A Guide to Eating and Exercising During Pregnancy

In this episode, McKinney offers guidance around nutritional and fitness considerations during pregnancy — plus some considerations for preconception and postpartum as well. Below are just a few of the pieces of advice she speaks to:

• While it’s common to think, I’m pregnant, I need to eat more calories, there is a misconception around how much more is actually needed. Your calorie needs will change throughout the pregnancy, but in the first trimester, for example, that increase could be as minimal as calories, depending on your individual needs (estimates are often closer to 300).
• Beyond calories, McKinney encourages her clients to focus on getting the necessary nutrients needed for all developmental processes to happen. Some of those key nutrients include protein, B12, iodine, iron, DHA, choline, and folate.
• Because you are literally building a human, and protein is made of amino acid building blocks, it’s important to focus on a higher-protein approach. McKinney advises her clients to aim for at least 100 grams of protein per day — and oftentimes they need even more. Fat is also critical for the development of the baby; that includes fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
• Even though carbohydrates are the food group that many women often turn to for more calories, the recommendation of 175 grams or more per day is not adequately substantiated in research. McKinney usually recommends somewhere in the range of 100 to 150 grams, depending on the individual.
• Prioritizing blood-sugar control is critical. Because about one-third of the population is unaware they have pre-diabetes, gestational diabetes can sometimes be the manifestation of diabetes because of pre-existing blood-sugar issues.
• McKinney urges being maniacally picky about your supplement quality during pregnancy. It’s not only important to supplement with the necessary nutrients, but to also make sure they’re from quality sources and in the right forms. For example, about 40 to 60 percent of the population has a genetic mutation called MTHFR, which means they don’t adequately covert folic acid to the active form of folate that’s needed for metabolic function. This is why a methylfolate version of folate versus folic acid is recommended.
• Don’t fear exercise or be sedentary during pregnancy, McKinney emphasizes. In the first trimester, your workouts can usually be pretty similar to your preconception workouts. In the second trimester, as your belly begins to grow and weight increases, be careful about lying on your back for too long, as well as to avoid certain movements, such as twists and those that place your hips above your chest or belly. In your third trimester, your lung capacity is lower, so keep your effort during workouts in a range where you can still hold a conversation.
• As you get closer to your due date, your tendons and ligaments become more flexible and stretchier to prepare your pelvis and birth canal for delivery. Be considerate of your movements to avoid injury.
• Focus on strengthening your posterior chain, including your glutes, hamstrings, shoulders, and back. Strengthening these areas can help counterbalance some of the weight shifts that occur as your belly grows and potentially alleviate some of the back and hip pain that many women experience in pregnancy.
• Immediately postpartum, give yourself plenty of time to recover with any movement being gentle. Your body needs to heal, so give yourself grace. Even if your doctor clears you for exercise at the six-week mark, focus on consistency with gentle movement, building intensity over time as you feel yourself regain some strength.