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Pregnancy Diet and Exercise

So, you’re expecting a baby and you want to (as far as possible) maintain the body you had before you fell pregnant or, at the very least, return to ‘normal’ as soon as possible after Junior makes his or her arrival.
There is much you can do to achieve these goals, starting of course with healthy eating and exercise.

The rule of thumb here is to have a balanced diet, which means that you should be eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, protein, grains and consuming lots of hydrating fluids. And, while you certainly should remain active, exercise should be at a more sedentary pace. So slow things down a bit, but not to a complete standstill.

As mentioned, it is recommended during pregnancy to follow a nutritious and balanced diet that includes lots of fresh fruit and veggies, grains, etc. but what sorts of things should you try to avoid or eliminate during this time?
There are some items that you should avoid completely during pregnancy due to the fact that they can cause complications and illness as your body is going through so many changes and has so much to adapt to at present.

These include:
•    Just about all forms of junk food and take-out. The reason for this is that the fat and salt content in these quick-fix meals is much higher than a healthy home-cooked meal. They also consist largely of empty calories, so while they are filling they just cause you to pile on the kilograms.

•    Caffeine and alcohol, as these two items prevent the absorption of folic acid and iron which are essential minerals in the healthy formation of your unborn baby. They also leech calcium from your bones which can cause all sorts of problems later on.

•    Not all but certainly some types of seafood. While most fish are fine to consume during pregnancy a few items to avoid are: shellfish such as oysters as they are known to be contaminated by bacteria harmful to the developing fetus. Sushi and sashimi are definite no-no’s for now too.

•    Avoid poorly packaged and poorly labeled foods because you want to be sure that you are not consuming something that has reached its best before date or contains an ingredient that is not suitable.
While, not so long ago, it was thought that as soon as a woman fell pregnant she should refrain from participating in any form of exercise, these days we all know that exercise is vital to the health of both mother and unborn child.

Research has in fact shown that exercise can help reduce some of the typical pregnancy discomforts, such as backache, constipation, fatigue, bloating and swelling. But, of course, like with everything, if one wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle, moderation is of utmost importance. A low impact form of exercise, such as swimming, walking, or cycling, is just what you need. Perhaps you can find out if your local gym has a class that is especially for moms-to-be.

As pregnancy passes by in just 9 short (though sometimes seemingly endless) months it is in the best interests of both you and your baby to exercise and eat properly for the duration so that when your baby arrives you are healthy and fit and ready to face the new demands that will be placed upon you as mom to your bundle of joy.