Anyone up for a chat about weight loss/maintenance in pregnancy?

[AyeWhySwim]

Hi - I've just found out I'm about 6 weeks pregnant and in an ideal world I'd have lost some of this excess weight before conceiving. It happened more quickly than I expected and I think I needed the kick up the bum to get really serious about my diet. To put it in context I'm more than a couple of stones overweight so I'm not just being fussy.
I've read of people losing/not gaining weight during pregnancy to maximise health for themselves and their baby - I'd like to know if anyone else has done this or is in the position of wanting to do this? Or has links to resources on what the best approach is to be as healthy as possible? Or just to have a chat about how it's going for them?
Thanks!

Ooh yeah the weeing and all the pressure on the bladder I remember it well! Off out for a brisk walk now!

@Cagliostro - you mentioned you're following a low carb diet because of GD, have you read any info on the suitability of low carb in pregnancy generally?

I haven't, but I wish I had TBH as if I'd started following it earlier perhaps I could have avoided/reduced all this stress of GD now! I'm on a Facebook group for GD mums and there is a lot of talk from people who have had GD pregnancies before about starting low carb earlier even when not diagnosed yet in subsequent pregnancies.

It makes sense to me as a general way of eating anyway I think and I plan to continue to some extent after the birth even though I don't have to. But I will have a lot more freedom for treats then as I am being really super strict now.

It's not an extreme diet at all really - I took it way too far at first (being autistic I took the consultant literally when she said about avoiding certain things) and got really unwell. But I was then told that basically all I should do is halve what carbs I have with a meal and opt for wholemeal etc, and increase protein/healthy fats, but otherwise eat normally.

I have been doing stuff like eggs bacon and avocado for breakfasts, if I have anything like pasta I'll do a small amount for me with more sauce and veg, burgers I can enjoy without the bun, that kind of thing. So in that sense it's not an extreme change at all really. It's more the snacks I have to be careful about and I am having some stuff with sweeteners in which I wouldn't normally, but it's the only way I can have anything very sweet without risking my sugars going high.

Sorry I am waffling but basically I don't think there would be any harm in just reducing carbs a bit, it doesn't have to be extreme at all and if it means you end up eating more good stuff to balance it out then that can't be bad.

Thanks - that's really helpful. Pretty much what I'm trying to do of my own accord anyway.

Ah that's good :) I really do wish I'd started earlier. I must have been eating better (losing weight etc before getting diagnosed) but I was still packing away the carbs!

It's really made me see how much sugar there is in everything. I know I'll be ravenous during breastfeeding 😂 but hopefully I can still be more mindful of it.

I'm really intrigued to see how much I weigh once baby arrives! I was pretty much 20st at new year, my heaviest ever. Last time I weighed myself (32 weeks I think) I was just under 18. But some of that must now be baby/placenta etc. Just depends how much I put on in the meantime as I doubt I could outrun the actual baby weight at this late stage!

I’m 17 weeks and so far only 5lbs on. I’m in the over weight category bmi was 27 on booking in. I’m following the nhs guidelines of 15-25lb weight gain for my pregnancy. This has also helped me www.babymed.com/tools/pregnancy-weight-gain-calculator-by-week I’m getting married 5/6 months after this little one makes an appearance so trying to limit gain as much as pos.

Today was a bad day... a muffin and a macaroon lol but trying to get back on track tonight with homemade cottage pie!

I’ve found things like bagel thins have helped replace normal bagels etc not diet stuff just smaller. I’m also finding my appetite is decreasing too no idea why!!

Hi all. I’m 18 weeks and have a BMI over 40. This is my second DC. First DC I weighed less the day after I gave birth than at my booking in appointment.

Now 18 weeks and am 9lbs lighter than I was at conception. All thanks to nausea 🙄

Sounds like a pretty good weight-loss method!
I've been trying for a few weeks now but scales aren't really budging.

I've got such severe heartburn that you'd think it would stop me eating but I just feel starving all the time. That said, I am having smaller portions as I know how bad it will be if I don't. Literally burning all the time even with loads of gaviscon-lovely.

I'm going to make a start this week with swimming etc and also thinking of doing a month of weight watchers online to try and kick start some better habits.

I was tested for GD during my first pregnancy due to some borderline results and am a bit worried about it this time too so it's interesting to hear that low carb can be good for prevention. I'm definitely wanting more carbs than usual and I wonder if that's giving me the sweet tooth and need to snack because I'm not usually bothered about bread or sweet stuff.

Gaviscon is gross isn't it? I'm not looking forward to the need for that. I feel like I was drinking it by the pint last time round.
I'm trying to up the exercise but I have to say I've not done well on the healthy eating front tonight - Saturday night is hard without wine!

I find the lack of wine hard too and I feel like I need some sort of treat to mark the weekend, it's tricky ! Just think of the calories saved I guess with no wine!
Yes , disgusting stuff gaviscon and I am getting through an alarming amount. I get heartburn at the best of times so pregnancy has been awful for it and getting worse!

