Pregnancy and weight

neeckola76 · October 2013

Hi All,

I am new to this board, but looking to lose weight before TTC. I want to be at my most healthy when TTC and pregnant and have had weight struggles the last 10 years due to anxiety disorder. Does anyone have a motivational story or insight. I have lost weight in the past on Weight Watchers, and am back on the plan but was wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation.

Thanks!

SmileyJay · October 2013

I really don't like Weight Watchers. It is gimmicky and not focused on your health. Points systems based on calories are short sighted because you need nutrition. It's so easy to forget sometimes that food is not about taste, it is our source of energy.

There is not some big secret out there about weight loss or fitness - just eat healthy, eat no more than you need, and live an active life. I really wish there was something magical that would work long term other than that, but there really isn't. Just commit yourself and have your husband on board. I have never struggled with my weight but I proactively do a lot of things to make that the case:

We don't eat any red meat (unless we are a guest in someone's home). We buy salmon, chicken, and shrimp in bulk at costco to lower our prices and plan means around that.

We eat practically all of our meals on salad plates. This cuts down on portions.

We drink tons of water. For 2 people we go though 6 gallons a week just at home and also have water coolers at work.

We plan all meals in advance. 6 small meals a day. On sunday I divide a lot of snacks into little grab and go baggies - raw veggies, crackers, peanuts, home made trail mix, home made cereal bars, etc.

We work out together - we rotate insanity dvds, running, and swimming. We don't do the insanity system but we like the workout routines and just do 2-3 videos a week.

No white bread/enriched wheat product. We go with whole wheat where we can and try to limit the amount of carbs we eat in general.

Rules: these change from time to time. Sometimes we will say we can only go out to eat once a week, or it might be that we can only have a sweet once a week, something like that.

We NEVER buy a bunch of sweets. If we are going to treat ourselves, it has to be in a single serving size. We don't bring home a whole cake or a whole box of cookies - we go to the bakery and buy one cookie or one slice of cake.

These things help me a lot and you might find some useful. The empowering thing about weight is that it is really in your control. It is a culmination of a lot of little decisions. When you start changing those decisions, weight melts off. Your body wants to be a healthy weight and you will be surprised just how quickly it will probably come off if you treat your body good.

Kudos to you for getting this under control before getting pregnant. It will go a long way towards ensuring a healthy delivery for you and your baby.

SmileyJay · October 2013

Oh I just wanted to add what another poster mentioned before. Really the majority of weight loss is going to come from what you are eating. If you are making a huge diet change I say just focus on that for the time being instead of adding in a crazy workout schedule. As far as being active, just find what you love to do. Take your dog hiking in the woods, find a yoga class, etc. It could be anything as long as it involves some movement and you love it.

michellersayer · October 2013

Just eat yummy salads and keep your carb count low.. And try to only drink water! I lost 22 pounds in 5 weeks by doing that and WALKING 2 miles a day.

neeckola76 · October 2013

Thanks for the replies. I have lost the weight in the past on WW. Due to an severe illness, and then panic/anxiety disorder/ fear of getting sick again has caused me to regain. I really thought it was a great balance in eating healthy and exercise. Just really looking to see if anyone was in the same boat previously in trying to lose weight before TTC.

manduh425 · October 2013

Hey there. I just wanted to chime in because I'm in the same boat as you. I'm trying to lose weight before TTC, and I have depression/anxiety, as well as diabetes and high blood pressure. I hope losing some weight can help. I saw an OB recently that told me to come back once I lost 100lbs, and that was very disappointing. I got a second opinion from a high-risk OB that is willing to help though.

Maybe we can help motivate each other to lose the weight so we can start TTC!

obxlaurak · October 2013

I rejoined WW last week. Well, I'm doing it on my own, but So far so good. I think it's a good program and some of us need the "game" of following points rather than just calories in vs. calories out.

I'm trying to focus on eating more natural foods and less processed stuff. Trying to keep in mind our future baby - this is good practice to get into good habits now before pregnancy.

