When a woman is pregnant, it is quite normal and necessary for her to gain weight. After all, she is no longer alone, but she carries another human being within her. Gaining weight during pregnancy is therefore a healthy and normal trend.
However, excess in everything is said to be harmful. If the pregnant woman is obese, complications could arise during childbirth. It is therefore essential to control weight gain during the pregnancy phase. It is necessary because the weight of the mother to childbirth is decisive for the health of the baby. If you want to know what to eat so as not to gain too much weight during pregnancy, this article is for you.
How much weight gain during pregnancy?
The weight that a pregnant woman gains during pregnancy depends on her weight before pregnancy. We can then say that weight gain during pregnancy varies from one woman to another.
Weight gain by pregnant women is completely normal and is essential for the development of the foetus. According to several studies, the majority of pregnant women gain between 10 and 12 kg during pregnancy, but especially after pregnancy. twentieth week.
If you find yourself slightly above or below this margin, there is still nothing to worry about.
The extra weight gained during pregnancy is due to the development of your baby. Also, your body will store your fats; fats that will help make breast milk when your baby is born.
Don’t focus all of your attention on losing or gaining weight during pregnancy. On the contrary, try to stay healthy. This good health comes through the foods you eat.
The dangers of heavy weight gain during pregnancy
Gaining a lot of weight can affect your health and thus increase your blood pressure. This can lead to several other complications such as:
Hypoglycemic crisis
If you consume too much sugar (candy, cake, jam, etc.), you could suffer from a hypoglycemic attack.
Blood clots
Unlike women who are not pregnant, those who are have a high risk of blood clots. If your BMI (body mass index) is above 25 then the risk of a blood clot is even higher.
Premature birth
When your BMI and weight gain are high, there is a high chance that your baby will be born prematurely.
General discomfort
Of course when a woman becomes pregnant it can be uncomfortable, especially when it’s the first time. Excessive weight gain can lead to various ailments such as leg pain, back pain, exhaustion, heartburn. Even work experience can be just as difficult, when there is additional weight gain.
Pre-eclampsia
Weight gain can lead to pre-eclampsia which in turn can cause high blood pressure. Although cases of pre-eclampsia are mild, it can be serious if the disease is not treated quickly.
Other complications include excessive bleeding more than normal after the baby is born.
It is then important that you go to all your appointments so that the midwife monitors your health, as well as that of the baby.
What to eat during pregnancy?
Before pregnancy, you could afford to take whatever you wanted. As soon as you become pregnant, you must prioritize certain foods over others.
Eat foods that boost metabolism
When you have a metabolism slower, you naturally gain more weight. the digestive system can’t manage digest as it should be, food stored as unwanted fat in the body. This accumulation of fat in turn leads to weight gain. Naturally, during pregnancy, the body’s metabolism weakens.
To limit excessive weight gain, you must then consume what can facilitate the body’s metabolism. To cleanse the body and speed up your metabolism, for example, you can drink hot water mixed with lemon in the morning, on an empty stomach. Also, drinking 2 cups of green tea daily is a good thing.
Eat small, moderate meals
You have probably heard people say to eat a lot during pregnancy. Although you are pregnant, you do not need to take in extra calories before feeding your baby. Until the end of the second trimester, you only need 340 calories what’s more. In the third trimester, you need 450 more calories. That’s what it takes to help your baby grow.
For this, it is advisable to take healthy meals and in small quantities. In other words, you need to take small portions of food during the day. You can eat up to 4 or 6 times in the same day, provided they are small meals. However, the meals you eat should have the nutrients your body needs.
Eat complex carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates give more nutrients to the growing baby. Also, they keep you full longer. Likewise, consuming complex carbohydrates frequently helps prevent unhealthy cravings during pregnancy. Here are some examples of complex carbohydrates:
- brown rice;
- Whole wheat flour;
- Quinoa;
- whole grain bread;
- Multigrain flour.
Avoid junk food and sweets
Cravings for sweets and junk food are recurrent during pregnancy. These foods are loaded with calories and have fairly negligible nutritional value. Rather than consuming them, opt for them. food which are nutritious and which allow you at the same time to satisfy your cravings. Instead of taking sweets or ice cream for example, choose raisins, dates, jaggery or any other sweet but healthy food.
Fiber-rich smoothies made with seasonal fruits, flavored Greek yogurt, curds are also options to consider. Avoid all carbohydrate-rich foods such as rice, white bread, white sugar, pasta, etc. at all costs. Replace these foods with almond or peanut butter, crunchy nuts, roasted cashews…
These foods will keep you full for a long time and help you lose weight in a healthy way.
Other practical tips
Here are some tips that will help you avoid gaining too much weight during your pregnancy.
Stay hydrated
The body naturally needspotable water for its proper functioning. It cleanses and detoxifies the body. Also, drinking water reduces hunger and helps prevent constipation. In a pregnant woman, the water needs are eight to ten glasses a day. Other healthy drinks like green tea, buttermilk, coconut water can also help with dehydration. So don’t hesitate to take it.
Engage in a movement
The stretching light are essential for pregnant women. It is strongly recommended to engage in gentle movements as well as in light exercises. These movements relax the muscles; they also allow you to lose excess calories. You don’t need to do long hours of stretching. A few minutes of light exercise in the morning will give you more energy to face the day. Why not start with small steps? The important thing is to maintain consistency in this activity. Make it a practice and you will notice that you will reduce your body weight.
Constantly monitor your weight
Although weight gain is a natural occurrence during pregnancy, monitoring it is also important. You must undoubtedly control the weight gain excessive. Do not hesitate to discuss with your doctor to know the ideal weight gain at the end of each trimester.
Plan your diet
In order to avoid unhealthy eating and control your weight gain, plan your diet each week. So establish a diet that covers the whole week and stick to it. Feel free to purchase necessary items based on your diet chart. All of this will help you maintain weight gain throughout your pregnancy.
Have a good pregnancy weight can be difficult, but it is important for a healthy and happy childbirth. Thanks to these tips, it will be easier for you to reach your goal: to have an ideal weight.