TIPS FOR PREGNANCY

Healthy Eating & Physical

Activity Across Your Lifespan

Fit for Two

WINWeight-control Information Network

Index

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Healthy Eating

What is a healthy eating plan for pregnancy? . . . . . . . . 2

How many calories should I eat? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Why is gaining a healthy amount of 

weight important? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

How much weight should I gain during 

my pregnancy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Do I have any special nutrition needs 

now that I am pregnant? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Can I continue to follow my vegetarian diet 

during pregnancy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Tips for Healthy Eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

What foods should I avoid during pregnancy? . . . . . . . 10

Physical Activity

Should I be physically active during 

my pregnancy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

What physical activities should I avoid 

during pregnancy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Tips for Getting Physically Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

What habits should I keep up after 

my baby is born? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Why should I try to return to a healthy 

weight after delivery? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Be Good to Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Fit for Two

Introduction

Eating well can help you have a healthy pregnancy 

and a healthy newborn. Being physically active may 

help you have a more comfortable 9 months and 

an easier delivery. Use the ideas and tips in this 

booklet to improve your eating plan and become 

more physically active before, during, and after your 

pregnancy. Make changes now, and be 

a healthy example for your family for a lifetime.

Fit for Two 1
Healthy Eating

What is a healthy eating plan for 

pregnancy?

A healthy eating plan for pregnancy includes a variety of nutrient-rich foods . In January 2005, the U .S . 

Department of Health and Human Services and the 

U .S . Department of Agriculture jointly released the 

2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans . These new 

guidelines outline recommendations 

to promote health and reduce the 

risk of chronic disease through 

nutritious eating and physical 

activity . The recommendations 

include some of the nutritional 

needs of pregnancy . For more 

information about food groups and 

nutrition values, visit: 

http://www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines.

How many calories should I eat?

Eating a variety of foods that provide enough calories 

helps you and your baby gain the proper amount of 

weight . During the first 3 months of your pregnancy, 

you do not need to change the number of calories you 

get from the foods you eat .

Normal-weight women need an extra 300 calories 

each day during the last 6 months of pregnancy . 

This totals about 1,900 to 2,500 calories a day . If you 

were underweight, overweight, or obese before you 

2 Fit for Two
Healthy Eating

became pregnant, or if you are pregnant with more 

than one baby, you may need a different number of 

calories . Talk to your health care provider about how 

much weight you should gain and how many calories 

you need .

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Each of these healthy choices has about 300 

calories:

•	 1 cup of fat-free fruit yogurt and a 

medium apple 

•	 1 piece of whole-wheat toast spread with 

2 tablespoons of peanut butter 

•	 1 cup of beef and bean chili sprinkled 

with 1/2 ounce of cheddar cheese (You 

can also substitute various vegetables for 

the beef .)

•	 1 cup of raisin bran cereal with 1/2 cup of 

fat-free milk and a small banana 

•	 3 ounces of roasted lean ham or chicken 

breast and 1/2 cup of sweet potatoes 

•	 1 flour tortilla (7-inch), 1/2 cup of refried 

beans, 1/2 cup of cooked broccoli, and 

1/2 cup of cooked red pepper
Why is gaining a healthy amount of 

weight important?

Gaining a healthy amount of weight may help you 

have a more comfortable pregnancy and delivery . It 

also may help you have fewer pregnancy complications, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, 

constipation, and backaches .

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Healthy Eating

How much weight should I gain 

during my pregnancy?

Talk to your health care provider about how much 

weight you should gain during your pregnancy . 

General weight-gain recommendations listed 

below refer to weight before pregnancy and are for 

women expecting only one baby . 

If you are: You should gain:

underweight about 28 to 40 pounds

normal weight about 25 to 35 pounds

overweight about 15 to 25 pounds

obese at least 15 pounds
Healthy Eating

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Gaining too little weight during your pregnancy makes 

it hard for your baby to grow properly . Talk to your 

health care provider if you feel you are not gaining 

enough weight .

If you gain too much weight, you may have a longer 

labor and more difficult delivery . Also, gaining a lot of 

extra body fat will make it harder for you to return to a 

healthy weight after you have your baby . If you feel you 

are gaining too much weight during your pregnancy, 

talk with your health care provider .

Do not try to lose weight if you are pregnant. If you 

do not eat enough calories or a variety of foods, your 

baby will not get the nutrients he or she needs to grow .
6 Fit for Two

Healthy Eating

Do I have any special nutrition needs 

now that I am pregnant?

Yes. During pregnancy, you and your growing baby 

need more of several nutrients . By eating the recommended number of daily servings from each of the 

five food groups, you should get most of the nutrients 

you need .

