How to eat properly when pregnant so as not to gain weight. How much will you gain during pregnancy? How to avoid gaining excess weight during pregnancy

Most women worry about weight gain during pregnancy. On the one hand, an increase in the number on the scale indicates the child’s growth, but on the other hand, no one wants to gain excess fat. Weight gain cannot be avoided for pregnant women, but its amount depends on the eating behavior of the expectant mother and understanding of the physiology of the entire process.

To understand which kilograms are considered extra, you need to determine which ones are not extra. The baby's body weight is a small part of the additional weight needed.

Let's look at it in detail:

• The child weighs 3-3.5 kg;
• The placenta increases to 650 g;
• The uterus reaches 1 kg at birth;
• The breast increases by about 500 g;
• Blood volume increases by approximately 1.5 kg;
• Edema accounts for 1.5 kg;
• Fat reserves that are important for a healthy pregnancy are between 2-4 kg.

Doctors have their own standards for determining acceptable weight gain for women, depending on (calculation for pregnancy with one child):

• BMI up to 20 - 16-17 kg;
• 20-25 - 11-15 kg;
• 25-30 - 7-10 kg;
• Above 30 - 6-7 kg.

Anything that exceeds acceptable standards can be considered unnecessary. Of course, the norm for each individual woman is determined by her attending physician, and the data in this article are averaged. During pregnancy, weight gain is inevitable and important for the health of the mother and the normal development of the baby, but the question arises, how not to gain excess weight?

Gaining excess weight is associated with eating behavior, in other words, attitude towards nutrition. Many women are sure that during pregnancy they should eat “for two”. Pregnant women's needs for calories and nutrients (protein, vitamins and minerals) are higher than those of other women, but this does not mean that you can not deny yourself anything.

“Eating for two”, “Everything that fits into your mouth is healthy”, “I’ll lose weight quickly after pregnancy”, “Now I can”, “I need to pamper myself” - this and much more is self-deception and irresponsibility. Research has confirmed that the mother’s eating behavior and the number of kilograms gained during pregnancy affect the child’s eating behavior and body composition. If a woman has gained too much excess fat during pregnancy, then the child’s chances of facing the problem of excess weight and obesity increase.

The real needs of women in the first trimester are +100 additional calories per day. Next, the calorie content increases and is maintained at the same level:

• Sedentary lifestyle - +300 additional calories per day;
• Having regular workouts - +500 additional calories per day.

Extra calories are added to. In the first half of pregnancy, you need to receive at least 90 g of protein, 50-70 g of fat daily, and the rest of the calories should come from carbohydrates. In the second half of pregnancy, protein requirements increase - 90-110 g, fats and carbohydrates remain at the same level (calorizer). In the case of pregnant women, more protein is better than less. Its deficiency leads to delayed fetal development.

As you can see, there is no need to eat double portions and overindulge. You can cover the new standards with two additional ones.

A pregnant woman's body is a vehicle for nutrients for the baby, so food choices should not be made irresponsibly.

The following should be excluded from the diet:

• Some types of fish (, king) due to the high content of heavy metals;
• Tobacco (cigarettes and hookah) and avoid the company of people who smoke (so-called passive smoking);
• Unpasteurized and, ;
• Smoked meats and;
• Caffeine;
• Raw animal products (rare meat, carpaccio, sushi, etc.).

You should also sharply limit foods high in (,) and resist the desire to eat unhealthy foods. The total amount of sugar from all food sources should not exceed 40-50 g per day (calorizator). During pregnancy, a woman is responsible not only for herself, but also for the healthy development of the child.

What foods are necessary during pregnancy?

One could write that everything is except forbidden, but this would not be entirely true. Some foods have higher needs because they contain essential nutrients for the formation and development of the fetus, as well as to maintain the health of the mother.

What to include in your diet:

• - It is important to include different sources in your daily diet. For example, breakfast, poultry or lunch, poultry or fish dinner, milk proteins for a snack.
• Foods high in -, and also be in the sun 2-3 times a week for 20-30 minutes. Doctors often prescribe an additional appointment, since it is difficult to cover the daily requirement with simple products.
• - fatty fish, .

