Pregnancy and Weight Watchers

N.,
I saw another poster mentioned at least 1800 calories a day is healthy. I have seen that before as well. For my body size, on average, I need 1600 calories a day. And then my doctor said that you need another 200 on top of that while pregnant - the equivalent of an apple and a glass of milk. She stresses that while her patients need to eat healthy (and more) during pregnancy, the old wives tale of "eating for two" is simply not healthy. But at the same time, you shouldn't strictly limit calorie intake while pregnant unless you are working on the direct advice of a doctor. I loosely followed WW while pregnant but only from the standpoint of ensuring that I got my daily amount of fruits/veggies, water, and dairy (along with healthy whole grains). I always find that if I focus on getting enough of those items, I tend to keep a healthier shape because they are filling (and healthy) foods. I think a good attitude is to not worry much about your actual calorie count but to worry more about making sure your body is getting the nutrients you need :) If you focus on health, you will naturally avoid the bad, processed foods that tend to cause undue gain weight! Best of luck!

I would eat like I did when I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes....you would limit your carbs but eat a lot of meat, veggies...since you wouldn't have to watch your sugar all that much....I would eat a lot of fruit too....but everytime you want to eat sugar/carbs just make sure you have some protein with it..that will help...I gained 35lbs with the first kid just eating normally but with the second I only gained 17 lbs due to eating the way I just described.....good luck...you need to eat enough to keep your baby's development healthy...I know you may not want to hear this but some people gain a lot of weight when they are pregnant no matter how they eat because their body needs that to help keep the baby healthy...your dr. will help you to know what is healthy and good for the baby...

Hi there, congrats on the pregnancy, I hope all works out well for you! Well it wasn't me but a friend of mine was doing Weight Watchers and had lost 30 lbs when she found out she was pregnant. At that point she was at 24 points. She stopped counting points but just continued to eat the way she had been and just had an extra healthy snack here and there if she was hungry. I know she did indulge herself once in awhile when she had a strong craving but she just didn't over do it. At her OB appointments her weight was up and down, she gain then lose, gain then lose but she had a scheduled c-section and when they weighed her before she went into surgery she had only gained a total of 7 lbs! Is that awesome or what! After she had her baby I found out I was pregnant and wanted to what she did, well I think I may have indulged myself a little more than her but I did pretty good. I gained a total of 30 lbs but my first pregnancy I had gained 60 lbs so I'd say that was quite an improvement! You just have to remember that every woman's body is different, you can't always have the same outcome as someone else and just try your best to keep eating healthy! Also, if you breastfeed, not ony is it the healthiest for your baby but for you too. I lost all 30 lbs by my six week post-partum appt! By the way way if you're interested in how you can work from home or you just want to keep your home healthy and safe for your family contact me at ____@____.com, Good luck!

I gained about 14 pounds in my first trimester and it freaked me out as well. My body did NOT maintain that rate of weight-gain through my whole pregnancy and in total I gained 28 pounds which is about average. So don't worry so much about weight gain. Just make sure to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day and everything else in moderation. The other thing that I think helped me was a really good, all natural pre-natal multivitamin. It helped fill in the nutritional gaps in my diet and I think that is why I didn't have strange or unhealthy food cravings.
I gave birth six months ago and I am below my pre-pregnancy weight already. I give the credit to breastfeeding exclusively since the baby was born. Breastfeeding causes the body to use 500-800 calories more per day... it is best for baby and best for Mom.
My advice is don't worry about what you gain while pregnant. You are nourishing an entire human on one diet. Eat normal portions, have healthy snacks, drink lots of water and go for walks. Walking will help loosen up your body, burn some calories, relieve stress and help you get a good night's sleep.
Congratulations on your pregnancy and good luck!

Congrats, N.~
First of all, don't follow the WW program while you are pregnant. While it is a very healthy way of life, it's not designed to support a pregnancy and WW will tell you that. If you've done WW in the past, you know how to eat. If you want to indulge, go ahead...ONCE...then back to your way of eating. A normal, healthy adult only needs to add about 300 calories to their diet when pregnant. Still, I would stay somewhere around 1800. You know that expecting to put on ONLY baby weight is unrealistic...you can't come out of the hospital weighing what you did pre-pregnancy...but I understand your desire to keep your weight in a healthy range. I think if you change your focus to getting enough fiber and fresh fruits and veggies, the calories will take care of themselves...that's what I've found, anyway.

