What to eat during pregnancy so as not to gain too much weight?
At the thought of stepping on the scales some future mothers start to sweat cold ... Yet weight gain in pregnancy is physiological and we must not panic. But to ensure that this weight gain does not become excessive, we asked to nutrition specialists to give us practical advice on what to eat when pregnant and to explain why it is difficult to limit unwanted pounds when pregnant. Here are 8 tips to live pregnancy peacefully, without weight becoming an obsession.
1) Why do you get fat during pregnancy?
It is said that on average and a newborn weighs 3.5 kg on average. But then, why does he get so fat?
It is because the body prepares for birth. Here's where the pounds accumulated in 9 months go:
Breast volume increase: 0.5 kg
Blood: 1.5 kg
Newborn: 3.5 kg
Placenta: 0.6 kg
Amniotic fluid: 1 kg
Uterus: 1 kg
Stock of fat: 3 kg
Maternal fluids: 1.5 kg
That is an average total weight of 12.5 kg.
The pounds taken at the beginning of pregnancy are mainly used by the mother (amniotic fluid, placenta, uterus, blood volume ...).
Over time, weight gain mainly contributes to the growth of the fetus.
Often a pregnant woman gains weight especially between the seventeenth and the twenty-eighth week. AND
It is therefore normal to gain 2-3 kilos per month during that period, especially if you are petite.
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To meet her needs, the body of the pregnant woman obeys a different metabolism. Some pregnant women tend to store what they would normally eliminate. The regulation of sugars is different: the sugar level rises faster and the body reacts by making more insulin. . We must not forget that the body tends to store in order to have provisions for breastfeeding.
2) What is the ideal weight gain during pregnancy?
Weight gain during pregnancy is very different from one woman to another, and even from one pregnancy to another for the same woman, explains Dr. Zermati.
On average, weight gain ranges from 9 to 13 kg, but drier women can gain up to 18 kg without problems for either the newborn or their weight in the future. Other women, rounder, gain less weight, but they find it more difficult to find the line, so there are no precise rules, explains Dr. Zermati.
The weight must be kept under control especially in case of overweight and therefore of a BMI (Body Mass Index) already high before pregnancy. It is not just a cosmetic problem, but rather a health issue for the mother and baby. Weight problems favor hypertension, diabetes during gestation and above all a more difficult birth.
The calculation of the BMI (before pregnancy) is done as follows: weight before pregnancy (in kg) / height (in meters) squared.
The advice of dr. Jacques Fricker, depending on your BMI:
You are thin: you should gain 12.5-18 kg
You have a normal weight: you should gain 11.5-16 kg
You are overweight - you should gain 7-11.5 kg
You are obese: you should gain 6-10 kg
However, even if you are overweight it is absolutely not recommended to go on a diet during pregnancy. This will be above all an "opportunity to become aware of one's dietary errors and to find a more balanced" diet, with the help of a specialist.
3) I have gained more kilos than expected: do I have to worry?
Stop the "obligation of the line during pregnancy! For Dr. Jean-Philippe Zermati, nutritionist, there is no ideal weight gain during pregnancy. Weight gain is very variable from one woman to another and the advice of certain guides only create unnecessary anxieties. Only one password: do not panic. The dr. Zermati explains why:
- Most women lose the pounds gained during pregnancy. Statistics from gynecologists indicate that, on average, a woman keeps no more than 1.5 kg compared to the initial weight. Only 15% accumulate an overweight of more than 5 kg one year after giving birth.
- It is absolutely impossible to predict whether a pregnant woman will gain many or a few pounds. Some women, who usually pay attention to the figure, will lose control of their nutrition during pregnancy and will accumulate several kilos, while others will experience the transformation of their body in a more peaceful way.
- Hormones related to pregnancy promote appetite. Often a pregnant woman begins to eat more even without realizing it. And the "increase in food intake can" prove unsuitable.
- Water retention often results in an "impressive increase in the weight curve around 7-8 months. But those last few pounds are easily lost after giving birth."
- It is also difficult to predict how long it will take to find the line. Some women find it hard to lose the few kilos accumulated during pregnancy, others easily lose 20 in 9 months. In any case, dr. Zermati advises not to be scared. Too much impatience can alter real needs.
4) Pregnant, do you have to eat for two?
We will never repeat it enough: it is not about eating twice as much during pregnancy but about eating twice as much, that is, adopting a balanced diet. Every woman's body reacts differently to pregnancy.
Some women only gain 9 kg, others accumulate a lot of kilos but lose everything after giving birth, others still have water retention problems. Whatever the differences, Dr. Fricker highlights certain factors that would promote weight gain:
In any case, it is not a question of going on a diet during pregnancy but of checking the quality of the diet (and the quantities) and listening to one's needs.
5) How do I know if my diet is balanced?
The dr. Fricker shows you some examples of nutrition that allow you to consume everything you and your baby need while avoiding deficiencies.
