Posts Tagged ‘Weight Gain’
Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Weight Gain
The ideal woman of the 1800s was built for comfort, not speed. She was a stout, hearty Brunhild. Since pregnancy was a “delicate” condition, she remained in “confinement” like a fragile flower and probably ate herself into oblivion out of boredom. The turn-of-the-century Gibson girl “porked up” because she was eating for two. In the 50s and 60s, the tide turned; fat was unfit. Gaining more than 10 pounds during pregnancy supposedly gave you toxemia, and eating salt was a sin. The tide turned again by the 70s and 80s. Since today’s nonpregnant ideal is the slim, trim health food jogger, what’s considered ideal for the pregnant woman these days?
To eat or not to eat is no longer the question. According to the Committee on Nutritional Status, during Pregnancy, a weight gain of 25 to 35 pounds produces the healthiest babies. Pregnancy is no time to lose weight. If you’ve spent the better part of your adult life fighting flab, you may have to adjust your mind-set. For some, the expectation to gain weight is akin to dying and going to hog heaven. These are the women who lose control and gain 60 pounds before they regain their senses. For others who fought the hard fight and were winning the battle of the bulge, the prospect of calling even a temporary truce can be disheartening.