How to Maintain Your Ideal Weight During Pregnancy

When you first found out that you were pregnant, you were probably so excited that the thought of all of the changes and transitions that your body was going to have to go through didn't even cross your mind.

Oh, but after about 2-3 months of morning sickness, feeling bloated and gaining a few pounds, you might have heard yourself say something like, "I'm getting fat."

OK, first off all, you're not "fat", you're pregnant and so yes, your body has to make certain accommodations in order to grow another human being inside of you.

Secondly, however you look during this time, you're going to be just beautiful because you are carrying a wonder inside of you.

And finally, there are actually things that you can do to maintain your ideal weight during your pregnancy.

Here are five tips below:

Exercise.

Something that is great for both you and your baby is to do exercises. Of course, if you were the 10-mile per day marathon kind of runner before getting pregnant, you may want to slow down just a bit, but power walking, water aerobics, yoga and Pilates are all wonderful ways to keep your heart rate up, get you extra flexible and burn a few calories in the process.

Drink plenty of water.

If you weren't a big water drinker before you got pregnant, then honestly, you're probably going to be good and sick of it by the time that your baby arrives, but it really is one the best things for you. It keeps your hydrated and it flushes out toxins.

Eat wisely.

Watching what you eat affects any person's weight. When you're pregnant, eat grilled salmon and other organic meats for protein. Keep plenty of fruits and vegetables nearby.

Remember that green vegetables are high in fiber and that eggs have plenty of calcium. Something else that is directly attributed to maintaining pregnancy weight is whole grain foods. They are high in fiber, Vitamin E and selenium.

Snack smart.

We all have the urge to snack every now and then and usually it's not the snacking that's the problem, but what we are snacking on. Candies, cakes, cookies, potato chips, fast food---all of these are things that you should really strive to keep down to a minimum.

If they're not high in sugar, they are loaded up with salt and if you are already retaining water, more sodium in your system is definitely only going to do more harm than good. As far as good things to eat, try popcorn, Greek yogurt and dark chocolate (the more cocoa it has in it, the better!).

These things will help to "curb your craving urge" while also providing your body with some of the extra nutrients that it needs.

Join a pregnancy support group.

If you were a nurse who wanted to earn your BSN degree, you might go to a website like RNBSN.com to get some support and additional information. So, why wouldn't you do this as a pregnant woman when it comes to learning how to have the healthiest pregnancy possible?

CafeMom.com, Pregnancy.SupportGroups.com and Pregnancy.org are just a few of the many places that you can go online to get information, tips and encouragement from women who are just like you.

Because who really knows the "tricks of the trade" when it comes to being pregnant like another pregnant woman, right? Right.

(Guest Post by Carol)

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Comments

Seema10:29 AM
it's normal to lose weight in your first trimester. However, you should gain a few pounds in the second and third trimesters.

Expert10:35 AM
eat as much as you want. If you doctor expresses concern, then you should cut back. Other than that, don't worry. You don't want to rob yourself or your baby of essential nutrients . you're supposed to eat 5-6 meals a day, plus snacks. Even if that snack is just a couple of crackers or a thing of yogurt. Keep your meals as healthy as possible, but it's also okay to splurge and give in to your junky cravings sometimes!!!

Anonymous10:35 AM
every woman is different, but a new life is forming in the mother's womb, and whether she eats extra calories to gain weight or not, the baby, it's new environment, the formation of milk ducts in the breasts and the increase in blood create new mass and will cause the woman to weigh more than before she was pregnant.

but gaining weight when eating is completely scientific. if you eat 3500 calories a week more than usual you will gain a pound, if you exercise, eat fewer calories within a week - enough to amount to 3500 calories, you will lose a pound.