Is it possible to lose weight during pregnancy?

Weight loss during pregnancy-is it safe?

Both nutritionists and gynecologists strongly discourage weight loss during pregnancy. Obese women are advised to reduce their weight during the preconception period. This is because weight loss during pregnancy and restrictive diets can harm and negatively affect the proper development of the baby. It has been proven that losing weight during pregnancy and being underweight during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, birth defects, and low birth weight of the baby. The diets followed by the mother-to-be can lead to deficiencies of substances necessary for the proper development of the baby, so the diet of a pregnant woman should be well balanced and provide all nutrients in the right proportions. Among the most dangerous consequences of an improper diet and the resulting deficiencies, experts cite an inadequate supply of folic acid and iron. They conduct, among other things. to anemia in the pregnant woman and abnormal development of the central nervous system in the fetus.

Proper body weight during pregnancy

It is not true that a mother-to-be should eat for two. In turn, the caloric requirements of a pregnant woman depend on, among other things. From her baseline body weight (or more precisely, BMI). Thus, women whose BMI before pregnancy exceeded 29 kg/m2^during pregnancy should gain no more than 7 kilograms. In contrast, women with a BMI of less than 19.8 kg/m2  ^{can gain 12 to as much as 18 kilograms during pregnancy.} Mothers-to-be, whose BMI before pregnancy was within the limit of accepted norms, i.e. no more than 26 kg/m2  ^{maximum can increase their body weight by 15 kilograms.} According to the study, it is also considered that the daily caloric requirement in a pregnant woman in II. trimester increases by 360 kcal/day and by 475 kcal/day during the 3rd trimester. trimester.

Physical activity during pregnancy

According to CDC(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommendations, a pregnant woman, if there are no contraindications and the pregnancy is going well, should be physically active an average of 5 times a week for 30 minutes. This activity is not intended to reduce weight, but to prevent excessive weight gain, which can also have negative consequences for the course of pregnancy. What’s more, the same guidelines state that if a woman has engaged in high-intensity aerobic sports before becoming pregnant, she can also continue to do so during pregnancy and during the postpartum period. In addition to reducing excessive weight gain during pregnancy, regular physical activity also lowers the risk of gestational diabetes, and probably postpartum depression. The best thing to do before starting physical activity is to consult your health care provider about whether there are any contraindications to it.

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