10 Safe ways to weight loss during pregnancy

Medical practitioners always warn that it is not safe taking some weight loss approach while you are pregnant. On the other hand, gaining excess weight during pregnancy is dangerous to the pregnant woman’s life.

Now, it’s evident that, as a woman, you need to make sure you take care of your weight regularly to keep you on the safer side when you get heavy.

However, how much weight you should gain during pregnancy depends on how much you already weigh before taking in. if your weight is average before pregnancy, you are fine. But, you will need to control your weight by eating healthy foods and doing minimal exercise.

If you are obese, you need to consider weight loss, and that can be very risky. This is not the time you will be relying on some weight loss tips on the internet promising weight loss overnight. Get in touch with nutrition experts or talk to your doctor to seek professional guidance.

Why obese women should consider weight loss during pregnancy

Several health service organizations worldwide revealed that excess weight during pregnancy could cause miscarriage, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, blood clots, hemorrhage, and postpartum and make the baby overweight in the mother’s womb.

When a pregnant woman carries excess weight, it can also pose some adverse effects on the baby. It can lead to stillbirth or early birth. Meanwhile, all these problems are not only caused by being overweight; it can happen to any pregnant woman for any other reason.

What are the safe ways to weight loss during pregnancy?

After thorough research and various recommendations from seasoned health practitioners, I have compiled ten safe ways through which you can lose weight duri9ng pregnancy without complications.

1. Know how much weight you should add

It all starts from your pre-pregnancy BMI (Body Mass Index). Before you embark on your weight loss journey during pregnancy, it is ideal for you to know how much weight you need to gain. This will serve as a guide for you, helping you determine the right time to withdraw those foods that can affect your weight.

2. Avoid dieting while pregnant

Never try to follow any weight loss diet plan while pregnant, except what your doctor recommends. Once you discover you are pregnant, stay away from any diet plan. Ideally, pregnant women are supposed to gain weight (not in excess) during pregnancy to stay healthy, so starving yourself will not be a way out.

During pregnancy,

• Overweight women should add some weight between 11 to 20 pounds
• Women with excess weight need to add between 15 to 25 pounds
• Average-weight women need to gain about 26 to 40 pounds

Besides, pregnant women need to feed well to help the baby stay healthy and nourished. Reducing the amount of food you eat during pregnancy could the baby of vitamins, minerals, and calories needed. Hence, any idea that contradicts healthy eating foods when necessary should be discarded.

3. Eat small but frequently

We have discussed earlier that pregnant women need to feed well. Therefore, there’s a need to eat frequently to strengthen both the mother and the baby. Eating a small portion of food at intervals is a safe way to weight loss during pregnancy.

Eating full three square meals every day during pregnancy can make women fall sick. Therefore, nutrition experts advised that pregnant women should eat three moderately big meals and three smaller meals every day.

This principle is not exclusive to pregnant women alone; you should try it even without pregnancy.

4. Stay away from junks

Eating healthy foods alone is another safe way to weight loss during pregnancy. Some people get confused when you mention eating food frequently as an approach to weight loss. They naturally presume that eating food would only add to your weight, not lessen it. On the contrary, eating healthy food will make you look fit and smarter.

Eating does not mean adding weight, and starving is not a good approach to weight loss. Here are a few healthy foods that can help manage your weight:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Cereals
• Low-fat milk and other dairy products
• Foods with a high concentration of folates such as beans, strawberries, and spinach.
• Unsaturated fats

Meanwhile, you need to avoid unhealthy foods such as:

• Foods that contain artificial sweeteners
• Food and drinks that contain sugar
• Junk foods such as cake, cookies, chips, candy, and more.
• Salt (in excess)
• Unhealthy fats like margarine, sauces, mayonnaise, and more.

5. Exercise

Being pregnant does not mean that you have to stop exercising your body. Working out is a crucial activity that can keep you fit during pregnancy. Besides weight loss, moderate exercise will help manage your pregnancy weight and get you ready for delivery.

However, try to avoid exercising on your own without a trainer. It can be dangerous for you and your pregnancy. Make sure you hire an expert fitness coach specialized in training pregnant women for best results and safety. It is also essential that you consult your doctor for safety guidelines before you begin exercising.

For pregnant women, 30 minutes of exercise for about five days a week is standard. Here are some exercising activities good for pregnant women:

• Yoga
• Dancing
• Swimming
• Walking
• Cycling

Note that you must do taxing exercises as a pregnant woman to avoid injuries and further complications that may affect the baby. You might also need to avoid exercise when you are experiencing health issues such as:

• Headache
• Chest pain
• Vaginal bleeding
• Muscle weakness
• Amniotic fluid leakage

Stay away from exercise if you have a critical medical condition such as high blood pressure, incompetent os, threatened miscarriage, and more.

Final Thoughts

Maintaining the right weight during pregnancy will keep you living in sound health and help you enjoy your motherhood journey. While some people think that weight loss is not for pregnant women, you can manage your weight to stay in shape until your delivery day. It is also essential to maintain healthy eating habits after delivery.