During pregnancy

It is believed that in 9 months you need to gain from 8 to 10 kilograms (no more). Otherwise, you risk unkind reprimands from doctors, swelling, a salt-free diet, fasting days (which are quite difficult to endure) and even pills and hospitalization. On the other hand, weight gain is an individual thing and there are no average norms here and cannot even exist. Some women even lose weight in the first and second trimester and begin to gain weight only closer to childbirth. However, there are few of them. As a rule, having learned about pregnancy, we begin to eat for two (or even three), having a blast.

Pregnancy is not the time for restrictions and diets. However, no one is stopping you from following the rules of a healthy diet and thinking about the future (shedding extra pounds after giving birth can be quite difficult).

1) Don't forget about breakfast

Many women, due to toxicosis or out of habit from pre-pregnancy life, refuse to eat in the morning. This is fundamentally wrong. You (and, by the way, your child) have already been 8-9 hours without food (during sleep), and therefore you simply need to make up for the missing calories. Otherwise, by lunchtime you will have a ravenous appetite and you will eat much more than you could.

2) Create a menu

Do you know what exactly you will eat for breakfast or afternoon snack today? If not, then you are much more likely to snack on a chocolate bar, a hamburger or a sausage roll. A pregnant woman's appetite is unpredictable, and therefore if you suddenly want to eat something right on the street or in the subway, you must be prepared for it. Make a menu for the day in advance and don’t forget to carry an apple, bread and drinking yogurt with you.

3) Avoid catering

Unfortunately, restaurants, cafes and canteens cannot boast of preparing exclusively healthy and healthy dishes. An abundance of oil, flavorings, fatty sauces... do not have a very favorable effect on the figure. However, this does not mean that you should not leave the house and eat only steamed cutlets. The main thing you should focus on is common sense and a sense of proportion. When going to a restaurant, order proven, well-prepared and the most “healthy” dishes. Unfortunately, during pregnancy you will have to give up undercooked steaks, meat and fish carpaccio, soft cheeses (such as brie), sushi, raw fish, large quantities of tuna and unpasteurized dairy products. Also, don’t get too carried away with coffee (limit to 2 cups a day), strong tea - be it black or green (it washes out much-needed folic acid), as well as carbonated drinks (bloating is not a pregnant woman’s best friend, believe me) .

4) Listen to your body, not other people

“Now you have to eat for two!” – does your mother-in-law keep telling you? “Would you like to eat another cutlet?” - Mom begs? “You need to eat a lot now!” – says the husband? Well, pregnant women really need a lot more calories. So, if earlier you could limit your diet to 1000-1500 kcal, now (due to increased metabolic processes) you need 2500 kcal per day. However, not all calories are created equal. Try to eat healthy and not overeat. You should not eat the second and third servings forcefully or for company, justifying yourself by saying that you are expecting a child. Replace the supplement with an apple or yogurt and try to convince your family that you are trying to eat healthy and that your diet (including its amount) is approved by your doctor. Listen to your body (most likely, it gives you a hint): if you want meat, eat it (perhaps you lack iron or protein); if, on the contrary, you don’t even want to think about meat products, you shouldn’t force yourself (you can obtained from other dishes).

5) Be aware of prohibited products

Smoked sausage, sharp cheeses, various pickles, soda, hamburgers, buns and cakes - it is better to exclude all this from the menu of a pregnant woman. Of course, this does not mean that you should limit yourself in everything, but these foods should be consumed as rarely as possible. Remember: everything you eat affects your baby and his development. That is why it is best not to get carried away with sausages, canned food, pates and semi-finished products (who knows what they are made from?), it is better to focus on natural products (for example, boiled meat, chicken or fish). Try to fry less, use a double boiler, do not forget to eat fish and fresh vegetables and fruits. However, there is no need to get carried away with the exotic. Of course, you can eat pineapples, mangoes and oranges, but not every day and in small quantities. Modern nutritionists recommend sticking to the “great-grandmother’s diet” and eating only what our ancestors ate and what grows in our area. I must say, this has its own rational grain.

