There are thousands of women across the globe, who start their pregnancies weighing more than what is advisable, in comparison to their height and age. In fact studies reveal that in the United States of America alone, over 60% of the women who get pregnant are overweight. Women, who's body mass index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9, are considered overweight. In case a woman's BMI is 30 or more, she is regarded as suffering from obesity. Women who have a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 are said to be healthy and are allowed to gain between 25 and 35 pounds, during the course of their pregnancy.
However, women who are overweight are advised to gain no more than 15 to 25 pounds, during their entire pregnancy. This means that in case you are pregnant and overweight at the same time, you need to restrict the amount of weight you gain, to 2 or 3 pounds each month.
However, it is important to bear in mind that following a weight loss diet during pregnancy can be very harmful.
Instead, you need to follow a special pregnancy diet plan that is customized to your weight and nutritious requirements. Several pregnant women tend to lose weight during the first trimester of their pregnancy, due to morning sickness and nausea. These are common pregnancy symptoms and should not be a cause for concern as the baby gets all the required calories, in spite of the sickness and loss in appetite. Losing weight naturally, because of morning sickness, is acceptable, as your body will accept the calories that it needs before refusing the rest. However, what is unacceptable is losing weight by skipping meals, eating smaller portions or going hungry, with the intention of cutting calories.
A healthy pregnancy diet can help you gain the amount of weight that you need to and at the same time, it can have a positive impact on your pregnancy. A diet that contains a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, fibrous foods, pulses, lean meats and dairy products is considered the perfect pregnancy diet for overweight women. Moreover, the way the food is cooked is extremely important too. Eating grilled meat instead of fried meat or steamed vegetables in place of stir fried veggies will provide your body and your baby, will more nutrition, but fewer calories. Drinking at least 8 to 12 glasses of water each day is an integral part of a good pregnancy diet.
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