Be sure to include foods high in folate, such as orange juice, strawberries, spinach, broccoli, beans, and fortified breads 

and breakfast cereals . Or get 

it in a vitamin/mineral supplement .

To help prevent birth defects, you must get enough 

daily folate before as well as during pregnancy . 

Prenatal supplements contain folic acid (another form 

of folate) . Look for a supplement that has at least 400 

micrograms (0 .4 milligrams) of folic acid .

Although most health care providers recommend 

taking a multi-vitamin/mineral “prenatal” supplement before becoming pregnant, during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding, always talk to your 

health care provider before taking any supplements.
Healthy Eating

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Can I continue to 

follow my vegetarian 

diet during 

pregnancy?

Yes, you can continue a 

vegetarian eating plan during 

pregnancy, but talk to your 

health care provider first .

To make sure you are getting 

enough important nutrients, 

including protein, iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, your 

health care provider may ask 

you to meet with a registered 

dietitian who can help you 

plan meals, and may also 

recommend that you take 

supplements .
8 Fit for Two

Healthy Eating

Tips for Healthy Eating

Meet the needs of your body and help avoid common 

discomforts of pregnancy by following these tips:

Eat breakfast every day. If you feel sick to your 

stomach in the morning, choose dry whole-wheat 

toast or whole-grain crackers when you first wake 

up—even before you get out of bed . Eat the rest of 

your breakfast (fruit, oatmeal, cereal, milk, yogurt, 

or other foods) later in the morning .

3•	

Eat high-fiber foods. Eating whole-grain cereals, 

vegetables, fruits, beans, whole-wheat breads, 

and brown rice, along with drinking plenty of water 

and getting daily physical activity, can help you 

prevent the constipation that many women have 

during pregnancy .

3•	

Keep healthy foods on hand. A fruit bowl filled 

with apples, bananas, peaches, oranges, and 

grapes makes it easy to grab a healthy snack . 

Fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables 

make healthy and quick additions to meals, as do 

canned beans .

3•	

If you have heartburn during your pregnancy, 

eat small meals more often, eat slowly, avoid 

spicy and fatty foods (such as hot peppers or fried 

chicken), drink beverages between meals instead 

of with meals, and do not lie down right after 

eating .

3•	
Healthy Eating

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If you have “morning sickness,” or hyperemesis, talk with your health care provider. You 

may need to adjust the way you eat and drink, 

such as by eating smaller meals more frequently 

and drinking plenty of fluids . Your health care 

provider can help you deal with morning sickness 

while keeping your healthy eating habits on track .

3•	
Healthy Eating

10 Fit for Two

What foods should I avoid during 

pregnancy?

There are certain foods and beverages that can harm 

your baby if you eat or drink them while you are pregnant . Here is a general list of foods and beverages 

that you should avoid:

•	 Alcohol. Instead of wine, beer, or a mixed 

 drink, enjoy apple cider, tomato juice, 

 sparkling water, or other nonalcoholic 

 beverages .

•	 Fish that may have high levels of 

 methylmercury (a substance that can build 

 up in fish and harm an unborn baby) . Do not 

 eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and 

 tilefish during pregnancy . Eat no more than 

 12 ounces of any fish per week (equal to four 

 3-ounce servings—each about the size of a 

 deck of cards) .

•	 Soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, and goat 

 cheese and ready-to-eat meats including 

 lunch meats, hot dogs, and deli meats . These 

 foods may contain bacteria called listeria 

 that are harmful to unborn babies . Cooking 

 lunch meats, hot dogs, and deli meats until 

 steaming hot can kill the bacteria and make 

 these meats safe to eat .
Healthy Eating

Fit for Two 11

•	 Raw fish such as sushi, sashimi, or ceviche 

and raw or undercooked meat and poultry. 

These foods can contain harmful bacteria . 

 Cook fish, meat, and poultry thoroughly 

 before eating .

 .

• Large amounts of caffeine-containing 

beverages. . If you are a heavy coffee, tea, 

or soda drinker, talk to your health care 

 provider about whether you should cut back 

 on caffeine . Try a decaffeinated version of your 

 favorite beverage, a mug of warm low-fat or 

 fat-free milk, or sparkling mineral water .

•

?

 f

Anything that is not food. Some pregnant 

women may crave something that is not 

ood, such as laundry starch or clay . Talk to 

 your health care provider if you crave 

 something that is not food .

Ask your health care 

provider for a complete 

list of foods and 

beverages that you 

should avoid .
Physical Activity

Should I be physically active during my 

pregnancy? 

