Weight management

Successful weight management is simply about balancing the amount of calories we take in with the amount we expend in our daily activities.

If you take in more calories than you use up, you gain weight. If you take in fewer than you use up, you lose weight. It’s that straightforward.

Before you conceive, it’s a good idea to be at, or close to, your ideal weight. But no crash diets and rapid weight loss… the weight you’d prefer to be isn’t necessarily the one that’s most healthy for you and your baby!

Neither should you be overweight to any great degree when you conceive. Remember, you’ll inevitably put on a few extra pounds during pregnancy and excessive weight can affect your health and blood pressure, putting excessive strain on your heart and circulation.

To control your weight stick to a healthy, balanced diet and keep active. Even in the later stages of pregnancy, there are gentle exercises you can do to keep in shape and help control your weight. Ask at your local clinic or ante-natal classes.

Your ideal weight is generally one which will give you a BMI (Body Mass Index) of between 20 and 25. Research has shown that people within this range tend to live longer and enjoy better health at every stage of life.

You can check your own Body Mass Index using our BMI calculator