Pregnancy

10 Ways To Avoid Gaining Excess Weight When You're Pregnant

It's hard enough to try and keep the extra pounds off when you're not pregnant, but when you're pregnant you know you have to gain a certain amount of weight in order to keep yourself and your baby healthy.

Fortunately, it's not too difficult to keep the excess pounds off when you're pregnant -- especially if you follow these 10 tips:

• Don't skip meals, and that includes breakfast.
   
• Have all your meals for the day planned in the morning.
   
• Pick foods that are high in fiber and low in sugars and fats.
   
• Don't eat fried foods. Instead, steam, broil or bake your foods. Oh, and be sure to ask when you're eating out how your food is being prepared so you don't wind up with something fried by accident.
   
• Make sure your tummy is full before you go shopping. There's nothing worse than shopping on an empty stomach because you will buy far more than if your stomach is full.
   
• If you're going to be attending a party or any kind of social gathering, eat before you go. This way, you won't be tempted to overeat foods that are on your list of no-no foods.
   
• If you go to the movies, smuggle some fruit in your purse or bag along with a bottle of water. Nearly everything that you can purchase to eat at the movies is loaded with sugars and fats.
   
• Eat slowly. The slower you eat, the less you will need to eat because you will become full sooner. That way, you will be less likely to accidentally overeat.
   
• Drink plenty of water. Drinking 8 glasses a day is good.
   
• Stay away from people who push you to overeat. For some reason many people seem to think that pregnant women can eat whatever they want, and as much of it. These people will think nothing of encouraging you to overeat.