Can you go on a diet while pregnant? & bull; hello healthy

Seeing the needle on the scale shifting to the right often makes mothers think about going on a diet during pregnancy. In fact, during pregnancy, it is as if you are feeding two people, namely yourself and the baby in the womb.

That is why every pregnant woman is required to eat more so that the nutrition received by the body is sufficient to meet the needs of the mother and baby.

However, as a woman, you may still have concerns about changing your appearance due to weight gain. Actually, is it okay or not if pregnant women go on a diet to lose weight?

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Can pregnant women diet to lose weight?

Diet is generally defined as a way to lose weight.

However, it needs to be straightened out beforehand that a diet is literally a diet or dietary rules specific to certain health conditions.

For mothers who are pregnant, adequate nutrition during pregnancy is needed not only for the mother, but also for the baby.

If the mother's diet aims to lose weight, of course this diet during pregnancy is not recommended.

This is because in addition to losing weight, the diet that the mother does can also reduce the nutritional intake of pregnant women which then affects the baby.

Meanwhile, if the diet that the mother does intends to regulate food intake and daily diet, it is okay to live it during pregnancy.

Adjusting the intake of food and this daily diet will help maintain the weight of the mother during pregnancy so that the increase is still at the right level.

How do you regulate the diet for pregnant women?

According to the American Pregnancy Association, the recommended diet during pregnancy means adjusting your intake and diet to ensure that you and your baby's nutritional needs are properly met.

In other words, the right diet for pregnant women is being able to regulate the best possible diet so that their nutritional intake is optimal to support the baby's growth and development.

Well, the mother's diet during pregnancy to regulate intake and diet can be done by eating a variety of food sources, including:

1. Food sources of carbohydrates

You can get carbohydrate sources from rice, bread, potatoes, noodles, pasta, grains, and others. Carbohydrates are useful as a source of energy for both mother and baby in the womb.

2. Food sources of protein

Babies who are developing in the womb need a lot of protein intake, especially in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

Daily protein sources for the diet of pregnant women can be processed from red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, tofu, tempeh, and so on.

3. Food sources of fat

Foods for pregnant women, sources of fat include red meat, chicken, eggs, avocado, eggs, fish and nuts.

Just like other nutrients, fat also has an important function to support the development of the brain, eyes and other parts of the baby's body.

However, make sure you choose foods with unsaturated fats so they are not harmful to health.

3. Food sources of folic acid

Eating foods containing folic acid plays a role in preventing preterm babies and birth defects in babies since the 1st trimester of pregnancy.

Food sources rich in folic acid for a pregnant woman's diet include citrus fruits, nuts, and green leafy vegetables such as spinach.

4. Food sources of iron

The iron content of these foods can be found in red meat, chicken, spinach and fortified cereals.

The function of iron during pregnancy is to deliver oxygen from the mother to the baby.

5. Food sources of iodine

Adequate iodine intake in the mother's diet during pregnancy is useful for supporting fetal brain and nerve development.

You can get this iodine in foods such as milk, cheese, yogurt, baked potatoes, salmon and shrimp.

6. Food sources of calcium

Calcium during pregnancy is needed to support the growth of bones and teeth, blood clotting, and muscle and nerve function of the baby.

In order to develop optimally, babies need large amounts of calcium.

If your calcium intake is insufficient and cannot meet the baby's needs, the body will automatically take calcium from your bones.

When this continues, you are at risk of developing osteoporosis later in life.

That is why, you should meet the calcium needs in the diet for pregnant women by eating seafood, nuts, milk, and dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.

7. Food sources of fiber, vitamins, and minerals

You can get a source of fiber, vitamins and minerals from anywhere, including vegetables and fruit for pregnant women.

Fruits and vegetables such as oranges, papayas, tomatoes, strawberries, carrots, spinach and pumpkin, kale, etc. are good sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

You can also get other vitamins and minerals from food, from red meat, chicken, seafood, eggs, to nuts.

What is the ideal weight gain for women during pregnancy?

As previously explained, it is normal for pregnant women to gain weight.

This is because there is a growing fetus, placenta, and amniotic fluid so that it affects the mother's weight.

In fact, weight gain during pregnancy is often taken as a sign that you have a healthy pregnancy.

The following is the range of normal weight gain if the mother is on a diet while pregnant, launching from the Mayo Clinic:

• If the mother starts with a body weight below normal (body mass index or BMI below 18.5), she will need to gain about 13-18 kilograms (kg).
• If the mother's body weight starts with normal body weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), the mother needs to increase the weight of about 11-16 kg.
• If the mother's weight starts with a body weight above normal (BMI 25-29.9), the mother needs to increase the weight of about 7-11 kg.
• If the mother's body weight starts with overweight (BMI above 30), the mother needs to gain weight about 5-9 kg.

It's different if you are pregnant with twins, the ideal weight gain is as follows:

• If the mother's weight starts with normal body weight, the mother needs to increase the weight of about 17-25 kg.
• If the mother's weight starts with a body weight above normal, the mother needs to increase the weight of about 14-23 kg.
• If the mother's body weight starts with overweight body weight, the mother needs to gain about 11-19 kg.

In addition to estimating by yourself, you can calculate using a calculator for a pregnant woman's weight gain if you want it to be easier.

So, from now on you should apply the right diet for pregnant women so that pregnancy is always healthy.

Is it safe for a mother to take medication for a diet while pregnant?

Doing a diet to lose weight during pregnancy is actually not recommended, especially if the mother deliberately takes diet medications.

Take slimming drugs during pregnancy, of course strongly discouraged. This is because diet or slimming drugs generally contain stimulants.

Stimulants can stimulate the body to increase the heart rate so that more calories can be burned by the body. Unfortunately, this is not a safe option for the unborn baby.

During pregnancy, the body works harder by helping to supply the energy and nutrients that the baby needs in the womb.

This is done so that the fetus gets sufficient intake to support the development of the organs and the baby's weight.

Therefore, the body needs more calories, vitamins and minerals than you are used to.

In addition, the body also needs to make adjustments to the pregnancy itself.

One of the adjustments is done by increasing the good fat reserves needed for later breastfeeding.

Well, various ways to lose weight during pregnancy with slimming drugs are actually the opposite of the body's needs.

This drug will actually cut the need for additional nutrients during pregnancy that you should get.

Slimming drugs often make your appetite decrease. In fact, the content in it is not guaranteed safe if consumed during pregnancy.