So, you're pregnant. Congratulations. The next nine to ten months of your life will be filled with swollen body parts, poor sleeping, odd food cravings, baby kicks, pink or blue, unsolicited advice, and magic, pure magic. And, in the end, for all your efforts, you'll be rewarded with a beautiful baby! And for that, it's all worth it. (smile)
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's get down to business, or the business of how to have a healthy weight gain during pregnancy. Perhaps you're in your first trimester and have heard from your doctor that a healthy weight gain for pregnant women is between 25-40 pounds, but you are worried, with all the midnight cravings for donuts and Ho-Hos that you've been having whether that will even be possible. Or, perhaps, you're considering becoming pregnant but are concerned about the whole weight part. Well, either way, this article is for you. It outlines the seven food commandments for a healthy weight gain (i.e., between 25-40 pounds) in pregnancy.
The focus of this article is on the foods that you should be eating as a pregnant woman, but, as you may know, weight gain during pregnancy isn't just about the food. It's also about exercise and sleep and stress. For more on that, check out Maintaining a Healthy Weight During Pregnancy.
Now that we've gotten through the disclaimer, let's move on to the food commandments:
Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial Sweeteners, and Refined Sugar
Let's go through the problems with each of these, shall we?
- Sugar: Sugar is not only bad for morning sickness and mood swings, but provides you nothing but empty (i.e., wasted) calories. Loading up on sugar will not make you feel fuller, but will leave you feeling hungry (all of the time). To make things simple, just remember this: sugar= empty calories= overeating to feel satisfied=increased weight gain. Got it? Oh, and increased weight gain can lead to gestational diabetes, which is not good for you or your baby .
- High fructose corn syrup: There's been a lot of talk recently about the good of corn syrup, but that talk is largely false. High fructose corn syrup is just as bad in pregnancy as sugar because it can increase the blood level of bad fats. Also, in eating foods loaded with high fructose corn syrup, your body will never really know when it's satisfied and, thus, don't need to eat any more, so you'll end up eating more than enough. And, of course, we know that eating too much of something can lead to increased weight gain.
- Artificial sweeteners. For the same reasons as sugar and high fructose corn syrup, you should make an effort to avoid artificial sweeteners. Also, and while they are largely considered "safe" for most pregnant women, for women with a genetic disease called phenylketonuria (PKU) artificial sweeteners are particularly dangerous, causing mental retardation in the unborn child.
Limit Simple Carbohydrates
There are two types of carbohydrates: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. During pregnancy (and in life in general), the ones that you should make an effort to avoid are the simple ones. These are the refined and highly processed foods, foods like chips, Oreos, breads, and ice cream that end up on your butt and thighs at the end of a pregnancy.
Eat Lots and Lots of Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are the good carbohydrates. They provide a steady source of energy, are easily digested, and do wonders for your moods. Complex carbohydrates are whole grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts.
Eat Dairy (But Don't Overdo It)
I know what you're thinking. "But, I thought I needed dairy for strong bones?" OK. Dairy is a great source of calcium, and calcium is needed for strong bones. But...calcium is not the only thing that you'll be getting from dairy. You'll also be getting cholesterol, fat, and calories.
Rather than loading up on too much dairy, it is advised that you go with plant-based options that are also high in calcium, such as leafy greens, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Also, if you do eat dairy, it is best to eat it alone (i.e., not in pizza, Mac and cheese, or lasagna).
Consume Meat (But in Moderation)
Protein is a vital building block for a healthy baby and pregnancy, and thus, its consumption needs to be taken very, very seriously. And, while some of your protein should be met by meats and other animal products, to keep your blood pressure and cholesterol down, most of it should be met by non-animal sources, such as pastas, beans, whole grains, oats, sweet potatoes, tofu, kale, and the list goes on and on. Along with containing the recommended amount of protein, these foods also contain other valuable nutrients that are needed by you and your growing baby.
Drinks Lots and Lots of Water
Water is not a food, but it is an important part of a healthy weight gain. To meet your needs and the needs of your baby, you should aim to drink 10 glasses of water every day (more if you are exercising).
Avoid Sodas and Other Artificially Sweetened Drinks
Rather than soda, which contains wasted calories and zero nutritional value, go for fresh fruit juice or water. Your baby will thank you!
In following these commandments, you'll stay within the recommended range for a healthy weight in pregnancy and, as a result, you'll find that losing the weight postpartum will be a breeze.
Sources
- Jonny Bowden. The 100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy: The Surprising Unbiased Truth about Foods You Should be Eating During Pregnancy but Probably Aren't, Fair Winds Press, 2009.
- Reed Mangels, Pregnancy and the Vegan Diet, The Vegetarian Resource Group.
- Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven: A Gutsy Guide to Becoming One Hot (and Healthy) Mother, Running Press, 2008.
- WebMD, Weight Gain During Pregnancy, WebMD online.
Faye Davison - Faye Davison is a professional freelance writer based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
