Each individual has their own set of body categories, which will change during the time of pregnancy. Gaining weight is one of the most uncomfortable situations you’ve had to go through during this time. Do you know what can be done and undone to avoid this situation?
Sticking to the guidelines during pregnancy weight gain will always be challenging. Specifically, if you’ve never craved carbohydrates heavily in your life, wherever you turn, a group of people will always encourage you to eat for two.
But there are uncomplicated ways to prevent gaining excess weight during pregnancy. Allow yourself to have balanced meals and healthy snacks, stay hydrated and choose heavy carbohydrates over simple carbs. Move around with a standard exercise routine, but seek help from your healthcare provider.
Read 5 things not to do while pregnant to avoid chaos because if something is done, it cannot be undone. So make sure whatever you intake must be healthy and effective to bring the healthiest baby out of your womb.
Let’s discuss the serious facts and tips about preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy!
It’s Not Eat For Two Anymore
A serious myth has been messing around about having heavy meals since the mother is carrying a new little human inside her womb. This is one of the most frustrating misconceptions that can happen during your pregnancy.
But let’s break that!
There is no such thing happening inside your body. Remember that! You don’t have to gorge on your pizza or fries or gulp down two tubs of ice cream in a single sitting. That’s very unhealthy during your pregnancy time.
The baby doesn’t need it to grow; chances are, neither do you. Likewise, you don’t need extra calories to support the baby’s growth unless you’re severely underweight in the first trimester. Then, at your 2nd & 3rd, your calorie intake may increase on extras like 300 to 450. But that doesn’t mean you must have all sorts of junk food.
You can eat fruits or nuts when hungry; make the healthiest choice possible. Don’t listen to just some random person who makes you believe in the concept of EAT FOR TWO and drives you to eat a meal for two.
Remember: IGNORE NEGATIVITY
Have Small And Frequent Foods
Our stomach doesn’t have room to store food if we have any excess amount. So it is impossible to have many foods during your pregnancy, too (because you already carry a small bump inside your womb).
Instead of that, you can have small meals frequently every day. It will not stir your stomach entirely and not make you have a hunger strike.
It’s found that if you didn’t have any room for food as the baby grew, eating smaller and more frequent meals throughout the day was the most uncomplicated strategy.
Eat a small meal or snack every 2-3 hours. Smaller, more frequent meals will make you feel satisfied throughout the day. It’s also a good strategy for managing heartburn, which many pregnant women struggle with.
You will be fortunate not to deal too much with heartburn by making more nutritious food choices and eating fewer portions throughout the day but frequently. However, it works for you too!
Hydrate Yourself Properly
Another strategy to stay firm and healthy during pregnancy is to drink major gulps of water.
Sorry, you need to drink like an elephant!
Throughout pregnancy, drink 12-14 cups of water daily and even more on your workout days. Carry around a 750 ml bottle with you throughout the day, and keep refilling it. Make a note of how much water you drank throughout the day.
Having a large bottle constantly can make it easy to calculate if you’re getting enough fluids.
Log-In Your Food Journal
It is essential to log in your journal about what you ate, how much you ate and what time you took your meal etc.,
It helps you to recognize your food behaviours very well.
Make time to write it down each day, such as after breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some people select to fill out their entire food log, which is especially useful if you are a person who suffers from forgetting things and can’t retrieve what they ate before or later.
But recognize one thing here, always stay true to yourself. This journal entirely belongs to you, so journal everything you ate that whole day; there’s no necessity to hold back. Staying true helps to make you notice what you eat and where to improve, and remember to note down what time you ate.
Get specific by noting how much of something you ate – for instance, 250ml milk instead of just ‘milk’ as portion sizes can also be a pattern to keep an eye on.
It’s Time to Have Your Calcium
Do you know why calcium is mandatory during pregnancy time?
Few people couldn’t tolerate milk-based products like dairy products. It may upset the stomach or cause breakouts. So is there anything available other than dairy products for calcium?
