How to lose weight during pregnancy without harm to the baby?

We are traditionally inclined to believe that pregnancy is associated with serious weight gain. And the expectant mother needs to eat for five. But is it? Modern doctors, by contrast, advise pregnant women to limit themselves in weight gain. But at the same time, observe such a diet so that the baby has plenty of nutrients for development. So how to lose weight during pregnancy? Is it possible? We will deal with this issue.

Normal weight gain

Is it possible to lose weight during pregnancy? Yes, but at the same time, do not forget that there is a normal weight gain that you can not do without. It equals 8-10 kg. Of these, 3-4 kg per weight of the child. The remaining mass is the formation of fatty deposits of the breast, colostrum, which is later converted into milk.

It follows that you can think about losing weight only if you have gained more than the indicated mass.

Important numbers

When deciding how to lose weight during pregnancy without harming the baby, it is important to know what makes up the necessary weight gain of a pregnant woman:

• 1-1.5 kg - strategic reserves of adipose tissue on the stomach. This weight is gained at the beginning of pregnancy.
• 1 kg - amniotic fluid.
• 3-4 kg - the weight of the child.
• 0.5-0.7 kg - the placenta.
• 2 kg - an increase in the mammary glands, uterus and the blood volume of the mother.

Is overweight dangerous during pregnancy?

Losing weight during pregnancy is possible. Expectant mothers do this not only in pursuit of beauty standards, but also in order to protect their own and baby's health. Here are important reasons why being overweight is far from beneficial during pregnancy:

• Obesity contributes to the development of a number of serious diseases - from flat feet to hypertension. And a woman in her special condition risks not only her health, but also the condition of the baby.
• In pregnancy itself, obesity contributes to the manifestation of complications. For example, gestosis (late toxicosis). A quick weight gain is dangerous by increasing the load on the kidneys, which is fraught with the appearance of edema, fluid retention. As a result, pressure rises, protein appears in the urine.
• Pregnancy itself is a serious burden on the body. The spine suffers, which now accounts for more weight, and even with a changed center of gravity. It is not easy for the organs of the abdominal cavity, squeezed by an overgrown uterus and serving two organisms. Amid all this, there is a risk of varicose veins.
• An excess of carbohydrates in the mother's body can lead to the development of her diabetes mellitus, and increasing loads on the circulatory system - to the appearance of hypertension.
• Childbirth in a woman with diagnosed obesity is much more difficult.

Harmful and useful

Consider what factors leading to weight loss are positive and negative for the state of the mother and child.

We proceed to the next topic.

Warning to expectant mother

The situation of a pregnant woman is complicated by one very unpleasant phenomenon. This is toxicosis. It is caused by the vital products of the fetus. The condition is easy to aggravate by choosing the wrong diet. That's why those who are interested in how to lose weight during pregnancy need to find for themselves an individually correct menu that will not create an additional burden on the liver.

Therefore, you need to abandon the following diets that can harm both you and the baby:

• Citrus. If the diet involves a large consumption of mandarins, grapefruits, oranges (pineapples can also be attributed here), then it is better to refuse it. Otherwise, you risk increasing the likelihood of developing allergic reactions to these products in the unborn child. But it is also not worthwhile to completely exclude such fortified fruits from food - everything needs a measure.
• Cocoa, coffee diets. Chocolate, cocoa cream, cocoa butter, coffee should not be consumed in large quantities for the same reason - so as not to cause allergies in the unborn child.
• Legumes and protein. When thinking about how to lose weight during pregnancy, give up diets associated with excessive consumption of peas, beans, soy and protein in principle. The breakdown products of this element can enhance toxic reactions in your body. For the full development of the fetus, protein should be supplied to your body daily in an amount of 50-70 g (in pure form).
• Fat Burning Cocktails. Drinks to speed up the metabolic processes based on cinnamon, ginger, citric acid or hot pepper are extremely dangerous for a pregnant woman and her baby! They can cause both bleeding and miscarriage.
• Blood thinning berries. These are raspberries, currants, strawberries, strawberries, viburnum and the like. Their excessive use is fatal to the fetus!
• Fatty foods (in particular, of animal origin). Here we include lard, bacon, fatty meat and broths, canned goods and pickles, butter. Avoid baking from shortbread and yeast dough. It is undesirable for a pregnant woman to be addicted to cakes with oily fat cream.

