QuestionI just found out that im pregnant today. I had been dieting and lost a quite a bit of weight but I had restricted myself to 1200-1300 calories daily and exercising for 3 hours daily (working out twice a day). I want to to continue getting healthy and exercising but not at my child's expense (i am less than a month my period is only a few days late but the test is positive). if at all possible I want to limit my weight gain to 15 pounds. can you recommend anything?
AnswerDuring the first trimester of pregnancy, you need an additional 100 calories per day. During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, you'll need an additional 300 calories per day.
If you are still significantly over your ideal weight, it can be safe to gain only 15 to 20 pounds, which will mean that you will not put on any additional fat storage. But you'll also need to make sure that you are getting in enough nutrients, which can be difficult to do with the amount of calories that you've been consuming.
I recommend that you consult with a registered dietician who can determine what you daily caloric needs are, and advise you how to eat healthily, without additional fat storage.
Remember, that with the average weight gain of 25 pounds during pregnancy, that only a very small portion of that, or 4 to 5 pounds, is attributable to fat storage. The rest is baby, placenta, increased blood volume, increased fluids, breast tissue development, and other tissue increases.
