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Your Diet During Pregnancy: Managing Your Weight With Ease
If 20-30 pounds sounds impossible, there are four easy ways you can manage your diet to decrease your weight gain, without having to stress or obsess. All you need to do is follow these simple lifestyle changes, and your weight gain will be much more manageable for the next nine months. Avoid Processed Foods Your first step to pregnancy weight management should be avoiding processed foods. Processed foods contain sodium, fillers, and preservatives which can make it nearly impossible to manage your weight effectively during pregnancy. Try making healthy substitutions whenever possible. For example, rather than eating lunch meat while pregnant, have a nice piece of organic grilled chicken for lunch. You'll cut way back on your sodium consumption, and if you buy organic, fillers and preservatives are almost nonexistent. Try substituting one all-natural or organic product per week and you may be surprised at how easily you can embrace these products without breaking the bank. Drink Water Everyone knows that drinking plenty of water is essential for weight management, even when you aren't pregnant. The problem is, no one knows how much water to drink. Well, during pregnancy, you should be drinking half your weight in water each day. So if you weigh 140 pounds, plan on drinking 70 ounces minimum. This is essential for flushing toxins out of your system and keeping water retention to a minimum. This will also help you feel fuller for longer, and aid in elimination. If you suffer from constipation during pregnancy, drinking water can help restore your equilibrium. Exercise Is Important Exercise is important to maintaining your weight during pregnancy, just as it is when you aren't pregnant. However, you may want to change your workout routine to embrace low or no-impact activity for the next nine months. As your belly grows and your center of gravity changes, you will also want to eliminate activities that could cause you to fall. Opt for yoga, walking, swimming, and water aerobics over activities like running, hiking, tennis, or horseback riding. Regular exercise keeps your circulation in prime shape and will help keep you fit and healthy for labor. It can also aid in eliminating water retention, as regular activity can keep your blood moving, not allowing it to pool in your lower legs and feet. Eliminate Sweets and Caffeine Sweets and caffeine should be eliminated or cut down significantly during pregnancy, as they both increase your desire for more sweets. Try cutting back your caffeine consumption to 150mg or less per day. That's the equivalent of one cup of coffee or two cups of black tea. You should eliminate sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners from your diet as well. Instead, use stevia, raw honey, xylitol, or agave syrup to satisfy your sweet tooth. These natural sweeteners have the added bonus of having little or no calories—another benefit when it comes to keeping weight gain to a minimum. By following these lifestyle choices, you can significantly curb your weight gain without having to stress over your dietary choices. Balance and moderation are both crucial to keeping you happy and stress-free during the next nine months, so approach this new lifestyle and incorporate these changes as you see fit. In no time, you will find these healthy choices making a significant benefit to your life, your pregnancy, and your baby's wellbeing. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Ready to learn about the best diet during pregnancy? Need advice on what to eat while pregnant? Visit whattoeatwhilepregnant.com for exercise recommendations and eating tips for a healthy pregnancy. |
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