Pregnancy - Exercise & Diet To Be Followed!

Pregnancy is a very special time in a woman's life when there is an added focus to take care of yourself and your unborn child. The adage 'You are what you eat' takes on a whole new meaning during this period as it becomes the soon to be mother's responsibility to pack in extra nutrition to nourish her growing bump. Doctors often add in a dose of vitamins to ensure that the both mother and child are well nourished. But beyond that, the food choices you make will maintain a healthy weight gain for you and your baby and eventually even help when you want to shed the extra weight after your child is born.

Here are some tips to have a perfect diet during your pregnancy

1. Load up on the good stuff: Even if you've always been eating healthy, it is time to crank things up a notch and include more proteins, vitamins, minerals especially folic acid and iron and some extra calories for energy and increase it as you progress in your pregnancy. But eating to get more nutrients doesn't have to mean eating more in general. If you are already at a healthy weight, then you don't need extra calories in the first trimester. In the second trimester, you need about 340 extra calories a day and about 450 extra calories a day in the third trimester. The numbers will change if you are underweight or overweight.
2. Say no to some: During pregnancy, give a skip to food items like raw seafood and undercooked meat and poultry. This could lead to potentially dangerous infections. Other foods to steer clear from include unpasteurized milk and soft cheese. All of these are possible sources of bacteria that can be harmful to an unborn child. It is always good to give your fruits and veggies a good extra wash, as always. Try to avoid the known culprits like popular local fruits that may be laden with artificial ripeners. Also, avoid food with excess oil or preservatives. You will also have to say a complete no to alcohol or smoking during this period. While most sites suggest that you also ditch your caffeine fix, you can best keep it less than 200mg or 12 ounces in a day. 
3. Diet a big no: Another big no during pregnancy is dieting or controlling the intake of food to lose weight. Pregnancy is the time you actually, for once, get to legally gain weight and be happy about. Don't mess up your natural system with forced diets.
4. Keep the food coming: Pregnancy is the time for food craving at all odd hours - and the time to give into them without an ounce of guilt! If you are dealing with nausea and food aversion, try to stick to small meals throughout the day. Replace the chips with carrot sticks and the pizza slice with soup. If that sweet tooth starts acting up, give it a frozen fruit dessert or shake.

Some of the best exercises during pregnancy

1. Swimming: This one is in fact recommended by doctors as the best and the safest exercise for pregnant women. Swimming is beneficial because of the following reasons:
   • It has immense cardiovascular benefits
   • Large muscles groups are exercised in the process
   • Helps reduce swelling and inflammation
   • Helps with low back pain and relieves the stress on your spine which is caused due to the extra weight you are carrying around.
2. Walking: This is one of the safest exercises during any trimester as long as you don’t over exert yourself. Walking promotes blood circulation, improves heart health and is all around a good exercise for pregnant women. The key is to invest in a good pair of shoes for walking so as to prevent the knees and legs from jarring and also to support your upper body properly.
3. Stretching: In the later trimesters, it may be a little difficult to manage other exercises as your body becomes heavier and movement may be limited. However, you can do basic stretching exercises to improve mobility and also help with circulation.
4. Weight training exercises: Certain exercises which utilize the weight of your body rather than external weight can be performed easily. You can also use lighter weights to help keep muscle tone and strength. A few examples of these exercises are:
   • Side leg lifting: Lie on one side and lift one leg up slightly higher than hip height. You can use your forearm for balance in this case. Keep lifting the leg and hold it there for a few seconds and do the same motions a few times for repetitions.
   • Curling and lifting: Sit on a chair with your back straight with 2 to 4-kilo weights in each hand and curl up your hands up to the shoulders. Sit with your legs spread apart but comfortably. Also, start the curl with your forearms at a 90° angle from your elbows.
   • Yoga and meditation: Yoga is possibly one of the most well-suited regimens during pregnancy. Pranayama and meditation can definitely help you be more at peace and also manage many of the changes happening in your body in a much better fashion.

If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.