Pregnancy and safe weight loss

[CyberGhost]

I had been trying to lose weight the usual way (1400 calories a week, every other day in the gym for an hour +, creating a "calorie deficit" etc) before I got pregnant but couldn't get under 10.5stone. BMI indicates I am borderline overweight and need to lose 7lb minimum to be back in the healthy range.

Despite morning sickness, barely eating because of it and having walked 30+ miles up and down the hilly Edinburgh streets for a week, I still weight the exact same as I did before I left.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can safely lose the weight while pregnant?

My advice is not to try and lose weight, but maintain your current weight during this first trimester. If you eat a balanced diet and keep active, it will help after you have your baby.

You will gain weight because you're pregnant. Try and eat healthy and exercise but also embrace the changes. It wouldn't be healthy for you to lose weight now, for you or the baby.

As pp have said, instead of trying to lose weight in pregnancy you want to try to maintain.

Women tend to gain around 20/25lbs in pregnancy so maintaining is almost the same as losing.

I thought you were going to say your were 4.5 stone overweight like me and you were worried about health implications.

Honestly i am concerned for my back so trying to maintain in pregnancy but there is no way i would be trying to lose 7 lbs while esentially in a normal weight range. You can lose it post birth

Take the focus off calories and weight and eat nutritious food, keep active and listen to your body.

You will gain weight, it’s not the time to be dieting.

• cut back on sugar.

not only to avoid weight gain but to avoid gestational diabetes.

• cut down on transfats.

• increase water intake.

I ate the most sugar with DS2 (craved it and it stopped morning sickness) and put on 3 sts with him. he was 9lb 1.

I couldn't eat any sugar with DS1 but craved salami, cheese, crisps - put on 1.5sts. he was 9lb 2

I can't remember with DS4 & DD (8lb 8 & 8lb 3, but have it written down

with DS3, DS5 & DS6 I was sick all the way through and weighed less going into labour (all over due) than my pre pg weight!
and they were 9lb 6, and twice 9lb 14 so it's not like they suffered!

so while I don't advise and wouldn't encourage dieting while pg eating less won't harm baby.
viewed in a purely pragmatic way they are essentially parasites and will suck every ounce of energy, vitamins, minerals out of you. it's their only job and they are champions at it.

Just make sure you bear in mind that being pg isn't the right time to focus on losing weight (unless advised by your HCP).

If you were in calorie deficit, exercising lots and still not losing the weight then you need to move your focus from weight to body composition.
You should not be in a large calorie deficit during pregnancy. Your focus should be on getting plenty of highly nutritious foods and aim to maintain weight.
I gained too much weight early this pregnancy due to my eating habits being pretty terrible with nausea, fatigue and getting less exercise due to being in lockdown. Once that improved I got back to healthier eating/cooking and my weight has bee hovering around the same since 16wk, now 34wk with a big baby. My aim is to stay around the same weight until birth. I did continue powerlifting but became unwell at 31wk so not been in our gym for the past 3 weeks. I finish meds for an infection tomorrow so aim to get back in and do some light weight (max 80kg deadlifts & 30kg military press) on Thursday.

I was over weight when I conceived, was dieting at the time , I have manged to stay the same weight and I'm now 31 weeks
I have just eaten healthy and well, bar the odd few (pack of ) biscuits
I really wouldn't worry about weight , relax and enjoy your pregnancy, then start again when babys here

I think as others have said instead of losing weight you should aim not to gain weight (for the first trimester).
After that I would stick to literally the minimum weight gain, I think the nhs has a guide on their website of how much you should gain during your pregnancy depending on if you are healthy overweight or obese.