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Women's Discussion Board Nutrition during pregnancy?
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Author | Topic: Nutrition during pregnancy? | ||
Elite Bodybuilder Posts: 824 |
I have a friend who recently embarked on a program of fatloss and 'toning' at the gym. A couple of weeks after starting this program she found out she's pregnant. She is currently close to 30%BF, and would rather not get any fatter, maybe even shed a little. Is this possible or wise? Or should she just eat whatever she feels like and leave all the fatloss until after pregnancy? Any idea of what would be a good ratio of macronutrients? | ||
Elite Bodybuilder Posts: 615 |
This is probobly the most important time to look at her nutritional plan! Many women have enough bodyfat already on them to support the gestation of a child, and dont need to put on much extra during that period (and hey, you dont need to lose what you dont put on!). But considering fat loss is foolish and potentially dangerous. Any calorie restrictions can be damaging to the child. Its more a matter of eating healthy. This is one of the rare times I would agree with the 60/40/20 plans. The roughest part is that this is a time to eat right and avoid the prepackaged "fat free" foods. Theyre usually sugar laden and preservative heavy. Ive been helping my sister in law, who got pregnant before losing all the fat she gained from her previous pregnancy. Cardio is a big key! Low impact cardio! It keeps the metabolism stimulated, while not robbing the baby of any nutrients, and actually has a stimulating effect on the development of the fetus. It may (now this is anecdotal evidence Ive been following) actually help the babies metabolism after its born! Crap! What a gift to give your child huh? A nice fast metabolism... I almost trade that in for the genetic gifts I got! But I digress... For the mother, the cardio helps keep the body in a state where it is more apt to move into a fat loss state after the birth. It also improves circulation and all around health. Oh, and congatulations to her! | ||
Moderator Posts: 726 |
Congratulations to your friend! I agree with monster in that pregnancy is not a time to think about weight loss. It is only nine months compared to the rest of her life. To improve her eating habits and continue to be active is VERY WISE for both mother and baby. I'm sure your friend already knows (as this is her second time around) how quickly she will become encumbered by the rapidly growing fetus and since she has not yet shed the weight gain from her first pregnancy I'm sure that her older child is probably not much older than a toddler. By eating better, getting adequate rest and continuing to be active, keeping her body strong - she will be able to get through this pregnancy with more ease and be better able to "chase after" her older child. I'm no doctor, but I do have my own experience. I was only inactive during my third pregnancy (no $ for gym and renovating home so I was basically confined to 2 bedrooms and bathroom for 7 months - with two small children!...by the renovations were done I was too damned big and miserable to care about exercise.) and it was the time when I gained the most weight (35#) and felt the most miserable! The better I ate, the more active I was - the better I felt - simple equation. Good luck and good health to her! | ||
Elite Bodybuilder Posts: 615 |
Damn bikinimom! I think 2 small kids would be plenty of exercise! | ||
Moderator Posts: 726 |
LOL Monster - If I wasn't chasing after the kids, then I was running AWAY from my hubby! | ||
Cool Novice Posts: 11 |
Here's another thing to consider about pre-natal nutrition. It takes us a little afield in that it touches on the subject of the increasing rate of obesity in the "developed" nations, but it's also very relevant to this thread. The article is at RenegadeBodyBuilding.com under articles--it's actually an article about insulin use, but the relevant part here is under the sub-section "One more Explanation: Insulin and Fat". Here's the most relevant part: "The reason why some people are fatter than other's isn't the size of fat cells but the number of fat cells. Though many columnists gladly point to a sedentary society and the readily available quantities of food in today's "age of convenience" as the underlying cause of increased obesity, I won't take the easy way out. Obesity is genetic. But how could so many of us mutate in the last 40 years? If TV has been bombarding us with a high order of radiation as yet undiscovered, and mutations ran rampant, why did so many of us mutate into fat people? Why not an extra arm or mouth or something more useful for survival in this age? Elevated insulin in the blood of the fetus causes preadipocytes to differentiate at an accelerated rate. What causes elevated insulin in the fetus? Elevated insulin levels in the mother. This encourages paired insulin antibodies to cross the placental barrier. Mother's who throw caution to the wind and eat all they want for the good of the baby really aren't doing the baby any favors, especially with a high carbohydrate (sugar/starch) diet. When the baby is born with two to three times the normal number of fat cells, its fat(e) is pretty much sealed." This could quite possibly be true. If it is, I would think the implication for pre-natal nutrition is: eat well, but stick to low GI carbs for the carbohydrate portion of your diet--ie, avoid insulin spikes. | ||
Elite Bodybuilder Posts: 972 |
Excellent, solid info from all who posted. My best gf became pg with her first child at about 20lbs overweight. She lost all tolerance for fatty products the first several months so ended up eating really well (unintentionally) and actually DID lose weight those first months. Not a rare occurance to those who are struggling with morning sickness. Her Dr kept an eye on it but she and baby (now my godchild) were fine. Unfortunately, after the nausea passed she shot up to 200lbs. So getting a handle on proper nutrition during this time is really important. I think Monster's plan is a good one, along with mild exercise. She will also need to support her milk production after the baby is born so she shouldn't plan on going on a calorie restricted diet immediately after the birth if she's planning on breast feeding. I've read that 300-500 cal add'l is about right to support milk production after the baby is born. Wish her luck for me! ------------------ | ||
Moderator Posts: 1330 |
Exactly Aaron. I SEEN this happen. Both with two female friends and their kids and then again on the farm with some of our top breeding stock. ------------------ Lobo | ||
Elite Bodybuilder Posts: 824 |
Thanks for all your input. Of course there are times during pregnancy when your body will tell YOU what IT is going to eat. But it never hurts to have a game plan. Monster, no wonder you're such a big guy. 60/40/20 diet is 120%......my kinda diet. | ||
Elite Bodybuilder Posts: 615 |
Heh heh, oh yeah... opps. Well, it makes sense though, cuz at the gym I give 110%, so I guess I need the extra calories (really though, I try to keep fat under 20%, higher carbs to bulk, higher protien for loss. Like 50/40/10 to bulk and 40/50/10 to cut. I just rearrange where the carbs come from) Heh heh, 120%... |
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