Weight Management While Pregnant

Weight gain during pregnancy will happen and there is nothing you can do about it. The little person growing inside you and the fluid you will retain due to this, will account for at least 5-8kg by the time of birth. Your appetite will also increase naturally as your body takes in enough food to not only fuel itself, but feed the baby. This is not an excuse to stuff yourself with anything you like. The rules around a healthy balanced diet do not change just because you are pregnant.

There is one key thing that many women overlook on this subject though - what you do while pregnant, is as important to controlling your weight, as what you do after birth to lose that weight. If you are underweight before pregnancy, you may put on more weight than a normal weight woman, so your baby receives enough nourishment to have a healthy birth weight. On the flip side, if you are overweight before pregnancy, you may put on less weight than a normal weight person to ensure you manage your own health.

Recommendations exist for healthy weight gain during pregnancy and are based on your weight before pregnancy. Weight gain in women during pregnancy can be anywhere between 8-20kg, with the average being 10-13kg. However, it is different for every woman and can be influenced by race, lifestyle and medical conditions.

For more information about managing weight during pregnancy, visit the Gold Coast Personal Training website at www.GoldCoastPersonalTraining.com.au