How to Avoid Gaining Excessive Pregnancy Fat

One of the top concerns I hear from newly pregnant women is that they do not want to gain ‘too much weight’ but simply don’t know how that’s possible when they must eat an extra 300 calories. First, lets clarify ‘gaining weight’. Of course you’re going to gain weight, you’re growing a human inside you! You do not want to gain excess fat. We’ve heard or seen situations where women gain 60+ pounds during pregnancy and I’m assuming she was either miserable during pregnancy, had a traumatic labor or is struggling as a new mom to lose the weight. You don’t want that. And neither do I. Your strategy for gaining appropriate weight during pregnancy is conscious consumption.

Think of what you eat as fuel. Fuel for the sport of growing a human and your main event, your Olympics, is labor.

Olympians eat so their bodies can perform at the highest degree possible. This means they consume the cleanest food sources comprised of whole foods, superfoods and vitamin/mineral supplements. Whole foods are extremely nutrient dense. You want the most nutrient ‘bang for your buck’. When you buy potato chips, you’re paying for nothing but highly processed fat and calories that don’t do anything for your body. But when you buy a potato, this whole food is loaded with good-for-you starches, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Much better choice.

The 3 groups or macronutrients necessary for our survival are proteins, fats and carbohydrates. To Americans, they’re the most confusing things on the planet. Most people think 100 calorie packs are better for them then buying the regular product because its automatic portion control. Over half our population is overweight or obese and we spend the highest amount of money on healthcare in the world. Something is wrong with what we have been taught because more than half of us are fat, tired, sick and on some type of medication for something we could most likely cure with a better diet and more activity.

When we consume excess, our body stores excess. Excess is easy, especially when we consume packaged and processed foods. These products, like 100 calorie packs, are all carbohydrate aka sugar. I can pretty much guarantee that any individual that rids their diet of processed foods and drinks will sleep better, increase their energy and feel less groggy. These results are desired in my pregnant clients! When we consume a whole foods diet, that leaves very little room for excess to be stored. Why? Because whole foods are….whole. They have the correct balance of natural fiber, sugar, protein, fat. Our bodies know how to process them thus sending the correct hormonal signals to our brains that were nourished and full. Stick to proteins and veggies for a majority of meals (3-7 times per day) with carbohydrates – fruit, starches like potatoes and rice/quinoa added in sparingly (2-4 times per day) – more carbs during high activity days.

First step, try removing all gluten products. Diets high in gluten in women typically result in lower energy, more afternoon crashing, increased irritability, more sick days, higher body weight, disrupted hormones and more. Diets high in carbohydrates, usually gluten products, negatively affect your baby’s blood pressure once born. This puts them at greater risk for hypertension as they grow. When you remove wheat bread, pasta, crackers, cookies you make room for whole food sources of carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, rice and quinoa. For snacks, grab cruciferous veggies (bok choy, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, radishes, turnips, wasabi, watercress) which protect DNA and have anti-viral/anti-bacterial properties for you and baby.

Don’t freak out about removing gluten in relation to missing calories. Consistently eating meals throughout the day comprised mostly of  vegetables, proteins and whole food carbohydrates will ensure adequate caloric intake. Listen to your body, eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full. Snack as much as possible on vegetables, full fat yogurt, full fat cottage cheese, fruit, nuts, jerky! Variety is key to fueling your body and the optimal creation of your little one.

This stuff confusing you? Need guidance or have questions? Contact Me! Thats why I’m here.

Much love,

Colleen

Resources

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25884808

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25434913

http://celiac.org/celiac-disease/non-celiac-gluten-sensitivity/

http://m.cancer.gov/topics/factsheets/cruciferous-vegetables-fact-sheet

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25912896

http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/fats/how-the-body-uses-fat.html