Factors That Influence Your Weight When TTC

Preparing for pregnancy can be overwhelming. It’s a time in your life when you become hyper-aware of your health and everything that could potentially affect it – from that must-have cup of coffee in the morning to the wrinkle-fighting serum you apply before bed. Anything that goes in or on your body is suddenly under a microscope. And rightfully so. You’re trying to tip the odds in your favor. The last thing you want is to worry about unwanted weight gain.

Mental roadblocks

• “I’m afraid of over-exercising or exerting myself.”
• “Maybe my ice cream craving is an early sign of pregnancy!”
• “I just had a baby. Why bother losing weight if I’m going to gain it back soon?”

Do any of these statements sound familiar? It’s completely natural to have these kinds of thoughts. You’re excited about the prospect of parenthood, but also feeling more cautious and fragile than usual. You don’t want anything to ruin your chances of becoming pregnant – and rightfully so! However, the problem arises when you let emotions overrule logic.         

Take exercise, for example. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends women who are expecting or planning to get pregnant to be more physically active. If you already have a regular exercise routine, keep at it! The only time exercise might interfere is when you’re overtraining and/or falling into an energy deficit (aka not eating enough to support your basal metabolic rate). This primarily pertains to athletes, who are prone to low body fat and changes to their menstrual cycle. Most women don’t have to worry about over-exercising. So let that one go!

A million thoughts and theories may enter your mind on your road to pregnancy. Try to sort through them as best you can. Acknowledge the thought, research its validity if you need to, and then move on. Don’t let unfounded ideas prevent you from making the lifestyle choices you know lead to a healthy weight.

Stress

Stress raises cortisol levels, which can cause unwanted weight gain. Stress can also prevent you from getting the quality sleep you deserve. As a result, you wake up hungry and proceed to snack all day in an effort to maintain energy. 

Hormonal imbalances

Cortisol isn’t the only hormone that can affect your weight. Estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, insulin and thyroid hormones are also big players on the field. If any — or many — of these are off balance, it can cause unexpected weight gain. There are a number of reasons your hormones might shift. If you were recently pregnant, for instance, it may take a while for your estrogen and progesterone to level out. Women coming off birth control may also experience fluctuations. Sometimes, the pill even masks underlying health issues. Any noticeable changes to your menstrual cycle, mood or weight deserve a second look. Be sure to speak to your healthcare provider, so you can express your concerns and find solutions sooner than later. 

Consuming more fat

You’ve probably heard full-fat dairy is one of the foods that can increase fertility. There are a number of studies to back up this claim. But here’s the caveat: fat supplies more calories per gram than any other macronutrient. For every 1 gram of fat, you consume 9 calories. Compare that to carbohydrates and proteins, which offer only 4 calories per gram. You’re getting more than double the number of calories from fat. Yes, it’s true: “eating fat won’t make you fat.” However, eating more calories than your body needs (in any form) does lead to weight gain. When consuming more fat-heavy foods, the calorie count can quickly add up.

Let’s add something here like: while weight loss should not be a major concern pre or during pregnancy since your focus is to nourish your body for two, we also don’t want to gain too much weight as numerous studies have show that it’s not good for your baby’s health (or yours!). We also don’t want our blood sugar ot be all over the place sine that can lead to gestational diabetes. Luckily there are ways to nourish without packing on the poudns! 

How to Eat for Pregnancy Without Gaining Weight

1)Enjoy carbs early. 

We are more insulin sensitive earlier in the day making our metabolism better able to handle carbs. Breakfast and lunch should be mor carb heavy than dibber 

2) Fiber Fiber Fiber 

Plant fibers are critical for many reasons. (throwing thoughts down in bullet but can reword and rearrange!)

• Calm our hunger hormones and control cravings for junk foods 
• Help reduce cholesterol 
• Most importantly, they feed our gut bacteria which then help us balance hormones, improve our metabolism, and blood sugar balance. This helps reduce insulin (our fat storage hormone). 
• Fiber helps make us more insulin sensitive which is super important pre and during pregnancy 
• So your goal is to eat as many different types of fibers! Think diversity of plants (fruits veggies legumes nuts seeds) when you are in the grocery store and when you’re building your plate 

3) Avoid certain food combinations.

Your body needs carbohydrates for energy and healthy fats for fertility. What you do not need is for those carbohydrates to linger. This can happen when you pair fats with carbohydrates. Because fat digests slowly, it will keep insulin levels elevated for a longer period of time.

4) Manage your portion sizes.

While portion control is always a good health tip, it plays a special role in prenatal nutrition. Fertility foods like full-fat dairy, walnuts, eggs and grass-fed meats tend to be calorie dense. That doesn’t mean they’re off the table. In fact, the spectrum of nutrients they offer is essential to your reproductive health. The key is to monitor your intake. 

Instead of an 8-ounce cup of light Greek yogurt, scoop up 6 ounces of the full-fat variety. Likewise, avoid snacking on nuts right out of the bag. Measure out a serving before putting them on a plate or sprinkling over oats. Making small tweaks like this allows you to enjoy all the benefits and none of the weight-graining side effects.