Is it possible to lose weight while pregnant?

[Hawkmoon269]

Aibu to think that I can lose weight while pregnant?

I have spectacularly failed to lose the 3 stones I put on while pregnant/bf my baby. Who is now a toddler.

It's mainly cake. Shameful.

I've just discovered I'm pregnant again (hurrah!) and wondered if I can lose weight during my pregnancy? Anyone managed it? Am I insane? Thing is, I'm going to have to watch myself because I can't let myself put ON any more weight.... I'm huge. Well, not enormous, but a 16/18 which feels huge because I was a 10 pre babies.

So I wondered whether I could eat VERY healthily and eat plenty of good fresh food. As much fruit and veg as I can. Protein and dairy at least twice a day. Sensible carbs (brown rice and jacket potatoes, not cake and crisps).

And lose 1 lb a week? Ish? I'm 13 stone. I'd like to be no more than 11.7 when I'm full term (pre birth).

It's party vanity but also for my own health and my unborn baby's health. And tbh I'm pretty miserable still wearing maternity clothes. Haven't worn my normal clothes for nearly 2 years now and I feel a bit lost really.

So, am I barking or can it be done?!

[gobbledegook1]

I was just shy of 10 stone when I got pregnant, by about 6 months I was 8 1/2 at my due date I was less than 9 so its entirely possible. Mine wasn't planned though and more due to stress, lack of eating and the inability to keep reasonable sized meals down.

[Hawkmoon269]

Thanks all. Day 1, all going well so far!

[Hawkmoon269]

sparklyblue Yes I am!

[BookWormery]

I'm (casually) TTC at the moment and plan to kick my crappy eating to the curb when I (hopefully) fall pregnant. I'm halfway there with the eating already but the no alcohol thing will make a big difference to me.

I'd really like to join Slimming World if I do fall preg.

Good luck with your pregnancy and healthy eating OP.

I do wonder if my weight will stop me getting pregnant though.

[Sparklyblue]

It is possible, I followed Weight Watchers, but let myself have around 10 points extra a day towards the end, I ended up two stone lighter after the birth
Love your name by the way, U2 fan by any chance?

[Fuzzymum1]

I came home from hospital a stone lighter than at conception, I was quite a few stones overweight before I got pregnant though.

[nefertarii]

LOL.


Just to say I lost the weight at slimming world. I joined to loose the weight to start ttc. However I got pg anyway after losing 20lbs. I just carried on going.

Slimming world is endorsed by the college of midwives, i believe. It used to be anyway.

Good luck and congratulations.

[Hawkmoon269]

To be completely honest, there is some popcorn and a mars bar in the house. And I'm going to eat them. But tomorrow - I start!! Hurrah!!

[calypso2008]

Yes, entirely possible to lose weight.

I didn't need to as I was thin, but in the wrong places (ie I had a bit of a wine belly!), but because I drank alot of wine before pregnant I went into health overdrive when I found out I was - therefore the pounds dropped off and my diet was so healthy and I looked better than I ever have and was slimmer in the right places almost immediately after birth. Your cake is my wine - so if you eat healthily and cut out the unhealthy stuff your body and baby will thank you!

I so agree, it is much easier to do it when it is not for yourself.
Congratulations!

PS, obviously I unfortunately didn't stick to it after I had finished breastfeeding

[Theicingontop]

Congratulations!! This post is interesting for me, because me and OH have agreed to TTC. I'm overweight and am wondering the same thing. I'm hoping so, because I was the same weight now as I was before I got pregnant with DS, and I did find it hard during the last few months with the extra pounds.

Can't hurt to exercise more and eat really well can it? Good luck!

[Hawkmoon269]

Wow. Just got back online.

Thank you all! You're right - I'm not proposing a "diet" but eating well. I find it helpful to think of feeding the new baby. It's sad but true that its easier to motivate myself to eat well for the baby than for me!

Thank you for the encouragement

[nefertarii]

Yorkshiredeb I think that is what she is planning. Its a not a diet, its eating correctly.

[YorkshireDeb]

Why don't you just forget the dieting idea & feed your baby lots if lovely healthy food. Try to keep mobile too. I did this (I was fortunate to not have morning sickness & craved mainly fruit & veg) & only put on about 9lbs through my whole pregnancy. X

[pacific407]

flogging ketones only released on Atkins - i.e. they are released when you are starving yourself of carbs. Any other approach (even carb-limiting) won't lead to ketosis.

[nefertarii]

I lost weight when I was pg with ds and weighed less when he was born than I did before I got pg.

Its not dangerous to the baby. I spoke to my go and mw and all agree its perfectly safe when done sensibly.

[Floggingmolly]

Don't know the whole science bit... But when your body goes into fat burning mode you release ketones into your bloodstream which supposedly have an extremely adverse effect on the foetus. I wouldn't chance it without medical advice.

[PeachActiviaMinge]

I'm 28 weeks look like the side of a house and am measuring 33 weeks but I've lost 1kg since booking and everyone has been telling me how much weight I've lost all I've done is start eating better for the both of us. I still have cake and chocolate but not half as much as I used to I just don't want it anymore. Its hard to break the habit but its really worthwhile my Midwife has complimented my diet at each appointment as everything is perfect even my iron and I have a history of anemia.

Eat something sweet if you want it just maybe have a piece of fruit instead of that chocolate bar.

[pacific407]

flogging what toxins are you supposed to release while losing weight? Sounds pretty unlikely to me.

[pacific407]

The food you describe shouldn't really be considered diet food. It sounds like an eminently sensible approach to eating (whether you are pregnant or not) and one that you should aim to follow regardless of a desire to lose weight.

I have recently lost a stone (taking me to below the weight I was when I was pg) following one simple mantra: eat food, not too much, mostly plants (see Michael Pollen: In Defense of Food). Eat stacks and stacks of veg, some fruit, a bit of meat, dairy and some whole grain bread etc. Because what you're eating is proper food, you will naturally eat fewer calories because you're bulking out your meals with plants.

You should find you crave cake/chocolate less after a week or so. But if you really do genuinely fancy something sweet, have it (I am writing this very worthy advice while eating a piece of brownie. No guilt because it has been ages since I really fancied one).

Many congratulations, btw.

[FryOneFatManic]

I am very overweight, and did not gain any weight at all during 2nd pregnancy and had a reasonable but not large bump. I weighed less after DS was born that I did beforehand, he was born perfectly healthy at 8lb 1oz, and I had been eating healthy food and walking to keep fit.

So I don't think you're barking OP, I just cut out the crap and the rest happened naturally, I simply didn't do it with the aim of losing weight.

[Floggingmolly]

Check with your gp first. It used to be thought that the toxins released while losing weight were extremely bad for the baby; I don't know whether that's been debunked or not?

[Icelollycraving]

I ate very healthily when pregnant & gained about 12/13lbs for my pregnancy. Ds was 9.7 & I lost the rest v quickly.

[ICBINEG]

hmm well I did the HG crash diet so definitely lost weight during pregnancy. Sounds like you are planning a sensible amount of loss per week so I would think you are good to go!

[hellsbellsmelons]

Just eat healthily and sensibly and remember you do NOT need to eat for 2 two.
What will happen will happen and you need to just go with the flow and not stress while you are pregnant worrying about weight etc...
I lost loads in the 1st 5 months but that's because I couldn't keep a bloomin' thing down.
Enjoy your pregnancy and many congrats!

[LadyKatherine]

I lost 4kg between the time I booked in with my midwife and my 24 week appointment. Not intentionally either which was a nice surprise.