Do your relatives force you to eat a double dose of what you were used to eating before? Now that’s quite natural. They think as you are carrying you should eat for yourself as well as for your baby. Now overeating has other risks too; gaining too much weight during pregnancy months can increase the risks of complications during the birth of the child. Here are some of the ways given on
how to control weight gain during pregnancy.
How to control weight gain during pregnancy?
Never skip breakfast- the ultimate advice
If you think that skipping your breakfast can help you in the
weight control during pregnancy, then you are absolutely wrong. Skipping breakfast urges your cravings for more food, and you end up eating much more than you actually eat.
Moderate eating- stay fit
You need an extra of 340 calories per day in your second trimester and an extra of 450 calories per day during your third trimester to keep healthy. Eat small but frequent meals and your diet should contain lots of fruits like grapes, oranges, berries, plums and apples, vegetables like spinach and lean proteins like nuts or granola. Also, don’t keep an empty stomach, eat healthy snacks in between your meals so that you don’t feel like eating too much at meals. Also, your blood sugar levels will be in control, and you will get proper nutrition.
Walking- best way to keep healthy
Walking is a very good exercise during those months when you are carrying. It allows the baby inside you to breathe freely. Walking 10 minutes a day will also keep your body weight under control. You can add a more 10 minutes after every 1 month and can continue this walking regime throughout your pregnancy. Staying active during your pregnancy months will not only help you check the weight gain but will also relieve you from pains and ache.
Drinking adequate water- no better choice
It is very important to drink lots of water during pregnancy. Besides detoxifying it keeps you well hydrated that is very important during those months. It also helps ease constipation that is a serious complication during your pregnancy months. Besides often we confuse hunger with thirst. It sometimes seems to us that we are hungry but actually that means that your body needs water intake. Drinking adequate water again makes you feel better and full. You must be thinking what water has to do with
weight control during pregnancy? Yes, it does, it clears your confusion that you are not actually hungry when just a glass of water makes you full, and you don’t crave for food at that particular moment thus keeping a check on your body weight.
Go for complex carbohydrates- best diet plan
Instead of simpler carbohydrates like rice, bread and pasta that can raise your blood sugar level go for complex carbohydrates like brown rice or bread and whole grains cereals that give you all the essential nutrients and also keeps you healthy from inside. It stops your cravings for more food as it keeps you full for quite some period of time.
Regular exercises- good for baby
Apart from walking some light, free hand exercises are always beneficial for you when you are pregnant. Don’t do strenuous exercises . Staying active will not allow the fat to be stored in difficult areas of the body that is difficult to get rid of even after the child birth.
Avoid eating out and junk foods- a must follow
You should have control over your cravings for food. Avoid junk food and going to restaurants quite often during the months of your pregnancy. However, that does not mean you cannot eat anything tasty. Mix healthy foods with less healthy ones and savor the taste satisfying your own self. Instead of going out and eating tell someone to prepare tasty foods for you at home itself. Do not fry foods as it increases the calorie intake that adds to your weight. Instead, boil, grill or bake the food stuff that you want to eat.
Limit your salt intake- should try this
Salt can retain the fluid weight inside your body thereby increasing the overall body weight. So avoid adding too much of salt while cooking.
Choosing low-fat dairy products- of course needed
Milk provides the necessary calcium to pregnant women. But in order to check the weight gain, you should try for 1 % or 2 % skimmed milk. Or you can even opt for yoghurt as a substitute for milk and cut the calories intake for a healthy weight.
This article on
how to reduce pregnancy weight will help you a lot in checking your weight gain during those months when you are carrying. These are some of the simple steps that you need to know to give birth to a healthy baby and to keep yourself healthy.