And, FWIW, I'm 5'5" and weigh 215 and my OB didn't seem terribly concerned about my weight at my appointment. She said to try to get healthier, but she didn't see it as a huge deal. She, bless her, said I'm only "slightly overweight", which, hi, I'm more than slightly, but I'll take it. Obviously I'm not going to let pregnancy be an excuse to gain 50 pounds if I can help it, hence why I'm trying to get into a good routine now.

JNCPro3130 · October 2013

Hey!

I second what a lot of people have said. I would suggest starting with little changes, so you will stick with whatever plan you decide to go with. As another poster said, walking is a great form of exercise especially if you haven't worked out in awhile. Try to find a local park that has good trails or even your neighborhood. I also agree that drinking a lot of water will help a lot.

My husband weighed 305 pounds a few years back. He has asthma (had to be put on a prescription for it), had high cholesterol, and had migraines once a week sometimes more. He finally got to a point where he decided he didn't want to live his life so overweight that his health was going downhill at only 30 years old. That November he decided to stop drinking the mass amounts of soda and high calorie drinks. I think he lost 5-10 pounds over a few months just doing that. In January, we decided to begin working out. We walked and started weight training. Again, we started light and worked our way up. Bodybuilder.com has free workout programs, so I picked one of those and stuck with it. A year later, my husband was eating low carbs (lots of veggies, but very little bread products), working out 5 days a week, off his prescription asthma meds, and down 100 pounds.

Start small. If you mess up one day (i.e. eat bad or miss a work out), brush it off and start again the next day. You can do it!

Sorry! Didn't mean for this to be this long.

michellersayer · October 2013

MauiBliss said:

michellersayer said:

Just eat yummy salads and keep your carb count low.. And try to only drink water! I lost 22 pounds in 5 weeks by doing that and WALKING 2 miles a day.

Why? There is zero real science that says carbs are evil...furthermore, unless you intend to eat salads and low carb for the rest of your life, why not learn how to measure, calculate your caloric needs, etc? I measured very strictly for the first four months of my loss....It is now intuitive and I don't have to measure to know what a portion of something is. I eat every single food group. I eat healthy fats. I eat carbs. I eat cupcakes. I drink wine.

I don't like "rules". Eating salad every day for the rest of my life sounds abysmally boring. It's not rocket science. Figure out your BMR. Don't eat below that (that's the only rule I believe in because the BMR is the absolute bare minimum your body needs to function while it pumps your heart, repairs your muscles, makes new cells, etc.) Then figure out your TDEE and find a reasonable deficit to eat beneath that and lose.

A great blog on all of this is https://gokaleo.com/. No nonsense, straight forward, honest approach.

OP, good luck and congrats on the decision to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Because it worked for me!! I love rules

michellersayer · October 2013

And who said for the rest of my life? I did it for a few weeks to get back to prepreg weight which worked.. And then I maintained it at the gym and ate carbs again.. Calm down

AlanaB2010 · October 2013

I struggle with weight too and I think this is one of those personal preference issues. Some people, particularly those with big issues (like myself) which stem from something you might call food addiction, like the rules-based programmes. I do agree that WW is a bit screwed up in terms of what you can eat lots of vs. what you have to avoid (though I too lost a lot of weight on it in the past)...and I also agree with all the PP - for some who want to lose 10 pounds they can do a "diet" (salads, whatever) and step up the exercise, lose, and then go back to maintenance. For others who have more to lose and more of a need for lifestyle adjustment (this is me), I agree that you have to have a long term plan for improving what you eat - it has to be something you can do forever. I'm trying to lose weight over the next 6 months before TTC, and I'm exercising more even though I hate it (low impact things like walking, weights at home - also going to try Nike+ which I've heard a lot of people recommend) and eating healthy balanced natural foods as much as possible. I'm counting calories using MyFitnessPal, which is free on the web and in app format and really great - highly recommended.

Also, re this:

manduh425 said:

Hey there. I just wanted to chime in because I'm in the same boat as you. I'm trying to lose weight before TTC, and I have depression/anxiety, as well as diabetes and high blood pressure. I hope losing some weight can help. I saw an OB recently that told me to come back once I lost 100lbs, and that was very disappointing. I got a second opinion from a high-risk OB that is willing to help though.

