Physical Changes During Pregnancy

Do you ever wonder WHERE you're going to gain your pregnancy weight - tummy, hips, thighs or arms?

Lately I've been getting a lot of emails asking how they can be one of those lucky pregnant women who only gain weight on their tummy. Good question!

And the answer (or should I say TRICK) lies in your BODY TYPE.

There are four basic body types for women and each typically carries weight as follows:

• The "Apple" will carry the majority of her weight around her middle and upper body.


• The "Pear" will carry her weight in her hips, bum, upper thighs, and upper arms.


• The "Celery" will carry the majority of her weight in her tummy area.


• The "Cauliflower" will carry her weight evenly throughout her body.

Generally (and I mean generally because this is NOT an exact science!), you will gain weight in the areas where you would normally carry your pre-pregnancy weight. For example, I am a Pear and I gained most of my weight in my tummy, but also some extra on my bum, hips and thighs!

So, now that you have a good idea of WHERE you're most likely to gain your weight, I'm sure your next question is HOW do you control it?

The worst thing you can do is diet, so put that out of your mind right away! What you need to do is learn to eat and exercise RIGHT for your body type.

That's right, a Pear should eat certain foods and concentrate on specific exercises. The same goes for the Apple.

So, if you can't diet - what's left to do?

1. Eat a well-balanced diet, including whole grains, good quality protein and lots of fresh vegetables;

2. Eat 3-6 mini-meals a day;

3. Avoid highly processed, sugary foods, like donuts and packaged cereals;

4. Keep active and do some kind of "activity" daily - please refer to my book to learn the difference between exercise and activity(Note: please make sure to check with your health care provider before you begin any kind of exercise program);

5. Get good quality sleep - when you're tired you're much more likely to choose fast, convenience foods, which are loaded with salt, fat and sugar; and

6. Manage your stress - it leads to emotional rather than physical eating and cause you to gain unnecessary weight!

All in all...

Know that shedding your pregnancy pounds after delivery does NOT have to be a struggle. Yes, you can look GREAT again, so put your fears aside. And make sure you work with (and not against) your body type - i.e. eat, exercise and dress for your body type (for more information please refer to my book).

Weight gain during pregnancy is a good thing, but you do want to avoid using pregnancy as an excuse to eat the house and then be sorry! I see this far too often with women who have difficulty with their weight, especially after baby arrives. So do yourself a favor and take care of yourself NOW!