How to lose weight during pregnancy - the main nuances. How to lose weight during pregnancy: diet and exercise for weight loss Is it possible to lose weight during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a special period in the life of every woman, when the health of the unborn child directly depends on the mother. Previously, obstetricians and gynecologists were of the opinion that pregnant women should not focus on their weight, but rather monitor weekly weight gain.

Indeed, strict diets are strictly contraindicated for expectant mothers, but with a competent approach to weight loss, especially for overweight ladies or women who were obese even before pregnancy, the desire to lose weight is completely justified.

How many kilograms does a pregnant woman need to gain?

Weight gain is an inevitable consequence of bearing a child, but this does not mean that all women should necessarily lose weight.

The weight gain of the expectant mother ranging from 10-12 kg is physiological and is due to the following factors:

The weight of the fetus is on average 3.5 kg.
Amniotic fluid – 1 kg.
Uterus with membranes – 900 g.
The weight of the placenta is 700 g.
Increased blood volume – 1.5-1.8 kg.
Intracellular fluid of a woman – 1.5 kg.
Enlargement of mammary glands and subcutaneous fat – 3.5-4 kg.

From the second trimester, a pregnant woman gains approximately 350-400 g per week. A weekly weight gain of more than 500 g becomes a cause for concern. Thus, by monitoring your scale during pregnancy, you can monitor your weight gain.

General rules for weight loss during pregnancy

Rule #1. Taboo on diets. When losing weight, expectant mothers should not experiment with strict diets, since by limiting a woman’s nutritional intake, they cause irreparable harm to the health of the pregnant woman and the unborn baby.
Rule #2. Say yes. The basis of weight loss should be based on a rational and balanced diet, providing mother and baby with all the necessary vitamins and nutrients.
Rule #3. Diet. It is necessary to eat 4-5 times a day in small portions every 3-4 hours. It is recommended to take the last meal 3 hours before bedtime.
Rule #4. Control your appetite. You should not follow popular prejudice and expect a mother-to-be to eat for two on an equal basis with an adult man. It is enough to increase the usual daily caloric intake by 200-300 calories, which is equal to a diet with an energy value of 2000-2300 calories.
Rule #5. Water balance. In the first two trimesters of pregnancy, a pregnant woman should maintain her usual water balance and drink 1.5-2 liters of clean water per day. In the last trimester, to avoid edema, it is worth limiting salt intake to 1.5 g and liquid to 1-1.5 liters per day.
Rule #6. . Fasting days will help you control your weight during pregnancy. It is recommended to organize such days no more than once a week. The energy value of such a day is about 1000 calories. You can select one or more products for unloading. You can arrange a one-day mono-diet on fresh or stewed vegetables, seafood or fruits. The most popular are mono-discharges made with cottage cheese, kefir, green apples and buckwheat porridge. Protein fasting days are suitable only for women who do not have kidney problems.

Pros of losing weight

The following can be considered positive aspects of losing weight during pregnancy:

Combining weight loss with physical activity will improve your night's sleep, making it deeper and longer. This helps to increase daytime energy and performance.
Physical exercise reduces the risk of developing gestational diabetes, a dangerous disease in which sugar levels exceed normal levels throughout pregnancy. Diabetes provokes pathological complications during the birth of the fetus.
By giving preference to fresh fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins, you will quietly lose extra pounds, preventing weight gain in the future.

Cons of losing weight

If you intend to lose weight through dieting, then you should immediately abandon this idea. It is worth adhering to exclusively healthy nutrition, which is devoid of negative consequences for the body of the expectant mother, unlike diets.

Some people consider the slow loss of kilograms to be a disadvantage of proper nutrition, in contrast to the quick effect of diets.

Nutritionists, on the contrary, are of the opinion that this is not a minus, but an undoubted plus of proper nutrition, gradual weight loss is the key to a long-term and reliable result.

Who is strictly prohibited from losing weight?
Women with normal or underweight.
Women at risk of miscarriage.
Pregnant women with somatic diseases (diabetes, etc.).
Pregnant women with intrauterine growth retardation syndrome (IUGR).

