How pregnant women can prevent postpartum weight gain and how to guide obese patients in choosing a weight loss program.

How can pregnant women prevent weight gain?

After a woman becomes pregnant, her food intake usually increases, except during the period of morning sickness.

To ensure the health of pregnant women and the normal growth of the fetus, there are certain requirements for the quality and quantity of their diet. However, it is important not to blindly increase nutrition, so as to prevent obesity due to excessive accumulation of calories.

Especially after pregnancy, food intake increases significantly while physical activity decreases. If you don't pay attention to your diet, you are more likely to become obese.

So, how can you avoid obesity during pregnancy?

(1) Limit fat intake

Special attention should be paid during the three months before delivery.

Because fat has a high heat production (more than twice that of protein and carbohydrates).

During pregnancy and postpartum, it is advisable to eat less fatty meat, fried food, cream, etc.

(2) Limit the intake of sugary foods

When the body cannot utilize all the excess sugar, it will be converted into fat and stored in the body.

Therefore, pregnant women should appropriately limit their intake of sweets and snacks in the late stages of pregnancy.

(3) Increase protein intake

Pregnant women can appropriately increase their intake of lean pork, fish, beans, and bean products to prevent malnutrition.

(4) Eat more vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits provide the body with essential minerals and vitamins, while also increasing satiety and adding very little calories.

Generally, a pregnant woman's weight increases by 1.1 to 1.5 kilograms during the first three months of pregnancy.

If you discover during pregnancy that you have exceeded the standard for a certain period, you should appropriately control your diet according to the above principles.

Of course, if a pregnant woman does not gain enough weight, she should increase her nutrition appropriately to ensure the health of both the pregnant woman and the fetus.

How to prevent postpartum weight gain?

Some slender women gradually become obese after pregnancy and childbirth, losing their former charm.

The main reason is that pregnancy causes hypothalamic dysfunction, especially an imbalance in fat metabolism, which is medically known as postpartum obesity.

To prevent postpartum obesity and maintain a slim figure, what should you pay attention to after childbirth?

(1) A balanced diet

To meet the needs of breastfeeding, postpartum women should appropriately increase their nutrition, but they should not have a biased diet, especially avoiding chicken, duck, fish, meat, and excessive sugar. They should not think that eating more animal products is good nutrition, but rather that they should have a proper balance of meat and vegetables.

Eat lean meat, soy products, fish, eggs, milk, and fresh vegetables and fruits. Eat less animal fat, fatty meat, egg yolks, animal organs, and sweets.

This can satisfy the body's needs for protein, minerals, and vitamins, while also preventing weight gain.

(2) Early activities

If the mother is healthy postpartum and there is no perineal tear, she can get out of bed and move around 24 hours later, and can do some light housework after a week.

Because activity can enhance the function of the neuroendocrine system, promote the regulation of metabolism, and also promote the breakdown of fat and the consumption of sugar, so that excess calories in the body can be consumed and excess nutrients will not be converted into fat and accumulate in the body.

(3) Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can accelerate milk secretion, promote the mother's metabolism and nutrient circulation, and also remove excess nutrients from the body tissues, reducing the accumulation of fat in the body.

(4) Do postpartum exercises

One week after delivery, you can do abdominal exercises in a supine position and lower back exercises in a prone position in bed, such as double straight leg raises and sit-ups. These exercises have a significant effect on reducing fat in the abdomen, waist, and buttocks.

How to guide obese patients in choosing a weight loss program?

First, it is necessary to determine what type of obesity the obese patient has, which depends on the specific circumstances of each individual.

Obesity is caused by two main factors: excessive energy intake and insufficient energy expenditure.

It is generally recommended to implement dietary control and exercise therapy. Other methods such as traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, qigong, massage, behavioral therapy, and Western medicine can be selected according to one's own situation to achieve good results.

(1) Common weight loss plans for adults

Diet control + exercise therapy

Dietary control + Traditional Chinese medicine treatment

Diet control + acupuncture therapy

Diet control + Qigong therapy

Diet control + massage

Behavioral therapy + exercise therapy

Dietary control + acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine

Diet control + exercise therapy + Western medicine treatment

(2) Comprehensive weight loss program for children

Behavioral therapy + exercise therapy

Dietary changes + exercise therapy

(3) Weight loss plan for pregnant women

① Appropriate dietary control; ② Controlling salt intake; ③ Appropriate exercise; ④ Supplementing vitamins; ⑤ Local massage.

(4) Weight loss program for the elderly

① Exercise therapy; ② Dietary control.

How to choose a weight loss clinic, and how to reduce psychological stress?

As people's living conditions improve, obese individuals have the right to choose a hospital that suits them for weight loss treatment.

Endocrinology is an essential department for obesity screening, but treatment must be performed by a qualified weight loss specialist.

First, it must be determined whether the obesity is caused by a disease. Only if it is simple obesity can weight loss treatment be performed.

For simple obesity treatment, you can check the basic information of a regular hospital to see if it has a weight loss specialist department.

Find out how long the institution has been established, how effective its treatments are, and its social reputation.

For general examinations, you can go to the relevant endocrinology department or weight loss department of the PLA 202 Hospital or Xiyuan Hospital for examination or treatment; if treatment is required after diagnosis, you can go to the Air Force General Hospital, Beijing Workers' Sanatorium, PLA 301 Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, etc.

The main reason why obese patients experience psychological stress is because they are concerned about their image and feel ashamed to face others.

There's really no need for that.

A person's body shape is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.

A proper and scientific approach, along with proactive treatment, is essential to maintaining good health.

The main ways to reduce psychological stress include overcoming discouragement and persisting in weight loss.

A thorough physical examination is necessary to rule out other illnesses and reduce factors that could contribute to weight gain.

Strengthen physical exercise.

By frequently helping others, proactively engaging in meaningful work, treating others with sincerity, and building positive interpersonal relationships, all problems will be set aside.

Put aside all distractions, focus solely on losing weight and achieving a slim and healthy figure.