Dieting during & after pregnancy
A realistic approach to achieve & maintain optimal weight in thosedays
Obesity is becoming a growing concern especially for women of childbearing age because
of its long-lasting and often permanent effects on the body. Not only can obesity put
both mother and the baby at risk for some serious health complications, but it can
actually interfere with fertility. This is because fat stores change the levels of sex
hormones that a woman's body produces, making it increasingly
difficult to become pregnant.
How would you know if you're obese during pregnancy?
The first and foremost question is, how would you know if you're
really obese or overweight?
A woman is considered obese if, at the beginning of her pregnancy, her BMI is over 25
units.
Why being obesity is even more dangerous during pregnancy?
Being pregnant while obese can dramatically increase the risk of various health
complications. For the sake of understanding, these complications cane be divided into
two categories i.e. maternal complications & fetal complications.
A-Maternal complications (Mother is affected)
If you are obese during pregnancy, you are at risk of several serious health
complications, including:
Preeclampsia: It is a condition which causes high blood pressure, fluid
retention, and swelling during pregnancy.
Gestational Diabetes: It is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy.
It prevents your body from breaking down sugar and can put your baby at risk for
gaining too much weight in your uterus.
Cesarean Section: It has been found that in women, who are obese during
pregnancy, labor is more likely to be slow and prolonged, increasing the likelihood of
cesarean section.
Post-delivery infection: Obesity during pregnancy also makes you more vulnerable
to experiencing a difficult postpartum (after delivery) recovery.
Fetal complications (baby is affected)
If you are obese during your pregnancy, you baby is also at risk for developing some
dangerous health issues like:
Macrosomia: Macrosomia is a condition in which your baby puts on too much weight during
development, making it difficult for your baby to enter and exit the birth canal.
Neural Tube Defects: Babies born to obese mothers are also at increased risk of
suffering dangerous neural tube defects spina bifida and anencephaly.
Childhood Obesity: Studies show that babies who are born to obese mothers are more
likely to suffer from obesity by the time they reach the age of four.
What should be your fitness goal?
Major international authorities like health Canada recommend that women who were
overweight before pregnancy should aim to gain 7 to 11.5 kilograms (15 to 25 pounds)
during their pregnancy, rather than the 11.5 to 16 kilogram (25 to 35 pounds) weight
gain recommended to women of a healthy weight.
Lose weight before pregnancy: As the old saying goes, prevention is better than the
cure. If you are obese are planning on getting pregnant in the near future, consider
losing weight through proper diet and exercise.
Nutrition counseling: It means making wiser food choices with the help of either
a dietitian or the doctor before and after getting pregnant. It shall be, however,
noted that dieting during pregnancy is absolutely not allowed as it can harm the baby.
Also, mothers-to-be should be keenly aware that everything entering their bodies can go
straight to their developing babies.
Mild exercise: Mild exercise, such as a daily walk, to burn calories and lower
blood pressure is recommended.
Early screening for gestational diabetes: This type of diabetes (high blood glucose)
occurs only during pregnancy. Therefore, blood glucose tests are recommended during the
first trimester.
Remember, if there's ever a time women are going to improve their
own health habits, it's during pregnancy. Therefore, when
you're pregnant, always keep in mind that it's
“two lives†you're dealing
with.
Dieting after pregnancy
While on an average, you probably gain about 25 to 35 additional lbs after pregnancy,
there have been women who, despite of staying on the regular exercise and healthy
eating, gained as many as fifty to sixty pounds. That's where the
crucial role of dieting after pregnancy comes into play.
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Need and importance of dieting after pregnancy
After childbirth, naturally, your body will still have some of the accumulated fat also
known as baby "weight" Therefore, it is vital
that you keep a healthy weight after pregnancy so as to avoid the risk of various
serious health conditions such as:
- Varicose veins
- Heart disease and high blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Arthritis (joint disease)
- Gallstone disease
In addition, this weight also disturbs your whole body shape and figure, making you
prone to social criticism and negative comments from your peers, friends and the
family.
Following are some of the proven and time-tested diet tips that can help you lose the
weight you have gained during pregnancy a little faster and in a completely natural
way.
Watch your eating: One of the hardest things that people don't even realize is changing
what you eat and drink. Write down what you eat. Doing so holds you accountable and you
tend to eat less that way.
Continue to eat healthy but less: Eat a healthy, balanced diet consisting of carbs,
proteins, fats, minerals like calcium, potassium and iron and full of fibers and
vitamins. Just cut the portions in half so you can ultimately burn more calories than
you eat, the best way to lose weight effectively and promptly.
What to eat: Try to eat lots of whole grains, legumes, fresh fruits, especially citrus
fruits, and green vegetables; these will give you the most nutritional value with the
lowest levels of calories and fat.
- Drink a lot of water to flush out your system and keep yourself hydrated. Eat
potassium rich foods, like bananas, spinach, and apricots. These help rid the body of
excess water. Don't eat foods high in sodium because they cause water retention. - Get up to only 30 percent of your daily calories from fat. Some healthy fats
include olive oil and avocados. - For dairy products, prefer skim milk (0% fat), low-fat margarine or cheese.
- Eat a low-fat diet with lean meats (preferably white meat) and whole grains.
- Never skip a breakfast. Eat about 4-5 small meals throughout the day instead of
having 3-4 larger meals.
What to avoid: Don't drink carbonated drinks (soft / soda drinks) that will
lead to bloating and flatulence. Same goes for artificially sweetened juices that
contain more-than extra amount of sugar. Avoid baked goods and junk foods; for example,
pastries and creamy cakes, deep fried fast food (cheese burgers, French fries etc.,)
should be avoided.
And last but not least, breastfeed your baby. It is estimated that women who breast
feed their babies regularly lose about 500 calories daily. Also, regular physical
activity such as brisk walking, jogging, and running, swimming or bicycling is
essential to achieve an optimal weight in an ideal time frame. Include at least 30
minutes of strenuous physical activity to your daily routine.
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