Keeping the Pounds Off During Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be both a thrilling and a depressing time in a woman's life. On the one hand, she is carrying a child and giving life to another human being. On the other, her body is changing drastically and some of those changes are permanent! Keeping weight gain to a minimum during the pregnancy is the key to looking good afterwards.

Many women assume that when they are pregnant, they can eat as much as they want. Eating for two really isn't what you are doing! After all, one of the two is just a tiny fetus who doesn't really need that much nutrition yet. Doctors recommend upping your calories to just 500-600 more than you eat now, which isn't really that much.

Maintaining a slow, steady weight gain is important in preventing such pregnancy problems as pre-eclampsia and pregnancy-onset diabetes. That means you should only gain a maximum of 30 lbs throughout the entire pregnancy, give or take a few, depending on the weight you started out with. Your doctor will be better able to tell you the ideal amount of weight gain for you.

The best way to keep the pounds off during pregnancy is to eat smart. Instead of giving in to cravings for chocolate ice cream and scarfing down an entire bucket, stick to small portions of the foods you crave if they are unhealthy. For women who are drawn to fruit or veggies during their pregnancy, they can go ahead and eat as much as they wish! Fresh fruits and vegetables are the best way to provide a balanced nutrition for the unborn baby.

Avoiding sugary desserts and sodas is best, not only during pregnancy, but afterwards as well. Sugar not only adds weight to the average frame, it really affects the pregnancy weight gain, as well. If you want to stay good looking throughout your pregnancy, avoiding sugar and caffeine is a good way to stay relatively svelte.

Fitness should not be overlooked during your pregnancy, either. It may be dangerous for some women to exercise, so consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Even if it is just a walk around the block each day, you will be burning calories and building muscle tone that will be helpful during the birthing process. Toned muscles will help pull everything back into place again after the birth as well!

Keeping off the pounds while pregnant is beneficial both to you and the baby. You will be healthier and experience fewer complications. Plus, after the birth, you will get back into shape faster than a woman who gained twice as much and never exercised.