Good luck!
~L.

Hi N.,

Congrats on the pregnancy. I just had a miscarriage at 6 weeks and hadn't yet gained any weight. I'm a WW lifetime member (lost about 45 pounds a few years ago) but unfortunately I've gained it all back and then some. I hear you...I got so sick of counting points. Anyway, lately I've been following the food pyramid, b/c I feel like it focuses me more on healthy eating than on calories. With WW, I'd focus more on points and not so much on vitamins, etc. Go to www.pyramid.gov and explore the site. You can type in your own weight and height and get a suggested plan of how many servings of each thing to eat. You can print it out, make copies and record your food on it if you so choose. They also have a section for pregnancy where you can do the same exact thing and it'll adjust your servings for pregnancy.

Other than that, during the several weeks when I knew I was pregnant, I was just trying to make every calorie count. I still tried to eat like normal, because you aren't eating for two. At most you only need 200-300 extra calories, and if you're overweight, you may not even need that early on (talk to your doc. to be sure). The only thing I changed in my diet -and I mean regular diet, not weight loss diet - was I was having a glass of chocolate milk almost every day (skim milk & Hershey's lite syrup) because I was craving that a lot. Since I'm already overweight by 50+ pounds, I was really trying not to gain in the first trimester.

It doesn't sound like you want to count points anyway, but if you do, I think it would be safe to continue using a modified version of the WW system, as long as you're not doing it to lose weight. The losing weight part is what's unsafe. Some people follow WW to maintain their weight, so if you were getting 22 points to lose weight, you'd probably need 25-28 points to maintain. So to gain healthfully during pregnancy, maybe 30-32 points would be a decent target. If your body seems to be asking for more, eat more, but at least you'll know that if you're eating 70 points a day you're going overboard. Monitoring your calories to make sure you're not going hog wild isn't unsafe, especially if you're like me and already overweight. I say that because if I were to go crazy and gain 80 pounds during pregnancy, when I'm already 50-60 pounds overweight, well, that's just as dangerous -increased risk of gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and all that fun stuff that comes with being overweight and getting pregnant. So all I'm saying is, if you choose to count points or calories just to monitor yourself, be sure to give yourself enough extra points that you're not losing weight and most importantly, be sure you're getting all the proper nutrients. There are some great "What to Eat When You're Expecting" type books out there to consult.

Good luck!

Congrats N.! I was about 30 lbs overweight when I found out I was pregnant. I never counted calories, just ate better. My morning sickness actually helped me out immensely in that I had to eat constantly (more like grazing) and drink water to keep from being nauseous. I chose to tote around raw carrots and peapods in little bags to my meetings at work. Everyone chuckled about my grazing but by the time I wasn't sick anymore I had programmed myself to prefer fruits and veggies over high-fat snacks. Then, while my cravings ran toward dairy (full-fatted dairy), I indulged my craving in premium vanilla bean ice cream 2 tablespoons at a time - that was enough to stop the craving. I also craved cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, you get it. I had small chunks.
Well, apparently from the back I looked like I had lost tons of weight. My face and neck slimmed down, everything went to my belly, which looked like I was ready to pop at 5 months. I gained 20 lbs total throughout my pregnancy and lost 35 with the baby and water weight by two weeks post. I also had the book "What to Eat when you're Expecting"...I think it went the whole grains and lots of fruits/veggies route. I didn't follow it very closely, just ate more sensibly than I ever have in my life.

The most important thing is to eat well, not alot. Talk to your doctor about it as alot of weight gain is not as good as was thought several years ago. Yes you are eating for two, but the other person is so little.

I would watch doing anything like a diet when pregnant. But if you are eating 1100 calories now, they say all you need to do for a pregnancy is consume an extra 300 calories a day of good foods for baby. That would bring you up to 1400 and that should be adequet for a healthy pregnancy, of course I would always discuss this with you doctor. but as for points that should put you at about 28 points.

