Once you are pregnant, if you’re not already, it’s natural to wonder how much weight you will gain and how hard it will be to get it off. It helps to have an understanding of what normal weight gain means, where it comes from, and why it happens. It’s best to discuss your own healthy weight gain with your obstetrician or gynecologist, but here is a few general guidelines to give you an idea of the basics.
The range for healthy weight gain is usually somewhere between 15 and 40 pounds depending on your weight at the beginning of your pregnancy. If you’re under the average healthy weight for someone your size, then it would be normal to expect a healthy gain of 25-40 pounds during pregnancy. If you begin your pregnancy overweight, then your doctor may suggest that you try and keep the weight gain down to between 15 and 25 pounds. Keep in min that 6-8 pounds of that is the baby and much of the rest will be amniotic fluid. That being said, you can expect to lose up to 15 pounds with the birth of your baby.
Although you want to limit your weight gain during pregnancy, this is definitely not the time to go on a diet. However, you also don’t want to fall into the trap of thinking that you need to eat for two. Whatever you choose to eat, be sure that your getting the necessary amounts of vitamins, minerals and nutrients on a daily basis. It’s extremely important to know that a diet during pregnancy is referred to as what you’re eating and meant to limit weight gain, not to lose weight.
Don’t forget about exercise. Regular activities is great for the baby, even if a workout is a part of your natural routine already. If you are doing strenuous activities and workouts though, it’s best to get your doctor’s advice on what you should and shouldn’t do at different stages of your pregnancy.
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