How not to gain weight during pregnancy: what to eat (and what to avoid)

To avoid gaining too much weight during pregnancy, the pregnant woman should eat healthily and without exaggeration, and try to do light physical activities during pregnancy, with the permission of the obstetrician.

Therefore, it is important to increase the consumption of foods rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, such as fruits, vegetables and whole foods, such as rice, pasta and whole wheat flour.

The weight that should be gained during pregnancy depends on the BMI that the woman had before becoming pregnant, and can vary between approximately 7 and 14 kg. To find out how much weight you can gain, take the Gestational Weight Calculator test below.

What to eat to control weight

To control weight and avoid excessive weight gain, women should eat a diet rich in natural and whole foods, giving preference to:

• Fruits and vegetables;
• Whole grain rice, pasta and flour;
• Skimmed milk and derivatives;
• Lean meats and fish.

Furthermore, you should prefer to consume foods prepared at home, using a small amount of oils, sugars and olive oil when cooking meals. Furthermore, all visible fat should be removed from meat and the skin of chicken and fish, to reduce the amount of calories in the diet.

What to avoid in the diet

To avoid excessive weight gain during pregnancy, it is important to avoid consuming foods rich in sugar, fat and simple carbohydrates, such as white flour, sweets, desserts, whole milk, sandwich cookies, red and processed meats, such as sausage, bacon, sausage and salami.

It is also important to avoid consuming fried foods, fast food, soft drinks and frozen ready-to-eat foods, such as pizzas and lasagnas, as they are rich in fats and chemical additives. Furthermore, you should avoid consuming meat and vegetable stock cubes, powdered soups or ready-made seasonings, as they are rich in salt, which causes fluid retention and increased blood pressure.

Menu to control weight during pregnancy

Below is an example of a 3-day menu to control weight gain during pregnancy.

Journey 1

• Breakfast: 1 glass of skimmed milk + 1 whole grain bread with cheese + 1 slice of papaya;
• Morning snack: 1 natural yogurt with granola;
• Lunch dinner: 1 chicken steak with tomato sauce + 4 tbsp. rice soup + 3 tbsp. bean soup + green salad + 1 orange;
• Afternoon snack: Pineapple juice with mint + 1 tapioca with cheese.

Journey 2

• Breakfast: Avocado smoothie + 2 whole grain toasts with butter;
• Morning snack: 1 banana mashed with oats + gelatin;
• Lunch dinner: Pasta with tuna and pesto sauce + sautéed vegetable salad + 2 slices of watermelon;
• Afternoon snack: 1 natural yogurt with flaxseed + 1 whole grain bread with cream cheese.

Journey 3

• Breakfast: 1 glass of orange juice + 1 tapioca + cheese;
• Morning snack: 1 natural yogurt + 1 tbsp. flaxseed + 2 toasts;
• Lunch dinner: 1 piece of cooked fish + 2 medium potatoes + cooked vegetables + 2 slices of pineapple;
• Afternoon snack: 1 glass of skimmed milk + 1 whole grain bread with tuna.

In addition to following this diet, it is also important to do frequent physical activity, after speaking to your doctor and getting permission, such as walking or water aerobics. See the 7 Best exercises to practice during pregnancy.

Dangers of being overweight during pregnancy

Excess weight during pregnancy can pose risks to the mother and baby, such as high blood pressure, eclampsia and gestational diabetes.

Furthermore, being overweight also delays a woman’s postpartum recovery and increases the chances of her baby also being overweight throughout her life. See what pregnancy is like for obese women.

See more tips for controlling your weight during pregnancy by watching the following video: