Question from non-exerciser

SummerMomma2Be

Hello ladies,

I just found out yesterday I am 5 weeks pregnant.  I am about 30-35 lbs or so overweight for my height and I would really like to lose some weight 1st trimester.  I am terrible with sticking to exercise.  I have a gym membership though.  Any suggestions on what I should be doing at the gym and for how long, as to not over do it?  Also any advice on a diet plan?

I am the queen of not sticking to things, I just want this time to be different so I can give my LO a healthier environment to grow in.

TIA!

tokenhoser

First things first: it's really difficult to exercise your way to weight loss when you're not pregnant. Don't start now with that goal. You will fail.

Weight loss (or lack of gain) is about what you eat. Just focus on eating good food when you're hungry, and not eating when you're not hungry. If you do intend to try to lose weight, please consult a doctor first.

As for exercise: if you're just starting, be kind to yourself. Walking, the elliptical, and the stationary bike are great. Check out Babyfit for ideas and advice.

https://babyfit.sparkpeople.com/

Pregnancy Fitness 101

Exercise has TONS of benefits for you and for the baby. Good luck starting a great new habit!

ValAndRyan

First, I would definitley talk to you doc because you really shouldn't be starting anything new. However, walking would be a great start and always recommended. Maybe a trainer specializing in pregnancy can help you too?

SummerMomma2Be

Thanks for the advice.. i figured getting in some brisk walking for about a half hr 4-5 times a week is a good way to start and beneficial.. as far as the eating i am going to try laying off the late night snacking and eat less sugar.  Shoot for high protein and more veggies.  Hopefully it works.  But i will talk to my doctor next week about it.

archkrys

First, and everyone has said this already but it's good to repeat.  Always talk to a doctor first.  Pregnancy messes with your body a lot.  Normal exercise (and normal exercise goals) should not be your priority.  Having an active lifestyle during pregnancy is a good thing though, just talk it through with your doctor first.

 

The best advice that I can give you is to start slow and have very easy goals. 

 

Begin with setting about 20 minutes a day aside, three days a week.  If you work, I'd set it for right after you get home (don't sit down to rest, just freshen up a bit, get into some comfortable clothes and go have some fun).  If you don't work, I'd do it first thing in the morning, after you wake up, have a shower and a good light meal.

 

The thing to understand about exercise is that anything is better than nothing and that the best exercises are the ones that you will do.  Start off just doing 20 minutes.  It's a very easy goal and it doesn't take up much time.  Do this until you get a good rhythm.  You'll know when to increase the amount of time.  Later on, you'll want to shoot for around 40 minutes of activity.

 Walking is the easiest to do.  Swimming has the least impact and is fun.  It's up to you.  The elliptical is a GREAT! workout machine.  Just hop on, push a random button and start to stroll.

 

Here's the big thing.  If it becomes too hard or too uncomfortable, just ease off.  You're not out to become OMG fit!  You're here to enjoy yourself and ease into a healthier lifestyle.  You'll find that once you begin, you'll start to push yourself more and more.  But you'll always be ready for it.

 

  Have fun.  Set aside those 20 minutes and do something, anything. And anything is better than nothing!  Let us know what you come up with and have fun!

archkrys

Oh, thought I would point out one thing.  Mile for mile, walking burns just about as much calories as running does.  Running just takes less time   Going from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one is hardest because of the discomfort of exercise.  So! If you feel uncomfortable, slow down, catch your breath.

 

Your first goal should be to just complete 20 minutes for three times a week.  If you get uncomfortable during those 20 minutes, take a break.  Take as long of a break as you need (take a 20 minute break! Ha!), just set your mind to be doing "workout" time for that entire 20 minutes.  Your body will begin to CRAVE working out.  It will become addicting and you won't have to worry about pushing yourself.  Just make it fun and make it easy.

 

Ok, I'm done now! If you have any specific questions, let me know

archkrys

Diet Plan:

(again, talk to doctor first!)

My advice is this: don't do any published diet plan (atkins, south beach, etc.)  After your pregnancy you can do as you like, but during it, your baby will need a lot of good vitamins, protein, carbs, etc.

 At this point, your goal should be to slowly improve your diet.  For instance, cokes (sodas, pops, etc ) should be removed from your diet as much as possible.  If you drink a lot of cokes a day, limit yourself to one coke.  If you drink one coke a day, try limiting to one every other day, etc.

 

Drinking coke (even diet coke) frequently is one of the biggest reasons for being over weight.  We're just not designed to take in that much sugar.  Beyond coke, just try to eat sensibly.  That means eat unprocessed chicken and beef, whole grains, LOTS of vegetables, etc.  Just try not to drink your sugar.

 

Be wary of "health" drinks.  Fruit drinks and gatorade often have corn syrup in them.  Check the amount of corn syrup and compare them to a coke.  Often drinking a coke is healthier!

 

An easy way to sticking with any changed food plan is to give yourself one day a week (I usually pick Saturdays) to just not care.  If you have not drank any coke at all during the week, drink a couple on Saturday.  If you haven't eaten that burger all week, eat one on Saturday.  Etc.  Having fun on Saturday gives you a reward for doing good during the week and minimizes your chances for binging and then giving up.  Plus, after a while of light exercise and eating more and more healthy, you'll not want to eat so much junk food on Saturday.

 Let me know if you have any questions!

SummerMomma2Be

Thanks Arch you have been very helpful and thorough.  Thanks for taking the time to reply to me

I agree, I need to start slow and gradually build up, so some moderate walking on the treadmill, or doing the elliptical would be good.  As far as eating, I saw a dietitian a few months back and she recommended how to use the food pyramid appropriately to help with healthy eating.  She said when I get pregnant just increase the dairy and protein a bit.  So I think I will go back to following that so I can stay on track and make sure I get the major food groups in each day.

Audge

I am starting off 20-30lbs overweight too.  I have been going to the gym, but not overdoing it (cardio, lunges, etc).  My doctor said that it's fine if I don't gain ANY weight this pregnancy since I am starting out heavy and I am short.  (The nurse practitioner had told me I should gain about 35lbs, which I felt was wrong for me).  Of course speak with your doctor, but I guess just try and minimize your overall gain.  You really don't need to gain any weight in the 1st trimester anyway so you may lose a few lbs by adding in an exercise regimen.  It's great to add in more dairy, just make sure it's nonfat and that the protein you add in is lean as well   Good luck...and drink tons of water!

Adog1178

1. talk to your doctor regarding what you should be eating and even IF you can exercise.  Many dr's won't recommend exercise to women who haven't consistently exercised before.

2. Ask the dr. what exercise you should be doing.  For example, my dr. gave me the ok to continue to run.  I run anywhere between 5 to 10 miles a week (not a lot, but it's what I'm comfortable with.  In one clip, I can still run 2 to 3 miles at the same speed.  But I've been exercising for a long time now.

3. Focus on your eating.  That's where it matters most.

 

Good luck!