Can You Lose Weight While Pregnant?

Many women ask can you lose weight while pregnant? If you have a high level of fat in your blood, your pregnancy will be hard and you will struggle to lose the weight. Even if you are eating healthy, you are still at risk for nutritional deficiencies. This is especially true in the first trimester. Your body is working hard to prepare your baby for birth and the last thing you want is for it not to be fully prepared.

A lot of women find themselves asking can you lose weight while pregnant? The good news is that you can keep your weight gain to a minimum during pregnancy and be happy with the results. Your body has been prepared for the delivery of your baby and you just have to let it know how much you appreciate its effort by adhering to some of the following pregnancy weight loss guidelines. It may seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised by how few women follow through.

Firstly, make sure you eat a balanced diet. In the first trimester you should already be eating healthy but as the pregnancy progresses, you will need to start eating less fattening foods and more fruit and vegetables. As always, you should always check with your ob-gyn before deciding what types of food will work best for you. Stick with foods that you enjoy and that your baby will like as well. Some fruits and vegetables that you can have while pregnancy is bananas, grapefruit and apples; squash, peas, carrots and squash.

Another good idea to help you along your pregnancy weight loss journey is to do some form of exercise. Most physicians and midwives recommend at least 20 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each day for best results. This can include walking, swimming, jogging or even dancing. Make sure you plan your exercise sessions around your pregnancy's progress. It's best to do some combination of aerobic and resistance training to ensure the fastest rate of pregnancy weight loss.

Your next step will be to begin discussing your pregnancy weight loss goals with your doctor. Your ob-gyn is there for you and is trained to handle all types of pregnancies from first-trimester to postpartum. If you feel like your weight loss is being held back by any health issues, talk to your doctor about a possible pregnancy vitamin or supplement that can be taken to combat these problems. If you are at a normal weight before becoming pregnant and not experiencing any serious complications, then most doctors recommend a wait and see approach when it comes to losing weight while pregnant. During the first few months of your pregnancy, you are more likely to experience some degree of weight gain as your baby grows and requires more nourishment.

However, if your weight gain is excessive, your doctor will probably advise you to seek immediate surgery. This will allow him to get a clear image of how much extra fat is covering your baby in addition to the expanding uterus. If you have had gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol in the past, your pregnancy might be put at risk, too. Weight loss is a major concern during pregnancy, so it's important to talk to your doctor and weigh your options.

In the second trimester, your baby will be significantly bigger, which means you'll need larger portions of food and a higher calorie intake. To make up for this, you may consider purchasing prepackaged foods that are low in calories but contain a large amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. There are a number of on-line pregnancy sites that offer healthy tips and advice for those that are trying to lose weight while pregnant. For instance, one website suggests that you can purchase a "growth chart" which shows your growth from the time you were born until you gave birth. This will allow you to compare your weight gain over this time with your current size.

Even if you are not interested in purchasing any prepackaged foods, you may want to consider cutting back on the amount of junk food you consume. Your body needs calories just like every other organ in your body; so any type of fattening or calorieless snacks or overeating will negatively affect your pregnancy. One very tasty way to stay full is to eat crackers with fresh cut fruits in them! These simple snacks can give you the energy you need to keep going through your pregnancy. Finally, drinking plenty of water throughout the day will also help you feel full without feeling as hungry.