Well, your task is not so difficult: you must provide yourself with the proper amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals, while consuming as few preservatives and unhealthy foods as possible. In addition, pregnant women need to take special care of the water balance in the body - doctors recommend drinking at least 2 liters of fluid per day (if you do not have edema).

6) Don't forget about physical activity

Pregnancy is not a disease. And therefore, if you do not have any complications, and the doctor does not object to your exercise (this condition is mandatory!), feel free to go to the pool, water aerobics for expectant mothers, a fitball group and other entertainment for pregnant women. Also, don’t forget about long walks in the fresh air and breaks at work (get up from your desk every half hour and walk in the hallway for 5-10 minutes).

7) Don't eat at night

Pregnancy is not a state when you need to test your willpower. If you want to eat at 12 o'clock at night, it is best not to argue with your body. However, it is better to replace fried potatoes with pork with a glass of warm milk, kefir, yogurt or fruit (for example, a green apple).

8) Don't starve

Firstly, it is not healthy for the child, and secondly, the longer you don’t eat (for example, skip lunch and afternoon snack), the more you will eat later (for dinner). You must develop your own diet and eat at least 5-6 times a day. Breakfast, second breakfast at work, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and evening kefir - this is the ideal meal schedule for a pregnant woman. If you're not working, you shouldn't rely only on the canteen - take food in containers, yoghurt, kefir, and definitely fruits and nuts. Thus, you will be able to receive all the necessary vitamins and microelements and gain weight only by the kilograms required by the Ministry of Health.

The period of waiting for a baby is always associated with a lot of anxiety, worry and fear. Pregnancy is a serious test for the female body, accompanied by hormonal changes, an enlarged belly, and the presence of excess weight. Not all women who give birth manage to lose the kilograms gained during pregnancy, but if you take care of this in advance and take measures to avoid gaining weight during pregnancy, the problem will solve itself. We will tell you how to maintain a beautiful figure while expecting a child in our publication today.

Let's start with the fact that a large increase in extra pounds during pregnancy is fraught not only with aesthetic problems, but also with the development of many diseases. Excess weight leads to hypertension, pyelonephritis, and can also cause a large fetus, which significantly complicates pregnancy and childbirth. That is why every expectant mother should take care of her figure and follow the rules of balanced nutrition.

Normal weight gain while expecting a baby

At an appointment with a gynecologist, you will probably hear how many extra pounds are normal in your case. The average weight gain during pregnancy is 8-12 kg. If a pregnant woman is underweight, the norm is considered to be an increase of 10-15 kg, and if she is overweight - 5-8 kg. Therefore, the rate of weight gained depends on how much the woman weighed before pregnancy. If you notice that during the first months of expecting your baby you have begun to gain a lot of weight, your doctor may recommend a diet that helps you lose weight.

Secrets to maintaining your figure during pregnancy:

1. Eating small meals frequently. If you do not overload your stomach with a large amount of food, you will not only avoid the formation of excess fat on the sides and fattening of the fetus, but also forget about heartburn. Buy yourself beautiful small dishes and eat with pleasure.
2. Walks in the open air. The supply of oxygen to a pregnant woman’s body helps speed up metabolic processes, and also promotes fat burning and improves blood circulation. Make it a rule to walk in the park every day for an hour, and the problem of excess weight will become irrelevant for you.
3. Moderate physical activity in the form of exercises for pregnant women, yoga, swimming and even housekeeping will help turn excess calories into energy and will be an excellent prevention of weight gain.
4. Sleeping and waking patterns are also important in the desire to maintain a beautiful figure during pregnancy. A full night's rest and additional daytime sleep ensure normal metabolic processes for processing calories. But lack of sleep provokes nervous tension and even causes disruptions in the hormonal and digestive systems.
5. Of course, in order not to gain excess weight during pregnancy, it is necessary to exclude prohibited foods from the diet. Avoid eating hamburgers, soda, canned, spicy and salty foods. Diversify your diet with a large number of vegetables, cereals and dairy products.
6. Do not forget about the drinking regime, which will ensure the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and allow you to forget about excess weight forever. Try to drink at least 8 glasses of clean water a day.
7. Weighing yourself regularly will help you monitor your weight. An increase of 250-350 g per week is considered normal.

