Your diet during pregnancy can go far to help keep you from gaining too much weight over the course of the next nine months. The old adage that you should eat extra food because, after all, you’re “eating for two,” is antiquated. On the other hand, the idea that you shouldn’t gain any extra weight during pregnancy has been disproven, too.
A healthy weight gain between 20 and 30 pounds is considered by most physicians to be ideal. The foods you eat will play a huge role in whether you gain this healthy amount of weight, or if you gain too much and will have a struggle regaining your pre-pregnancy body. Following are 5 tips to help control your weight gain during pregnancy:
1. Eat Healthy Fats
Think you should go low-fat during pregnancy? Think again! Fats are essential for the proper development of your baby. Fats also help you feel satiated during a meal, which means you will not be tempted to eat as much. The key is switching from unhealthy fats to heart-healthy ones.
Coconut oil, olive oil, and organic butter are excellent fats you can use to cook with. Eating foods like avocadoes, raw nuts, and nut butters will also supply you with the healthy fats you need during pregnancy.
2. Avoid Processed Foods
Eating lunch meat while pregnant, or any other processed food, can cause weight gain. This is because processed foods are high in sodium, preservatives, and fillers, all of which contribute to weight gain as well as water retention. By eliminating, or at least severely reducing the number of processed foods in your diet, you are making a commitment to a healthier lifestyle for you and your baby.
3. Drink Your Water
Water is cheap, calorie-free, and provides a plethora of health benefits for the expectant mom. If you have headaches or water retention, check your water intake.
Are you getting all you need? Still feeling hungry after meals? Try upping your water intake. Feeling constipated or bloated? Again, water is your saving grace.
During pregnancy you should be drinking half your body weight in water as a minimum each day. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should be drinking 70 ounces per day. Don’t skimp on this, because water is one of the most effective tools you can use to curb weight gain.
4. Incorporate a Protein Serving with Every Meal
As your baby grows and develops, eating enough protein is crucial so you provide her with the amino acids she needs. But protein has an additional benefit that helps keep your appetite in check: it makes you feel fuller for longer.
If you lack energy, feel hungry all the time, or simply need to curb your eating habits, try eating a serving of protein with every meal–including snacks. This doesn’t mean you have to eat meat; in fact, a serving of nut butter or a handful of raw nuts can give you a great protein boost, especially on the go.
5. Indulge on Occasion
During your second trimester in particular, you may begin to experience food cravings that could derail all the hard work you’ve put in to not gaining too much weight.
What should you do? Should you fight the cravings and never give in? No. An occasional indulgence is healthy and will help you keep your diet in perspective.
So if you are craving chocolate, go ahead and eat a small serving, just make sure to add the caffeine content towards your count for the day. Keeping things low stress and indulging every now and then is part of a perfectly healthy pregnancy.