each visit to the gynecologist, you will have to weigh yourself in order to identify health problems in time. If possible, at home, it is also necessary to stand on the scales.

Trimester weight:

Several reasons affect weight gain:

  • an increase in the volume of the uterus;
  • buildup of body fat;
  • growth of the placenta;
  • amniotic fluid volumes.

The amount of blood increases to provide the uterus with useful substances, and body fat is the key to the successful bearing of the baby.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

  • During pregnancy, the optimal weight gain is 12-18 kg. The biggest increase is observed in the last stages, when the body is preparing for the upcoming birth. Every pregnant woman should monitor weight fluctuations, consult a gynecologist at the slightest change.
  • With rapid weight loss or a set of kilograms, sharp drops in blood pressure begin, which is dangerous for a baby growing in the womb.
  • When dialing slowly weight during pregnancy is easy, childbirth also occurs without complications, the likelihood of miscarriages decreases.

If a pregnant woman is recovering rapidly, this can be harmful, namely, this is fraught with varicose veins, aching pains in the lumbar region, and fatigue. With a large weight in a child, childbirth becomes impossible in a natural way, and the risk of developing diabetes increases.

Basic rules for losing weight

For a normal pregnancy, follow a number of rules for losing weight:


In the first half of the day, they plan to eat fish and meat dishes, various cereals, and in the second they eat vegetables and fruits, dairy products.

A pregnant woman constantly needs snacks, so you should take a bowl with sliced ​​\u200b\u200bfresh vegetables with nuts, they also take purified water or tea to satisfy the body's need for fluid.

Proper diet for a pregnant woman

When pregnancy occurs, the consumption of sweets and animal fats should be limited.

Increase the amount of complex carbohydrates in the diet, that is, grains and vegetables. You can not drastically reduce portions of food, you should make innovations smoothly, gradually switch to healthy food.

  • Drink purified water and broths, Freshly Made Fruit And Vegetable Juices.
  • On an empty stomach in the morning, drink carrot or lemon juice., diluted to half the volume with water (in the absence of allergies).
  • At night for restful sleep you should eat a little honey with sour juice.
  • You can not abuse meat, it is allowed only a couple of times a week. They cook boiled poultry, buckwheat, bran, legumes, eggs, and more.
  • Heat treatment should be kept to a minimum, prefer steamed dishes baked in foil, stewed together with the peel.
  • Your diet should include more whole foods, it is useful to eat vegetables with tops, fruits along with grains and peel. The body will be saturated not only with carbohydrates and proteins, but also with microelements and mineral salts.
  • The minimum amount of salt in dishes so as not to increase the amount of fluid you drink, which will invariably lead to edema.

With toxicosis, you can not refuse food, because the walls of an empty stomach secrete more acid. It is recommended that, without getting out of bed, eat a dry crust of bread to muffle the gag reflex.

Why is being overweight dangerous during pregnancy?

Fat deposits are dangerous for the normal course of pregnancy:


If nutrients almost do not enter the fetus, oxygen starvation begins.

Fat deposits of a pregnant woman make it difficult to diagnose diseases of the unborn child, lead to a weakening of labor activity. With a rapid set of kilograms, a large baby is born, prone to obesity.

Can you lose weight during pregnancy?

You need to worry about the early appearance of excess weight from the 16th week if the increase was more than a kilogram in a week.

When losing weight, you can’t go on a starvation diet, a change in diet will help stabilize weight:

  • refuse smoked meats, sweets and salty dishes;
  • physical activity relative to the trimester of pregnancy;
  • in the first trimester, the emphasis is on protein foods, which are building blocks for a growing fetus;
  • in the second trimester, consume more foods containing calcium;
  • in the last stages, the number of meat dishes that affect the change in the tissues of the vagina is reduced.

Any changes in the diet should be discussed with the doctor, only he can exclude the development of pathologies that caused the appearance of extra pounds.

How to lose weight during pregnancy?

A few weight loss tips for expectant mothers:

Always prepare fresh food, do not stock up on food for future use.

How to eat a pregnant woman?

To take care of a growing baby, the expectant mother should stop eating high-calorie foods, review the diet:

  • You should forget about visiting canteens and cafes. They cook food with a lot of fat, add flavors and high-calorie sauces, which is fraught with excess deposits and health problems.
  • must be mandatory so that during lunch you do not pounce on food to make up for a calorie deficit.
  • Can't overeat at night, if you want to have a snack, you can drink a glass of low-fat kefir or eat an apple.
  • Minimize the consumption of sausages, soda, pickles, hamburgers, spicy cheeses. The best option is to cook healthy meals in a double boiler.
  • Create a complete menu based on natural products containing vitamins and minerals.
  • Fasting should not be allowed during pregnancy.
  • Physical activity. Even walking in the park will bring many benefits to mom and growing baby.

During pregnancy, the body is constantly lacking calories, but you should learn to make up for the lack of healthy foods, and not seize hunger with fatty steaks and cakes.

Exercises for weight loss during pregnancy

Women should do a lot of hiking in nature. This ensures the blood supply to the body, which is important for the viability of the baby, serves as a preventive measure for the development of anemia.

To pleasant music, you can dance at home or do some exercises:

"Ivushka"

  • This exercise promotes relaxation, relieves stress from the spine of a pregnant woman.
  • It is necessary to spread your legs wide, relax your back muscles, lean forward a little.
  • Hands and head should be lowered down, now it remains to sway evenly from side to side.

