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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Overweight, unfit and Pregnant - advise?

17 replies

Yourloveissuchaswamp · 10/07/2024 07:26

Hi all, I’m nearly 7 weeks pregnant so early days, but I’m overweight (5 ft 5 and weigh 74.8kg, BMI of 27.5) I carry a lot of weight on my stomach. I am worried as the risks of pre eclampsia and high blood pressure are higher in overweight women and I had both of these in a previous pregnancy where I was a normal weight.

is there anything I can do? Is it ok to start up exercising in pregnancy? I don’t think you are allowed to lose weight? I have tried to cut way down on chocolate etc.

another issue is I’ve been very sick and in my last pregnancy this continued the entire time so I just want to eat toast and other stodgy foods.

has anyone been in a similar situation?

OP posts:
Loseandtight · 10/07/2024 07:31

Now is not the time to be thinking about losing dramatic amounts of weight. Now is the time to be thinking about the healthiest choice you can make. If you want toast can you have whole meal seeded toast with hummus and cucumber? If you want cereal can you have sugar free muesli? If you want pasta can you have whole meal pasta with tomato based sauce? Think about trying to make what you eat full of nutrients rather than reducing what you eat.

if you have the energy then walking, yoga etc gentle exercise will be great for you. Put on a podcast and walk somewhere.

dont make any dramatic changes now but make small changes.

the biggest difference you can make from your health is going from no exercise to a moderate amount of exercise. The benefits of even just a small amount of exercise are huge!

Loseandtight · 10/07/2024 07:32

You can lose weight in pregnancy - your midwife can help you if you want to. So talk to them. But it’s hard in the first trimester when you’re tired and sick.

Peonies12 · 10/07/2024 07:40

You shouldn’t doing anything extreme to lose weight but you can eat as healthily as you can, to minimise the amount you put on. It’s not recommended to start any significant exercise but if you feel like it, try going for fast paced walk, swim or yoga.

wickerpram · 10/07/2024 07:40

Ensure you eat healthily and do moderate exercise (walking is perfect). But do not do a diet where you cut out a food group (eg - fat with slimming world or carbs with keto) as, no matter what people say, that's just to healthy for a baby.
Keep an eye on calories if you must but don't restrict too much (I wouldn't go below 1,800 when pregnant).
You've had your life before when you could have dieted and you'll be able to do it after - but being pregnant is not the time.

malimoon · 10/07/2024 07:41

You can do gentle exercises like walking and swimming and yoga - in fact, all of those things are encouraged. Don't go crazy on it but make the effort to keep active regularly and it'll be good for you in all kinds of ways. Food wise the most important thing is to eat what you can stomach. The person above is right that you should focus on eating good wholesome food rather than on cutting food out or eating less, but equally if you feel really sick and all you can eat is beige foods, that's much better than eating nothing!

I started my pregnancy with a BMI of 32 and I haven't really put on any weight but that hasn't been on purpose, it's been a combination of nausea/food aversions and only being able to stomach smaller meals, with trying to eat well and to keep active and also probably just how my body has handled it so a big element of chance. Don't get hung up on tracking your weight and don't let this make your pregnancy more stressful, just be kind to yourself and look after your body as it does this big job!

wickerpram · 10/07/2024 07:41

*not! Not to...

AimeeLou84 · 10/07/2024 08:24

Hey OP. I’m currently 39 weeks (due to have c section tomorrow). My BMI at booking was 35 with most weight around my belly. I’ve had no issues whatsoever due to my weight. I do have GD but that was going to happen as my Dads Type 2 and they warned me of the likelihood I’d get it at my booking appointment and advised me it’s nothing to do with your weight. I’ve not eaten healthily particularly at all during my pregnancy, barely any fruit as I can’t sue to GD, can’t say I’ve eaten loads of veggies either. I’ve eaten what I want and can eat and my consultant team are happy with that. Ive only gained 8lb and my baby is weighing that and more plus water retention. Please don’t try and cut down or lose weight. The amount of times they’ve dipped my urine and found ketones and had a moan at me because I’m not eating enough actually made me feel bad on my baby. Pregnancy is a hard enough time without worrying about your weight gain. Good luck!

