What is a normal weight gain during your pregnancy?
Weight gain during pregnancy is a problem for many women. How much weight should you gain during your pregnancy is an important question that needs to be answered correctly and appropriately. Normally you will gain about 26 to 28 pounds, but if you are expecting twins then you will gain around 35 to 40 pounds.
It all depends on how you plan your diet and most importantly what you have included in your diet. Make sure that healthy minerals and nutrients are a part of your diet. They will keep you fresh and healthy without gaining much weight. Fresh and natural foods are necessary if you are expecting a baby and you should try to make sure you eat your recommended five portions of fruit and vegetable every day. We recommend you avoid eating packaged and processed foods as they are more likely to increase your weight and store excess fat in your body which is harmful for you as well as your baby.
Next thing you should do in order to avoid too much weight gain is to eat throughout the day. Never leave your stomach empty; have snacks every 2-3 hours. These snacks should be healthy and should provide you with all the nutrients that are required. Make sure that you are not taking any sort of unhealthy food as your snacks. Great ideas are carrot and celery sticks, or a piece of your favourite fruit. A handful of nuts would be an ideal snack too. You will gain extra weight if you take unhealthy foods or junk food as your snacks. If you are going out, make sure that you carry your snacks with you. This will also avoid food cravings that you may develop due to which you may be tempted to turn to unhealthy foods.
The next thing you can do to control your weight is to divide your lunch and dinner plate. Your plate should equally contain proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and all nutrients that are necessary for your baby to develop. Make sure that you eat in the right proportion. Do not overeat; if you do, you will feel nauseated and will also gain unnecessary weight. You should combine all the food groups; never leave out a nutrient or a mineral as all of them are important in one way or the other for the baby’s development. Each day you should eat three servings of dairy products, three to four servings of poultry dishes, six to seven dishes of whole grains, and about five servings of fruits and vegetables. Intake of fruits and vegetables is a must and you must make sure that you eat them daily as consulted by your doctor.
Keep a check of the calories your food contains; this way you will be able to watch your weight. Ask your doctor how many calories per day you require so that you do not overdo it with your caloric intake, and do you best to stay active during your pregnancy. Again you ask your doctor or fitness professional for help and advice on how you can incorporate appropriate exercise into your daily schedule which is suitable for your stage of pregnancy. Being inactive can also increase your weight. Make sure that you eat appropriately and correctly. Eat all kinds of healthy foods and you should also exercise to stay healthy and to burn out excess fats if any.
Keeping a focus on eating healthy and keeping your weight under control is a must so that you do not face any complications in delivering your baby.
