Personal Trainers Forum

[Jasmin]

Weight Gain And Pregnancy - Pass Through With Flying Colors

You are pregnant and you are going to gain weight. Your tummy
is going to bulge and it will bulge real big and sex would soon
be a concern. You will constantly feel bloated and eventually
you are going to pass gas every now and then. The morning
sickness and nausea will disrupt the daily routine you are used
to.

The discomfort and constant dull back pain will increase as
each pregnancy trimester pass. The hormonal surges and
fluctuations will make you irritable, trigger mood swings and
you will even start to hate your next door neighbor. Your arms
and legs are going to accumulate body fat, swell and you'll have
chubby little fingers and toes. You will have to neglect your
toenails, you won't be able to reach them.

It is inevitable. Cry. You can make it go away. Laugh. Wow,
mood swings!

Woman, wake up. Gaining weight does not mean it's the end of
the world. You are just pregnant. So face it like a hard a-ssed
mom. It is important for you to realize that weight gain and
pregnancy goes hand in hand. Gaining weight while pregnant is
vital to you and to your baby's health. If you are dieting,
please stop now it will harm your baby's development. Most cases
of low birth weight are due to the fact that these babies' moms
did not understand the importance of "eating enough" when they
were pregnant. And low birth weight can lead to different
complications which your baby will suffer.

So, What Then Is The Ideal Pregnancy Weight?

One of the concerns pregnant moms today is knowing the ideal
weight during pregnancy and they would want to pattern
themselves to that standard. But the fact is there is no
definite answer to this. What is "ideal" would vary for each
woman. I think we should start replacing "ideal" with "healthy"
and start asking how little and how much weight is healthy for
you and your baby.

The next time you visit your gynecologist, ask the good doctor
about certain guidelines about the right nutrition and diet that
fits your body and the body weight you could gain or prevent
that would still encompass a healthy pregnancy.

What Is Your Body Weight Before Pregnancy?

Your own body weight before you got pregnant can be a baseline
you can use to gauge how much or how little weight you should
gain to ensure that your baby will not have a poor fetal
development.

If you have a normal body weight before pregnancy, most
physicians would recommend a weight gain of 15lbs to 25lbs
during the course of your pregnancy. Underweight women will have
to gain more during pregnancy and on the other hand overweight
women will just need a little weight boost. So I suggest that
you ask your good doctor for more specific guidelines about this
matter.

Weight Gain And Pregnancy Food Concerns

A healthy diet for a pregnant mom would be typically consist of
the basic four food groups:

(1) The Whole Grain Group - bread, rice, corn, pasta cereals
and other grains. This will provide you the needed fiber,
complex carbohydrates, important vitamins, and an adequate
amount of protein.

(2) The Vegetable Group - like lettuce, brocolli, cabbage,
spinach, potatoes, and cauliflower. They are rich in vitamins
and minerals. Beta carotene, found primarily in yellow and green
vegetables are good anti-oxidants for the body.

(3) The Fruit Group - apples, peaches, banana, pears, and
oranges, exotic fruits, like kiwis and carambola. They are very
rich in complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and fiber. The fruit
group provides needed resistance to combat heart disease,
cancer, and other degenerative diseases.

(4) The Legume Group - foods that come in a pod, like beans,
peas, lentils, soy, and tofu. They are excellent sources of
fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein, and minerals.

As I have said earlier, you should avoid dieting when you are
pregnant. Weight gain and pregnancy are perpetually bonded
together. I want to emphasize that you only need to eat "enough"
and eat "healthy", and you will be assured that the weight you
are going to gain is of the right proportion and it will be easy
for you to shed those pregnancy pounds right after you give
birth.