Is it too late to get a grip on my pregnancy weight gain?

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I’m 22 weeks.
I’ve put on just over a stone.
First three months I was so sick I could only eat beige or I would through up (I’m usually a low carbing runner). Exercise went out of the window.

I started feeling better around 15 weeks and had a few weeks of being able to eat healthily again. But then my hunger seemed to ramp up and all I want to do is eat! I’m trying to make good choices but my portion sizes seem huge and I have to keep snacking or I feel awful. I’m really worried about stacking on unnecessary weight and since I’ve now started feeling less tired, I’m wondering if I start swimming and pregnancy Pilates now and try to cut back on junk (I normally don’t eat any but have been having biscuits and crisps occasionally) if I can get a hold on it a bit?

I don’t want to do any harm to baby obviously, but I’m getting really down about feeling so heavy and i know I could eat healthier - my tastebuds just don’t want to cooperate!

There's absolutely no harm in starting gentle exercise (unless you have any known complications that could cause a problem) and trying to cut down on junk. I think it's good to generally try and stay healthy but try not to worry too much about weight gain

1 stone in at 21 weeks really isn't that bad. Like you've said try to excercise a little and make healthy choices where you can. But cut yourself some slack. Your growing a human and if your hungry you need to eat your body obviously needs it x

Thank you both I think I’m really struggling with it because it’s the complete opposite to what I was like before!
I’m going to start the gentle exercise as I think it will be good for me mentally regardless of weight and I’ve replaced the biscuits and crisps with healthier snacks in the cupboard so if I am
Snacky I’ve got unsalted nuts and things like that instead

I’m 22+ and I’m on a stone gain so far. Give or take a lb or 2! I started to make a point of walking to work this week as I need to start being healthier! I’m so podgy! It’s not even baby bump! I have like 2 tyres 😂 doesn’t help I want cakes etc! So it’s my own doing! I eat well in the day then eve hits and I start pecking on cakes or biscuits! I think if I could stop that I would regain some control. I don’t like when people say yeah but you have an excuse! No I don’t! The baby doesn’t actually need all this I am gauging on! I’m just being a pig! Xx

You sound very much like me OP.
Starting gentle exercise is ok for those new to exercise. If you're used to exercise before then there's no reason not to do what you did before as long as you listen to your body and apply common sense.

I used to do half marathons but now I'm doing slow 5kms/10km with some run/walk intervals. My midwife has said that's absolutely ok as long as I'm not getting out of breath and can still talk.

My midwife also said that fit, slim people can gain weight easily in pregnancy but that's nothing to be concerned about as long as it's all/mainly bump and boobs and you're getting a reasonable diet. She said weight gain is only really a problem in line with other risk factors and I didn't need to worry.

I tend to snack on toast quite a lot and I love honey and salted cashews.

Try to get plenty of green veg, lean protein and whole grain carbs. Your baby needs the vitamins and minerals, and if you are full of healthy food you won’t be hungry for junk calories.
It’s fairly easy to avoid gaining loads of excess fat during pregnancy. I weighed 8 stone 5 before I was pregnant with DD1, and weighed exactly the same 5 days after she was born. And she was a full term 8 pounder. I just ate healthily, avoided junk food and worked full time - I didn’t do any formal exercise at all.

@babdoc it is in theory but healthy foods made me actually vomit for nearly three months. I’ve never experienced anything like it!
So that side of it has been out of my control unfortunately, midwife told me to eat what I could.

I am mainly bump but I’m feeling it a bit on my face and arms now, and I think a good four pounds at least is probably snacks!

But I will take the tips suggested, I’m doing an online shop tomorrow and making sure I’ve got lots of healthy stuff in. I started prenatal vitamins again (stopped after 12 weeks on midwife advice as they were making me sick, on top of everything else) and I’m going swimming tomorrow.
I’m struggling with getting back to walking and running because I have bad sciatica but I need to do something as it’s really getting me down.

Were you thin when you got pregnant? I had a BMI of 19/20 bit packed on 3 stone with DS. 6 months of breastfeeding and most of it was gone. A year on was right back to normal. I figured I needed it and tried not to worry, though obviously it’s better to fill up on broccoli and brown rice rather than chips and ice cream.

Frozen spinach bundles have been a life saver for me. I add a couple into whatever food I'm eating. It was a tip from a trainer years ago when I was increasing iron but it's been brilliant in pregnancy to bulk out mushroom pasta, risotto etc.

I've recently discovered porridge breakfast toppers from Sainsbury's that have chocolate chips in them. It's helped me eat a good portion of porridge in the morning which has reduced snacking.

@LolaSmiles did you hAve a break of not doing any running at all? I was worried about going back to it after a break of nearly four months - I think I’ve lost my fitness so quickly and my sciatica is a bit of an issue

I wasn’t thin, but I was in good shape. I ran 13 miles regularly and did weights workouts four times a week. I had a healthy low carb diet and was a size 8 on top and 10 on bottom.
I just seem to be expanding and my appetite is so much bigger than it was before!

I will check out the porridge toppers - I like porridge and have been trying to have it for breakfast but I have a thing about bread at the moment, I just want to eat sandwiches and toast!
I’ve been pretty good with veg and salad since the sickness passed so that’s one good thing, lots of spinach, cabbage, leeks, broccoli, aubergine and things like brown rice it’s just the snacks on top!

I had around 4 months off as my first trimester wasn't good

I did 7km today with a 10min break in the middle and have a niggle in my calves but think that's about needing to do some more drills on my form (I'm all bump and I've gained over a stone and a half) to account for the shift in weight.

I think I'm going to do couch to 5k again starting from week 2 on some of my gentle exercise days. Midwife said that just doing anything when pregnant is more of a workout.

Couch to 5k is actually a really good idea. How far along are you now?

A "normal" weight gain in pregnancy is 2-4 lbs in the first 12 weeks followed by a lb a week thereafter. So at 22 weeks your weigh gain of a stone is bang on track!

It's completely normal for your tastes and diet to change while you're pregnant and you need the carbs to grow the baby! Have confidence that your body is telling you what you need. You sound sensible and healthy and aware that pregnancy isn't an excuse to gorge on anything and everything so I would just relax, eat what your body is telling you to, and exercise when it feels good. Put the scales away :).

Don't worry OP, your body is changing a lot. Yes, do some exercise and maybe less junk but don't diet.
I always put on loads of weight in my 3 pgs at least 3 stone. But with number 3 I tried to eat less and ended up with anaemia...And still put on the weight.
I've lost the weight within 18 months each time without any exercise or dieting so when you go back to your routines after the birth you'll be fine.

I'm 22 weeks now and I started running again around 16/17 weeks but haven't done more than once a week.

The main issue I'm finding is sometimes I push it a little hard so although I pass the talk test and aren't out of breath, it's starting to be a bit hard on my legs/glutes. I thought C25K might be a more structured way to avoid overdoing things.

I'd put on 3 stone in total during my pregnancy (9 stone up to 12) and the first of those 3 stones was gained by 10 weeks pregnant. Health professionals agreed all was fine. I had a completely normal and healthy pregnancy, birth and baby. I was back to 9 stone by 6 months postpartum, it just fell off naturally.

Please don't worry about weight gain. It's completely healthy and normal to gain weight while pregnant and everyone gains a different amount - we're all unique. If you're worried about the amount you're gaining why don't you speak to your midwife?

Eat loads and relax