In conclusion of our conversation today, I would like to note that if you gain a lot of weight during pregnancy, you can use kefir or apples. However, before you decide to go on a diet while expecting a baby, you should consult your doctor. Despite the fact that excess weight is not welcomed by any specialist, it must be corrected competently, taking into account the individual characteristics of each pregnant woman.

Good luck to you!

Especially for- Ira Romaniy

While carrying a child, a woman needs to be careful and attentive to her health and maintain a healthy diet. The tendency to overeat and consume high-calorie foods under the pretext of “you need to eat for two” is dangerous: in some cases, such eating behavior complicates the course of pregnancy and childbirth. This approach to nutrition has long been refuted by experts, and now all doctors and nutritionists advise avoiding large portions and junk food.

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How should you eat during pregnancy?

It is easy to gain excess weight while pregnant because the body undergoes many changes and fat deposits are not so noticeable. Extra pounds become obvious after childbirth, which is often one of the causes of postpartum depression. To avoid gaining weight during pregnancy, you must follow these rules:

1. 1. Eat small portions. The fetus, rapidly increasing in size, compresses the internal organs, and difficulties may arise in the functioning of the stomach. Large portions aggravate digestive processes and cause discomfort.
2. 2. Eat according to the regime. The body gets used to receiving food at the same time and works harmoniously.
3. 3. Avoid feeling hungry. This can have a negative impact on your well-being.
4. 4. Avoid dehydration. You need to drink enough water, but not overdo it. The excretory organs are also under pressure, swelling may form, and frequent urges to empty the bladder can affect the microflora of the genital organs.
5. 5. Diversify your diet. This is necessary to ensure that both the fetus and the expectant mother receive enough essential beneficial microelements.
6. 6. Do not eat or drink at night, so as not to worsen your health.
7. 7. Lead an active lifestyle, but not contrary to your state of health and well-being.
8. 8. Avoid stress.
9. 9. Sleep at least 8-10 hours a day.

Experts recommend adding 10-12 kg to your pre-pregnancy weight. Moreover, in the first trimester a woman may not gain anything; the entire load falls on the second and third. 10-12 kg is a relative figure, and it is influenced by many factors:

• number of fetuses - if a woman is pregnant with twins, then it is quite normal for her to gain up to 15 kg;
• swelling - expectant mothers prone to it gain much more, but the excess fluid disappears immediately after childbirth;
• genetics - there are larger and more graceful women, different types of figures, for some it is considered the norm to gain 20 kg, and for others it is a lot of 10.

Each organism is individual, and you should not rely on average figures. Following the principles of proper nutrition is guaranteed to help you avoid gaining excess weight. Moreover, women who are overweight even manage to lose weight with a healthy diet while carrying a baby.

Excessive weight gain may be an indicator of gestosis, kidney and endocrine system disorders. Therefore, it is important to keep this issue under control and weigh yourself regularly.

Approximate diet

Precise nutritional recommendations to help you avoid gaining excess weight can be obtained from a gynecologist, endocrinologist and nutritionist, who will base their conclusions on the woman’s characteristics and current test results. Sometimes, if any pathological abnormalities are observed, the diet is supplemented with vitamin complexes and harmless food additives.

Relatives of a pregnant woman should ideally also follow a healthy lifestyle and not eat junk food.

Authorized Products

Products that, according to the advice of doctors, must be included in the diet of the expectant mother are presented in the table:

What should be excluded?