Nutrition tips

How to lose weight during pregnancy? Mom reviews show the following:

• Before eating in the morning, it is useful to drink a glass of vegetable or fruit juice. During the day, prefer it to water and broths.
• It is important to drink pure spring water, not boiled water.
• It is useful to take honey with sour juice before meals or at night.
• Refer to bran, whole grain products.
• Minimize salt intake.
• For products - a minimum of heat treatment.
• If possible, replace meat with seafood, eggplant, nuts, legumes, cereals, bran, mushrooms.

Slimming Products

When thinking about how to lose weight during pregnancy, do not give up a healthy diet. The main substances (these are fats, carbohydrates and proteins) must be supplied to your body in the quantities necessary for the development of the fetus.

How to lose weight during pregnancy without harm to the baby? Try to focus on the following products:

• Fruits: apples, pears, plums, apricots. Do not give up juices and mashed potatoes from these fruits.
• Vegetables: potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, green onions, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, pumpkin.
• Berries: grapes, kiwi, watermelon, cherries, melon, cherries. You can prepare juices, cocktails, fruit drinks from these fruits.
• Sour-milk, dairy products.
• Dietary meat - chicken, turkey, beef, rabbit.
• Sea fish. Refuse herring, anchovies, roach, ram, sprat, other salted, smoked, dried products.
• Tea. Grassy, ​​green, weak black.
• Dried fruits. Prunes, dried apricots, raisins. Do not forget to cook compotes from these items.

Building the right diet

We have already figured out whether it is possible to lose weight during pregnancy. Now we list the important instructions for building the right diet:

• All products recommended above should not be consumed in smoked or fried foods. This will increase the load on the liver, which threatens to increase toxicosis.
• Food is best steamed, baked, stewed or cooked. Aero grill is allowed (but not wood-fired).
• The most important thing is not to overeat! Try to eat evenly, 4-6 times a day. This will protect you from the aching feeling of hunger, which makes you want to eat junk food.
• Remember that not to overeat is more important than not to get enough. Fractional nutrition, among other things, prevents hyperglycemia, reduces the effects of toxicosis.
• Be sure to use special complexes for pregnant women - those that contain the optimal number (quantitative and qualitative) of trace elements necessary for a woman during this period. These are mineral-vitamin and calcium preparations.
• Build the right drinking regimen. Swelling in pregnant women is very rarely associated with excessive consumption of water. Most often, its causes are the use of a salty, sedentary lifestyle. Sometimes - diseases of the excretory and vascular system.
• Half of the story is a properly composed menu. Physical activity that is acceptable for a woman’s current position helps to lose weight during pregnancy.

Eating right

What you need to remember here:

• Hard-to-digest and high-calorie foods are best consumed in the first half of the day, light - in the second.
• After 7-8 o’clock in the evening it is better not to eat. However, if you feel hungry, you can turn to nuts, dried fruits, bran.
• Eat raw vegetables and fruits more.

Sample menu for the day

Diet during pregnancy to lose weight should look something like this:

• Before breakfast, drink one glass of drinking water. After that, after 10-15 minutes, you can eat an apple.
• Breakfast. One of the three proposed options is ideal. The first is a salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet peppers with a glass of kefir. The second - barley, buckwheat or oat milk porridge with fruits or berries. The third is a low-fat type of cottage cheese with natural yogurt, berries and one glass of juice.
• Lunch. Try herbal or green tea with biscuit cookies and a slice of feta cheese. The second option is tea with 25-30 g of dried fruit.
• Dinner. Again, you can choose from several options: boiled meat with vegetables, low-fat borsch, vegetable soup with cereals, fish in stew.
• An afternoon snack. Juice with nuts or kefir with a slice of apple.
• Dinner. It is best to cook a fresh salad that you can eat with a slice of fish or chicken fillet. An easier option is a fruit salad with kefir. Or cottage cheese with berries and a liquid fermented milk product. It is best to refuse foods that require heat treatment before eating.
• Before going to bed, you can eat carrots or apples. It’s best not to drink sweet tea to reduce the burden on the liver and kidneys.

Diet for the last trimester

Recommendations for this important step:

• Focus on fruits, nuts, herbs, whole grains, dairy and sour-milk products, dried fruits, salads.
• Gradually eliminate meat, poultry, white bread and eggs from the diet.
• Three weeks before the planned start of labor, it is worth abandoning products of animal origin and dairy. Replacements are best done with decoctions, cereals, vegetables and fruits.

Losing weight during pregnancy is a real possibility. However, it must be remembered that weight gain up to 10-12 kg is not a cause for concern. This is considered the norm for the full development of the fetus in your body. You need to think about losing weight if you crossed this bar by carrying one baby. In this case, the diet must be prepared very competently so as not to deprive the child of the right amount of nutrients.