"Bottle"

  • This type of exercise activates blood circulation, relieves tension in the feet, and prevents the appearance of edema in a woman in position.
  • It is performed while sitting on a chair, an ordinary glass bottle is placed under the feet, which should be rolled, as if shaking the dough.
  • After a few minutes, the exercise must be continued without a bottle, that is, do rolls from toe to heel and vice versa.

"Cat's back"

  • Exercise "Cat's back" will train the muscles of the back, relax the spine.
  • When performing this exercise, you should stand on all fours, slightly spreading your legs at the knees.
  • First, the head, neck and back are on a straight line. Then the head is slightly tilted forward, and the back is arched up.

There are many exercises for pregnant women, but not all of them are safe. They should be performed under the supervision of a specialist so that they bring benefits, and not health problems.

Menu for pregnant women for every day

Snack: berry jelly with a bun, banana.

Dinner: stewed vegetables, green tea with milk.

Pregnancy will bring only positive emotions if you start a diary and write down recipes for healthy dishes. After the birth of the baby, the habit of eating vitamin food and leading an active lifestyle will remain, so immunity will be strengthened, and a slender figure will be a reward.

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful and difficult life stages for a woman. For 9 months, the body of the expectant mother changes, if at the very beginning it was without extra pounds and stretch marks, then by the end of 8 months everything changes. Therefore, the main issue that concerns expectant mothers is how to lose weight during pregnancy so as not to harm your own body and the baby in the womb.

Pros and cons of losing weight during pregnancy

The main advantages for which you should strive to lose weight while expecting a child include:

  • Getting rid of the pounds gained in conjunction with physical exercises can improve the well-being of a pregnant woman, normalize her sleep, and give her vigor.
  • Exercise can help prevent gestational diabetes. In such a state, blood sugar levels rise to dangerously high, which threatens the life of the woman, as well as the fetus. In some cases, high sugar levels can cause complications during childbirth.
  • If you adhere to the principles of proper nutrition, eat a large amount of fresh vegetables and fruits, then the weight will gradually decrease.

The disadvantages of weight loss during pregnancy include:

  • Difficult bearing if the initial weight of the pregnant woman was insufficient or within the normal range.
  • Diet or starvation can lead to a deficiency of beneficial micronutrients, due to which the child in the womb will lag behind in development.

Causes of weight gain during pregnancy

Weight gain during pregnancy is formed from the following indicators:

  • At the beginning of pregnancy, the body makes reserves in the form of body fat, the mass of which is 1.5 kg. This happens so that the future baby is protected from various external influences.
  • Amniotic fluid reaches a weight of 1 kg.
  • At birth, the weight of the baby is about 3.5 kg.
  • The weight of the placenta is 0.7 kg.
  • An increase in the mammary glands, blood volume and uterus is equivalent to 2 kg.

Based on these indicators, the optimal increase during pregnancy is 10 kg. If before childbirth the increase in the pregnant woman is much lower, then this indicates that over the 9 months of gestation there was a gradual weight loss.

Weight loss can be for the following reasons:

  • Toxicosis.
  • Starvation, strict diets, intentional denial of nutrition.
  • Depression, stress, unfavorable financial situation, due to which the pregnant woman could not fully eat.
  • Diseases.

Video: How to lose weight during pregnancy

How to lose weight during pregnancy without harm

To lose weight during pregnancy without harm to health, follow these recommendations:

  • Eat healthy food, exclude alcohol, flour, sweet, fatty, smoked products from the diet.
  • Include foods rich in vitamins and important trace elements in your diet.
  • Eat small.
  • Follow a special diet designed for the last months of pregnancy.

The concept of healthy, living food includes the following definitions:

  • Every morning before eating, you need to drink juice from vegetables or fruits. It is best to drink carrot and lemon juice if you are not allergic to these products, and it is advisable to dilute them with water.
  • Before going to bed, it will not be superfluous to use honey along with sour juice.
  • Drink plain water, but in small amounts so that it does not cause swelling.
  • Add whole foods to your regular diet.
  • Do not eat large quantities of meat products and meat itself. You can find protein in fish, dairy products, nuts. Try to keep your diet varied.
  • Try to reduce the amount of salt consumed, because it retains fluid in the body and causes increased thirst.
  • It is advisable to reduce the amount of heat treatment of your food. Steam food, bake in the oven, give up frying in favor of boiled foods and stews.

When taking vitamins, it should be remembered that their overabundance, like a lack of them, can negatively affect the body. Try to get important trace elements not from complex vitamins, but from fresh vegetables and fruits. Opt for freshly made juices over store-bought ones.

Many pregnant women suffer from calcium deficiency, so doctors persistently prescribe various pills that increase the level of calcium in the body. In the last months of pregnancy, this is fraught with the fact that the bones of the child will be calcified, which will make it more difficult for the baby to wade through the birth canal.

3 weeks before childbirth, it is necessary to remove dairy products from the diet, which are a source of calcium. It will not be superfluous to refuse flour products, sweets, which cause weight gain, while they do not bring any benefit to the body.

If a pregnant woman takes care of her weight and follows all of the above tips, then her increase during the period of bearing a child will be within the normal range, and the baby will be born strong and healthy. If you neglect all the advice, then in the future it will lead to various complications, as well as problems with weight loss after childbirth.