Very true about the calories saved, Mortigua...I suppose

Pregnancy is the worst time to chose to lose weight. Wait until after the baby is born! I'm in the same boat, but I'm just trying to eat well and give baby nutrients it needs.

I'm finding it really hard. I'm only just in the overweight category but I tend to put a LOT of weight on in pregnancy - 4 stone last time 😔 I have severe nausea all the way through abs even though I'm medicated I only really feel better if I'm eating. It was healthy stuff like oat cakes and veg last time. I'm 8wks pg and even though I'm vomiting a couple of times a day I'm still gaining weight. Just weighed myself this morning and it's spurred me on to go for a jog for the first time in ages. Wish me luck! Very tempted by the davina DVD

Gah. Am grumpy at the moment because I have a sore throat and cold. Always knocks me for six because I have underlying conditions (fibromyalgia etc). But now because of the GD I have to be super careful what I eat as stuff like hot apple juice with honey will increase my blood sugar :( feeling rather sorry for myself but maybe it's a good thing that I can't use it as an excuse to stuff my face! Annoying about the exercise though - I am really achy and dizzy which is likely to last a few days at least and when I flare up like that I have to be really careful.

Thank goodness sweeteners exist is all I can say. Little cans of Diet Coke, sugar free jelly and sugar free strepsils to the rescue!

Cagliostro that sounds totally miserable. Feel for you. I guess there are other comforts like warm baths, snuggling on the sofa, tea...? Take care x

@LadyRenoir I think it's less focussed on the 'trying to lose weight' than eating really well and maximising nutrition/minimising crap. Plus staying active so I'm fit enough to feel well as the pregnancy progresses.

Eg had a spoonful of tiramisu last night not a bowlful and eggs this morning instead of a croissant!

Why oh why did I do that pregnancy weight calculator 😱. God. The bloody thing has merrily told me I'm obese already. Need to aim to get this under control asap. I don't have a massive appetite but I've been having a bagel in the mornings which i should probably stop doing.

Hello! May I join you all? Glad I found this thread.

I had a bmi of 26(ish) pre-pregnancy. I know this, as it was a bit of a surprise pregnancy and I'd actually been on a health kick / diet when I found out I was pregnant, so was keeping an eye on my weight.

Anyway, I'm now 23 weeks and this baby is measuring fairly large. I am sure I've gained a lot too but am too chicken to get on the scales yet. I'm scared of having a big baby, as I had shoulder dystocia with my last birth. I spoke to a MW who said that I should start a low(ish) carb diet as she thought this might help? Don't know, but even if not, I'd rather my weight was healthier before the big event, so I just started lower carb today.

My BMI was 33 at booking in appointment, they mentioned it but not at all in a judgey way, which was good as I had been anxious about it for weeks in advance. I know it was stupid to let myself get so overweight and I just felt so worried I had put the baby at risk. Anyway, all seems fine so far. At my 16 week midwife appointment I had only gained 2lb so I was happy with that. I'm now 22 weeks and I do feel like I've expanded a bit in the last fortnight although I haven't weighed myself. Back at the midwife in 3 weeks so that will be the next time I get weighed. Diet hasn't been awful but not great either- definitely snacking too much but I'm also much hungrier than normal. I'm doing ante natal yoga and the normal dog walking but I'm on my feet all day at work and I'm so exhausted by the time I finish that I can't really be arsed to do much else. Ill be happy if I can stick to the NHS guidelines of 2st max gain.

How are you all doing?

I weighed myself today for the first time since starting the enforced lower carb diet. Lost 5lb :) woo!

@Cagliostro that is fab!! Well done you!

I am not doing well at all! I'm very early and feeling pretty rough. My food choices are really poor and my diet is far worse than it is normally. I cannot face eating meat, and am not really enjoying fruit or salads. All I want to eat is stodge and carbs, which is what I normally try to heavily restrict because I pile on weight if I so much as look at a bowl of pasta!

The only positive is that the nausea and very reduced appetite (me, no appetite?! I never thought this would happen!) means I'm not eating much. So I'm maintaining my weight simply because the volume of food has gone down. I'm hoping the nausea will abate and then I'll feel better able to eat more meat / veg / fruit and less stodgy crap.

I did discover yesterday that half a bowl of veggie soup went down quite well and fills my tummy to ease the nausea so I am going to get some fresh soups in my next food delivery. Normally I cook everything myself from scratch but that is just not gonna happen right now!

Hi all!

@cagliostro Oh that's good progress! Is weight loss your goal or just maintaining?

I still haven't weighed myself . I will later (if I can see past my massive bump)! I don't think I'll lose any weight at this stage of pregnancy, but hopefully won't gain too much.

I have started lower carb / low gi on the advice of a MW. I had a good day yesterday and today is going well too. I'm only having 'good' carbs; pulses, porridge occasionally, fruit and veg. I have cut out bread, cakes, pastries, white potatoes, rice, pasta etc. So far, so good and I feel like I'm eating plenty. Less crappy snack foods so snacks have just been whole fruit.

This is probably what a lot of women already do in pregnancy and what I should have been doing too! I just love cake.