Dieting and pregnancy work towards seemingly contradictory goals--while pregnancy attempts to feed and nurture the life growing within, dieting attempts to deprive your body of calories to lose weight. Though extreme weight loss is never a desirable course of action while pregnant, there are nevertheless both safe and unsafe ways to balance your desires for a lean physique against the child's desires for proper nutrition. What follows are some suggestions for helping you to follow a South Beach lifestyle while carrying.
The South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet was invented by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist practicing in Miami's South Beach area. The diet revolves around a carb-restricted approach without being as limited as other low-carb diets such as Atkins. Divided into three phases, the diet is designed to help "reprogram" your eating habits to comply with the standards of healthy eating.
Pregnancy and Ketones
Research is unclear on whether a ketogenic state can result in problems during pregnancy, which makes the South Beach Diet a questionable choice for expectant mothers, as the induction phase of the diet can result in your body transitioning into ketosis. Fortunately, the author of the plan preempted these concerns with the following recommendations.
South Beach and Pregnancy
For pregnant women, it is recommended that you begin in phase two of the plan. During phase two, you should base your diet around lean protein sources such as seafood, turkey and chicken, but you may also have some healthier carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Keeping these carbs in your diet will prevent your body from going into ketosis, guarding against potential risks.
Additional Considerations
The possibility of constipation is a shared complication of both the South Beach Diet and pregnancy, thus you should also work to reduce the likelihood of its occurrence. To minimize your chances of becoming constipated while on the plan, be sure to consume at least 10 to 15 gm of fiber per day along with drinking a minimum of six eight-ounce glasses of water.
Considerations
If the above recommendations are followed, the South Beach Diet can be used safely during pregnancy. However, remember that your goal in following the South Beach Diet during this time should not be "dieting" per se, but an attempt to follow the healthiest possible nutritional plan to ensure the proper development of your child. Thus, do not limit yourself calorically, but strive to maximize healthy food choices while minimizing "cheat" foods during this time.
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