Controlling Weight Gain Through Proper Pregnancy Nutrition
The most common question that women have throughout pregnancy is how to control their weight with proper pregnancy nutrition
. After all, you want to eat right to give the maximum nutritional benefits to your baby as it grows and develops within you.
Keeping your weight gain to a minimum is helpful after you have the baby, as it’s much easier to get back into shape if you don’t have much weight to lose. An average weight gain of around 20-30 pounds will help you stay fit and active during pregnancy while still giving your baby everything she needs to grow healthy for birth.
So how can you keep on track with a healthy weight gain through pregnancy? T
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he best tips for eating well and controlling your gain are presented below.
Avoid Processed Foods
Processed foods are best avoided during pregnancy, as they contain excess fillers, sodium, and calories that can lead to water retention and weight gain. How can you eliminate processed foods from your diet?
To start with, instead of eating lunch meat while pregnant, you should find a whole and natural source of lean protein instead. Raw nuts, nut butters (without added salt), lean cuts of organic and hormone-free meat, and organic eggs are all excellent sources of protein.
These protein sources are also lower in calories, free from fillers, and don’t contain the excess sodium that is found in processed meats and foods. They’re a great way to stay on track nutritionally without ingesting those questionable extras that come with processed foods.
Reduce Your Intake of Gluten and Wheat
Even if you don’t have sensitivity to wheat or gluten when not pregnant, you can develop one when you are carrying your baby. So if you are experiencing issues with excess weight gain and water retention, try eliminating wheat and gluten from your diet.
You can replace these carbohydrates with quinoa, millet, brown rice, and sweet potatoes, all of which are healthy grains.
These grains also have the added benefit of being high in fiber, which will help you maintain regular digestion and elimination throughout pregnancy. These grains are also great for reducing gastric bloating and indigestion, a common complaint during pregnancy.
Eliminate Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners
It’s time to tame your sweet tooth if you want to keep from gaining excess pounds during your pregnancy. Cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other sugar derivatives should be avoided if you want to combat water retention and weight gain during pregnancy.
But don’t think that artificial sweeteners will help, either. These man-made sugar substitutes are chock-full of questionable chemicals that could potentially harm your unborn baby. Instead, seek all-natural sugar alternatives such as raw honey, agave syrup, stevia, and xylitol. All of these will help curb your craving for sugar without chemicals or a huge caloric punch.
Cut Back on Caffeine
Finally, one of the best nutritional choices you can make during pregnancy is to cut back on caffeine. If you are addicted to coffee or tea, you should slowly step down your consumption rather than try to quit cold turkey. The detox symptoms from suddenly ceasing your caffeine habit can be particularly difficult to handle during pregnancy.
Most physicians agree that you can consume 150mg of caffeine daily without harming your baby, so try to bring your consumption down to that level. You can step down from coffee to black tea to green tea to white tea, and finally switch to herbal teas if you want to eliminate caffeine altogether. Try upping your intake of water during this time to flush toxins from your system and help eliminate any detox headaches you may experience.
By: Isabel DeLosRios
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Are you looking for the best advice about pregnancy nutrition? Need to know which foods to avoid while pregnant? To learn more about pregnancy nutrition and get exercise recommendations and eating tips for a healthy pregnancy, visit whattoeatwhilepregnant.com.
Weight Gain And Eating During Pregnancy
Eating during pregnancy is about more than just making sure you give your baby everything she needs to grow healthy. It’s also about making sure you stay healthy and well-nourished throughout the nine months you carry your child.
But most women worry about how much weight to gain throughout these nine months—how much weight gain is too much? Staying as fit as possible during pregnancy is desirable because you can achieve your pre-baby weight much more easily after you have your baby.
Weight gain is a particular concern for second semester nutrition, as this is the time in which you will gain the most weight throughout your pregnancy. So how can you keep your weight within a healthy range? Foll
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owing are some tips to help you keep your gain to a minimum.
The Importance of Water
Water is the most important ally you can have in the fight against gaining too much weight during pregnancy. In fact, water should be your default beverage throughout the next nine months. You should aim to drink at least half your body weight (in pounds) in water (in ounces) per day. Therefore, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink at least 70 ounces of water daily.
Water will help flush toxins from your body and will help keep water retention at bay. Water will also help you feel fuller for longer, which will help keep you from consuming too many calories. Water also aids in keeping your elimination regular, which will keep you from becoming constipated.
Eating During Pregnancy: Know the Right Foods
Pregnancy is a great time for learning how to eat properly, a habit that can last the rest of your life. Rather than looking at food as an indulgence, why not use this opportunity to study different foods and how they can effect, improve, or harm your body?
Increase the value of every bite you take by selecting fresh leafy greens, organic eggs, raw nuts, nut butters, and lean proteins and incorporating them into every meal if possible. Add healthy fats such as organic butter, olive oil, and coconut oil so you feel satiated and get your allotment of essential fatty acids. Avoid foods that can cause problems, such as sugar, artificial sweeteners, or foods containing high levels of caffeine.
Indulge on Occasion
When it comes to pregnancy nutrition, it’s tempting to try to completely change your diet overnight. But this can cause more stress than it’s worth. In fact, it’s best to avoid stressful situations during pregnancy, so changing your diet overnight can trigger a stress response in your body–something that should be avoided. So try incorporating small changes over time.
For example, if you have a strong coffee or tea habit, try stepping down your consumption over time. If you quit cold turkey, your detox symptoms could make you quite ill. Rather than stress over your food choices, find small ways you can change your every day routine—ways that you can increase your health and wellbeing and your baby’s health throughout the next nine months.
How Much Is Too Much?
The most common question about eating during pregnancy and weight gain must be, “How much is too much weight to gain?” It’s best to gain a minimal amount of weight during pregnancy because your recovery after you have your baby–and your return to your normal weight–will be much easier.
Minimal weight gain also helps you to stay healthy and active throughout your pregnancy, which makes for an easier labor. On the other hand, you should expect to gain some weight during the next nine months. A gain of between 20 and 30 pounds is within the normal range. If you gain more than that, weight loss after pregnancy will be much more of an ordeal.
By: Isabel DeLosRios
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Ready to learn about eating during pregnancy? Need advice on second trimester nutrition? Visit whattoeatwhilepregnant.com for exercise recommendations and eating tips for a healthy pregnancy.
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