The Truth About Pregnancy Weight

• Being overweight or obese before pregnancy
• Having family members (first degree) with diabetes
• A laboratory finding of sugar (AKA glucose) in the urine
• Having a previous pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes

1. Eat a well-balanced diet.

There’s no secret formula, or any single food that can offer you all nutrients. ^{5, 6} Your meals must be varied and well-balanced, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and foods with less fat. ^{5, 6} It’s essential that your meals contain food from all food groups that provide you the highest quality nutrients.

2. Watch portion sizes.

Eating for two does not mean eating a lot more than you did before. ^3, 6 While the increased energy (calorie) requirement is attributed to your changing body to support the pregnancy and the nutritional needs of your growing little one, an excess in calories can lead to gaining too much weight which can increase your risk for gestational diabetes. For most normal-weight pregnant women, the number of calories needed per day per trimester is as follows: ⁷

To help you decide what and how much to put on your plate, you may use the following plate illustration as a guide. In addition to a well-portioned meal, include regular physical activity to maintain a healthy weight. ⁸

3. Choose your carbs with care.

Carbohydrates are the main sources of energy for you and your little one. However, if consumed in excess, it will put you at risk of gaining too much weight and possibly risk of developing gestational diabetes. Of all the nutrients, carbohydrates particularly simple carbohydrates like refined sugars have the most immediate impact on blood glucose level. When digested, carbohydrates are broken down into smaller glucose units which are absorbed in the bloodstream. ⁹ Therefore, the type and amount of carbohydrate including presence of other substances such as fibre (also known as complex carbohydrates) can impact the rate of absorption of glucose by the body. ^{10, 11}