Women with any obstetric pathology.

If necessary, weight loss for a pregnant woman is carried out only under the supervision of a specialist.

The following methods of body correction are strictly prohibited:
All types of diets and diets are strictly prohibited.
Taking diet pills, diuretics, laxatives.
Taking various dietary supplements (dietary supplements) with unknown composition and dangerous side effects (coffee for weight loss, Goji berries, “magic pills”, etc.).

Heavy power loads are excluded.

Diet for pregnant women

While pregnant, women complain of increased appetite and a constant feeling of hunger. In order not to harm the health of the fetus and your figure, you must adhere to the basic tenets of proper balanced nutrition.

Nutritionists recommend dividing the entire daily diet into five meals, of which three meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner should be complete. Between main meals, two light snacks of fruit, juice or kefir are allowed. During gestation, the body's need for vitamins and macroelements increases.

Due to the increase in the volume of a woman’s circulating blood, and the proliferation of blood vessels of the fetus and placenta, there is a need for increased formation of red blood cells. For their maturation in the red brain, iron is needed in the order of 30 mg per day and folic acid.

Calcium and vitamin D are vital for the development of strong bone and dental tissue for the baby and his mother.

What foods contain the vitamins and minerals described above:
All dairy products are recognized as leaders in the presence of calcium: milk, hard cheese, kefir, sour cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, heavy cream (to maximize the absorption of calcium, the fat content of these products must be at least 9%).
Sources of folic acid are fresh green vegetables: asparagus, broccoli, spinach, lettuce.

Prohibited Products

You should strictly exclude from your menu during pregnancy products that have a harmful effect on the baby’s health.

The following products are prohibited:

Alcoholic and spirits drinks.
Fatty meats, fried and smoked foods.
All kinds of sauces and seasonings: mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, etc.
Carbonated drinks: lemonade, kvass, soda, etc.
All types of canned food.
Packaged juices.
Sausages, sausages, sausages, etc.
Salty and spicy foods.
Sweets, cakes, pastries, butter cream confectionery.
Coffee and caffeinated drinks, strong tea, cocoa.
Raw eggs and milk.

Physical exercise

I trimester of pregnancy

If you were active before becoming pregnant, you can continue your previous level of physical activity with your doctor's permission. If you intend to lose a few extra pounds while pregnant, then 3-4 sessions per week of moderate intensity lasting at least 40 minutes will suit you.

If before pregnancy you were not friends with sports, then it’s time to fix it. For beginners, sports such as swimming, walking, elliptical training and water aerobics are an excellent choice. These loads are absolutely safe for the baby.

II trimester

You should choose physical activity during this trimester according to how you feel. If you are energetic and full of strength, then you should stick to the old training schedule: 3-4 workouts per week.

If you feel a loss of strength, malaise, or fatigue, then you should reduce your physical activity and rest more. All exercises while lying on your back are strictly prohibited.

III trimester

In the last months of bearing a child, despite feeling vigorous, it is worth reducing your previous physical activity. During this time, any heavy lifting or strength training is prohibited. Give preference to classes, stretching,...

If you lack movement, invest your energy in daily activities.

Prohibited activity

Not all sports are beneficial during pregnancy. Some of them are completely dangerous to the baby’s health and can cause premature birth.

Diving, horse riding, basketball, volleyball, ice skating and skiing are considered unsafe during gestation and increase the risk of miscarriage.

Weigh yourself once a week in the morning on an empty stomach after going to the toilet in minimal clothing. Try to track your body weight on the same scale. You should not weigh yourself every day or, even worse, several times a day, because it is known that daily weight fluctuations can be up to two kilograms.
Eat food exclusively while sitting at the table. This will allow you to avoid unnecessary snacks.
Train yourself to eat at the same time. The human digestive system is designed in such a way that it remembers the impulses sent from the brain to the stomach during meals. So, during a meal, more digestive enzymes and juices will be reflexively released in the stomach, which will improve the digestibility and assimilation of foods.
Blue dishes will help reduce your appetite. Use this simple tip and you will be able to better control your appetite.
Don't skip meals. By taking a long gap in eating, the next time you eat, you will eat much more than usual. Systematic overeating leads to gaining extra pounds.
Start a food service. In it you must write down everything you eat per day in grams. This way, it will be easier for you to track your daily calorie intake and prevent it from exceeding it.

