How To Avoid Gaining Excess Weight During Pregnancy

Author: Michelle Pennington

One thing that women don't usually look forward to when they find out that they are pregnant is the fact that they are going to have to gain weight. Most women like to keep their figures and avoid gaining weight, but weight gain in pregnancy is unavoidable. In fact, it isn't good for either you or the baby if you don't gain weight.

The required weight gain in pregnancy depends on your weight before pregnancy. If you are overweight, you should gain 15 to 20 pounds. Women at a healthy weight should gain between 25 and 35 pounds, and those that are underweight should gain up to 40 pounds. This weight gain is required in order to make sure that both you and your baby get the nutrients that you need. Most women don't have a problem gaining this weight; in fact, gaining too much weight is a more common problem than not gaining enough.

During your first trimester you really don't need to gain any extra weight, or even eat any extra calories. You just need to make sure that you are eating a healthy diet though and taking your prenatal vitamins so that you get the right vitamins and minerals in the right amounts.

Most weight gain in pregnancy happens during the last two trimesters. During this time you only need to eat an extra 100 to 300 calories for the recommended weight gain. You should eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and a small amount of healthy fats and try to avoid junk food, which tends to have a lot of calories without providing many of the vitamins and minerals that you need.
Besides your diet, you should also take part in some form of exercise, such as walking, swimming, or low impact aerobics in order to keep yourself in shape and avoid gaining too much weight. Exercise has been found to be very helpful in keeping both you and your baby healthy during pregnancy. Just be sure to check with your doctor first to make sure that you don't have any condition that would preclude you exercising during the pregnancy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/weight-gain-in-pregnancy-how-to-avoid-gaining-excess-weight-during-pregnancy-1125322.html

About the Author:Most weight gain in happens during the last two trimesters. Learn how to control your weight gain in pregnancy Today!