- Oranges
- Dried figs
- Dates
- Oatmeal
- Almonds
- Broccoli
- Tofu
These are the few samples with a bowl of calcium that can help you stay calcium-y during your pregnancy. Having calcium-rich foods at this time will make you and the baby healthy without interruptions.
Calcium is an essential source for the musculoskeletal system. To carry the additional weight of your baby, you need your bones to be stronger and powerful. So chew your calcium on your way to get your bones stronger.
Focus On Your Portion Size
The common myth among pregnant women about food and portion size is ‘Eat for two’.
Well, it is a myth; it is a complete myth. This is not how portion size works. It is mandatory to control your food habits and portion size, especially if you fall under an obese category, to avoid the high risk of delivering the baby.
Eating extra foods will never help you to provide development for the baby during pregnancy time. Instead, taking enough calcium, vitamins, and other nutrients is the principal focus for any pregnant woman.
Allow your daily servings to include the following:
- Two to four servings of fruit.
- Four or more servings of vegetables.
- Four servings of dairy products.
- Three servings of protein source foods in Non-vegetarian – (meat, poultry, fish, eggs) Vegetarian – (soya, tofu, grains and pulses, etc.)
But consume fats and sweets sparingly.
Include Some Fibre And Protein
At this point, we would’ve known the importance of protein and fibre in every spoonful of a meal. The duo of protein and fibre helps you to maintain your blood sugar level and strike your hunger level. In addition, they tend to hold your balanced diet and have tons of other nutritional benefits.
Protein-Rich Foods:
✅ Eggs
✅ Almonds
✅ Chicken breast
✅ Milk
✅ Lentils
✅ Fish
✅ Peanuts or Peanut butter
Fiber-Rich Foods:
✅ Green Peas
✅ Avocado, Guava, Strawberry, Pears, Banana
✅ Beans
✅ Broccoli, Carrot,
✅ Quinoa
✅ Corn
It would help if you had that extra protein and fibre during pregnancy to meet your daily needs and grow your little one healthier. Of course, dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt must be on the list, but remember to include only pasteurized cheese and other dairy products to avoid the risks to both mom and baby’s health.
Low-fat Foods Which Are Rich In Nutrition
Beans
They are an excellent source of protein, iron, folate and many other nutritional benefits, which helps to develop the baby healthier inside the womb. In addition, they fall under the legumes category, which is low in fat.
Remember, beans are great in fibre, which helps in battling the two significant pregnancy conflicts – Constipation and Hemorrhoids.
Numerous bean recipes are available on the internet, which can inspire you to eat more and cook more.
Whole Grains
The nutritional value of whole grains is heavier; it contains fibre, vitamins, iron, magnesium and many more. During pregnancy, it is essential to have whole grains in your diet. It is a good source of nutrients that track fitness and strength. Discover the benefits of whole grains that will benefit the mother and baby in various ways.
Walnut
Basically, walnuts are one of the richest in Omega – 3. Therefore, they are a great source of protein, magnesium and vitamins, which are more needed than before (we mean you need walnuts during pregnancy).
Grab a decent amount of walnuts on the go as a snack, or toss it into your salad, making it more healthy and tasty.
Tips For A Healthy Pregnancy Diet
Choose a mixture of colourful vegetables and fruits, like carrots, cooked greens, berries, and melons.
Eat plenty of beans and whole grains. For example, try brown rice or oatmeal.
Choose healthy snacks like Low-fat or fat-free yogurt with fruit like strawberry, banana, blueberry or Whole grain crackers.
Eating a healthy pregnancy diet requires approximately 300 extra calories daily. The calories must come from a balanced source of diets such as protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Avoid having refrigerated patties and meat spreads
Wrapping Up
It’s mandatory to maintain your body weight during pregnancy time. Prevent your weight gain with the help of the above secret lines.
You may crave junk foods or soft drinks, but remember staying healthy matters the most here. Avoid jumping on unhealthy food habits, and try to maintain self-control.
Feels like hungry all the time? Try to eat something healthy like fruits or vegetables or fresh pressed juice without too much ice or sugar.