The most important advice that those losing weight should remember once and for all is that you should not treat the weight loss process as a punishment. Approach this issue wisely. Use the information described above, and then losing weight will become not only safe for you and your baby, but also comfortable.

Pregnant women can lose extra pounds only for medical reasons. All diets are based on balance. Uncontrolled weight loss can lead to serious problems with the fetus, including death.

Losing weight during pregnancy: main indications, risks, diets

Rapid weight gain often makes pregnant women depressed. A few extra pounds are not a cause for concern, while a sharp increase in centimeters not only in the abdominal area indicates problems with nutrition.

For a long time it was believed that a pregnant woman should eat for two, but now this opinion has been refuted. A healthy diet, and as a result, losing weight, will allow you to control your weight during pregnancy and quickly return to your original shape after childbirth.

Pros and cons

If a woman’s weight before conceiving a child was normal, then the natural rate of increase is up to 15 kilograms up to 9 months. In the case when the indicator is exceeded already in 4-5 months, you should think about losing weight. Extra pounds threaten to complicate childbirth. It is also necessary to adhere to a diet for those who were mildly obese before pregnancy. Arguments for dieting while pregnant:

improving the chances of giving birth to a healthy child (if the fetus gains more than 4 kilograms due to the mother’s abundant nutrition, this leads to a weakening of contractions);
reducing the risk of complications during childbirth;
improved health (a balanced diet allows the body to supply proteins, fats, carbohydrates, as well as essential vitamins and microelements);
easy weight loss after childbirth.

However, you shouldn’t get carried away with diets in their common understanding. Eating one type of product, so-called mono-diets, is strictly contraindicated. Also, pregnant women should not avoid meat and fish products, since the body of the mother and child receives protein from them.

When doctors recommend losing weight during pregnancy: medical indications

Experts have repeatedly stated that pregnancy and childbirth proceed better if a woman’s weight is normal. However, for some indications, it is recommended to lose weight while carrying a child. The reasons are related to risks to the health of the fetus and mother. So, medical indications for losing weight are:

improvement of the birth process;
risk of hypertension and diabetes.

The incentive to lose weight is the health of the child. A mother who has begun to feed for two eats a lot of sweet, flour and fatty foods, while thinking that such nutrition is beneficial to the fetus, is mistaken. A healthy child can be born only if the diet is balanced and complete, it contains the optimal amount of protein, fats and carbohydrates. The diet during pregnancy is aimed primarily at ensuring that the expectant mother, and with her the child, receive the maximum of nutrients from food, and not empty calories.

When to lose weight during pregnancy

Losing weight for no apparent reason is not safe. Indications for losing weight are described above, but there are also contraindications under which you cannot lose weight:

problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
liver and kidney diseases;
problems with the heart and blood vessels;
when weight gain corresponds to anatomical indicators.

Strict diets are strictly prohibited, as they do not pose a risk to development. Even if a woman used mono-diets, vegetarian or raw food, the menu needs to be diversified. There is no point in abruptly including foods into your diet that were not previously on the menu. It is better to slowly introduce them into the diet, making their intake normal by the middle of the second trimester.

What are the dangers of uncontrolled weight loss during pregnancy for a child?

Losing weight when not enough nutrients enter the body is dangerous for the health of the fetus. Main risks:

risk of miscarriage;
development of diseases in the womb (including diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver);
insufficient nutrition of the brain, and, as a consequence, diseases associated with it.

Uncontrolled weight loss will in any case harm the child. During pregnancy, the mother’s body provides nutrition to the fetus, and if the fetus itself does not receive enough nutrients, then so does the child.

