Ok so I recently turned 23, and my current weight is around 350. Like a lot of you my weight has been up and down like a roller coaster that has no end, and I am frankly sick of it. Last year I was going to the gym and losing weight and feeling GREAT!!! And now I feel like crap, and all the pictures being taken of me right now make me want to puke. Heres the thing, I am also currently around 14 weeks pregnant. So what do I do? It's so hard with all the cravings and the mood swings, and the fatigue to get motivated. I joined a gym but sadley never go. Not just because of my laziness but because I have been having A LOT of transperation issues...and I am still having them.

My doctor told me it would be ok for me to lose weight during my pregnancy and I should really only gain around 10lbs.

I need some help, some motivation...maybe someone around my wt that is going through or has went through the same things that I am.

My poor BF is very supportive but he is SO thin, so he doesn't exactly understand why it can be so hard. AND having to feed both of us makes it A LOT harder. He loves to go out to eat and stuff like that.

I would like some advice, websites on over weight pregnancy fitness, and maybe someone to talk to that has been there done that LOL

I didn't know where to post here or in the pregnancy section, but that section is kinda dead...and I would like someone thats around the same weight as me.

I am tired of this roller coaster and ready to get off for good, it isn't just about me and my health anymore. It's about my baby...my unborn baby that relys on me to get it nutrician, and so I can keep up with my baby and be around for a looong time!!!

HI SWEETIE ~ I know that you may feel lost, but there is hope and support in this good place. Many, many of us here have been/or are in a similar place as you. I was put on my first diet in my teens; lost 25 lbs and promptly gained back about 50 lbs, simply becuz the doctor did not teach me how to maintain my loss in the first place. They didn't teach me how to eat with good habits, for the rest of my life.

Later on, when I was about 17-18 y/o, I lost the weight again on a diet plan recommended by an RN; I did manage to keep that off for over three years, but slowly bad habits returned and I re-gained some of the weight (not all of it at that time); this started me on a life-long roller-coaster of yo-yo dieting, in which I tried almost all of them, and some of them more than once. Along the way, I noticed that whenever I wasn't working or was in school, I would regain some weight. When I quit smoking twice, I also regained a little each time; only the last time (5 years ago) I did not gain, but actually lost 25 lbs becuz I deliberately monitored what I was eating.

I have lost weight for the last few years as well: more than 70+ lbs. I really don't know the exact weight I started at becuz I was over the large hospital scale, but then I started to loose about 25 lbs a year until I got where I am now. No, I am not starving myself ever again; instead, I am learning how to eat in moderation for the rest of my life as I don't want to return to the old bad habits that led me to where I was before.

I am explaining all of this to you, so that you will understand that I know exactly how you feel; I have been where you are, and I am working very hard at trying to get and be healthier. My goal is to eat and live in a such a healthy manner that I will eventually be able to do whatever I want to do, and feel comfortable while doing all that. I want to feel comfortable in my own skin and body again.

Like today, I did some snow pushing and ski-walking, and I felt really good about myself for it. The fresh air was invigorating, and I feel proud of myself for making such improvements in my lifestyle. And, I know that you can do the same for yourself, and your upcoming addition to the family.

I agree whole-heartedly with your doctor: you can eat and live in a healthy way, so that your baby and you are well throughout this pregnancy. To a regular balanced plan of three meals plus 2-3 small and healthy snacks, you really only need to add one serving of calcium based food from the dairy group, plus take a really good Vitamin supplement for pregnant women (keep in mind your weight, you may need to take two, over the day).

As for exercise, there is no reason that you can't WALK to improve your fitness level. For the bad weather days, pick up some WALKING OFF THE POUNDS TAPES OR DVDS that you can use in the privacy of your home, esp as the pregnancy gets into the later trimesters.

Firstly though, I think that you need to make a commitment to yourself; that you ARE going to make some changes for your health and your new baby becuz you need to do it. Don't wait until you have a bunch of health problems (becuz they will come with age) to change your ways. The easiest and best time to get things under control are NOW, when you are young and your body can help you. Later on, you will be even more tired than you are now; I know becuz I am 49 y/o now, and my body (muscles and joints) aches from caring around all this extra weight.

Sorry this post is so long, but if you have any more questions, I'd be glad to try and help and encourage you. Do you have a nickname that you would like to use here; it's just more personal? There are ladies here who started where we did, and have succeeded in getting their health back; and I know they are a great inspiration to me as well.

Remember this is a journey ~ and it will take a commitment, some structure (a plan), and some time to get things on track; but you can do it!!!