I think its already been said, but you do want to eat a minimum of 1800 calories a day when pregnant. The bare minimum for any person is 1200 a day and you do need those extra calories when pregnant. You can still keep your weight down and eat 1800-2000 calories a day by watching what you eat. Be sure to get the 2-3 servings each of fruits & veggies a day. And choose whole grains. Stuff like whole grain & hearty breads can be higher in calories than reg. bread but its still good for you. I highly recommend a great (FREE) website www.sparkpeople.com. I have been a member for 6 months and I have lost 55 pounds since then. Obviously now that you're pregnant your goal isn't to lose weight, but I've known people that eat very healthy when they are pregnant end up weighing the same when they deliver as when they got pregnant!

Hi N., Im sure its all been said but again just relax and enjoy the pregnancy. I have a six month old and have 25 more pounds to loose but she is healthy and happy with no complications during pregnancy. It is not safe to diet but you can eat healthy which in turn will keep you from gaining too much weight. See your OB for proper nutrition. Stay away from chips, pop, sugary treats and then just eat what you like. Listen to your body because it will crave things it needs. For example in the beginning I was craving cheeseburgers! I dont eat many cheeseburgers and I thought this was weird. Come to find out I needed more iron in my diet and that was a way to get it, so I switched prenatal vitamins and the craving went away. Anyway, dont worry about your weight ONLY worry about a healthy baby and mother. Eat nutritously with fruits veggies, whole grains, etc. DONT DIET:) Congratulations on your pregnancy!~

With Transitions Lifestyle System you don't have to count points ever. I'd love to share if you want to know! I've lost 25 pounds, kept it off, and am controling my diabetes that way!

S.
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First off you really shouldnt do weight watchers while pregnant. I am one of those people who really blew up with my pregnancies. Its not really fair how that works for some of us. But it tends to be a hereditary thing. So find out from others if they went through that. I also had a miscarriage. and with my last pregnancy I lost one of my twins. So my advice to you don't worry about points . Relax and enjoy your pregnancy. Its not worth the extra worry.If you are stressed the baby is stressed. Dont "eat for two" that is a horendous habit to get into and not necessary. So dont eat that hole row of oreos with chips to wash it down. Just eat somewhat sensibly. and weight watchers will be there when you are done. Good Luck and Congratulations by the way. ;

Talk with your ob/gyn for a suggested menu that you can tailor. Bring up your weight gain concerns. Be prepared though. For both of my pregnancies, I gained about 40 lbs whether I was on board with eating for two (#1) or super stressed and watching almost everything (#2). My mom also gained about 40 lbs with each of her pregnancies. Ask your mom how much she gained.

YOu cannnot do weight watchers when you are pregnant.

It is not safe or healthy.

Weight watchers gives you 10 extra points per day if you are nursing. so that is 500 extra calories. Which is about what you need when you are pregnant.

If you have done weight wathers you know what and how to eat..

You know that fruits and veggies are low points and cake and chips are high points..

Eat what you want within reason you will be fine.

Make sure and have your thyroid tested during pregnancy is not under control it can caused problems with the baby.

I followed the basic WW core plan while pregnant, lots of fruit, veggies and whole grains and low fat dairy. Be careful though...you should avoid artificial sweetners and you do need some fat in your diet (switch to low fat instead of Fat Free).

Exercise should held you keep your weight in check. If you don't exercise regularly now, start walking.

Good luck.

Weight watchers would not help me with a plan when I was pregnant. They told me to come back when I had my baby. Good luck though with whatever you figurer out :)

Be sure you see your endocrinologist now since an underactive thyroid does not always "kick into high gear" to support the life you're carrying.

He/she should monitor your thyroid levels and adjust your medication so that you don't miscarry (I didn't see my endocrinologist right away and as a result I miscarried 3 times).

By monitoring your levels, it may help with your metabolism.

FYI: For every lb that you want to gain, you should only be eating between 9-11 more calories than you are currently eating (9 cal-sedentary lifestyle; 11 cal-active).

Go see your endo today.

Congratulations and blessings. I'll be pray for you.