How weight loss can affect the placenta and blood supply

The placenta is an organ that forms in a woman during pregnancy. She is responsible for transferring nutrients to the baby. As a result of poor nutrition, placental insufficiency occurs, which is expressed in dysfunction of the organ. The placenta can no longer provide the fetus with the necessary substances, and this can even lead to death. Also, uncontrolled nutrition affects blood circulation, and this causes the development of oxygen deficiency.

When needed for medical reasons: a diet without harm to the child

A diet without harm to the child and mother includes vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and unrefined foods. Vegetable oils, meat and fish are also required. You should not completely exclude sausages, sausages, butter, white bread and other unhealthy foods from your diet, especially if you are used to seeing them on your table every day. But such things need to be included in a minimal amount, since in addition to calories they do not contain harmful, carcinogenic substances.

Essential vitamins for proper metabolism

Vitamins are best absorbed from food, not vitamin complexes. This is explained by the fact that tablets, even of excellent quality, affect the excretory system, forcing it to work at the limit of its capabilities. This will not be beneficial during pregnancy. For the development of the fetus and proper metabolism, vitamins of groups A, B, E, C, Omega-3 group, potassium and calcium are necessary. You can find them in:

any varieties of sea and river fish;
green, red, orange and yellow vegetables;
all types of greens and salad;
fermented milk products (but they should not be high in fat);
cereals;
dried fruits and nuts;
fruits;
lean chicken and turkey.

Vegetable oils that are rich in vitamin E will be useful. They help improve metabolism, better functioning of the placenta, and keep a woman’s skin, hair and nails in excellent condition. Vitamin E also helps improve the condition of the skin, after childbirth there will be fewer stretch marks, the skin will be smoother and more even. You can find it in fish oil, flaxseed oil, and nuts.

Amount of water and liquid

It is recommended to drink at least two liters of clean water per day. But if there is swelling and body weight increases due to fluid retention, you can reduce it by half a liter.

Liquid that is included in broths and soups - in unlimited volume. You should be careful with fruit drinks, milkshakes, and juices - in addition to healthy vitamins, they also contain a large amount of sugars, which is not good for the child’s health.

Number of servings per day

The amount of food consumed is purely individual. It cannot be said that a woman whose weight before birth was 45 kilograms and one whose weight reached 100 kg need to choose portions of the same size.

For a woman whose weight fluctuates between 60-70 kg during pregnancy, portions of 200-300 grams are optimal, with at least four meals. Optimal power supply:

breakfast;
lunch;
dinner;
snack;
dinner.

The number of servings per day is from four to five. Reducing the frequency is not recommended, as there is a risk that the child will not receive nutrients on time for his development.

How to lose weight in your legs while pregnant: exercises and strength training on muscle groups

The legs are subject to serious stress while carrying a child. They bear not only the weight of the developing child and the increased weight of the mother. Hormonal changes occur in the female body, which also affects the limbs. The basis for losing weight in your legs is proper nutrition. Exercises in the pool are perfect - they will tone up not only your legs, but also your back, hips, and chest. Useful exercises for legs and buttocks:

bicycle (lying on your back, with your legs raised, make movements as if you were riding a bicycle);
walking in place (feeling the muscles, just walk in place, raising your knees to 30-40 degrees);
butterfly (spread legs are connected at the feet, then arms are spread to the sides).

Light exercise on a fitball will help (in addition to strengthening the legs, this helps reduce the risk of perineal rupture during childbirth), yoga (strengthens the pelvic ligaments, which increases the speed of childbirth).

During pregnancy, jumping rope, roller skating and skating, fast running, aerobics, and pulling up dumbbells are prohibited.

Is it possible to lose weight in the third trimester?

In the last trimester, weight gain occurs due to fetal growth. Some women even lose weight during this period, as they gradually lose their own extra pounds. During this period, the emphasis is on salads, fruits, greens, light dairy products and whole grain dishes.

Three weeks before the expected date of birth, it is advisable to include a minimum of calcium-rich foods, meat and fish. Some restriction of the diet does not threaten problems with the fetus, but it will allow the expectant mother to start losing pounds.

