Pregnant after success on atkins...

DiminishedCapacity · 04-15-2013, 08:29 AM

Hi all!

I started Atkins in May of 2012. I lost 42 pounds and love the low carb lifestyle. I maintained my weight loss for several months...until now.

I found out I was pregnant in March. My dr told me to stay on Atkins - even at 20 carbs per day - and that it was fine bc she didn't want me gaining too much weight. I'm 5'10" and was 204 when I got pregnant.

I've gained 14 pounds and am at 11 weeks. I'm so stressed out because I'm gaining so much weight. I try to stay LC, but my body keeps telling me to eat bread, and I listen. I don't know what to do. If I stay strict LC, I'm unhappy because I'm not eating what my body is telling me to eat. If I go off of LC, I gain too much.

Has anyone else had this experience? I'd love to hear your advice on which path to take.

Thanks!
Jen

DD80 · 04-15-2013, 08:32 AM

Coming from a person who hasn't been pregnant...

I'd say that if your body is craving bread, then eat bread. Depriving yourself (especially during times of hormonal cravings) can lead to "binging" on the forbidden food. I'd eat LC as much as possible, but add some bread in here and there as you like. Perhaps find a good high fiber bread (or multigrain) that satisfies the craving.

Tril · 04-15-2013, 03:22 PM

It's NOT your body telling you to eat bread... it's your INSULIN! Your blood glucose is skyrocketing and dropping. This causes hunger and cravings. If you don't get it under control you will continue to gain... fast. You will also put yourself at risk for gestational diabetes and THAT is NOT good for the baby. Babies whose mothers had GD during pregnancy are at a much higher risk for diabetes later in life. Do yourself AND the baby a huge favor... and get back on plan!

DiminishedCapacity · 04-16-2013, 06:54 AM

Buckle down, pretend I'm back on week 1 of induction....got it.
Thanks,
Jen

LESESKI · 04-16-2013, 08:10 AM

I also went thru pregnancy while on Atkins. Unfortunately, I rarely ate eggs because the smell of them would make me so nauseated. I did eat bread but only stone ground, whole wheat and I also ate more fruit than ususal. I didn't count carbs but I did limit my bread to 2 slices per day. I only gained 21 lbs during my pregnancy. Here's a sample of what I ate.

Breakfast - Oatmeal sweetened with stevia or 2 eggs
Lunch - Peanut Butter sandwich and orange
Dinner - Meat, veggies, salad
Snack - large apple & handful of walnuts

If I still felt hungry I would eat more fruit, celery, sf jello, or a glass of chocolate almond milk. Congrats on your baby!

Sarah · 05-14-2013, 11:45 AM

I don't have any tips for how to stay on Atkins while pregnant because I didn't. What a mistake that was! I gained 70 pounds with my first son. Then just when I had lost about 40 of that of that by getting back on, when he was 10 months I got pregnant with my second son, went off again, and gained 50 that time.

I know it's hard, but I wish I had stayed the course. Wishing you a healthy and happy pregnancy!

04-15-2013, 08:29 AM	#1
DiminishedCapacity Junior LCF Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 15 Gallery: DiminishedCapacity Stats: 256/256/160 WOE: WOE 20 carbs per day Start Date: 1/12/15	Pregnant after success on atkins... Hi all! I started Atkins in May of 2012. I lost 42 pounds and love the low carb lifestyle. I maintained my weight loss for several months...until now. I found out I was pregnant in March. My dr told me to stay on Atkins - even at 20 carbs per day - and that it was fine bc she didn't want me gaining too much weight. I'm 5'10" and was 204 when I got pregnant. I've gained 14 pounds and am at 11 weeks. I'm so stressed out because I'm gaining so much weight. I try to stay LC, but my body keeps telling me to eat bread, and I listen. I don't know what to do. If I stay strict LC, I'm unhappy because I'm not eating what my body is telling me to eat. If I go off of LC, I gain too much. Has anyone else had this experience? I'd love to hear your advice on which path to take. Thanks! Jen

04-15-2013, 08:32 AM	#2
DD80 Major LCF Poster! Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Desert Southwest Posts: 1,265 Gallery: DD80 Stats: 188/165.0/145 5'10" WOE: Organic GrassFed Gluten-Free 5/13 Dairy Free 2/14 Start Date: 1/10/12 Medi, 2/9/12 First UD, 1/1/13 New Plan	Coming from a person who hasn't been pregnant... I'd say that if your body is craving bread, then eat bread. Depriving yourself (especially during times of hormonal cravings) can lead to "binging" on the forbidden food. I'd eat LC as much as possible, but add some bread in here and there as you like. Perhaps find a good high fiber bread (or multigrain) that satisfies the craving. __________________ “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it may become necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye." - Miss Piggy

04-16-2013, 08:10 AM	#5
LESESKI Junior LCF Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: South Texas Posts: 56 Gallery: LESESKI	I also went thru pregnancy while on Atkins. Unfortunately, I rarely ate eggs because the smell of them would make me so nauseated. I did eat bread but only stone ground, whole wheat and I also ate more fruit than ususal. I didn't count carbs but I did limit my bread to 2 slices per day. I only gained 21 lbs during my pregnancy. Here's a sample of what I ate. Breakfast - Oatmeal sweetened with stevia or 2 eggs Lunch - Peanut Butter sandwich and orange Dinner - Meat, veggies, salad Snack - large apple & handful of walnuts If I still felt hungry I would eat more fruit, celery, sf jello, or a glass of chocolate almond milk. Congrats on your baby! __________________ Started Atkins 10/01/04 Restarted 1/1/08 5'5 Size 18/16/10

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04-15-2013, 03:22 PM	#3
Tril Senior LCF Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Maine Posts: 508 Gallery: Tril	It's NOT your body telling you to eat bread... it's your INSULIN! Your blood glucose is skyrocketing and dropping. This causes hunger and cravings. If you don't get it under control you will continue to gain... fast. You will also put yourself at risk for gestational diabetes and THAT is NOT good for the baby. Babies whose mothers had GD during pregnancy are at a much higher risk for diabetes later in life. Do yourself AND the baby a huge favor... and get back on plan!

04-16-2013, 06:54 AM	#4
DiminishedCapacity Junior LCF Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 15 Gallery: DiminishedCapacity Stats: 256/256/160 WOE: WOE 20 carbs per day Start Date: 1/12/15	Buckle down, pretend I'm back on week 1 of induction....got it. Thanks, Jen

05-14-2013, 11:45 AM	#6
Sarah Junior LCF Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5 Gallery: Sarah WOE: LC + fasting Start Date: December 1999	I don't have any tips for how to stay on Atkins while pregnant because I didn't. What a mistake that was! I gained 70 pounds with my first son. Then just when I had lost about 40 of that of that by getting back on, when he was 10 months I got pregnant with my second son, went off again, and gained 50 that time. I know it's hard, but I wish I had stayed the course. Wishing you a healthy and happy pregnancy!