The following products are strictly prohibited for expectant mothers:

• fast food;
• fish and meat that have not undergone heat treatment (as part of tartar, sushi);
• smoked meats;
• salted and pickled foods;
• raw chicken eggs;
• homemade dairy products from an unreliable supplier that have not been pasteurized;
• alcohol.

In order not to gain weight, you must also give up sugar and confectionery, sausages, baked goods, sweet carbonated drinks, store-bought sauces, and unhealthy snacks.

Menu examples

An approximate menu for every day for a week for a pregnant woman, which will not allow you to gain weight, looks like this:

Rarely, about once every 10 days, a pregnant woman can afford to eat her favorite dessert in the morning

If, in the opinion of the gynecologist leading the pregnancy, the girl has gained a lot of weight and there is a danger to normal childbirth and the condition of the child, then she may be prescribed special diets or fasting days. Their essence comes down to cutting carbohydrates and increasing the amount of fiber-rich foods: vegetables, fruits. They help to lose extra pounds without harming the woman’s health or the child’s weight.

And a little about secrets...

The story of one of our readers Alina R.:

I was especially depressed about my weight. I gained a lot, after pregnancy I weighed as much as 3 sumo wrestlers together, namely 92 kg with a height of 165. I thought the belly would go away after giving birth, but no, on the contrary, I began to gain weight. How to cope with hormonal changes and obesity? But nothing disfigures or makes a person look younger than his figure. At the age of 20, I first learned that plump girls are called “WOMAN” and that “they don’t make clothes that size.” Then at the age of 29, divorce from my husband and depression...

But what can you do to lose weight? Laser liposuction surgery? I found out - no less than 5 thousand dollars. Hardware procedures - LPG massage, cavitation, RF lifting, myostimulation? A little more affordable - the course costs from 80 thousand rubles with a nutritionist consultant. You can, of course, try to run on a treadmill until you go crazy.

And when will you find time for all this? And it's still very expensive. Especially now. That's why I chose a different method for myself...

Excess weight and pregnancy create a strong load on the cardiovascular system and spine, so many women expecting a baby experience hernias, heart problems, varicose veins and other problems. In addition, if a woman gains weight, not only her weight increases, but also the baby’s body weight, and giving birth to a large child is much more difficult. What should an expectant mother eat to control her weight and not gain weight? Is it possible to play sports and how safe is it?

Why do women gain weight during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, all women gain weight. It increases naturally due to the preparation of the breast for feeding the baby, an increase in the amount of fluid in the body, an enlargement of the placenta and uterus, and the deposition of fat reserves. The amount of excess weight depends on the characteristics of the body, behavior and habits. Tall women, as well as those who have previously encountered the problem of edema formation, are at risk.

In addition, pregnant women may gain weight for the following reasons:

• eating high-calorie foods;
• increased appetite, night snacks;
• inactive lifestyle;
• disturbances in daytime and sleep patterns.

Factors beyond a woman’s control can also provoke weight gain:

• age – the older the expectant mother, the more likely she is to gain extra pounds;
• large fruit;
• hereditary predisposition to obesity;
• accumulation of fluid in tissues (most often the phenomenon occurs in the last weeks of pregnancy);
• polyhydramnios (increased amount of amniotic fluid);
• multiple pregnancy.

Excess weight in pregnant women is not only an aesthetic problem. It affects the health of the mother and baby and can provoke late toxicosis, which threatens placental abruption and miscarriage.

With a sharp increase in body weight (more than a kilogram per week), doctors may suspect dropsy, which has developed against the background of kidney problems, or another pathology.

How many kilograms can you gain?

Before talking about how not to gain weight during pregnancy, you need to find out how much a pregnant woman’s weight can normally increase. An increase of 8–15 kg over 9 months is considered normal if the pregnancy is singleton, and 15–21 kg if the expectant mother is carrying twins. The large difference between the limits of values ​​is due to the individual characteristics of the organisms of the woman and the baby. In the dynamics of body weight gain, the obstetrician looks at the upper limit if the mother is slim, and at the lower limit of the norm if the woman was initially overweight.

