If you’re used to leading an active lifestyle, you may be wondering what adjustments need to be made when raising a baby. After all, pregnancy comes with a number of physical and mental adjustments that will require you to make some adjustments to your regular exercise routine. And it’s important not to compare how pregnancy affects your active lifestyle to how it affects someone else. We are all different!
How do pregnant athletes stay active and fueled for two? Understanding how nutrient needs change for athletes and pregnancy can help you continue to move your body safely during this time.
Nutrient requirements for pregnancy
Pregnancy places many additional demands on the body. It requires more calories and nutrients to support healthy growth and energy stores, especially when you’re physically active. If you’re used to an athletic lifestyle, that’s great! Just be sure to incorporate the extra fuel your body and growing baby need to keep moving as much as you’d like.
Here are some recommendations to support physical activity and a healthy pregnancy:
Increase the calories
A pregnant woman needs more fuel, especially one who is also used to being regularly physically active. Without enough fuel, it’s hard to gain weight, provide energy for your baby, and feel like moving your body as much.
So how many extra calories do pregnant athletes need? Aim for an extra 300 calories a day to support energy and healthy weight gain, especially as you move into your third trimester. This could be as simple as adding a snack to your day, such as a smoothie, a bowl of yogurt, or apple slices with almond butter and a small handful of dark chocolate chips.
Boost Protein
As an athlete, you’re probably already tuned in to your protein intake, but those needs increase during pregnancy. The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends between 1.4-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for athletes depending on the type of activity, which may translate to pregnant athletes.
For a 140-pound woman, that’s 89-127 grams. Sources of protein include lentils, beans, fish, eggs, tofu, lean meats, cheese, nuts and poultry. If you struggle to get enough protein from animal sources due to food aversions, try to include a variety of different sources of plant-based protein to get a good mix of amino acids.
Focus on Healthy Fats
Include plenty of omega-3 fats from low-mercury fish such as salmon, walnuts, flaxseed, chia seeds, and supplements as needed. Foods rich in healthy fats can help promote healthy weight gain and also help you meet your energy goals, especially if you’re going through periods of low appetite or nausea.
DHA is also essential for the baby brain development. In fact, DHA begins to rapidly accumulate and be stored in a baby’s brain from the third trimester of pregnancy until the second year of life.
Choose Carbohydrates with a high fiber content
Many women crave refined carbohydrates during pregnancy. While you honor your cravings for these foods, it’s also important to prioritize complex carbohydrates that provide fiber. Many pregnant women struggle with constipation during pregnancy. Getting adequate amounts of fiber every day can help combat these problems.
Examples of high-fiber carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains such as whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley, and millet.
Prioritize vitamins and minerals
Your micronutrient needs increase even more of your macronutrient needs in pregnancy. A great way to meet your daily vitamin and mineral needs during pregnancy is to take a prenatal vitamin to supplement your diet. You can start a prenatal vitamin before conception if you plan to get pregnant soon, and you can continue after pregnancy if you plan to breastfeed.
Some of the specific micronutrient needs that increase include folate, or folate, which helps prevent brain and spinal cord defects, and calcium, which strengthens bones and teeth and supports a healthy circulatory and nervous system .
Vitamin D works alongside calcium to promote healthy bones as well as immune function, and getting enough iron is important to ensure healthy red blood cells get enough oxygen to your baby. Additional folate, calcium and iron can be found in foods such as leafy greens, beans, soy and fortified cereals.
Tips for nausea
Nausea is one of the most commonly reported symptoms of pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. While it is often referred to as morning sickness, you can experience nausea at any time during pregnancy and at any time of the day. Feelings of nausea can discourage you from eating, but it’s important to find ways to prioritize nutrition.
Consider these tips when managing nausea during pregnancy:
Eat more often. Smaller, more frequent meals may be easier on the stomach. Try breaking up your regular foods into snack-sized portions that are more manageable. Keep small snacks accessible in your bag and by the bed for when the urge to eat strikes.
Make smoothies and shakes. This is especially helpful if you have trouble smelling cooked foods or if you feel more nauseous or lack of appetite after exercise. You can combine a variety of ingredients, including frozen or fresh fruit, milk or non-dairy milk, yogurt or cottage cheese, flaxseed, hemp or chia seeds, and oats.
Avoid food triggers. Pregnancy can take a toll on your appetite, including which foods sound delicious and which make your stomach churn. As you discover which foods—including food odors—have the ultimate effect, avoid them. Keep in mind that your food triggers may change at different times in your pregnancy.
Focus on protein. Protein can help reduce nausea during pregnancy. Try incorporating protein into every meal and incorporate a variety of protein sources, such as those described above.
Suck on sour tastes. Lemon or ginger flavored candies can help reduce nausea for many women. If you don’t like those, you can try sour slices of fresh lemon or lime, or even a glass of tart cherry juice.
Staying active during pregnancy
Active pregnancy offers both physical and mental benefits. Exercise during pregnancy can help support regular bowel movements, reduce swelling and inflationand relieves back pain.
It can improve sleep, energy and mood, as well as support muscle tone, strength and healthy weight gain. In addition, an active pregnancy can reduce your risk occurrence of gestational diabetes or other complications.
If you used to lead an active lifestyle before pregnancy, you already know how much movement can benefit your mental health. Staying active in ways you enjoy during pregnancy can help reduce feelings of anxiety, improve your mood, and ease discomfort.
Listen to your body. If you just can’t move one day, honor your need to rest or do some light stretching. Stop exercising and talk to your doctor if you experience symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness, headaches, or vaginal bleeding. Be sure to pay attention whenever something doesn’t look right.
Find a community. Sometimes the idea of exercising while pregnant is less appealing. It can help to have others around you to keep you motivated, such as someone to jog with or a local fitness class.
Don’t overdo it. If you were active before pregnancy, it’s generally okay to continue as long as you feel well. However, talk to your doctor if you have any concerns and modify certain activities as needed.
Nutrition is key to pregnancy, to an active lifestyle, and especially when you’re putting it together. Fuel your body well so you can continue to be active during pregnancy. For more guidance on athletes and pregnancy, get on our waiting list for the nutrition workout today.
