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Many expectant mothers grapple with how to manage weight during pregnancy while ensuring both their health and their baby’s. Mindful eating is key to achieving a balance that supports both mother and child, helping to avoid excessive weight gain and the challenges that come with it postpartum. Managing weight thoughtfully can pave the way for a healthier pregnancy and an easier transition to post-pregnancy life.
Pregnancy Weight: Understanding the Basics
Let’s first understand that it is normal to put on some pregnancy weight, given that a separate human life is growing inside your body.
However, putting on weight beyond the prescribed limit stems from a poor eating habit, lifestyle, and underlying health conditions like diabetes or insomnia.
Pregnancy and obesity are quite common. Some studies show that more than 40% of pregnant women were found obese in 31 districts across 10 states in India. This is probably a result of a lack of awareness and overlooking important factors such as diet and exercise.
Obesity can easily be diagnosed by measuring the body’s BMI. If your BMI is 30 or higher, you are considered obese. Here’s a chart to help you understand the basics of appropriate body weight:
How to Manage Pregnancy Weight?
If you are also dabbling with the question, “How can I manage my weight during pregnancy?” then this list of tips is just what you need.
1. Start Pregnancy at a Healthy Weight
Planning pregnancy often revolves around understanding the mindset, finances, and related factors. What women usually overlook is their health condition, especially weight before planning pregnancy. If you are still on the planning part, make sure to maintain a healthy body weight and get into the habit of eating clean, as this will help you ditch the challenges of weight management during pregnancy.
2. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated helps you feel satisfied between meals and necessary snacks, thus reducing the chances of you looking towards unhealthy munching or overeating to curb your cravings. You can get yourself a bottle with measured levels to keep track of your water intake. Additionally, you can also add juices and hydrating fluids to your diet. Remember, dehydration is a no-no during pregnancy.
3. Understand Your Cravings
Pregnancy cravings can be your biggest enemy if you struggle to manage weight. However, this does not mean that you should ignore all your cravings, as this can also trigger health concerns. The idea is to focus on keeping your body satisfied with appropriate food. You can also get your hands on healthy snacks that are loaded with protein and fibre as these two elements are known for curbing cravings. Here’s a list of eating tricks to help you deal with pregnancy cravings:
- Grab an apple with peanut butter as a choice of dip.
- Greek yoghurt with your choice of fruits and top it with chia, pumpkin, and watermelon seeds.
- A bowl of sprouts loaded with freshly chopped tomatoes, onions, and a seasoning of your choice.
- Substitute unhealthy chips with healthy chips options like ragi chips or nutcrackers.
4. Plan a Reliable Workout Regime
Gone are the days when people believed in complete rest for a pregnant lady. If your doctor has not prescribed the same, there is no reason to get your body into a 24*7 rest mode. Get up and take a walk- the simplest and most effective way to manage pregnancy weight. Jeanne Corny, an ex-president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says that walking is one of the most valuable activities a pregnant woman can do, even if it's just for 10 minutes. To top this, you can get yourself enrolled in a pregnancy yoga or workout class to get your body moving.
5. Eat a Balanced Diet
The need for extra calories and a change in diet kicks in primarly in the second trimester. On average, a pregnant lady needs around 340 extra calories in the second trimester and 450 extra calories in the third trimester. The goal is to find the right way to attain these calories. You can either opt for a dietitian to help you create a customised diet plan or at least try to ensure that your meal has an adequate amount of protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates.
6. Pick Your Grocery Wisely
Whether it is you who goes grocery shopping or a helping hand, one thing you can not compromise on is staying strict with the grocery list. Prepare a list based on your diet chart and fill up your kitchen cabinets with only those ingredients that are important for you to maintain a healthy body. This not only helps in dealing with pregnancy cravings but also ensures that you are staying true to your diet.
7. Be Kind to Yourself
While you focus on a healthy diet and adjust your lifestyle, remember that your body needs extra care and love during pregnancy. Weight management does not mean you have to follow strict dieting rules. You are allowed to give in to your cravings once in a while as a reward. This helps produce the happy hormones you need the most in your pregnancy journey.
Note- Before you include a change in your diet and lifestyle while you are pregnant, make sure to speak to your doctor first.
Impact of Body Overweight on Pregnancy
Putting on weight that goes past the prescribed measurements can have severe impacts on your pregnancy, including:
- Miscarriage, stillbirth, and recurrent miscarriage.
- Gestational diabetes
- The need for a C-section includes the risk of complications like wound infections.
- Heart problems
- Sleep apnea
- Body image issues
>> Also Read: Know the Risks of Hypertension in Pregnant Women
Breaking the Myth: Eating for Two
One of the most common myths that has been circulating for decades is the emphasis on “eating for two” if you are pregnant. Let’s break this myth that possibly is the biggest cause of pregnancy obesity.
Your body does not need to eat for two human beings just because a baby is growing inside you. While you do need additional calories, it has to be done prudently. For instance- if you were eating 2000 calories a day, there is no need to push it to 3,000 or 4,000 calories during pregnancy. Similarly, neither you nor your baby need two buckets of ice cream to grow, therefore, avoid unhealthy food cravings.
Remember that if you need additional calories, your doctor will advise you. So, stay true to the diet recommended by your doctor, and do not rely on myths at a time when you have the finest medical support available.
Wrapping Up!
Pregnancy weight management is an integral part of your journey towards becoming a parent. Weight management is not all about body image issues instead, a rather important aspect is maintaining a healthy body for yourself and your baby. A healthy body during pregnancy ensures a smooth experience and a fast recovery post-pregnancy. Now that you have found your answers on how to manage weight gain during pregnancy, here’s to wishing you a happy and healthy pregnancy.
Also, various reliable health support options are available to guide you throughout your pregnancy and provide a hassle-free baby delivery. To keep your finances and medical needs in check, you can opt for a comprehensive maternity health insurance plan like Care Joy from Care Health Insurance. Care Joy comes in two variants: Joy Today and Tomorrow. These variants are excellent options if you plan to start a family soon.
Disclaimers: All plan features, benefits, coverage, and claims underwriting are subject to policy terms and conditions. Kindly refer to the brochure, sales prospectus, and policy documents carefully.