In the first months of pregnancy, it will not be possible to gain weight - toxicosis and loss of appetite allow the expectant mother to gain a maximum of 0.5–2 kg. In the second trimester, the increase will be 250 g weekly, and in the third – 50 g daily. The weight gained during pregnancy consists of several indicators:

• fetal weight (3–4 kg);
• amniotic fluid (up to 1 kg);
• placenta (0.4–0.8 kg);
• uterus (0.9 kg);
• increased blood volume (1.2 kg);
• water in tissue cells (2.5 kg);
• mammary glands (0.5 kg);
• adipose tissue (2.7–4 kg).

All values ​​given are approximate. As for fat reserves, they are created by the body to protect the child in case of insufficient nutrition of the mother.

How to avoid gaining excess weight during pregnancy?

It is impossible to avoid weight gain during pregnancy, but you can follow a number of rules to avoid gaining excess weight:

Nutrition rules

Pregnancy is not the time for dieting, but you shouldn’t relax too much by eating everything. You can get fat in a couple of months if you don’t eat right, but dealing with excess body weight after childbirth can be very difficult.

In order not to gain excess weight, it is important to adhere to certain rules:

• Don't eat for two. Neither a child nor a pregnant woman needs extra calories - proteins and vitamins are important. You will need calories in the last 3 months, but even during this period you need to consume them only 200 more than normal.
• Taking apples or drinking yogurt with you on the road means the expectant mother’s appetite is unpredictable.
• Do not eat if you feel slightly hungry, which appears soon after eating - it is better to drink a glass of compote, water or juice.
• Replace harmful foods with healthy ones. For example, instead of fried pork, cook stewed rabbit, and instead of sweets, eat dried or fresh fruits.
• Eat 5-6 times a day in small portions, which will prevent you from feeling hungry.
• Make simple dishes boiled, stewed, or steamed. Fat released by meat and fish and added during frying increases the calorie content of food.

A properly designed menu allows you to eat a variety of foods rich in vitamins and count calories. The diet at different stages of pregnancy will be slightly different.

Menu in 1st trimester

In the first trimester, a pregnant woman should consume a lot of protein (the norm is 1.5 g per 1 kg of body weight), which reduces the risk of developing pathologies, as well as foods containing calcium, fluorine, magnesium and vitamins. The menu should contain meat, eggs, watermelons, sauerkraut, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and fish in limited quantities. Menu options during pregnancy in the first trimester are presented in the table:

With an average height and weight of up to 55 kg, the daily diet should provide no more than 2300 kcal. To avoid gaining weight, you should have dinner no later than 6–7 pm.

Menu in the second trimester

Properly selected nutrition in the 2nd trimester will not allow a pregnant woman to gain weight. A woman needs to eat foods containing vitamin C and polyunsaturated fatty acids. During this period, the child needs large amounts of iron, calcium and beta-carotene. Menu options table:

Starting from the 4th month of pregnancy, a woman should limit her consumption of cheeses, offal and sweets. The daily energy requirement is about 3000 kcal.

3rd trimester

In the last months of gestation, pregnant women need a diet to improve their well-being. At this time, it is better for a woman not to eat foods rich in calcium and saturated with proteins. An approximate diet is presented in the table:

The daily volume of liquid consumed (including soups and broths) should be no more than 1.5 liters. The amount of salt in food should be reduced to avoid swelling.

Physical activity

A pregnant woman at any stage can afford long daily walks - fresh air is beneficial, and physical activity helps burn calories.

If the expectant mother preferred a certain sport before pregnancy, she can continue to do it, excluding extreme stress. Sports will not only keep you in shape, but will also make the birth process easier. It is allowed for expectant mothers who do not have any pregnancy complications. A woman can do:

• swimming;
• yoga;
• race walking;
• cycling (up to the 3rd trimester and only on smooth park paths);
• gymnastics on a fitball at home.

During pregnancy, exercises and sports that involve concussions, falls, heavy lifting, or straining muscles and ligaments are prohibited. By the 8th month, any loads should be stopped.