To want to go on a diet at 6months pregnant

[Fatbigandfrumpy]

Weighed myself this morning and I’m up 2.5stone since getting pregnant. I’m 6 months and I’m really conscious that most of the weight is supposed to go on in the last trimester.
It took me a year to loose my baby weight last time and that was only because I was getting married!
My thighs are rubbing together, my back is fat and my arms are double the size. I know I’m growing a little person but I shouldn’t be growing myself at this rate.
Has anyone successfully started a diet in pregnancy? I’m not talking about a crash diet but a balanced one. My willpower is next to nothing but I am getting really down about the excess fat I’m carrying.

I would go for a healthy lifestyle change rather than a "diet". I know that Slimming World do a version of their plan specifically for pregnant ladies - maybe Weight Watchers also do?

You need extra calories during the third trimester in particular. It’s not recommended at all to diet in pregnancy. Eating a healthy balanced diet that achieves the necessary calories, sure but not actively trying to diet. Exercise more often, it helps.

Isn't it? My midwife referred me to slimming world. I didn't even ask

Restricting calories is not recommended but you can certainly restrict junk food and takeaways and that will help keep your weight down.

NHS says third trimester needs an extra 450 calories a day. So that's about 2500 in total.

diets always fail. Make sure you aren't eating crap: smoothies, cereal bars, fizzy pop, low fat food, ready meals. Eat more of the good stuff, no-one ever got fat on veg.

I gained 3 stone with each pregnancy - it helped my nausea to eat little and often! I just dieted afterwards, each time!

I low-carbed throughout pregnancy as I’m obese. I didn’t do Keto and wasn’t super strict (ate the occasional cake, toast etc). I was about 21lb heavier at full term but I was a few pounds lighter than pre-pregnancy weight a few days after giving birth. I had a 9lb 6oz baby.

It depends on where you start. If you’re obese at conception then they recommend very minimal weight gain. If you were a healthy weight then I’d not diet but switch to healthier eating.

What sort of food are you eating? You should be eating healthy, nutritious meals. Don't 'diet unless you are hitting the obese line. Just eat well, don't eat crap. And once you've had the baby, it will be much easier to lose the weight if you're already used to eating healthily.

I’d also recommend a high protein breakfast whatever you do - helps both nausea and hunger pains.

That’s a fair bit of weight, though some will be baby, increased blood and fluid. Have you been overeating do you think? A healthy calorie controlled diet won’t harm you says the link below - if SW have a plan for pregnant women that’d probably be a good place to look.

www.bbc.com/news/health-18101423

I’ve totally been overeating.
I had to at the beginning because it was the only thing that stopped me feeling sick but of course it was all the wrong foods.
Now that I’m not feeling sick anymore my appetite has increased and I have a bit of a “tomorrow I’ll be good” issue!
I just wondered if anyone had actually dieted successfully during pregnancy. Thank you for the SW recommendations. I think I’m going to look into that more.

Diet? No. Healthy eating? Yes. I was 1.5 stone lighter after giving birth than when I conceived, "thanks" to gestational diabetes.

You could look at the GD diet plans for some ideas - nothing wacky, just loads of lean meat/fish/protein, cheese, nuts, veg, whole grains etc. It's basically very healthy eating but also keeps your blood sugar stable!