How to lose weight if you are pregnant. How to lose weight during pregnancy without harm to the baby in the early and late stages: exercises and menu. Why are extra pounds dangerous?

Nowadays, some women still believe that in an interesting position you need to eat for two. However, it is not even an aesthetic defect, but a risk factor that contributes to the development of diseases, for example, hypertension, flat feet, and kidney problems. It harms both the health of the woman and the health of the unborn baby. How to lose weight without risking the condition of the fetus? What should a pregnant woman take into account?

The expectant mother, who justifies her excessive appetite with the desires of the child, should know that obesity is, first of all, late toxicosis and a large load on the kidneys, as a result of which the legs swell and blood pressure rises. The spine also suffers from this.

Pregnancy itself is a burden on the female body, and even more so with weight gain. It is much more difficult for such mothers to give birth; there is a risk of various complications.

First of all, you need to know what weight gain is normal when carrying a baby. The weight of the fetus is up to 4 kilograms, 3 kg are, the fat layer increases, the volume of blood in the mother’s vessels increases. That is, normally during pregnancy a woman should gain up to 12 kilograms of weight during a singleton pregnancy.

You need to worry when, after 16 weeks of pregnancy, the expectant mother begins to gain more than 2 kilograms of weight per month.

So, if there is a problem, then you should listen to the advice of experts regarding dietary restrictions and weight control:

1. Forget about strict diets. Any fasting for expectant mothers is strictly prohibited. Even if it’s a one-day fasting day on the water. The fetus must receive vitamins and nutrients through the placenta from the mother every day. Preference should be given to healthy and light foods.
2. Completely avoid eating smoked meats and pickles. Salt retains water in the body, so limit its use to the bare minimum.
3. You should do the same with sweets. Cakes, cakes, pastries - these are the foods that a pregnant woman should not eat if she is overweight. But this does not mean that you cannot eat them until the birth itself. One cake a week is the norm, but no more. After all, the excess carbohydrates contained in these products turn into fat, which then moves the arrow of the scale to the right.
4. Fruit instead of chocolate. Carbohydrates are needed by the body growing inside the mother, so their intake is by eating fruits, berries, and vegetables. It is better if they are from our climate zone, and not exotic. For example, plums, apples, apricots. Grapes are too sweet, it is better to avoid them if you are overweight.
5. A good source of complex carbohydrates is porridge. The expectant mother’s body needs them as a means of healthy functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and the prevention of constipation. Porridges are very filling because they are rich in fiber. They work like a brush, cleansing the body of toxins.
6. It is important that the expectant mother’s daily menu includes protein. And let it not be fatty fish, meat, nuts, but veal, beef, chicken, rabbit, low-fat cottage cheese and milk.
7. Fats cannot be completely excluded from the menu.. They are necessary just like proteins and carbohydrates. Preference should be given to plant-based ones. This is olive oil, not butter.
8. Method of cooking. If a pregnant woman is overweight, then she should not eat fried food. It is better to stew and boil vegetables, bake and steam meat and fish. Fried food is too high in calories, so its regular inclusion in the menu leads to the appearance of extra folds on the thighs.
9. Liquid. You should avoid drinking carbonated sweet drinks. Give preference to compotes, unsweetened juices, and regular boiled water. An expectant mother should always have a bottle of water in her purse.
10. Snacks. Of course, many women in an interesting position want to eat more. And your appetite should not be suppressed with water alone. An apple, yogurt, or cracker are perfect as a snack and are much healthier than a bun, chocolate bar or chips.

According to statistics, excess weight is found in 20% of pregnant women seen by gynecologists. Today, this is a fairly pressing problem in medicine: it is this pathology that leads to complications that increase perinatal mortality by almost 5%. Women with excess body weight are 2.5 times more likely to give birth to children with anencephaly (an abnormality of the central nervous system) and 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with spina bifida (spina bifida). And these are not all diseases, the risk of which increases if the BMI of the expectant mother is outside the normal range.