I was doing weight watchers about a month or so before getting pregnant. When I found out I was pregnant, my group leader told me that WW was not meant for pregnant women, and that she was sorry but she could not allow me to continue the program. So my money was completely refunded, and I was advised to come back once the baby was born. In all reality, WW teaches you how to eat, and you know what foods make up "good" points and "bad" points. I would say, relax and enjoy your pregnancy. You have enough on your mind than having to deal with counting points.

Hi!! Perhaps if you simply watched what you ate, and didn't scrutenize what you eat that would be better for you and the baby. By this I mean, eat things like your recommended daily allowances of Fruits and Veggies and not so much of the other things that aren't so good for you and the little one that you are carrying. Tell your Doctor that this is an issue with you and that you are concerned. Talk with a dietician if need be!!

Congratulations! I know you're not supposed to follow WW while pregnant, but technically, they do have a plan for breastfeeding women. You need about 500 extra calories to nurse a baby, but only about 300-400 extra calories while pregnant, so I would say it would probably be okay to follow that plan. On the other hand, I just want to let you know it's not always bad to gain weight right away. With both of my pregnancies I gained 35 pounds in the first 32 weeks and then over the next 9 weeks ( I know, that's more than 40! lol ) I actually lost 2 pounds. It was strange. I definitely wasn't restricting my diet by then! Anyway, good luck!

Congrats!
A couple of things:

1) your thyroid. Get this checked right away-PLEASE- since you probably know it will likely have to be modified dur. pregnancy. Its terrible for baby-especially early on- if your levels are too low. Dr's usually place women at the high end of the scale throughout preg. I strongly recommend going through an endocrinologist for this. He/she should be checking you bi-monthly throughout your preg. I would NOT rely only on the tests done at your OBGYN unless they use a local hospital lab (as opposed to sending tests out) and do a FULL screen (most do a basic screen). I have had incorrect results too many times to trust an out-of-house lab while pregnant (and I'm not the only one).

2) You may consider trying ww's core modification for breast feeding mothers. The only difference it has from regular core is an increase in dairy to 3 serv each day, increase fruit/veg to 8 serv per day, oil to 3 tsp and water to 8 glasses a day. This would likely be great for someone who is expecting as well. I can't see how this could be a bad idea. A nutritionist would be an excellent idea too.

wishing you the best!

N.,

You could check on the weight watchers website and see what it has to say. I know that it tells you when your breast feeding that you need an extra 500 calories a day. I'm not sure what it says about pregnancy. I do know that I'm using sparkpeople.com to help me monitor my calorie intake and it states that any diet less than 1200 will not maintain enough nutrient for a women to maintain a healthy lifestyle. When you sign up for sparks it ask you if you are pregnant or not and they ask you what you like to eat maybe they would give a calorie count that is healthily. I would also ask your doctor you maybe be surprised what he says. I had a girlfriend pregnant with triplets and she was doing Atkins and her doctor told her she could keep eating that way to just add fruits to her diet. Well good luck and I will keep you in my prays for a healthy pregnancy M.

They give nursing moms 12 extra points on the WW program. I wouldn't stick to the program while pregnant, but if you eat more of the foods on the core food list (They tend to be better foods for you anyways) without trying to count points, then I'd say eating healthy cant't hurt. Especially since the core foods allow you to eat them until you are full. Just make sure to get lots of fruits and veggies in and drink at least 2% milk instead o skim. Your baby will need the milkfat to grow properly. Also, remmber to take your prenatal vitamins. You probably will still have cravings, so eat your fruits veggies and core foods for your meals then go for a snack with the cravings. But please, don't count points while pregnant! Eat healthier and trust your instincts.

Hi N.,
Weight Watchers will not let you be "on program" while pregnant because of the risk. They do have a program for nursing mothers that you can follow once your baby is born. I recommend asking your OB for an appropriate diet that you can follow that will be healthy for both you and the baby. Best wishes for a happy, healthy baby!

Congrats! I know WW has a breast feeding points guideline, but not sure about pregnant guidelines. My suggestion would be to try to eat every few hours to keep your bloodsugar in check. Plan snacks of fruit or veggies our make your own trail mix then you won't be making the wrong food choices. This helped me gain minimal with my first pregnancy. Good luck.