Maybe we can help motivate each other to lose the weight so we can start TTC!

Maybe there's more back story here (and medical complications I'm not an expert in) and I don't know what you weigh, but an OB who says "don't come back until you lose 100 lbs" seems hideously inappropriate. You can reinforce the message of getting healthier before baby, but jeez. A little tact, and a little perspective. (Also, going to my first OB appt. in 3 weeks and now worried - will brace myself for the hard sell).

obxlaurak · October 2013

The thing I like about WW is that it helps you really focus on your portion sizes. And it allows some freedom for "treats". (I ate wendy's for dinner last night, hehe) The new points system doesn't even take calories into the equation - it's all about carbs, fiber, protein, fat. And foods that are natural are lower points so it does lead you to eat better.

BUT, to each their own. WW works for some. Low/No carb works for some. Giving up soda works for others.

Good luck to the OP!

SmileyJay · October 2013

@nicb13 - yeah, I am a weirdo planner for sure. I know all of the tips sounds like a lot to keep up with but it's incredibly easy. I make a meal plan once a month and we go to costco for bulk items. Then we go to walmart and the farmer's market each week. It is just routine now and compared to others that do not plan as much, it is way less hectic. It also saves a ton of money and we eat very healthy. Don't get me wrong, we still make baked chicken fingers from time to time! But we are able to balance those meals with healthier ones throughout the week.

I guess if it works for you, you are better off losing the weight with WW than not losing it at all. I just think it is a bit silly honestly - you can use a calorie counter app on your phone for free and just make small changes. To me, WW is gimmicky and focused on short term success instead of long term health. If you are planning to conceive, you need to be on a smart healthful diet - not on a points system.

I thought of something else that I continuously do and it was a change I made at around 19 years old when I realized I was eating too much. When I am serving food for myself and my husband, I keep portions in check by comparing the two plates. I do not need as much food as a 175 lb 6 foot tall man who runs marathons. I am more sedentary and weigh a good 50 lbs less than he does. Sometimes it is tempting to make the plates equal but I don't need that much food.

We never eat anything late at night. My husband gets a sweet tooth sometimes and we keep vanilla greek yogurt and organic granola around for after dinner parfaits. Once in a blue moon we might bake cookies. We still eat practically everything we love, just in moderation.

We also always pack up left overs after dinner to have for lunch. Saves money and keeps us eating healthy. Neither of us ever count calories, we just do not over eat and what we do eat is as nutritious as possible. I know that is a tall order if you have bad habits and weight to lose, but starting with small goals and planning meals goes a really long way. I probably sound really annoying because I have not struggled with weight, but I am trying to be helpful.

PB&J714 · October 2013

I agree with the PP who mentioned MyFitnessPal. It is a great app you can use on your smartphone (or they have a website if you don't have a smartphone). Just keeping track of what I'm eating throughout the day makes me so much more aware and really opens my eyes to which foods contain which nutrients, and even which foods contain surprisingly high sugar, trans fat, etc. What I love about the app is that if you put in your information honestly (it asks for height, weight, lifestyle ie: sedentary, lightly active, active, extremely active) you get a plan that will work for you. I also love that it will show you how many mg of Iron for example are recommended right next to how many you've consumed that day.

Good luck, OP! Hopefully you find a system that works for you!

SmileyJay · October 2013

Yes! @PB&J... I couldnt remember what it was called. My Fitness Pal is a really great app. It does calories but it also tracks nutrition which is just as important.