Causes

Why do you gain excess weight during pregnancy? The reasons may vary. Some of them stretch back from the period that preceded conception:

• incorrect eating habits (lack of a meal schedule, skipping breakfast, replacing lunch with dry and unhealthy snacks, overeating before bedtime);
• genetic predisposition to obesity;
• diseases of the endocrine system;
• excess weight before pregnancy;
• age after 35 years;
• physical inactivity;
• hypothyroidism

But there are also factors that begin to provoke weight gain directly during pregnancy:

• binge eating;
• accumulation of excess fluid (hydrops pregnancy);
• constipation;
• early toxicosis.

During pregnancy, the body begins hormonal changes in order to preserve the fetus and maintain all anabolic processes. Several chains are launched at once, leading to weight gain:

• increased production of progesterone, prolactin, estrogens → they stimulate lipogenesis → estrogens activate lipoprotein lipase, progesterone inhibits lipolysis → intense fat deposition on the buttocks and thighs;
• decreased sensitivity to insulin → increased its level in the blood → hypersynthesis of ghrelin (maximum concentration occurs at the end of the second trimester) → increased appetite → formation of visceral fat.

Many women perceive pregnancy as a pathological condition reminiscent of a disease: everyone takes care of them, protects them from unnecessary movements, recommends lying down and sleeping more, and not overexerting themselves. All this leads to physical inactivity, and fewer calories are burned. Overeating (how to cope with compulsive gluttony, we) combined with lack of physical activity is the main cause of energy imbalance, due to which weight gets out of control.

How to calculate

The rate of weight gain in each individual case is individual, so all the data below can be considered only as indicative. Optimal parameters:

• the increase for all 9 months should be no more than 9-15 kg (when carrying 1 child);
• 16-21 kg (if twins are expected);
• up to 20 weeks the increase is 40%, the remaining 60% occurs in the second half of pregnancy.

There is no universal formula that can be used to calculate ideal weight during pregnancy. You just need to know your initial BMI () and add to it the average indicators for each individual period, based on the table data:

Women who:

• were obese before conception;
• had a BMI less than normal;
• have not yet reached adulthood;
• carry more than 1 child.

If a woman falls into one of these groups, only the doctor is involved in calculating her BMI and identifying pathologies. In addition to overestimated weight indicators, its excess is manifested by various symptoms:

• rapid fatigue after physical exertion;
• sweating;
• dyspnea;
• constipation;
• fat deposits, cellulite;
• local swelling;
• pain in the spine and joints.

To confirm the presence of excess weight, the following are additionally prescribed:

• pressure monitoring;
• blood biochemistry;
• general urine analysis;
• Ultrasound of internal organs;

Based on the results of the analysis, the gynecologist can send the pregnant woman for additional consultations with specialized specialists.

Complications

Why is excess weight dangerous for an expectant mother?

• high risk of diseases of the cardiovascular, endocrine systems, central nervous system;
• varicose veins, thrombophlebitis;
• excessive stress on the musculoskeletal system and internal organs, which can lead to shortness of breath, back pain, and increased fatigue;
• hypertension;
• diabetes;
• preeclampsia;
• hypercoagulation;
• threat of miscarriage, premature birth;
• difficulties with caesarean section;
• increased blood loss, urinary tract infections during childbirth;
• complications of postpartum rehabilitation;
• miscarriage or post-term pregnancy;
• premature rupture of amniotic fluid;
• swelling;
• low hemoglobin.

What does it mean for the child:

• large body weight (more than 4 kg);
• delayed mental and physical development;
• imbalances between the pelvis and head;
• oxygen starvation;
• nutritional deficiencies;
• birth injuries;
• high risk of developing neurological diseases (convulsive syndromes, heart disease);
• difficulties in correctly assessing fetal development due to visceral fat;
• obesity in the future;
• anencephaly, spina bifida, macrosomia;
• antenatal death.

Statistics. Excess weight during pregnancy in 5% of cases leads to premature birth, in 10% to post-term birth, and in 40% to weak labor.

Nutrition

The nutrition of a pregnant woman with an increased BMI should be organized in such a way as to restore energy balance and reduce the risk of complications. Drug therapy and surgical methods of weight correction are unacceptable.