Breakfast (or in the morning if you have no appetite when you wake up)
- A hot drink - a dairy product - 2 slices of wholemeal or cereal bread or low-sugar cereal flakes (oat flakes, muesli ...) - 1 teaspoon of honey - a fruit
The elements to avoid: too sugary cereals, snacks, whole milk, excessively fatty dairy products ...
Lunch
- 100 g of fish, meat (not too fat) or two eggs - two slices of bread or a portion of starchy foods - a tablespoon of oil - vegetables at will (cooked, raw or in the form of soups) - a fruit
Foods to avoid: dishes in a hard-to-digest sauce, alcoholic drinks ...
Fundamental is the intake of folic acid through vegetables and supplements.
Snack ideas
- A fruit, a low-fat yogurt with two slices of wholemeal bread and a teaspoon of honey or a fruit, a low-fat yogurt and two or three grain-rich biscuits.
Foods to avoid: candies, ice creams, snacks ...
6) How to change the menus?
Dr. Bismuth, nutritionist, recommends the following equivalences, to meet all your needs without excess.
Protein: 1-2 servings per day
175 g of lean fish = 125 g of lean meat (chicken, turkey steak) = 85 g of chicken, veal, beef, pork = 3 nice slices of cooked ham = 125 g of fatty fish = 100 g of canned fish = 2 eggs
To avoid: the skin and the fat of the meat, the frying.
Carbohydrates: 1-2 servings per day (depending on weight gain)
3 medium potatoes = 3 tablespoons of mashed potatoes 6 tablespoons of pasta, pulses or corn = 1 can of peas = 5 tablespoons of oat flakes
Avoid: greasy and difficult to digest sauces
Vegetables: 2 servings per day
At will: artichokes, aubergines, asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, cucumbers, celery, cabbage, carrots, salad, spinach, fennel, peppers, pumpkin, leeks, tomatoes ...
Fruit: 2 fruits per day
1 banana = 3 dates = 1 glass of fruit juice = 1 unsweetened fruit salad = 80 g of grapes (10-15 berries) = 2 kiwis = 2 mandarins = 1 orange = 1 apple = 1 pear = 150 g of pineapple
Lipids 2 servings a day
1 teaspoon of oil, butter or margarine = 2 teaspoons of cooking cream = 4 teaspoons of light cream = 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise
Dairy products 2 servings per day
1 yaourt = 25 g of cheese = 200 ml of skimmed milk = 100 g of mozzarella = 2 cheeses
Avoid: very fatty cheeses such as emmental.
Here is a perfect recipe book for waiting!
7) Are sugars to be avoided during pregnancy?
As explained by dr. Zermati, apart from dangerous foods during pregnancy, no food should be eliminated.
However, the consumption of quick sugars (sweets, jam, candies ...) can lead to hypoglycemic crises. In fact, instead of giving energy, the rapid sugars increase the insulin rate causing, an hour or two later, a hypoglycemic crisis. Result: you are still hungry and eat again.
The advice of dr. Bismuth: be careful with breakfast, avoiding the quick sugars contained in jam, nutella or over-sweetened cereals. It is best to eat wholemeal or cereal bread, or oatmeal.
If you are overweight, limit the amount of fruit to two fruits per day.
If your weight gains too much, you only give in to temptation once a week.
8) In order not to gain weight, do I have to give up the sins of gluttony?
Pregnant, you have new cravings and it's hard to resist the urge to nibble.
All this is normal and various phenomena intervene in the formation of these new food sensations.
- Doctors have not yet been able to clearly explain the pregnant woman's "cravings" or needs. Hormones have reasons that reason does not know!
- Pregnancy alters habits. Even if a woman is used to having a healthy weight and therefore to eat according to her needs, once pregnant she can lose control of her appetite and eating sensations.
- Pregnancy involves new emotions that sometimes determine new food reflexes. The expectant mother, due to joy, anxiety or even euphoria, will tend to eat more or otherwise, explains Dr. Zermati.
- Nausea, fatigue ... are factors that make it difficult to identify food sensations.
It is true that the body of a pregnant woman is less resistant to excesses and tends to store. But that's not a good reason to be afraid of eating for 9 months! But try to be reasonable: if one day you devour a plate of french fries, the next day eat healthy food!
The emotional side of nutrition must also be taken into consideration: some women, who are in control of their weight, feel more free to eat during pregnancy with pregnancy. This state of weight control has been studied by nutritionists: it is the cognitive restriction that forces you to eat, not according to real needs, but according to an intention to control. The dr. Zermati sums up: "cognitive restriction is not a way of eating, but of thinking: a woman eats in order not to gain weight, reduces the quantities of foods deemed harmful, does not skip any meals ... Once pregnant, needs change, new food sensations are experienced, and above all we feel less restrained: unconsciously we impose fewer rules on ourselves ".