I tried it for a few months just to see what it was like and to make sure my diet was full of the nutrients I needed. It helped me realize that my sodium was too high. I didn't use it long term though, but it is a really great little app that might work for you. It is also free for maybe $1.99, I can't remember!

kcisthebombdotcom · October 2013

AlanaB2010 said:

I struggle with weight too and I think this is one of those personal preference issues. Some people, particularly those with big issues (like myself) which stem from something you might call food addiction, like the rules-based programmes. I do agree that WW is a bit screwed up in terms of what you can eat lots of vs. what you have to avoid (though I too lost a lot of weight on it in the past)...and I also agree with all the PP - for some who want to lose 10 pounds they can do a "diet" (salads, whatever) and step up the exercise, lose, and then go back to maintenance. For others who have more to lose and more of a need for lifestyle adjustment (this is me), I agree that you have to have a long term plan for improving what you eat - it has to be something you can do forever. I'm trying to lose weight over the next 6 months before TTC, and I'm exercising more even though I hate it (low impact things like walking, weights at home - also going to try Nike+ which I've heard a lot of people recommend) and eating healthy balanced natural foods as much as possible. I'm counting calories using MyFitnessPal, which is free on the web and in app format and really great - highly recommended.

Also, re this:

manduh425 said:

Hey there. I just wanted to chime in because I'm in the same boat as you. I'm trying to lose weight before TTC, and I have depression/anxiety, as well as diabetes and high blood pressure. I hope losing some weight can help. I saw an OB recently that told me to come back once I lost 100lbs, and that was very disappointing. I got a second opinion from a high-risk OB that is willing to help though.

Maybe we can help motivate each other to lose the weight so we can start TTC!

Maybe there's more back story here (and medical complications I'm not an expert in) and I don't know what you weigh, but an OB who says "don't come back until you lose 100 lbs" seems hideously inappropriate. You can reinforce the message of getting healthier before baby, but jeez. A little tact, and a little perspective. (Also, going to my first OB appt. in 3 weeks and now worried - will brace myself for the hard sell).

I get that sounds harsh, but I don't think the ob is out of line. Lets face it--being obese, having high blood pressure and diabetes poses some pretty significant risks to the fetus and doctors should be informing patients of the risks. Certainly I don't believe everyone that conceives needs to be a size six and have a bmi under 24 but ideally medical conditions should be well controlled before ttc.

PB&J714 · October 2013

TheCraftyKoala said:

Yes! @PB&J... I couldnt remember what it was called. My Fitness Pal is a really great app. It does calories but it also tracks nutrition which is just as important.

I tried it for a few months just to see what it was like and to make sure my diet was full of the nutrients I needed. It helped me realize that my sodium was too high. I didn't use it long term though, but it is a really great little app that might work for you. It is also free for maybe $1.99, I can't remember!

Fo Free!!

flamingo& · November 2013

Anyone who is posting that you need to be under a BMI of 24 has obviously not had any issues with their weight.

I'm starting to think the Bump is not for me, because I am "morbidly" obese and apparently have no business having children. Thanks everyone.

MandiNewMommy · November 2013

neeckola76 I sent you a PM

I have never been a small girl and never will be. I now use myfitness pal along with Advocare (the best stuff EVER) It teaches you about Clean eating, when to eat, what to eat and how to eat. That is the biggest thing. You have to eat good and often. Also make sure you drink plenty of water!

AlanaB2010 · November 2013

What I'm taking from this thread is both knowledge of how my weight (over-w) could affect my fertility and how this is a great community of ladies who can help support each other in trying to lose a few before TTC...or, in my opinion more importantly, to start a permanent trend of eating well, being active, and being a good role model for a child regardless of our dress size. Weight is a sensitive issue, and people who are overweight like myself generally beat ourselves up about it a lot, which I think is why honest and true statements like "your weight affects your fertility" as mentioned above were taken by some posters as a sting - I dislike my excess lbs. enough on my own without getting criticism from others. Honestly though, I don't take any of this as criticism - it is medical fact and information...and more than anything, a gentle reminder that I need to keep working on my nutrition and activity levels. That said, I will not be 'getting thin' before TTC - that's a fair number of lbs. It's a balancing act. Thanks all for sharing all - for the info and for the encouragement.

flamingo& · November 2013

Here's the thing, my primary focus is not losing weight right now. If that happens as a result of healthy choices then wonderful. I made the conscious decision over a year ago that I would try this. I'm a work in progress, for sure, and have good days and bad days. As a whole though, I am healthy and I'm not willing to wait until I am perfect (that's will never happen, let's be real) before I have children. I am a valuable, beautiful, and loved woman who deserves to live life to the fullest.

flamingo& · November 2013

It's not just about facts, you guys are biased. I'm going to try and stick it out but if I continue to have rude treatment of me because I'm plus-size I will leave. Not that you all care because you're just getting to know me. Also, is this actually a TTC group, or is this for people who are planning to TTC? Because I am beyond the planning stage, so maybe this isn't even the right group for me.

