pregnancy in the middle of my weight loss effort

I just found out I'm pregnant with my 2nd child- and my husband and I are happy about it.  I'm just feeling a little disappointed because I was doing so well on my weight loss track- I was down about 15 pounds, and I feel like I'm going to throw it all out the window and have to start all over again with this baby.  Anyone else felt that way?

Does anyone have a sample diet (not low-cal necessarily) that they used during pregnancy to maintain a healthy weight?

first of all congrats on the addition to your family...as i am not a woman i dont know all the ins and outs of prenancy, but you can still have work outs and be healthy during a pregnancy...talk to you doctor and see what he suggests...this way you dont feel like you did all that for nothing and the exercise will be good for you and your baby...besides in 9 months or so you will be able to get at it full force again and it will all be worth it....congrats to you again!!!

Any good healthy-eating plan is going to serve you and your baby well.   You know the kind of thing.... lots of vegetables, wholegrains, meat & fish, lower-fat dairy products, oils etc.... with a few cakes and biscuits thrown in from time to time.   Exercise is good when you're pregnant.... obviously appropriate to your state of health and doctor's advice.   If you spend the next nine months getting into a good healthy-eating & regular exercise routine then it won't be too much of a leap once you're ready to lose the baby weight to simply trim the portion-sizes.  Good luck!

Just look at it this way - if you hadn't lost the weight you'd be going into your pregnancy 15 pounds heavier...

Oh I so understand!  I had lost almost all of my baby weight from my first when I got pregnant with my 2nd.  My kids are 16 months apart so it had just been 8 months since I had given birth to my first.  I was so excited to be pregnant again but definately frustrated with the weight thing...BUT children are SO worth it!  Luckily I didn't gain quite as much with my 2nd as I was more conscience about what I was eating since I gained so much with my first.  So here I am again...2nd baby is 4 months old and I have about 18 more pounds to go.  Good Luck and Congratulations.

I sort of felt that way when I found out I was pregnant with my second. I gained about 70 pounds with my first pregnancy and I vowed not to do that again. I still overgained but kept it at 40 pounds this time around. I have 14 pounds left to get to my pre-pregnancy weight and an additional 10-15 after that to get to my ideal weight (I'm 4 months postpartum after having a second c-section). Even though it terrified me to gain the weight again, I did it by eating healthy foods which I think helped me lose the weight in a reasonable amount of time (It took me 2.5 years to lose the weight after the first).

You've done this before and learned from it! You can do it in a healthy way this time!

Increase your caloric intake by 300 calories a day after the first trimester. Don't eat under your maintenance calories during the first trimester. Eat when your hungry and indulge in your cravings every so often (in moderation, of course!). Eat 6 or more small (200-300 calorie) meals a day (this helps with the heartburn and bloating) and drink as much water as you can hold (to help with water retention). Eating lots of fruits, veggies and whole grains will not only fill you up but keep you from suffering from pregnancy constipation.

While pregnant, here's what I would typically eat:

Breakfast: 1 cup of Fiber One cereal with 1/2 cup of light soymilk and 1/2 cup of eggbeaters with 2T feta cheese

Mid-morning snack: Large apple with reduced-fat cream cheese

Lunch: This would vary. There's a Greek place down the street that I would get a salad from or I'd bring my own salad to work. I'd also bring a frozen chicken breast and microwave it to have with brown rice and green beans. Soups are filling and easy to transport but they're very high in sodium.

Mid-afternoon snack: Reduced fat Triscuits or Wheat Thins with light Laughing Cow cheese. Sometimes I'd eat half an avacado with some low-sodium soy sauce. I also liked plain yogurt with granola and honey.

Dinner: I'd eat what I did before I was pregnant but slightly more of it. I cut back slightly on fish.

Evening snack: Sometimes I would have a 1/2 cup of light ice cream with marachino cherry juice on it. If I wasn't indulging, I'd have a piece of toast with peanut butter, a banana and a glass of warm milk with honey (whole grains, milk and bananas are supposed to help you sleep).

Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night STARVING. I would grab some light string cheese or some crackers.

Congratulations and good luck!

Congrats! Most women gain way too much weight when they are pregnant because they think they can eat whatever they want.  As long as you keep eating healthier foods, everything you gain with the baby should be lost right after you have the baby.  Eat 300 calories over your maintenace calorie target and you'll be fine.  If you breastfeed, you will lose a ton right away too.  Also, the book "What to Expect When You are Expecting" has some information about diet and nutrition when you are pregnant and I think it has recipes too.