Rules

1. Nutrition during pregnancy should be...
2. The basis of the diet is fresh vegetables and fruits.
3. The recommended cooking method is steaming. Eliminate or minimize fried foods.
4. Reduce daily caloric intake by 10%.
5. Reduce salt intake to 5 g per day.
6. Half an hour before each meal, drink a glass of plain water.
7. Diets, fasting and fasting days are prohibited. They can provoke the formation of large amounts of ketones, which have a toxic effect on the fetus.
8. You should eat according to a clear meal schedule by the hour.
9. Chew food thoroughly.

The diet for pregnant women has a conditional name, since the list of prohibited foods includes only harmful ones, which corresponds to the principles of proper nutrition. It assumes that the diet contains all the necessary nutrients.

Healthy fats:

• cheeses, sour cream, whole milk, yogurt - low in fat;
• white sauce;
• eggs;
• avocado;
• nuts, seeds;
• turkey, chicken, red meat;
• salmon, tuna;
• vegetable, butter (no more than 10 g per day), nut butter.

Complex unrefined carbohydrates:

• whole wheat bread;
• porridge;
• brown rice;
• vegetables, berries, herbs, unsweetened fruits, dried fruits;
• dried beans, peas;
• hot jacket potatoes.

Drinks include rosehip decoction, dried fruit compote, freshly squeezed homemade juices (it is better to dilute them slightly with water), fruit drinks, unsweetened milk and fruit cocktails.

Prohibited Products

Refined simple carbohydrates:

• white, yeast, puff pastry, butter pastries;
• syrups;
• confectionery;
• sweets, milk chocolate;
• White rice.

Unhealthy fats:

• fat meat;
• dairy products with a high percentage of fat content;
• mayonnaise;
• creams;
• fast food with its trans fats.

• spicy, salty, fried foods;
• broths;
• crab sticks;
• canned food, smoked meats, marinades, preserves;
• sausages;
• snacks;
• spices and seasonings;
• coffee, tea, carbonated drinks, store-bought juices, alcohol.

You should be more careful with herbal teas, many of which have a stimulating effect on the uterus and can cause miscarriage or premature birth.

Sample menus

Sample menu for the first trimester. The main task is to stock up on the necessary vitamins, ease the course of early gestosis, develop correct eating habits, and take control of body weight.

Sample menu for the second trimester. The task is not to overdo it with calories, be careful with fats, and return your BMI to the normal range for this period of pregnancy.

Sample menu for the third trimester. The goal is maximum relief of the digestive tract, prevention of late gestosis, control of body weight.

If you have any problems regarding nutrition due to excess weight, it is better to contact a nutritionist.

To lose extra pounds and lose weight, it is not enough for a pregnant woman to just normalize her diet. We will have to reconsider our lifestyle. In particular, increase physical activity:

1. Do therapeutic exercises if there are no contraindications as prescribed by a doctor.
2. Take a half-hour walk every day.
3. Go to the pool for simple swimming or water aerobics.
4. Sign up for special fitness groups and yoga for pregnant women.
5. Learn to perform (bodyflex, oxysize).

1. Weigh yourself daily to monitor your BMI.
2. Spend more time outdoors.
3. Avoid stress, nervous experiences, negative emotions.
4. Get enough sleep.
5. Spend less time on the phone, computer, or watching TV.

And most importantly, follow all the recommendations of your gynecologist exactly and do not be afraid to share with him your worries about being overweight.

Prevention

To avoid gaining excess weight during pregnancy, the following preventive measures must be taken:

1. Weigh yourself every day in the morning before breakfast without clothes, write down and track the results to prevent weight gain.
2. Organize, even if you have no appetite. If you have toxicosis, eat 1 biscuit half an hour before.
3. Eat only at home. Restaurants, dinner parties and celebrations - no more than once a month and only on condition of not overeating and eating exclusively healthy foods.
4. Provide yourself a light dinner 2 hours before bedtime from porridge, cottage cheese or yogurt.
5. Register with an antenatal clinic as early as possible if you have a genetic predisposition to obesity or a prenatal BMI that is higher than normal.
6. Undergo regular gynecological examinations and screening for possible disorders.