FemShep · November 2013

flamingo& said:

It's not just about facts, you guys are biased. I'm going to try and stick it out but if I continue to have rude treatment of me because I'm plus-size I will leave. Not that you all care because you're just getting to know me. Also, is this actually a TTC group, or is this for people who are planning to TTC? Because I am beyond the planning stage, so maybe this isn't even the right group for me.

What???? No one was rude to you. No one said that you must have a BMI under 24 to TTC. No one said that people who aren't at an ideal weight are good, bad, or indifferent. Many posters have had issues with their weight, and *no one* passed any judgement about that.

People, including myself, pointed out some facts. If you are over or under weight, you have a greater likelihood of having fertility issues. If you are overweight, you are at significantly higher risk for pregnancy complications. These statements are facts. There is no judgement attached and there is no rudeness in discussing these facts.

I did criticize you for saying that weight isn't important when TTC, because that is demonstrably untrue and terrible advice. Welcome to the interwebs. And I will offer some additional advice. Many women have found this thread to be helpful in educating them about the additional risks around being overweight. They weren't offended. They didn't call people rude. Have you considered that you may be projecting your own issues with your weight onto other people, and that's why you're over-reacting?

BTW, all of the message boards on the Bump are open to everyone. Since this board is "Babies on the Brain", I would expect anyone who is thinking about TTC, actively TTC, or past TTC to post here. There are lots of babies on brains if you're on this site.

Ducktale · November 2013

I read through this thread, and I don't know how it could be made clearer to you that no one is rude to you because of your weight, and no one said that overweight people should not have babies. Please quote the post that said that. You are reading into things and putting words in people's mouths. You seem very paranoid, actually.

No one said you need to be a perfect weight to have babies or you don't deserve babies because your overweight, or anything like that. All that was said was that being overweight is a risk factor, along with MANY other risk factors that exist. Do you understand what a risk factor is? It is NOT a guarentee of complications but the odds increase vs. not having the risk factor.

Many women on TB have had successful, uncomplicated pregnancies and healthy babies with various risk factors (relating to weight, age, medical conditions, medications, previous pregnancy complications, etc.). Of course it does not mean those women are bad people for having babies because they have risk factors, or that they should not have had babies. It does not mean they WILL have complications. I assume that most do not have complications. But the facts are, these are risk factors. Most women are able to recognize they are risk factors and take steps to minimize the risks as much as possible.

For crying out loud I feel like I'm trying to explain this to a stubborn hormonal teenager.

flamingo& · November 2013

-- this comment was not applicable because I thought I was commenting on a different thread --

flamingo& · November 2013

Someone in a different thread said that you should have a BMI of 24 or under to TTC.

This is a sensitive issue for me so I realize I may be reacting out of emotion, but I don't appreciate being told that I am spreading false hoods, I have done my research. It IS bias to say something just because you know "fat = unhealthy." There is still a lot that we don't know about all of this and more unbiased studies need to be done. Also, a more honest media would be great too but who am I kidding?

The truth is, society as a whole is biased against fat people. You probably don't even realize it, but you guys are. And the people who have given their examples are not the issue here.

flamingo& · November 2013

Crap, I forgot what thread I was on, LOL.

flamingo& · November 2013

KC_13 said:

I get that sounds harsh, but I don't think the ob is out of line. Lets face it--being obese, having high blood pressure and diabetes poses some pretty significant risks to the fetus and doctors should be informing patients of the risks. Certainly I don't believe everyone that conceives needs to be a size six and have a bmi under 24 but ideally medical conditions should be well controlled before ttc.