Greymalkin12 · 10/07/2024 08:25

I am in a similar situation to you OP! I was dieting before I became pregnant and my understanding is shouldn't actively diet but it is good to do some exercise. I completely get what you mean about wanting to eat carbs to avoid feeling sick too...

DeliciousApples · 10/07/2024 08:32

You can be really sick in one pregnancy and totally fine in another!

Eat sensibly and start walking and swimming, increasing gradually.

Geneticsbunny · 10/07/2024 09:09

Improving your fitness will help you massively in labour so any extra moving around you do now will be good in the future

SiberFox · 10/07/2024 16:48

Doing gentle exercise during pregnancy is proven to reduce the risks including the ones you mentioned and improve all outcomes. Going on a big weight/fitness improvement programme will be too much at this stage but doing a 30 min walks / pregnancy yoga classes might be achievable and will massively help you manage the risks.

SantasRubiksCube · 10/07/2024 17:55

Try to keep active without overdoing it and try to eat as healthily as you can but don't assume that because your overweight that you'll have every health issue under the sun. Ive never been slim, but 4 pregnancies later and I've never had Gestational Diabetes, preeclampsia or anything else, I've had all natural straightforward births and all healthy babies. Of course you need to be as healthy as possible for your sake and your baby, but putting undue stress on yourself will only have the opposite effect x

LizzeyBenett · 10/07/2024 18:57

I'm 5'5 and just had my baby and although I'm not sure what weight I am I reckon I have a slightly higher BMI than you I ended up with GD and preeclampsia all worked out fine but if I was to get pregnant again I'd walk more and go swimming so it's low impact exercise and I'd follow a similar GD diet as in low carb more veg and protein and healthy fats. Definitely less sugar and bread /pasta . Gestational diabetes Uk have a website and Facebook page I know you don't have GD but the recipes and recommended foods are something we would all benefit from I think.

PlumpHobbit · 10/07/2024 19:20

Following with interest, as am the same

I did call the doctors today as when doing an online referral for a scan (I think although I thought it was for a midwife) as the online referral said if your BMI is 30 or more you should take the 5mg folic acid which is only prescribed by a doctor

Picked it up today

Original poster
Yourloveissuchaswamp · 10/07/2024 19:34

Thanks everyone for your kind advice. I was a normal weight in my first pregnancy and had high blood pressure and pre eclampsia but there is a family history of it. Just more worried now I’m overweight. But others are right. Nothing to gain by stressing about it. Just need to make the best possible choices in my food and start exercising. I’ll start going walking with the dog for 30mins and I’ll look into swimming /yoga options in my area.

if I get any midwife advice I will report back in case it’s useful to anyone else too. I weighted myself today and I’ve lost 1.5lbs since I got pregnant so no weight gain so far although wouldn’t expect it in first trimester.

OP posts:
Moll98 · 11/07/2024 17:03

Similar here. I had my first baby nearly 2 years ago and I was slim, with a healthy BMI. I've just had my booking in appointment for baby number 2, and I'm 8kg heavier than when I booked in with my first. My BMI is still just ok, at 24.5 but this the heaviest and most unfit I've ever been and I definitely feel too big for my build. Also doesn't help that I'm also really hungry all the time this pregnancy and just want bland stuff (carbs) to keep the nausea at bay. I'm just going to try to make healthier choices going forwards, snack on fruit rather than crap and hope I can maintain the weight I am for a while, try and not put on too much weight then give myself a kick up the arse with diet and exercise after I've had my baby and try to get back to what I was. It is so hard though.

Killerqueenie · 11/07/2024 17:31

During my first pregnancy I wasn't overweight, had a normal BMI and I still ended up with gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. It can happen to anyone so don't assume you will definitely get those from being overweight.

I ended up losing weight during pregnancy due to the GD diet. I wasn't trying to lose weight but it just naturally happened due to the restrictions on what I could eat. The midwives didn't have any concerns about me losing weight as long as baby was still growing at normal rate, and said the baby will just take what it needs from my body.

I wouldn't advise doing anything strenuous, but gentle walks will benefit you, and eating healthier will give you all the nutrients you need.

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