ROSEBUD

i have never been pregnant myself but I agree that being healthy for you and your baby is most important. I would definately not do any strenuous workouts but walking should be a great way to keep your weight at least stable during your pregnancy. If you eat healthy during your pregnancy then perhaps you can make changes that you will want to stick with even after you have the baby.

I had a friend who was always around 240lbs and when she had her baby she lost about 80lbs quickly perhaps you will be able to the same. she said it was from breastfeeding and walking. I wish you the best and this website is a really great tool for support encouragement and ideas.

I exercised and taught dance lessons all the way through my second and third pregancies-up until labor. You can be just as active as you are before pregnancy, with just a few small modifications. However, if you are not used to doing strenuous exercise, I recommend that you DO something, but start small and light.

Physical activity is very important during pregnancy, because you need physical strength to endure labor and delivery. It will be harder if you have no physical endurance, for one of the hardest physical things your body will ever have to do.

I would start with walking first and foremost. If you can only go around the block slowly at first, or 5 minutes on the treadmill-that is better than nothing. Start small, and as you feel fitter, slowly add a little more to that each week. Pretty soon you should be able to walk a mile or two without any problems at all.

There are many exercises that you can do...I really enjoyed the dvd "Crunch Yoga Mama". It is a short, 25-30 minute yoga video specifically for pregnant women. It really, really helped me to not have ANY back pain at all during my pregnancies-and I had 9+ and 10+ lb. babies. I also enjoyed Quick Fix Prenatal Workout, and I have had many students who have taken belly dancing during their pregnancies. (Which is totally safe....)

Nutrition-wise, I understand you completely. I am an emotional eater/binger at times, and I have a husband without a weight problem. The heaviest he has ever been, is a 36" mens waist size in pants, that he usually aquires around the holidays (Thanksgiving-New Years) and then he is right back into his 34" waist, once the holidays have passed. It makes me sick.

We go out to eat a lot, but you just have to basically think things over a bit when you go, and before you order. Most of it is basic portion control, and choosing healthier options. We can go out for pizza, but I always get thin crust instead of pan, and veggie instead of meat toppings. At a breakfast style restaurant, I will get eggs and toast instead of a huge 8 item breakfast sampler. The kids wanted to go to Steak N Shake recently, and I went, but ordered the soup and salad as my two sides, instead of the fries and other options. So, you CAN go out, you just have to be more careful about it.

If you need any help at all-please feel free to ask any questions, or just chat. I have been through pregnancy three times, and have dealt with the fitness and nutrition side of it. You are not alone!

Thank you everyone so much for all the advice and support it is appreciated more then you can know. I went to the store last night and bought some healthy stuff, (soups, veggies, salad stuff, fruit, and low fat string cheese) and made a promise to myself and my baby that I *WILL* do this and stick to it. I had went to Coldstone ice cream a few days ago, and I only ate half of what I had gotten and was saving the rest, BUT i am happy to say that I threw it out last night. And All I drink is water and tea.

Aphil, I definatly am going to look into thoes DVDs, they sound like something I would like to try. My mom had two babies. She told me the same thing about being active. With her first (my brother) she was young and pretty much just sat at home the whole time, she didn't even work. and She got Toxemia, swelled up and had a very hard labor. With the 2nd (me) she worked all the way up until she went into labor, and she was VERY active. She said she didn't get the Toxemia, and she had a lot easier of labor.

Thank you again everyone for all the support and advice ...I needed it.

I weighed 315lbs when I got pregnant, and 335lbs when they were born (twins). My pelvis separated when I was about 24 weeks, so I was basically bedridden until they were born. All of the 20lbs I gained was during that last period when all I could do was eat. Prior to that, I was active and not gaining any weight. I really found water aerobics to be quite good for me, easy on the back and other joints and it felt so nice to just be free of the weight of the baby belly.

This is a really good web site

plus-size-pregnancy.org

And also, I had a great book called "Carrying a Little Extra" that was full of good advice and information.

Probably one of the best things that I did during my pregnancy was to get a referral to a dietician. I was really nauseated and could only eat certain things. She helped me build a plan that had me eating the things the babies needed to grow and also helped me get a sense of how much I needed to eat. This was someone who specialized in nutrution during pregnancy, and she was full of knowledge and advice.

A lot of doctors felt that since I was overweight and having twins, I was going to have all sorts of problems. Reality was that I had NO health problems that affected the babies - just the separated pelvis which made ME misterable but had no effect on them. They were born at 37 weeks - full term for twins - and weighed 5lbs 14oz and 6lb 5oz.

Alana

wow Alana, a seperated pelvis does sound VERY painful, but thanks for the advice and the webiste reccomendation!! It is nice to hear from someone in the same boat as me!!

It gives me hope and peace of mind!