OK. I realize that I read this wrong and reacted emotionally. I'm sorry, that was my mistake. Please forgive me, because I have been really emotional lately. I just had an early pregnancy loss and have been behaving a little off my rocker somewhat, even in real life. I am a very emotional person as it is. I am feeling defensive because of the other thread, then I started reading this one and felt like, damn, why are people so hurtful? Only to find I totally mis-read that last statement. I feel pretty silly now.

Ducktale · November 2013

flamingo& said:

KC_13 said:

I get that sounds harsh, but I don't think the ob is out of line. Lets face it--being obese, having high blood pressure and diabetes poses some pretty significant risks to the fetus and doctors should be informing patients of the risks. Certainly I don't believe everyone that conceives needs to be a size six and have a bmi under 24 but ideally medical conditions should be well controlled before ttc.
OK. I realize that I read this wrong and reacted emotionally. I'm sorry, that was my mistake. Please forgive me, because I have been really emotional lately. I just had an early pregnancy loss and have been behaving a little off my rocker somewhat, even in real life. I am a very emotional person as it is. I am feeling defensive because of the other thread, then I started reading this one and felt like, damn, why are people so hurtful? Only to find I totally mis-read that last statement. I feel pretty silly now.

@flamingo& I am sorry for your loss.I hope you find the support you need, whether it be IRL, here on the bump, or somewhere else. Best of luck on your journey.

flamingo& · November 2013

Ducktale said:

flamingo& said:

KC_13 said:

I get that sounds harsh, but I don't think the ob is out of line. Lets face it--being obese, having high blood pressure and diabetes poses some pretty significant risks to the fetus and doctors should be informing patients of the risks. Certainly I don't believe everyone that conceives needs to be a size six and have a bmi under 24 but ideally medical conditions should be well controlled before ttc.
OK. I realize that I read this wrong and reacted emotionally. I'm sorry, that was my mistake. Please forgive me, because I have been really emotional lately. I just had an early pregnancy loss and have been behaving a little off my rocker somewhat, even in real life. I am a very emotional person as it is. I am feeling defensive because of the other thread, then I started reading this one and felt like, damn, why are people so hurtful? Only to find I totally mis-read that last statement. I feel pretty silly now.

@flamingo& I am sorry for your loss.I hope you find the support you need, whether it be IRL, here on the bump, or somewhere else. Best of luck on your journey.

Thank you Ducktale. It has been harder on me than I thought. A few days afterward I thought I was OK and "over it" in a way...but all of these feelings keep popping up. Yesterday was especially difficult because I would have been 8 weeks. I joined the TTC after a Loss group here already.

Mysterious_wife · November 2013

I am over weight and fat, no one has shunned me from the boards. I think you are overreacting.

AlanaB2010 · November 2013

*snerk*

flamingo& · November 2013

I agree, my emotional post about maybe TheBump is not for me was 100% emotional, unfounded, and an overreaction, see my previous post.

flamingo& · November 2013

And for the record, I have considered therapy before. I've never gone, and I'm a little scared to go, truthfully. I'm also pretty busy, but I've heard some therapists will work after normal business hours.

flamingo& · November 2013

I think I need to just walk away from this forum. I'm trying to explain my point and also try and get you people to like me and I don't know why I even care. I feel like I've been attacked and provoked and now all of you are saying that I'm crazy. Geez. I've been involved on other message boards before and have been a well liked poster, and never had near as many issues as I have since the minute I posted on this forum.

kcisthebombdotcom · November 2013

flamingo& said:

I think I need to just walk away from this forum. I'm trying to explain my point and also try and get you people to like me and I don't know why I even care. I feel like I've been attacked and provoked and now all of you are saying that I'm crazy. Geez. I've been involved on other message boards before and have been a well liked poster, and never had near as many issues as I have since the minute I posted on this forum.

When someone says you could benefit from counseling it doesn't mean we think you're crazy. Everyone needs help with something at some point in their lives.

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