You should lose weight under the supervision of a doctor, and if there are medical indications for it. It is impossible to lose weight if a woman is not psychologically comfortable (feels fat). The doctor's recommendations are:

Only a specialist can correctly create a diet;
light workouts will help you cope with excess weight and improve your metabolism;
You should not get carried away with mono-diets, vegetarianism and raw food diets (in rare cases, it is allowed as a fasting day).

Pregnancy is a complex physiological process. It is not possible to predict how weight loss will affect the child’s body in a particular case. Therefore, you should only engage in weight loss for medical reasons; at the slightest danger, consult a doctor.

Useful video

During pregnancy, the body experiences a powerful hormonal surge. It's time to learn how to eat right, exclude high-calorie foods from the menu in order to create the most favorable conditions for a tiny life. Many women are afraid of rapid weight gain, so they want to know how to lose weight during pregnancy.

You cannot adhere to strict diets, which can cause abnormalities in a growing fetus, but you can avoid the appearance of extra pounds, switch to a healthy diet, and rejuvenate the body.

Pregnancy and weight changes

Weight gain during pregnancy is normal. At each visit to the gynecologist, you will have to weigh yourself in order to identify health problems in time. If possible, you should also step on the scale at home.

Weight by trimester:

Several reasons influence weight gain:

increase in uterine volume;
increase in fat deposits;
growth of the placenta;
volumes of amniotic fluid.

The amount of blood increases to provide the uterus with useful substances, and fat deposits serve as the key to successful pregnancy.

Normal weight gain during pregnancy

During pregnancy, the optimal weight gain is 12-18 kg. The largest increase is observed in the last stages, when the body is preparing for the upcoming birth. Every pregnant woman should monitor weight fluctuations and consult a gynecologist for the slightest changes.
For rapid weight loss or gaining kilograms, sharp changes in blood pressure begin, which is dangerous for the baby growing in the womb.
When dialing slowly weight, pregnancy is easy, childbirth also occurs without complications, and the likelihood of miscarriages decreases.

If a pregnant woman recovers rapidly, this can be harmful, and this is precisely what is fraught with varicose veins, aching pain in the lumbar region, and fatigue. If a child is overweight, it becomes impossible to give birth naturally, and the risk of developing diabetes increases.

Basic rules for losing weight

To ensure a normal pregnancy, follow a number of rules for losing weight:

For the first half of the day they plan to eat fish and meat dishes, various cereals, and in the second half they eat vegetables and fruits, dairy products.

A pregnant woman constantly needs snacks, so you should take with you a bowl of chopped fresh vegetables with nuts, and also take purified water or tea to satisfy the body's need for fluid.

Correct diet for a pregnant woman

When pregnancy occurs, you should limit your consumption of sweets and animal fats.

Increase the amount of complex carbohydrates in the diet, that is, grains and vegetables. You cannot sharply reduce food portions; innovations should be made gradually and gradually switch to healthy foods.

Drink purified water and broths, freshly prepared fruit and vegetable juices.
Drink carrot or lemon juice in the morning on an empty stomach., diluted to half the volume with water (in the absence of allergies).
At night for a restful sleep You should eat a little honey with sour juice.
You should not overuse meat, it is allowed only a couple of times a week. They prepare boiled poultry, buckwheat, bran, legumes, eggs, etc.
Heat treatment should be minimal, they prefer steamed dishes, baked in foil, stewed with the peel.
Your diet should include more whole foods, it is useful to eat vegetables with tops, fruits with grains and peels. The body will be saturated not only with carbohydrates and proteins, but also with microelements and mineral salts.
Minimum amount of salt in dishes so as not to increase the amount of fluid you drink, which will invariably lead to swelling.

If you have toxicosis, you cannot refuse food, because the walls of an empty stomach release more acid. It is recommended to eat a dry crust of bread without getting out of bed to muffle the gag reflex.

What are the dangers of being overweight during pregnancy?

Fat deposits are dangerous for the normal course of pregnancy:

If almost no nutrients reach the fetus, oxygen starvation begins.

