How to Keep Pregnancy Weight Gain Down

Here's How I Gained the Exact Recommended Weight For Pregnancy

Throughout my career in fitness and wellness, I've worked hard to stay within the same, healthy 3-5 pound weight range for the majority of my adult life. It's not always easy, but I teach exercise classes, prepare and eat most of my meals at home, and work very hard at living an active and balanced lifestyle. When I first found out I was pregnant, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared about the physical changes I knew would come along with it.

Now I'm approaching the end of my pregnancy (only a couple days to go), and when I step on the scale, I've gained exactly the recommended 25 pounds (my doctors and midwives gave me a goal of gaining 25-35 pounds throughout the pregnancy). I knew I wanted to stay in that range, as I've seen and heard the health risks of gaining too much gestational weight, including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, back pain, pelvic pain, and a higher risk of C-section. For me, the key to keeping my weight gain in check was holding myself to the same standards during pregnancy that I've been holding myself to my entire life, and following the six steps I've outlined below.

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1. Daily Food Logging

I'm a big fan of food logging and have kept a pretty detailed one for the past six years, including a weekly weigh-in. During pregnancy, I knew I would need extra calories, but I wanted to make sure they were coming from a nutrient dense food sources. I added 300 calories to my daily caloric goal, and did my best stay in range throughout my pregnancy. At the end of the week, I would take a few minutes and review my nutritional data, see if I was lacking on any major nutrients, and make a plan on how to do better the following week. Keeping track of my calories has always been one of my most important tools for maintaining a healthy BMI, and I found it to be just as effective during pregnancy.

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2. Getting Some Form of Daily Cardio

Although I would prefer to run, I was put on pelvic rest for my first trimester. By the time I was cleared to exercise, running felt a little "off" for me, so I transitioned to using an elliptical when I was at the gym and walking outside when I was home. I wore my fitbit daily and made an effort to get 10,000 or more steps everyday. There were days I was exhausted, but the fresh air and endorphins I got from the exercise helped me keep going. I recruited my husband to walk with me in the evenings and it was also a nice time for us to chat and catch up on each others days.

By making an effort to keep moving almost as much as I did pre-pregnancy, I experienced minimal swelling and less sleep issues than anticipated, which I'm sure helped keep my metabolism functioning at a high level.

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3. Preparing Meals at Home

Luckily I like to cook, so continuing to do so while pregnant didn't require a huge change in habit. Smoothies, kodiak muffins, and salads with protein were some of my go-tos over the Summer, especially when I needed a cold drink post-workout. I don't cook anything especially complicated, but I always make a point to get 3-5 servings of fruit and vegetables everyday and avoid processed food as much as possible.

When you prepare your own food, it also makes it easier to log and track calories because you know exactly what you're eating. I aimed to eat out only once a week, and I didn't treat restaurants as a "splurge." I continued to make an effort and order similarly as to how I would eat at my own dinner table.

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4. Meditating

It's normal for stress and anxiety levels to rise during pregnancy, and I was not immune to the worrying that comes along with preparing for a new baby. By checking in with myself and taking 10-20 minutes a day to meditate, I was able to stay calm, focussed, and relaxed when I felt my emotions spinning out of control.

Being in-tune with my mind and body has always been a part of my well-rounded daily habits, and I find myself craving healthier food immediately after a meditation session. I truly believe meditating everyday helped me keep my pregnancy cravings in check and eliminated the "stress eating" I sometimes experience.

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5. Prenatal Yoga Videos

I teach pilates classes on a regular basis, but the majority of the moves I teach require you to be on your back, which isn't recommended after the first trimester. Since I wasn't allowed to participate in my own classes, I needed to find a substitute to keep my core and body strong during pregnancy. I turned to online pre-natal yoga videos as a solution to keep my body flexible, toned, and in shape during my pregnancy. I experienced minimal back, hip, and shoulder pain throughout my pregnancy, and along with burning calories, the daily yoga helped keep me in peak physical form so I was able to continue being active in other ways as well.

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6. Carrying Water With Me Everywhere

When I found out I was pregnant, I switched to decaf coffee in the mornings, and then continued to drink massive amounts of water throughout the day. I hardly ever consumed any beverages besides water, unless I was drinking Gatorade after walking outside in the heat. I filled a 20-ounce water bottle multiple times a day and carried it with me everywhere. This helped keep me full, minimized pregnancy constipation, and kept my energy levels up throughout the last 9 months. I've always tried to avoid drinking my calories, and I kept that same mindset for the duration of my pregnancy.

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