Unfortunately, pregnancy and excess weight have too often come hand in hand in the practice of gynecologists. Women should know in advance about the dangers of such a tandem in order to protect themselves and their baby from pathologies, many of which are irreversible.

Olya Likhacheva

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

Mar 20 2017

Content

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

Excess weight and pregnancy

During the entire period of waiting for a child, an increase in body weight of 12 kg is considered normal. When a woman gains much more, she begins to think about how to lose weight during pregnancy without harming the fetus. Weight consists of amniotic fluid, baby weight, placenta, additional blood volume and enlarging breasts. The fat layer also increases, which is associated with maintaining 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, heart pathologies, and gestosis. The most common consequence of extra pounds is swelling, which indicates poor kidney function. It is important for an expectant mother to be able to control her 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. You should remove excess weight during pregnancy if severe obesity poses a danger:

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

How to lose weight while pregnant without harming the baby

To lose extra pounds without harming your baby, you should review your diet and perform special exercises for expectant mothers every day. Losing weight during pregnancy will happen faster with an active lifestyle. To do this you need:

• regularly engage in stretching, stretching, and gymnastics;
• swim in swiming pool;
• go for a massage;
• breathe correctly when walking;
• walk more often in the fresh air.

Diet for pregnant women for weight loss

Proper childbearing requires a review of nutrition. Expectant mothers should not lose weight through a strict diet. However, to prevent nutritional obesity from becoming a cause of complications, you need to know some nuances:

• a diet for losing weight during pregnancy should contain 10% more protein;
• you should give up fast carbohydrates (sugar, sweets);
• most of the diet should consist of cereals, vegetables, cereals, legumes and hard fruits;
• Excessive consumption of freshly squeezed fruit juices should be avoided;
• it is necessary to reduce the time for heat treatment of food;
• To lose weight, you need to eat heavy food before 15:00.

Exercises for weight loss during pregnancy

In addition to adjusting your diet, how else can you 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, and vagina. Exercise not only contributes to weight loss, but also prepares the expectant mother for labor and normalizes the functioning of the heart and vascular system. Before doing any exercises to lose weight during pregnancy, you should definitely consult your gynecologist.

How to lose weight during pregnancy

Excess body weight in a pregnant woman usually begins in the second trimester. How to lose weight during pregnancy is decided by the doctor in each individual case. However, there are general recommendations for weight loss:

• you need to eliminate fluid retention (do not eat salt, drink more water);
• take additional vitamins and minerals;
• reduce consumption of unhealthy fats, flour products, sweet pastries;
• peel meat before cooking;
• eat small meals;
• count calories (2400 kcal/day).

Losing weight in the first trimester of pregnancy

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

How to lose weight during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester

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

Somehow it turns out that people around pregnant women treat them as if they are seriously ill. Any wish of the expectant mother is perceived as a law, no matter how crazy and terribly harmful both for herself and for the unborn baby. Some people suddenly feel an irresistible desire to drink beer, others can put a whole cake with cream into their stomachs in one sitting, and still others overeat with pickles or pickled vegetables, consuming a three-liter jar a day. Relatives look at all these culinary perversions with a touching smile, saying, what can you get from her? If the pregnant woman wants it, that means the baby wants it!

Why do you gain excess weight during pregnancy, and what are its consequences?

However, such indulgence does not bring anything good. If we add to this the restriction of mobility, sometimes bordering on the constant stay of the expectant mother in a supine position, then it is very easy to imagine the image of this lady in the second half of her pregnancy:

• increased weight
• ugly fat deposits all over the body
• excessive fetal weight gain
• unsightly stretch marks on the stomach, chest, arms, legs and even back.

What a look! Often such women are not even able to give birth on their own; sometimes the child is born with asphyxia or other disorders. And the reason for this is excess weight during pregnancy.

