Fat Free Mum

Being pregnant is certainly no excuse to pile on the weight, feel bloated and stop exercising. Being pregnant means looking after yourself through regular safe exercise, eating plenty of nutritious food and resting. Below I will explain my top 5 points to remember during your pregnancy to avoid gaining the extra pounds once the baby arrives

1. Regular Exercise – Women who exercise regularly throughout pregnancy will gain less weight and fat. Weight bearing and aerobic exercises such as walking, running, swimming, dancing, cycling and hiking are all great ways to keep fit. If you are nervous about bouncing around when you run, it has been shown that miscarriages are not more common when mothers exercise. When you are pregnant, you should never exercise to the point of fatigue, just do enough to feel you have worked out. It is also important to not follow a rigid program. If you are feeling tired, you would be better off resting. It has been proven that women who exercise during pregnancy have easier, shorter and less complicated labour. Another great reason why you should hit the pavements.

2. Rest up – Ensure you are in bed by 10.30pm at least 5 days a week to give your body 8 hours sleep. When you deprive your body of sleep, grehlin, a hormone in your body, is increased and this makes you want to eat more. When you are tired, do you always feel like reaching for that bag of sweets or crisps, anything convenient and processed? Also, Leptin, another substance in your body is reduced. The job of Leptin is to suppress your appetite and let you know when you are full. If you are tired, then the message will not make it to your brain and you will continue to eat to satisfy your cravings. Not the best for trying to keep the weight off.

During pregnancy, your body is busy creating a brand new human being, so it is also important to allow your body to rest throughout the day. It is recommended that for every hour of exercise you do, add one hour of rest, either sleeping or merely lying down.

3. Eat plenty of protein – Protein requires twice as much energy to process as fat and carbohydrates meaning protein is the perfect food for fat loss. Protein also fills you up a lot longer than carbohydrates. If you regularly eat small meals with good sources of protein throughout the day, not only will you feel fuller for longer and eat less, you will burn fat.

Red meat is a great source of protein and it contains a high amount of iron. Low maternal iron levels and anemia are linked to poor placental growth, low birth weight and premature birth. Ensure you consume plenty of protein including red meat.

4. Consume good fats- Fats are great to assist in your fat loss goals. Fat is responsible for the manufacturing and secretion of many hormones including mood and stress hormones. It also helps the body maintain homeostasis (balance). When your hormones are in balance, your body can burn body fat. Eating good fats also assists in the absorption of vitami
A, D, E and K. Good fats include olive oil, coconut oil, oily fish, avocadoes, butter and nuts. Make sure you avoid hydrogenated oils such as vegetable oils and margarine.

5. Eat the rainbow in vegetables –Vegetables will keep your blood sugar levels stable reducing sugar cravings. They also provide a large amount of fibre per serving. Eating a large variety of vegetables will ensure you are absorbing a high number of excellent vitamins and nutrients, excellent for the growth of your baby.

Pregnancy is an exciting time and your body goes through many hormonal changes. An important thing to remember is while you are pregnant, your goal is not to lose weight, but to maintain your weight. If you follow the five points above, not only will you be able to maintain your weight through pregnancy, your weight will drop quickly once your baby arrives.