Is it possible to lose body fat while pregnant

Being overweight during pregnancy. Rasmussen KM et al. Recommendations for weight gain during pregnancy in the context of the obesity epidemic. Robillard PY et al Relationship between pre-pregnancy maternal BMI and optimal weight gain in singleton pregnancies. Heliyon 4 5 E Siega-Riz AM et al. A systematic review of outcomes of maternal weight gain according to the Institute of Medicine recommendations: birthweight, fetal growth, and postpartum weight retention.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Join now to personalize. Photo credit: Sarah Ottavis for BabyCenter. Can I lose weight while pregnant? What if I lose weight in early pregnancy? How much weight to gain if you're pregnant and overweight or obese Can I diet to lose weight during pregnancy? Weight loss during pregnancy: Warning signs. It can be normal to lose weight in early pregnancy, due to: Morning sickness. In the first trimester, it's common to lose weight as the result of morning sickness.

The nausea can diminish your appetite, and the vomiting can cause you to miss out on calories. Don't worry, your baby will get all the necessary calories and nutrients they need at this point. Fat reserves. Overweight women have an extra reserve of calories in stored fat, so as your baby grows, it's not harmful to maintain or even lose a little weight at first. Improved lifestyle. You might lose weight early on if you've started exercising or eating healthier foods when you became pregnant.

How much weight to gain if you're pregnant and overweight or obese If you started off your pregnancy carrying too much weight for your height, you're not alone. If your BMI is 30 or higher: You're advised to gain 11 to 20 pounds during pregnancy. Can I diet to lose weight during pregnancy?

Do your best to: Eat balanced meals and healthy snacks. Stay hydrated by drinking an average of about ten 8-ounce cups of water each day. Choose complex carbs — such as beans, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains — over simple carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, and white pasta.

Monitor your weight with your healthcare provider to make sure you're on track. Weight loss during pregnancy: Warning signs Losing weight in the second or third trimester can signal a problem. Learn more: Tips for safe pregnancy exercise Foods and beverages to avoid during pregnancy What to eat when pregnant: the 12 best foods. Sources BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world.

Being obese when you're pregnant increases the chance of some complications such as gestational diabetes. Make sure you go to all your antenatal appointments so your pregnancy team can monitor the health of you and your baby. To find out if you are obese very overweight , use the BMI healthy weight calculator. If you are obese usually defined as having a BMI of 30 or above and pregnant, do not try to lose weight during your pregnancy. It will not reduce the chance of complications and may not be safe.

This is so your midwife, doctor and any other health professionals can help with any problems you might face and take steps to prevent or manage them. It's important to eat a healthy, balanced diet and do some physical activity every day. You should be offered a referral to a dietitian or other health professional for advice on healthy eating and physical activity.

Being physically active in pregnancy will not harm your baby. Try eating healthily including knowing what foods to avoid in pregnancy and doing activities such as walking or swimming.

If you were not active before pregnancy, it's a good idea to consult your midwife or doctor before starting a new exercise plan when you're pregnant. If you are obese in pregnancy, you'll be offered a test for gestational diabetes. Your provider will have you do a growth ultrasound to measure how your baby is growing.

If your baby is not growing appropriately, then you will need much closer follow-up. In addition, if you begin to develop bloating accompanied with changes in your bowel movements, you may have a malabsorptive disease that will require a workup. With that being said, the most common reason for excess weight gain during pregnancy is due to increased caloric intake so you must ALWAYS pay attention to the amount of food you consume on a daily basis.. I have an entire article on how to get in shape while pregnant.

But as always, check in with your provider before doing any type of exercise or dietary program. A few pounds lost during the first trimester due to morning sickness is usually okay and wont have any adverse effects on you or your baby.

If you are losing a significant amount of weight in the first trimester, you may have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. If severe, this condition may require IV fluid hydration, electrolyte replacement, and hospital admission. Yes, you burn more calories when you are pregnant because of the increase in weight and body surface area. At baseline, your body has to burn calories just to keep your heart pumping, brain functioning, blood flowing, and muscles working.

With an increase in body surface area, your body has to work harder to do these bodily functions. Therefore, you burn more calories. You will notice your body weight will increase the most during the 2nd and 3rd trimester. This also corresponds to when your baby starts to gain the most weight. With that being said, it is usually during the 2nd trimester where you will start to feel like yourself again and be able to participate in the activities you liked to do prior to pregnancy.

Make sure to counteract an excessive increase in weight by sticking to the guidelines I mentioned above. Instead, your goal should be to build arm muscle. I have written an entire article on safe push up variations during each trimester of pregnancy that you might find helpful, along with a full list of arm toning exercises you can do during pregnancy and postpartum. As I mentioned above, it is quite difficult to lose fat in a particular area.

Studies have shown that you cannot spot reduce fat from specific parts of your body. I have an entire article on losing back fat postpartum that may be relevant.

While pregnant, it is important to not do any sort of exercise where you are flat on your back or on your stomach. Losing fat during pregnancy is not recommended and should not be done intentionally.