This means that you should be especially careful to monitor changes in weight throughout the entire period of gestation. By the way, doctors require that in the first trimester a woman gain about 1.5 - 2 kg in weight; later, a weight increase of 300 - 500 grams per week is allowed. If you strictly follow their recommendations, it will not be difficult for a woman to return to her prenatal form immediately after giving birth. But if a woman has already gained extra pounds, which she herself is not happy about, then she needs to lose weight, but how?

The first rule is that you cannot use strict diets that are used by non-pregnant women when losing weight. Nutrition should be balanced, varied and of sufficient quantity. Another thing is that you should carefully think through the menu, taking into account your condition. Of course, a doctor monitoring the pregnancy of a child will definitely advise his patient which foods she should eat and which ones should be avoided. But it’s not a sin to remind you again.

There is a deeply erroneous misconception that, no matter what a pregnant woman wants, she cannot be denied. This is based on the fact that any strange desire has a certain foundation. For example, a passion for eating pickled cucumbers or sauerkraut indicates a lack of potassium in a woman’s diet. But, unfortunately, consuming these products will cause a lot of harm, because:

a) the spicy taste of the marinade increases appetite,
b) excess salt provokes an increase in fluid consumption and retention in the body.
c) together this contributes to excess weight gain for the pregnant woman and the fetus, as well as swelling of the extremities.

Therefore, you should try to include more foods rich in this microelement into your diet instead of spicy, sour-salted vegetables - this way the harmful desire will gradually disappear. The following foods are rich in potassium:

• - dried fruits
• - all fruits that are orange in color
• - pumpkin
• - melon
• - watermelon
• - avocado

To ensure that food is tasty, healthy, and also contributes to weight loss during pregnancy, you can:

• pamper yourself with freshly squeezed assorted juices, mixing several types of both fruit and vegetable juices,
• prepare salads using fresh carrots,
• cook vegetable soups
• steam low-fat meat or fish dishes
• Legumes or buckwheat are suitable as a side dish.

The second way to lose weight for pregnant women

The second “veto” should be imposed on the use of the following drugs as a means of losing weight:

• pharmaceutical teas for weight loss
• dietary supplements for weight loss
• medicinal laxatives.

Of course, daily bowel movements and sufficient urination help both cleanse the body and reduce weight, so you need to monitor this with special care. However, all these drugs contain herbs that cause spasms of the rectum in order to cause the excretion of feces. But spasms can spread to the uterus, which is located in close proximity to the intestines, which can lead to premature birth or miscarriage.

What to do to have regular bowel movements:

• It will be very useful to take a teaspoon of sunflower oil on an empty stomach and a glass of low-fat kefir at night and in the morning.
• If these steps do not help, you can use a small piece of soap inserted into the anus.
• As a last resort, you can do a small enema.
• In the latter case, sometimes doctors prescribe castor oil to patients.

The third way to lose weight

As for the third method, it can be divided into 2 main parts:

1. Daily shower - it also significantly helps remove unnecessary toxins from the body.
2. Reasonable physical activity, such as:

• walking in the fresh air,
• simple, pleasant dances to calm, light music.

And all that remains is to wish dear mothers: be healthy and happy! And may your future children also always be healthy and happy!

Pregnancy is a special period in the life of every woman, when the health of the unborn child directly depends on the mother. Previously, obstetricians and gynecologists were of the opinion that pregnant women should not focus on their weight, but rather monitor weekly weight gain.

Indeed, strict diets are strictly contraindicated for expectant mothers, but with a competent approach to weight loss, especially for overweight ladies or women who were obese even before pregnancy, the desire to lose weight is completely justified.

How many kilograms does a pregnant woman need to gain?

Weight gain is an inevitable consequence of bearing a child, but this does not mean that all women should necessarily lose weight.

The weight gain of the expectant mother ranging from 10-12 kg is physiological and is due to the following factors:

1. The weight of the fetus is on average 3.5 kg.
2. Amniotic fluid – 1 kg.
3. Uterus with membranes – 900 g.
4. The weight of the placenta is 700 g.
5. Increased blood volume – 1.5-1.8 kg.
6. Intracellular fluid of a woman – 1.5 kg.
7. Enlargement of mammary glands and subcutaneous fat – 3.5-4 kg.