Fat deposits in a pregnant woman make it difficult to diagnose diseases of the unborn child and lead to a weakening of labor. With a rapid gain of kilograms, a large baby is born, prone to obesity.

Is it possible to lose weight during pregnancy?

You need to worry about the early appearance of excess weight from the 16th week, if the gain in a week is more than a kilogram.

When losing weight, you should not go on a starvation diet; changing your diet will help stabilize your weight:

give up smoked meats, sweets and salty foods;
physical activity relative to the trimester of pregnancy;
in the first trimester, the emphasis is on protein foods, which are building materials for the growing fetus;
in the second trimester, they consume more foods containing calcium;
in the last stages, reduce the amount of meat dishes that affect changes in vaginal tissue.

Any changes in your diet should be discussed with your doctor; only he can rule out the development of pathologies that caused the appearance of extra pounds.

How to lose excess weight during pregnancy?

Some tips for weight loss for expectant mothers:

They always prepare fresh food and do not stock up on food for future use.

How should a pregnant woman eat?

To take care of a growing baby, the expectant mother should stop eating high-calorie foods and reconsider her diet:

You should forget about visiting canteens and cafes. They prepare food with a lot of fat, add flavorings and high-calorie sauces, which is fraught with excess deposits and health problems.
must be mandatory so that during lunch you do not pounce on food to make up for the calorie deficit.
You can't overeat at night If you want to have a snack, you can drink a glass of low-fat kefir or eat an apple.
Minimize the consumption of sausages, soda, pickles, hamburgers, and sharp cheeses. The best option is to cook healthy dishes in a double boiler.
Create a complete menu, based on natural products containing vitamins and minerals.
Fasting should not be allowed during pregnancy.
Physical activity. Even walking in the park will bring many benefits to mother and growing baby.

During pregnancy, the body is constantly experiencing a lack of calories, but you should learn to make up for the deficiency with healthy foods, and not fill your hunger with fatty steaks and cakes.

Exercises for weight loss during pregnancy

Women should take a lot of walks in nature. This ensures blood supply to the body, which is important for the baby’s vitality and serves as a preventative measure for the development of anemia.

You can dance to pleasant music at home or do a few exercises:

"Ivushka"

This exercise promotes relaxation and relieves stress from the pregnant woman’s spine.
It is necessary to spread your legs wide, relax your back muscles, and lean forward a little.
The arms and head should be lowered down, now all that remains is to sway evenly from side to side.

"Bottle"

This type of exercise activates blood circulation, relieves tension in the feet, and prevents swelling in pregnant women.
It is performed while sitting on a chair; an ordinary glass bottle is placed under the feet, which should be rolled, as if rolling dough.
After a few minutes, you need to continue to perform the exercise without a bottle, that is, roll from toes to heels and in the opposite direction.

"Cat's back"

The “Cat's back” exercise will train the back muscles and relax the spine.
When performing this exercise, you should stand on all fours, with your knees slightly apart.
First, the head, neck and back are on a straight line. Then they slightly tilt their head forward and arch their back upward.

There are many exercises for pregnant women, but not all of them are safe. They should be performed under the supervision of a specialist so that they bring benefits and not health problems.

Menu for pregnant women for every day

Snack: berry jelly with bun, banana.

Dinner: stewed vegetables, green tea with milk.

Pregnancy will only bring positive emotions if you keep a diary and write down recipes for healthy dishes. After the birth of the baby, the habit of eating vitamin-rich foods and leading an active lifestyle will remain, so the immune system will be strengthened, and a slim figure will be a reward.

Often, expectant mothers face the problem of gaining excess weight during pregnancy. From our material you will learn what dangers await overweight women, and how to lose weight during pregnancy without harming the baby.

You will find tips and tricks for safe weight loss and healthy eating during all trimesters. You will also learn what sports are recommended to engage in while expecting a child. The video exercises that supplement the article will help you keep your body in good shape.

