Did You Lose Weight When Pregnant

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Weight management during pregnancy can be complicated and it depends on multiple factors such as BMI (body mass index) before conception, activity level, type of exercise if any during pregnancy, age, and whether there are existing medical conditions.

Today we will explore what the research shows us about fat loss during pregnancy and if it is safe for you and your pregnancy.

How To Lose Weight Safely During Pregnancy?

Disclaimer: This website and information provided is not intended to be a substitute forprofessional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Struggles of a Fit Mom uses only high-quality sources and the content is for informational and educational purposes only.

Obesity is a complex, sensitive, and increasing worldwide health problem with increasing numbers of women of reproductive age being affected by it.

This can cause extra stress on your heart and kidneys, leading to serious pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight, and cesarean birth.

Can You Lose Weight While Pregnant?

Preeclampsia is a condition associated with abnormally high blood pressure and could be an indication of organ system damage, particularly the liver and kidneys.

Preeclampsia is dangerous for you and your baby because this increased blood pressure can restrict blood flow to the placenta which means less oxygen and nutrients for your baby.

Diabetes is a condition where blood sugar rises to unhealthy or dangerous levels because the body cannot produce enough insulin or the cells are resistant to the insulin produced.

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When blood sugar levels stay high over time, it can lead to serious pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, cesarean section, macrosomia (large baby) and even stillbirth.

Overweight pregnant women may be at greater risk for complications during labor and delivery including cesarian sections, preterm delivery, infection from improper wound healing, longer labors.

If you do have a c-section, the risks of infection, improper wound healing and other complications are greater in overweight or obese women.

Is It Safe To Lose Weight While Pregnant?

Carrying excess body fat can interfere with with accuracy of certain prenatal screening tests such as ultrasounds and difficulty checking the baby’s heart rate with a fetal doppler.

Pregnant women who are struggling with obesity may experience more fatigue during pregnancy because their bodies are working harder to keep up with extra weight.

It can also make it more difficult for moms to complete day-to-day responsibilities such as prepare food and meals, get proper rest and relaxation, and care for their babies before and after birth.

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Calculating your BMI is the most accurate predictor of obesity-related risk during pregnancy and can be a helpful tool for healthcare providers as well.

A higher BMI prior to or during pregnancy places you at greater risk for health complications including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth and blood clots.

I know it can be difficult to receive your BMI results but try not to be upset or offended if your healthcare provider uses any of these terms to describe your weight.

Losing Weight While Pregnant: Is It Safe?

These are the medical terms they need to uses they they can make sure you get the best advice and support for a healthy pregnancy.

We cannot look at weight gain during pregnancy as a one size fits all approach but rather as a spectrum with multiple considerations to be taken into account.

This is because drastically reducing calories or dieting is not healthy for you or your pregnancy because it can deprive your baby of essential nutrients.

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However, if you have changed your eating habits since becoming pregnant, are consuming enough calories for you and your baby and are losing some weight, this shouldn’t be a reason for concern.

If you are someone who is overweight during pregnancy, fat loss should not be your goal but rather focusing on preventing excess weight gain.

For example, if you want to cut out carbohydrates thinking it will help you lose weight, you may be restricting essential nutrients from fruit and whole grains.

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Dieting is strongly discouraged during pregnancy and instead, your focus should be on developing healthy eating habits and preventing excess weight gain.

If you and your healthcare provider determine that weight loss during your pregnancy is healthy and beneficial for both you and your baby, here are some tips to help you reach your goals while ensuring your baby’s growth is steady.

Then discuss these goals with your healthcare provider to make sure you are getting the support and resources you need to stay within your weight gain requirements.

Weight And Weight Gain

If you are overweight or obese and not gaining weight but your baby shows adequate weight gain, then you probably don’t need to consume extra calories because the baby is getting what they need.

Mose struggle with weight loss because they significantly underestimate how many calories they consume and over estimate the number of calories their body burns.

Avoid weighing yourself more than once a week because your weight can fluctuate due to water retention, constipation and many other factors.

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It will also help you monitor your weight, diet and baby growth as well to give you some peace of mind in your journey.

Rigorous weight loss diets such as intermittent fasting or meal plans that eliminate entire food groups should be avoided completely during pregnancy.

This mindset only sets moms up for failure in thinking that in order to have a healthy pregnancy, the need to drastically increase their food consumption.

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Eating for two means ensuring your are getting a variety of healthy nutrients including lean protein, whole grains and reducing processed foods that provide little to no nutritional value.

You may even lose a few pounds simply by eating a more healthy and balanced diet but drastically restricting calories or food groups is not recommended.

Current research shows that for most moms, the benefits of staying active during pregnancy far outweigh the risks, even if you have never exercised before.

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The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week. This is about 30 minutes a day.

Not only will staying hydrated help keep cravings at bay, dehydration may lead to dizziness, headaches or light headedness which can be dangerous for you and your baby.

This is why I ALWAYS recommend taking prenatal vitamins to fill in the gaps and be sure you are getting all of the vital nutrients your body needs for both you and baby.

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The more accepting you are of the changes your body goes through, the better chance you have of having a healthy delivery and smooth recovery.

The best way to make sure you are giving your baby all the nutrients they need without going too far in either direction is to focus on healthy eating habits, self-care and a positive attitude.

This includes getting enough sleep, reducing stress, exercising and replacing processed foods with foods that are more nutritionally dense like whole grains, lean protein, fruits and vegetables.

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Remember, pregnancy should not be used as an opportunity to lose weight but rather an opportunity to create healthier lifestyle habits for both you and your baby.

As per the guidelines set by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology , every pregnant woman needs to gain weight during pregnancy, irrespective of their BMI.

Your focus should not be on fat loss during pregnancy but rather preventing excess weight weight gain by minimizing processed junk food, getting good sleep, staying active and staying hydrated.

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However, it does require careful monitoring by your health care team, special considerations during labor and delivery and following a healthy diet and exercise program.

Fat loss while pregnant can be safe if it is recommended by your healthcare provider and part of an overall healthy lifestyle that includes proper nutrition, exercise and other efforts to prevent excessive weight gain.

You may be wrestling with poor body image or the fear of early pregnancy loss due to being overweight or obese but the number one most important thing to focus on your health the baby’s health.

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Despite the risks of being overweight or obese during pregnancy, intentional weight loss during pregnancy is very individualized and should only be done under the recommendation and supervision of your healthcare team.

FACT CHECKStruggles of a Fit Mom uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within it’s articles. Read my editorial process to learn more about how I fact-check and keep my content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Brooke is a certified Prenatal and Postnatal Exercise Specialist with a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology-Exercise Science. She is also a mom of 3 girls with more than 15 years of experience in health and fitness. Brooke’s goal at Struggles of a Fit Mom is to help motivate, educate and inspire other busy mamas who struggle with finding time, energy and motivation to take care of themselves in the chaos of motherhood.Hilary Kinavey, MS, LPC, and Dana Sturtevant, MS, RD of the Center for Body Trust address a topic that comes up all of the time – should you lose weight prior to pregnancy?

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