Sensible weight gain - I need help!

[gottaknit]

I gained almost 60 pounds with DS. It's been 27 months, and I'm still 10 pounds over pre-baby weight.

I really really want to keep the weight under control this time. It's not just vanity. I think the amount of weight I gained was unhealthy for me, and it kept me from being active (although that's a chicken and egg thing...).

So here are my goals:
1. Keep exercising daily.
2. No junk food. If I crave sugar, I'll eat fruit, not soda and candy! If I crave protein, I'll have something lean, not a McDonald's cheeseburger!
3. I will gain within the recommended range of 25-35 pounds.

Does anyone have any suggestions/words of wisdom?

[hammycakes]

I'm right there with you! I gained 60 with my first and 70 with my second.. took a lot of work to lose it.. then I have gained it back over the past 2 years ( quit smoking, quit my job, moved and got remarried- not in that order : )and here I am at 175 and 5'5. Too much for me! So my plan is to gain 0-5 first trimest, 6-8 second, and 10ish for the third. At the top end that would be 22ish lbs.. I know i sound like a control freak but I've been counting calories for a while so I plan on just carrying on like i have been and adding 100 cal or so.. Midwife says this is ok considering my previous regimen.
My goals:
continue getting excercise 5x a week
eat healthy/allow small treats in moderation
gain between 15-25 lbs as recommended


L
( by the way, a bit of it *is* vanity for me.. I just don't want to feel so huge and unattractive...I thought I would be honest anyway

[stacey2061]

joining y'all...i gained about 50lb with DS, lost most of it over the summer, then injured my sciatic nerve in Sept. it had me pretty much bedridden for a while and i totally used it as an excuse to jump off the wagon...i now weigh the same that i came home from the hospital (that's 10lb under my max weight! blech...) anyway, my m/w still wants me to gain the 25-35 and i'm hoping to stay on the lower end of that!

she gave me this handy dandy canada food guide magnet. whenever you eat a serving of something, you slide this little bar over a notch, so that whenever you need to eat, you just check the magnet to see what food group you should be eating from. i've only done it one day so far, but it worked like a charm. i ate way healthier than usual and wasn't hungry. we'll see how long this lasts...it'll be easier once i go grocery shopping and actually stock the fridge with some healthy snacks

she's also "prescribed" a walking regimen...uphill stroller walks (i live in a hilly little valley) at least 3 times a week...

[Liam's Mum]

After I gained 10 lbs one month, what I did was, reserve treats to once a week -- and it had to be good, worth the wait, otherwise, I had to skip it (very hard for me!)

I stopped drinking much juice -- my OB also recommended less fruit, more veggies, but I felt like I wanted fruit, I enjoyed it, and despite the sugar, it is good for you, so instead I just cut out the juice. I also drank no pop (soda, to my American friends!)

I switched to skim milk (I don't drink it really, so on my cereal or whatever, I didn't notice the taste).

Whether that helped or that particular month was just a blip for me, I don't know. I think I gained 35 lbs in the end? This time however, I really should get more active -- last time I was at least walking more, even just to the bus and back, now I drive to work and have been very bad about making time for exercise now that I've got DS to look after. Maybe when this horrible cold stops we'll make more of an effort to take walks.

[amberbella]

I'm with you. This is my first, but I'm determined to keep around the recommended 25-35 lbs. Sadly, I've already gained 2lbs which is a little quick for 1st trimester (I've heard it should be about 3 lbs for the first 12 weeks and I have 6 more to go)

So far I'm forcing myself to eat the healthy things that I am having slight aversions to. Small bites at a time. I haven't kept up my exercise routine...sadly I was injured just before we concieved and I fell out of my normal routine because of that...and now, it seems unreasonable to wake up at 5am to walk in the brisk morning air. I'd like to change my normal routine and go after work, but UGH!!! I'm so exhausted when I get home. I have to find something that I will stick with.

[Brisen]

Originally Posted by gottaknit

2. No junk food. If I crave sugar, I'll eat fruit, not soda and candy!

I've been trying to cut back on sugar -- I have a huge sweet tooth and, especially when pg, have blood sugar problems. I find that, when I'm craving a sweet, eating something high in protein (esp. if it has some fat, but if you're trying to avoid that, lean protein should do) was actually more helpful in *stopping* the cravings, as opposed to *satiating* them. It is also helpful as a preventative measure -- so, for instance, when I get up in the morning and my blood sugar is low, I eat something high in protein, and I'm less likely to have a sugar craving later, because it stabilizes my blood sugar more effectively.

[k9sarchik]

Amberbella~ I'm with you girl. I've gained about 2.5 pounds already. My waistline is pretty thick. I was on a good exercise schedule when I conceived and now it's next to nothing. Primarily because I get home from work and I am exhausted! I have been desperately trying to at least take brisk walks with the dog, but even that is hard to do. And being nauseous and exercising don't really go well together.
I am just hoping that by the time I get into the 2nd trimester that my energy comes back and the m/s goes away so I can get back to working out.

My goal is to only gain 25-30 pounds.

Good luck to all the mamas out there trying to get back in shape. It's the best thing you can do for yourself!

[glendora]

I have a much easier time not buying junk at the store, than I do not eating stuff that is already in the house.

[amberbella]

Originally Posted by glendora

I have a much easier time not buying junk at the store, than I do not eating stuff that is already in the house.

I'm with you, and after 3 years, I FINALLY convinced DH that we need to keep junk food out of the house. If it's there, I eat it (and so does he). Now he only buys ingredients for smores....that's the only junk in the house...and when it's always the same, it's much less tempting.

[gigismom]

I also would love to control the weight gain this pg. My first I gained 70 lbs and lost it very easily.... the second I gained 50 lbs and lost it less easily.... I am not getting any younger and it seems harder to stay in shape. I just started a regular exercise regime about 2 weeks before we concieved and I have really fallen out of it. The shock of the had me spinning : for awhile and I fell into bad eating habits and no exericsing again. I think I will go for a walk....

[Hippiemommie]

Just a couple. I'm in the same boat as you.

When you are craving sugar your body really needs protein so eat some protein and then if still craving have sugar. Sometimes nothing will stop the craving for a cookie except a cookie.

Don't let this consume you. Ask your baby when your hungry what he/she really needs.

Drink lotts of water, many times hunger is just thirst.

[hammycakes]

How's everyone doing?

So much for gaining none in the first trimester. It looks like i've put on 3? Already? I thought it was just salt or something but it seems to be sticking. Dang, I really gotta watch it.

[stacey2061]

well, i'm losing approx .2 lb per day. i'm eating a reasonable amount of food, but just don't have much of an appetite for snacks. i've been forcing myself to eat three meals a day and a snack, but blech...i'm hoping not to start gaining until 2nd trimester

[amberbella]

I'm up 2.5 lbs. I was hoping to keep 1st trimester gain under 3...looks like I'm not gonna make it. It's so tough...I just need to eat so often to keep m/s under control.

[knowerofnada]

I gained 73 with my first.

And I only lost 38.