Pregnancy is the best time to improve your health and change your lifestyle. So why not start by creating healthy eating habits? This will help you avoid gaining extra pounds in 9 months and, if necessary, lose weight. In the future, it will be easier for you to get in shape after the birth of your baby.

Losing weight during pregnancy is necessary only for those women who gain a lot of weight, and, according to the gynecologist, this can cause complications during pregnancy or the postpartum period.

When to lose weight?

If you doubt whether you can lose weight during pregnancy, you should consult your doctor. Based on your starting weight and your weight gain, he will determine whether you should take action to lose weight.

Before prescribing a diet for pregnant women, the doctor must check the tests and send you for an ultrasound to make sure that the baby is developing normally and that your weight loss will not negatively affect his health.

Remember that 10-12 kg. - this is the norm for weight gain for a pregnant woman, but if you previously weighed less than you should, then the norm for you will be an increase of 15-18 kg. If a woman did not have a refined figure even before her “interesting position,” then the maximum permissible weight she can gain is 10 kg. At various stages of obesity, weight gain should not exceed 5-6 kg.

The dangers of being overweight

expectant mothers have an increased risk of developing heart disease;
a large increase can also cause the development of diseases of the nervous system;
in most cases, overweight women begin to develop varicose veins;
excess weight during pregnancy has a detrimental effect on the condition and functioning of the endocrine system;
With serious weight gain, the load on the musculoskeletal system increases significantly.

Severe obesity can cause complications during or after childbirth.

Consequences

threat of miscarriage;
increased blood loss or urinary tract infections during labor;
premature birth;
intrauterine growth retardation;
difficult rehabilitation after childbirth.

How to lose weight without harming your child

To ensure that the process of losing weight does not have a detrimental effect on the development of the child, you need to increase the amount of protein consumed by 10%.
Avoid fast carbohydrates. If you find it difficult, you can eat sweets in the morning.
Most of your diet should consist of slow (or as they are also called - complex) carbohydrates. Moreover, in addition to cereals and cereals, these also include hard fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Let's talk separately about potatoes. Although this product is considered safe, a woman who is advised to lose weight should reduce the amount in her diet. But pasta made from durum wheat is not only possible, but also should be consumed during pregnancy.
Avoid excessive consumption of fruit juices. The fructose they contain can contribute to excess weight gain.
Try to reduce the time it takes to cook food. For example, bake vegetables for salads in their peels, and bake meat or fish in a sleeve or foil. An additional benefit of this solution is that you will reduce the amount of fat used to prepare everyday dishes. And this will help you lose weight.

Forming proper eating habits

Train yourself to eat heavy foods in the first half of the day, and in the evenings enjoy lactic acid products, light vegetable salads, and cottage cheese.
Under no circumstances follow the rule - you cannot eat after six in the evening. The last time you eat food is 3-4 hours before bedtime. The baby's body adapts to the biorhythm of the pregnant mother and also prepares for bed.
If you really want to eat before going to bed, then it is better to give preference to food that creates a feeling of fullness (bran, nuts) - when they get into the stomach, they swell, and the expectant mother gets full faster.
To lose weight during pregnancy, chew your food thoroughly. This way, satiety from a meal comes faster, and the chances of overeating are minimized.

Prohibitions

Every expectant mother who is concerned about how to lose excess weight during pregnancy is prohibited from:

Go on strict diets and starve yourself(the mother needs to receive vitamins and microelements that will ensure the proper development of the fetus). In addition, hunger strikes lead to stress, which does not have the best effect on the child.
Use teas, dietary supplements and other drugs for weight loss. Teas contain complexes of various herbs that can increase the tone of the uterus or even cause abortion. Dietary supplements, in turn, contain substances that block the feeling of hunger and reduce appetite. And this is completely unacceptable for an expectant mother!
Actively play sports(perform a set of strength exercises or pump up your abs). But this doesn't mean you just need to lie on the couch. After receiving the approval of your doctor, you can play sports without fear. This is a great way to lose a few extra pounds.

Losing weight should not become your goal in itself. While expecting a baby, you should first of all worry about his health!