 

Congratulations!

As everyone has said, you been there before so you know from the 1st one...

I found this on Cow and Gate website: GOOD LUCK X

What kind of exercise is safe to do during pregnancy?

 

If you don’t exercise that much at the moment it’s best not to start a big new exercise regime during pregnancy without getting some advice from your midwife. Any exercise you’re thinking of trying needs to be low-impact and gentle on you and your baby, so think about trying activities like:

 

• Pilates or yoga - the type where breathing and relaxed stretching is best, rather than the impossible ankles-twisted-behind-the-ears kind! Just remember to make sure the instructor knows you are pregnant.
• Walking or light jogging
• Swimming
• Antenatal exercise classes or aquanatal classes (they’re like aquarobics classes but specially designed for mums-to-be).
• Dancing
• Cycling - it’s safe to cycle while pregnant, but you might prefer smooth terrain and look for one of those gel seats or a cushioned seat cover if you can. In late pregnancy, it may be safer to stick to a static exercise bike in case you fall. As your bump grows, your centre of balance changes so you’re more likely to lose your balance.
• Weight training – you should only be weight training during pregnancy if you already trained beforehand. You will need to use different weights and positions and ease-off in late pregnancy. You should also avoid lifting the weights above head height or lifting weights over your abdomen. If you are weight lifting at a gym, you may also need to take a risk assessment. 
   

Exercise classes during pregnancy

 

If you do go to classes, make sure the instructor knows that you’re pregnant. Discuss your needs with an instructor and why not see if any of your instructors have a qualification in pregnancy exercise for some more specialist advice.

Safe exercising during pregnancy

 

Other things to remember are:

• Not to get overheated for prolonged periods.
• Wear a sports bra and supportive footwear.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Watch your balance (pregnancy alters your centre of gravity).
• Don’t overdo things. Trust your body and if you feel dizzy, faint, cramped, exhausted or too hot – STOP.

 

Exercise and activities to avoid during pregnancy

 

It’s generally recommended for pregnant women to steer clear of:

• Horse riding
• Skiing
• Heavy weight lifting
• Backpacking
• Scuba-diving
• High-impact sports, contact sports and activities involving heights

 

Always talk to your midwife before starting any exercises during pregnancy.

Congrats on your new baby!!!!

This happened to me.  I lost 65 pounds on WW and then found out I was expecting my 2nd child.  How funny!! I was horrified because after all the hard work I was now going to gain weight.  I was excited about having my son but didn't want to gain weight.  I ate healthy and didn't over do it.  I did gain weight with him about 20 pounds which was a bit low the dr's said and they were always complaining that I wasn't eating enough but he was healthy and I was ok with my weight.  It came off immediately also.  As soon as I left the hospital I lost 10 pounds and then within a month or so the rest came off.  I don't think I restricted my eating but I did watch what I ate and ate a lot of veggies and fruit.  One thing I remember was eating a lot of jello and vanilla ice cream had to have that everyday or else the evil side of me came out. 

I would say looking back now.  That initially I was scared to gain weight but since I was conscious of what I put in my mouth I did ok.  I didn't gain very much weight in the beginning I gained most of it in my 7 and 8th month.  Try not to freak out and eat healthy with occasionall weird cravings and you should do just fine.

 

Congrats on your pregnancy!

There's a forum on CC for Pregnancy and Parenting - it might be a good place to check out :)

I'm very close to my goal - lost 28lbs and have another 10 to go.  My husband and I are tossing up the idea of having another one.  i'm terrified to put the weight back on - but at least I will be starting from a good spot (?)

This can be a very good thing for you!

One of the things I loved about being pregnant was that it was the one time in my life when I could eat until I was full instead of feeling like I was perpetually starving.  (I hardly ever eat sweets and only rarely eat junk, but still never feel satisfied by the healthy stuff I eat.)  I even had my OB/GYN go over my diet with me at one point and tell me that I needed to eat more than I already was!  It was glorious!  Suddenly I didn't have to count calories and worry about every last morsel!  I felt so liberated!

I gained 40 pounds, had a marvelously healthy baby, and the weight dropped off completely with no effort within the next 3 months because I was breastfeeding (which uses around 500 calories a day).  It was a really good experience for me.

Edited: (Oops, mistyped a number.  Now it's fixed.)