If you are obese or overweight and planning to get pregnant, you must try and achieve a healthy weight before trying to conceive. Obesity and overweight affect your fertility and decrease your chances of getting pregnant. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight increases your chances of getting pregnant.
Obesity and overweight during pregnancy are associated with a number of pregnancy complications, such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, infection, stillbirth, and increased risk of miscarriage. Babies born to obese or overweight women are at increased risk for childhood and adult obesity and other chronic health problems.
Taking steps, such as eating healthy, increasing physical activity, and making lifestyle changes will help you lose some extra weight and increase your chances of getting pregnant and giving birth to a healthy baby.
Try the following tips to lose weight before you get pregnant:
- Set a weight loss goal. Your doctor or OB/GYN will be able to help calculate your BMI, the amount of weight to lose, and set a realistic weight loss goal.
- Start eating a healthy, low-carbohydrate diet rich in protein and fiber.
- Eat healthy snacks, such as fruit, plain nuts, or low-fat yogurt
- Include vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean meat in your diet.
- Stop or decrease the frequency of eating fast food.
- Use small plates to help reduce your portion sizes.
- Drink water when you feel like drinking sugary drinks or alcohol.
- Establish an exercise regime with help of your doctor to burn away extra calories.
- Get physically active with activities such as walking your dog, walking to the grocery store, taking the stairs, and walking around with your partner or a friend.
- Decrease your sitting time by getting up and walking around every one hour while using a computer or watching TV.