How to lose weight?

First trimester

At the beginning of pregnancy, many women find it difficult to gain excess weight (primarily due to toxicosis in the early stages). So all you need during this period is to follow the rules of healthy eating. It is also recommended to eat 3-4 times a day. This will help in the early stages not to stretch your stomach.

Eating overly salted and overly spicy food can cause a protracted and severe form of toxicosis!

Second trimester

Starting from the second trimester of pregnancy, nutrition must be taken very seriously. And if you start gaining more than 1 kg per week (from about 16-20 weeks), then most likely the doctor will recommend that you have a fasting day once a week. To prevent your weight from gaining too quickly, it is recommended to follow some rules:

It is recommended to eat 5-6 times, but in small portions.
Drink coffee and chocolate little by little and no more than once a week. These treats impair calcium absorption. If you really like sweets, then you can eat marmalade and halva in small quantities.
Dried fruits should be treated very carefully in the second trimester, because 1-2 hours after eating them you may have an irresistible urge to snack.
You need to give up wheat bread and give preference to rye or black bread. If you bake bread at home, you can cook it with oatmeal.
Reduce your intake of onions and garlic in your diet. Be careful with spices.
Partially or completely give up sugar and confectionery products. The same applies to grapes. In addition to the fact that these products contribute to weight gain, they cause fermentation.
Try to eat less foods high in cholesterol (chicken yolks, sausages, lard, butter and sour cream with a high percentage of fat). Pastries are also rich in cholesterol.

Third trimester

During this period, you need to eat even more often (up to 6-7 times a day). It is worth adhering to the fractional nutrition scheme.
Not only for weight loss, but also for the well-being and proper development of the baby, it is advisable to adhere to a mostly vegetarian diet. The fact is that vegetables, fruits and grains will help normalize stool. And problems with bowel movements very often arise just at the final stage of pregnancy. Meat is allowed, but in much smaller quantities.
3-4 weeks before giving birth, you should reduce your intake of lactic acid products. An excess of calcium in the body leads to the deposition of its salts in the baby’s skull, which can cause abnormalities at birth. In addition, these measures will help you avoid gaining extra pounds.
It is forbidden to consume strong meat and mushroom broths. They contain extractive substances that pose a great danger to pregnant women with stomach diseases.
As you approach your due date, you need to reduce the amount of fluid you drink.
It is also advisable to cook dishes without salt (or with a minimum amount of it).
As throughout pregnancy, drinking alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited.
Avoid foods with yeast (bread, kvass). These products provoke the development of candidiasis colpitis.

Sports for weight loss

If you feel well and there are no contraindications, it is recommended to exercise at home or attend pregnancy groups in the gym.

Training should take place at a measured pace.
When doing exercises, listen to yourself and how you feel.
Sports such as yoga and Pilates are best.
Swimming and water aerobics are very useful during pregnancy.
During these nine months, special attention should be paid to stretching and exercises to relax the back.
It is also recommended to perform Kegel exercises, simple gymnastics for pregnant women and exercise with a fitball.
Try to walk in the fresh air as much as possible (walk 2-5 km daily). This will help you lose excess weight. In addition, walking during pregnancy will help the baby avoid oxygen starvation.

What exercises should you avoid?

complexes with active jumps, swings of legs and arms;
intense training;
sports in which there is a risk of falling (skating, rollerblading, cycling);
in the 3rd trimester, avoid exercises in a lying position (at this stage the uterus puts a lot of pressure on the internal organs).

Scientists have proven that reasonable physical activity helps not only to lose weight, but also to carry and give birth to a child without complications.

Fitball exercises: video

Fitness from a physiotherapist: video

If you have any pathologies, sports are contraindicated. It is permissible to perform physical exercises only after the permission of the attending physician.

Now you know that losing weight during pregnancy is still possible. But this can only be done in exceptional cases. Do not under any circumstances try to lose weight if you do not gain more weight than normal. You also shouldn’t try to lose weight on your own without a doctor’s advice. All you need is to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, do healthy exercises and eat right.