18 weeks and too much weight gain...Please help?

karynfaz

Hi gals....so I'm about to hit 40 pounds gained since those two pink lines showed up in my life....in my own defense, I did quit smoking as soon as I found out - which has no doubt contributed - as well as  I was a victim of major nausea for my first tri ..... Constantly eating to keep my stomach settled....

I'm 5'6" and just hit 200 pounds....omg.....I have NEVER seen 200 stare back at me from a scale.....

 So what can I do? I can commit to eating better (not that I was eating hot fudge sundaes and French fries everyday) and I could even commit to a fitness routine.....but somebody, please tell me it's not too late? 

At this rate I'm looking at a 60 to 80 pound pregnancy....which cant be good....and I can't find any similar stories on the Internet  

lucianneD

It is not too late!! I know it seems like a lot, but quitting smoking is something you should be really proud of. 

 I would go to the gym 5-6 days a week starting tomorrow morning and eat as healthy as possible. I have a friend that gained 90 lbs during her pregnancy and although it was waaay over the limit of what was recommended, she lost it within a year and had a healthy baby. I would start being as healthy as possible and try not to stress.  

KaramelSutra

lucianneD:

It is not too late!! I know it seems like a lot, but quitting smoking is something you should be really proud of. 

 I would go to the gym 5-6 days a week starting tomorrow morning and eat as healthy as possible. I have a friend that gained 90 lbs during her pregnancy and although it was waaay over the limit of what was recommended, she lost it within a year and had a healthy baby. I would start being as healthy as possible and try not to stress.  

5-6 times a week is A LOT for someone who presumably doesn't already go that often. It isn't recommended to start an exercise routine without your dr's advice. You can easily over do it. I'd start tracking food consumption, and see a nutritionist. Good luck 

lucianneD

even if you don't exercise you can just walk around the block every day, which I could be a good substitute for the gym. That can be done most nights without over doing it  

babyOrtiz1

Its never too late. I'm not sure going to the gym is a great idea either but walking as much as possible, as often as possible is a good thing. And start watching what you eat as well. First and foremost though, you should talk to your dr about starting any new physical activity or diet. My dr has some great pamphlets on exercise, yoga, and healthy diets for pregnant women.

lucianneD

going to the gym can = walking.....

some days I walk at a moderate to slow pace on the treadmill when the weather is crappy.  It just gets me moving a little. 

BabyCampbell312

Have you talked to your doctor about it?

With my first pregnancy, I gained close to 60 lbs over the whole 9 months. My doc was never worried. I was active and ate well.  This time around, I lost 10 from being so sick, then gained 16. So I'm only 6 lbs over what I started at. My current doc is not worried about that either.

Every pregnancy is different. Personally, I think if you just eat well and try to be active, you shouldn't worry. I know its hard not to...after all, we want to be able to get rid of this baby weight.  

 

Jasmineeelizabeth

Don't worry, you probably wont keep gaining at this rate.

In the mean time it might be helpful to follow a nutrition program. I've been following the one for the Bradley method and it's working well for me. It emphasizes protein, and eating lots of healthy food. I eat nearly contently.

Just don't do anything drastic, working out excessively or restricting your food intake will do more harm than good.. You don't want to shock your body. 

I was worried because I was gaining so quickly in the beginning but at about 6 months it really slowed down.

 

puckcowgirl

I can relate, I gained about 25 by 20 weeks. My doctor only wants 25 to 30 lbs. Told me to cut out the extra juices. To drink only water and milk. No fun .  Like you, I gave up smoking too so the pounds piled on quick. Now that I'm not so exhausted, I go to the gym few times a week to walk and lift small weights. It seems to be helping these last 2 weeks to not totally gain a bunch. Hope that helps....

mawarren

Hi. I'm very sorry you're going through this. It's very easy for our eating to get out of control. My advice to you is for you to join myfitnesspal.com and start counting your calories. I'm 5'4" and 20 weeks and have gained 8 pounds so far. I am eating on average about 1850 calories a day which is a little over what I would eat to maintain my weight. I don't think the eat 200 or 300 more calories a day while you're pregnant is right for everybody. I think I would gain an unhealthy amount of weight if I did that bc I'm not really very active. Good luck to you. I'm jaylas_mom21 on there if you want to add me. 