From the second trimester, a pregnant woman gains approximately 350-400 g per week. A weekly weight gain of more than 500 g becomes a cause for concern. Thus, by monitoring your scale during pregnancy, you can monitor your weight gain.

General rules for weight loss during pregnancy

1. Rule #1. Taboo on diets. When losing weight, expectant mothers should not experiment with strict diets, since by limiting a woman in nutrients, they cause irreparable harm to the health of the pregnant woman and the unborn baby.
2. Rule #2. Say yes. The basis of weight loss should be based on a rational and balanced diet, providing mother and baby with all the necessary vitamins and nutrients.
3. Rule #3. Diet. It is necessary to eat 4-5 times a day in small portions every 3-4 hours. It is recommended to take the last meal 3 hours before bedtime.
4. Rule #4. Control your appetite. You should not follow popular prejudice and expect a mother-to-be to eat for two on an equal basis with an adult man. It is enough to increase the usual daily caloric intake by 200-300 calories, which is equal to a diet with an energy value of 2000-2300 calories.
5. Rule #5. Water balance. In the first two trimesters of pregnancy, a pregnant woman should maintain her usual water balance and drink 1.5-2 liters of clean water per day. In the last trimester, to avoid edema, it is worth limiting salt intake to 1.5 g and liquid to 1-1.5 liters per day.
6. Rule #6. . Fasting days will help you control your weight during pregnancy. It is recommended to organize such days no more than once a week. The energy value of such a day is about 1000 calories. You can select one or more products for unloading. You can arrange a one-day mono-diet on fresh or stewed vegetables, seafood or fruits. The most popular are mono-discharges made with cottage cheese, kefir, green apples and buckwheat porridge. Protein fasting days are suitable only for women who do not have kidney problems.
Pregnancy is not a reason to avoid moderate physical activity. The most suitable sports during this period are rightfully recognized as swimming and walking.

Pros of losing weight

The following can be considered positive aspects of losing weight during pregnancy:

1. Combining weight loss with physical activity will improve your night's sleep, making it deeper and longer. This helps to increase daytime energy and performance.
2. Physical exercise reduces the risk of developing gestational diabetes, a dangerous disease in which sugar levels exceed normal levels throughout pregnancy. Diabetes provokes pathological complications during the birth of the fetus.
3. By giving preference to fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins, you will quietly lose extra pounds, preventing weight gain in the future.

Cons of losing weight

If you intend to lose weight through dieting, then you should immediately abandon this idea. It is worth adhering to exclusively healthy nutrition, which is devoid of negative consequences for the body of the expectant mother, unlike diets.

Some people consider the slow loss of kilograms to be a disadvantage of proper nutrition, in contrast to the quick effect of diets. Nutritionists, on the contrary, are of the opinion that this is not a minus, but an undoubted plus of proper nutrition, gradual weight loss is the key to a long-term and reliable result.

Who is strictly prohibited from losing weight?

1. Women with normal or underweight.
2. Women at risk of miscarriage.
3. Pregnant women with somatic diseases (diabetes, etc.).
4. Pregnant women with intrauterine growth retardation syndrome (IUGR).
5. Women with any obstetric pathology.

If necessary, weight loss for a pregnant woman is carried out only under the supervision of a specialist.

The following methods of body correction are strictly prohibited:

1. All types of diets and diets are strictly prohibited.
2. Taking diet pills, diuretics, laxatives.
3. Taking various dietary supplements (dietary supplements) with unknown composition and dangerous side effects (coffee for weight loss, Goji berries, “magic pills”, etc.).
4. Heavy power loads are excluded.

Diet for pregnant women

While pregnant, women complain of increased appetite and a constant feeling of hunger. In order not to harm the health of the fetus and your figure, you must adhere to the basic tenets of proper balanced nutrition.

