Some women feel the need to quit a diet for pregnancy. I know from different weight loss social media groups this is common thinking.
But, why should the concept of quitting a diet for pregnancy even be necessary?
The only solid reason I can think of is the diet you might be quitting would be one you should have never went on in the first place. If your diet is no good for you while pregnant, what makes you think it was any good for you when not pregnant? One of the most common places I have seen people telling about leaving their diet while pregnant is on one of the largest commercial weight loss groups in America.
During pregnancy is when you need to be concentrating on good nutrition. Therefore, if you feel the need to quit, what does that say for your diet plan? Before beginning any diet, especially when contemplating pregnancy, you need to first consult with your physician to see if it is right for you. When you do this, your physician is likely to order blood labs in order to see what area of your nutrition needs the most attention. A lot of people are lacking in different vitamins and minerals that do an important part in keeping us healthy.
Remaining healthy during pregnancy.
If you become pregnant, it becomes even more critical that you remain healthy during the course of your pregnancy. Otherwise, your baby will be the one to suffer the consequences of your poor nutrition. For this reason, I say if you need to quit your diet because of pregnancy, you should not have been on it in the first place.
There is never a time when healthy eating is not important, but it becomes more so when you’re pregnant. You must ensure that your calories come from nutritious foods that will contribute to your baby’s growth and development.
If you are already at a healthy weight, you might need about 300 extra calories a day. This is especially true later in your pregnancy when your baby grows quickly. But if you’re overweight, your physician may actually advise you to consume fewer extra calories. It is critical for yours and your baby’s health that you follow your physicians orders. This is where creating a permanent lifestyle centered around good nutrition is important. When your nutrition is already good, it becomes only a matter of cutting or increasing a few calories as necessary.
I do not want the stress of dieting while pregnant!
Again, if you feel the need to quit a diet for pregnancy, you should not have been on it in the first place.
Pregnant or not, a diet that causes you stress is not good!
It is obvious for many reasons that pregnancy is going to bring about stress for a multitude of reasons. With stress comes the desire to reach out for comfort foods. Unfortunately, those comfort foods are the last thing you should be eating when pregnant.
Getting adequate nutrition is one of the most important responsibilities women have throughout their pregnancies. This is not only for yourself, but for the lifelong health of your baby as well. A significant amount of pregnant women are deficient in vitamins D, C, A, K, B-6, and E, as well as iron, folate, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and choline. You get these through good nutrition which comfort foods rarely provide.
Nutrition is critical for pregnant women. This is because there is an absolute dependence of the developing fetus on the mother for all of its nutrients. If you quit your diet in order to not stress about eating cookies and cakes, think about who is going to suffer from this choice.
Poor nutrition during pregnancy is a major public health problem in the United States and other countries. There is compelling evidence from epidemiologic studies that poor nutrition during pregnancy, in the form of insufficient intake, low protein, or deficiencies in micronutrients, is associated with poor developmental outcomes in children including lower cognitive functioning, deficits in attention, and disruptive behavior problems (1)
At David’s Way to Health and Fitness, we promote a healthy lifestyle centered on good nutrition and physical fitness. When you follow our methodology, there is no good reason to ever feel the need to quit. Your physician might order you to increase or decrease your caloric intake. But that is simple when you only consume healthy foods that are low in calories and nutritionally dense.
Always consult your physician!
If you are pregnant, or contemplating pregnancy, always consult with your physician for your nutritional needs. We are not medical doctors, therefore we cannot give you any type of specialized diet for your pregnancy. Your doctor will have your blood labs and will know best what you and your baby will require for a healthy pregnancy.
(1) US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health