PrimRoseMama

Start a walking regimen. Even 30 minutes around the block in the evenings can help you. It will also help with aches and pains and prepare you for the labor. Have you asked your OB about their recommendations? Can they refer you to a nutritionist? Also, please know that some women just gain. A lot of it can be water retention, bloat and poop. Sounds fab I know, but really don't get too down on yourself. It could be the way your body does pregnancy. Its not a personal statement about you or your habits. Congratulations on quitting smoking.

topofthepeek

Congrats on quitting smoking! That is wonderful! Don't stress too much. Its never too late. Talk to your doctor about your concerns. They may have some sort of prenatal dietician that you can speak to. I was diagnosed with GD and I see a dietician and a diabetes specialist who has me on a meal plan that is designed to keep my blood sugars low and many bumpies have told me that if you follow it, you may have a low weight gain. Also see what your doctor has you approved for excercises. Just start walking and go from there as long as you feel good, then pick it up a notch.

BelhurstBride

Start walking and request a referral to a nutritionist. 

[Deleted User]

It's not too late. In fact there is a misconception that you can't lose weight during pregnancy. Not true. If you start exercising and eating the right amount of calories only 300 more a day for baby and start losing some of that 40 you are ok. Just get your nutrients and try to stay active and you'll be fine :

BoneOwl

Great job on quitting smoking! Don't let your weight bug you too much - I'm 5'6'', and I weigh 160 (a lot of that is muscle, as I work out about four days a week). But let me tell you, the one thing that really got me in good shape was going vegetarian. I'm not saying you need to make such a drastic choice (especially when you still need to be getting iron for the LO), but think about it: I wasn't getting fast food of any kind, I upped my vegetable and fruit intake, and started cooking a LOT more at home. That right there helped me drop 15 lbs in about 2 months. Cutting out all fast food (except for the very occasional treat of french fries or milkshakes) was probably the biggest contributor. You're probably having all kinds of crazy cravings right now, but if you can stay away from the greasy and the deep fried, you will definitely be getting on the right track!!

 Best of luck!

magicalbride2bee

Hi,

 

Sorry to hear about your weight gain. People seem to think that working out will harm the baby, but this is not true! It depends on what kind of physical activity you are doing. If you are  skiing or playing soccer, then yes, working out is dangerous. The key is to do low intensity exercises. Some good low intensity exercises are: power walking, swimming, or lifting lighter free weights. I am 19 weeks pregnant today and have only gained 7 lbs, none of which is unhealthy fat. I power walk in the park 5 days a week on paths that have an incline.  The best thing you can do for yourself and your baby is eat healthy and exercise. So long as you that, you'll be in good shape. If you work out now, even if you gain weight in your pregnancy, you'll have an easier time taking off the extra weight due to the physical shape you'll be in. 

Marlynda Millerick

I'm in the same boat.  I've been a little worried because I'm only 15 weeks and have already gained about 17 pounds.  I have not been eating poorly at all.  I was running 3 times a week prior to finding out that I was pregnant but have replaced that with walking to be safer.  However, I'm not always walking when I should, due to the extreme fatigue.  After working all day long the first thing I do when I get home is have dinner and pass out.  Sometimes I just can't keep myself awake to take that walk.  The other thing I've done differently is up my milk intake from 0 cups a day to 3-4, per my doctor.  At this rate I feel like I really need to make some changes before this becomes a real problem.  This is my very first pregnancy after 8 years of IVF and I just don't want to do anything wrong.  Since a friend told me that she only gained a total of 17 throughout her entire pregnancy, I've been having some anxiety over this. 

Goth7Angel

It's not too late but don't immediately jump into any drastic changes...small things over time is the best way to do it healthy and keep yourself from binging or giving up.  Start by simply cutting down on things...candy, fast food, junk food, chips, soda...and start replacing them with healthier snacks like fruits and veggies.  You don't need to count calories while pregnant, just make sure what you are eating is healthier foods as long as you can stomach them.

As far as working out, definitely do NOT jump into immediately doing 5 to 6 days a week...you will burn out and give up quickly.  It took me 6 months to work myself up from 2 days a week of light cardio and one day of strength training, to where I could do 3 to 4 days of heavy cardio and 2 days of strength training...and that's while I WASN'T pregnant.  Between doing that, making healthier eating choices, and tracking my calories I lost 54 lbs before becoming pregnant...thanks to placenta previa I am actually on complete pelvic rest and no exercise per my doctor, so yes there are conditions you can have which make it NOT safe to work out...always check with your doctor before starting any new routines.  I'd suggest what some others have, start off just taking a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood after dinner or in the morning.  Even 20 minutes if that's all you can stand at first.  Do that maybe two or three times a week til you feel comfortable.  Then you may be able to add in some beginners pregnancy yoga or something along those lines which will help you stretch and get your body ready to deliver.

No matter what you choose to do, make sure you don't push yourself too crazy hard and you check with your doctor first.  Stop any exercise if you become dizzy or overheated or get cramping as well.  Be safe and be easy on yourself.  You'll be alright