Nutritionists recommend dividing the entire daily diet into five meals, of which three meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner should be complete. Between main meals, two light snacks of fruit, juice or kefir are allowed.

During gestation, the body's need for vitamins and macroelements increases. Due to the increase in the volume of a woman’s circulating blood, and the proliferation of blood vessels of the fetus and placenta, there is a need for increased formation of red blood cells. For their maturation in the red brain, iron is needed in the order of 30 mg per day and folic acid.

Calcium and vitamin D are vital for the development of strong bone and dental tissue for the baby and his mother.

What foods contain the vitamins and minerals described above:

1. High iron content is found in red meat (beef, veal), liver, apples, legumes, eggs and leafy vegetables.
2. All dairy products are recognized as leaders in the presence of calcium: milk, hard cheese, kefir, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, heavy cream (to maximize the absorption of calcium, the fat content of these products must be at least 9%).
3. Sources of folic acid are fresh green vegetables: asparagus, broccoli, spinach, lettuce.

Prohibited Products

You should strictly exclude from your menu during pregnancy products that have a harmful effect on the baby’s health.

The following products are prohibited:

1. Alcoholic and spirits drinks.
2. Fatty meats, fried and smoked foods.
3. All kinds of sauces and seasonings: mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, etc.
4. Carbonated drinks: lemonade, kvass, soda, etc.
5. All types of canned food.
6. Packaged juices.
7. Sausages, sausages, sausages, etc.
8. Salty and spicy foods.
9. Sweets, cakes, pastries, butter cream confectionery.
10. Coffee and caffeinated drinks, strong tea, cocoa.
11. Raw eggs and milk.

Physical exercise

I trimester of pregnancy

If you were active before becoming pregnant, you can continue your previous level of physical activity with your doctor's permission. If you intend to lose a few extra pounds while pregnant, then 3-4 sessions per week of moderate intensity lasting at least 40 minutes will suit you.

If before pregnancy you were not friends with sports, then it’s time to fix it. For beginners, sports such as swimming, walking, elliptical training and water aerobics are an excellent choice. These loads are absolutely safe for the baby.

II trimester

You should choose physical activity during this trimester according to how you feel. If you are energetic and full of strength, then you should stick to the old training schedule: 3-4 workouts per week.

If you feel a loss of strength, malaise, or fatigue, then you should reduce your physical activity and rest more. All exercises while lying on your back are strictly prohibited.

III trimester

In the last months of bearing a child, despite feeling vigorous, it is worth reducing your previous physical activity. During this time, any heavy lifting or strength training is prohibited. Give preference to classes, stretching,...

If you lack movement, invest your energy in daily activities.

Prohibited activity

Not all sports are beneficial during pregnancy. Some of them are completely dangerous to the baby’s health and can cause premature birth.

Diving, horse riding, basketball, volleyball, ice skating and skiing are considered unsafe during gestation and increase the risk of miscarriage.

1. Weigh yourself once a week in the morning on an empty stomach after going to the toilet in minimal clothing. Try to track your body weight on the same scale. You should not weigh yourself every day or, even worse, several times a day, because it is known that daily weight fluctuations can be up to two kilograms.
2. Eat food exclusively while sitting at the table. This will allow you to avoid unnecessary snacking.
3. Train yourself to eat at the same time. The human digestive system is designed in such a way that it remembers the impulses sent from the brain to the stomach during meals. So, during a meal, more digestive enzymes and juices will be reflexively released in the stomach, which will improve the digestibility and assimilation of foods.
4. Blue dishes will help reduce your appetite. Use this simple tip and you will be able to better control your appetite.
5. Don't skip meals. By taking a long gap in eating, the next time you eat, you will eat much more than usual. Systematic overeating leads to gaining extra pounds.
6. Start a food service. In it you must write down everything you eat per day in grams. This way, it will be easier for you to track your daily calorie intake and prevent it from exceeding it.

The most important piece of advice that those losing weight should remember once and for all is that you should not treat the weight loss process as a punishment. Approach this issue wisely. Use the information described above, and then losing weight will become not only safe for you and your baby, but also comfortable.