Almost all women can and should be physically active 

during pregnancy . Talk to your health care provider 

first, particularly if you have high blood pressure, 

diabetes, anemia, bleeding, or other disorders, or if 

you are obese or underweight .

Whether or not you were active before you were 

pregnant, ask your health care provider about a level 

of exercise that is safe for you . Aim to do at least 30 

minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (one 

that makes you breathe harder but does not overwork 

or overheat you) on most, if not all, days of the week .

Regular, moderate-intensity physical activity 

during pregnancy may:

•	 Help you and your baby to gain the proper 

amounts of weight .

•	 Reduce the discomforts of pregnancy, such as 

backaches, leg cramps, constipation, bloating, 

and swelling .

•	 Reduce your risk for gestational diabetes (diabetes found for the first time when a woman is 

pregnant) .

•	 Improve your mood and energy level .

12 Fit for Two
Physical Activity

Fit for Two 13

•	 Improve your sleep .

•	 Help you have an easier, shorter labor .

•	 Help you to recover from delivery and return to a 

healthy weight faster .

Follow these safety precautions while being 

active during your pregnancy:

•	 Choose moderate activities that are unlikely to 

injure you, such as walking, aqua aerobics, swimming, yoga, or using a stationary bike .

•	 Stop exercising when you start to feel tired, and 

never exercise until you are exhausted or 

overheated .

•	 Drink plenty of water .

•	 Wear comfortable clothing that fits well and supports and protects your breasts .

•	 Stop exercising if you feel dizzy, short of breath, 

pain in your back, swelling, numbness, sick to 

your stomach, or if your heart is beating too fast 

or at an uneven rate .
Physical Activity

14 Fit for Two

What physical activities should I avoid 

during pregnancy? 

For your health and safety, and for the health of your 

baby, there are certain physical activities that you 

should not do while you are pregnant . Some are listed 

below . Talk to your health care provider about other 

physical activities that you should avoid during your 

pregnancy .

•	 Avoid being active outside during hot weather .

•	 Avoid steam rooms, hot tubs, and saunas .

•	 Avoid physical activities, such as certain yoga 

poses, that call for you to lie flat on your back after 

20 weeks of pregnancy .

•	 Avoid contact sports, such as football and boxing, 

and other activities that might injure you, such as 

horseback riding .

•	 Avoid activities that make you jump or change 

directions quickly, such as tennis or basketball . 

During pregnancy, your joints loosen and you 

are more likely to hurt yourself when doing these 

activities .

•	 Avoid activities that can result in a fall, such as 

in-line skating or downhill skiing . 
Physical Activity

Fit for Two 15

Tips for Getting Physically Active

Get physically active for your health and the health of 

your baby by using the tips below:

•	 Go for a walk around the block or through a 

shopping mall with your spouse or a friend .

•	 Sign up for a prenatal yoga, aqua aerobics, or 

fitness class . Make sure you let the instructor 

know that you are pregnant before beginning .

•	 Rent or buy an exercise video for pregnant 

women . Look for videos at your local library, 

video store, health care provider’s office, hospital, or maternity clothing store .

•	 At your gym, community center, YMCA, or 

YWCA, sign up for a session with a fitness 

trainer who knows about physical activity during 

pregnancy .

•	 Get up and move around at least once an hour if 

you sit in a chair most of the day; get up and move 

around during commercials when watching TV .
Physical Activity

16 Fit for Two

What habits should I keep up after my 

baby is born?

Following healthy eating and physical activity habits after your baby is born may help you return to a 

healthy weight more quickly, provide you with good 

nutrition (which you especially need if you are breastfeeding), and give you the energy you need . You can 

also be a good role model for your growing child . After 

your baby is born:

•	 Continue eating well . Eat a variety of foods from 

all of the food groups . If you are not breastfeeding, 

you will need about 300 fewer calories per day 

than you did while you were pregnant .

•	 If you are breastfeeding, you will need to eat 

about 200 more calories per day than you did 

while you were pregnant . Breastfeeding may 

help you return to a healthy weight more easily 

because it requires a great deal of energy . Breastfeeding may also protect your baby from illnesses, 

such as ear infections, colds, and allergies, and 

may help lower your risk for breast and ovarian 

cancer . If you had gestational diabetes, breastfeeding for more than 3 months may help prevent 

your baby from becoming overweight .

•	 When you feel able and your health care provider 

says it is safe, slowly get back to your routine of 

regular, moderate-intensity physical activity . Wait 

for 4 to 6 weeks after you have your baby to begin 
Physical Activity

Fit for Two 17

doing higher levels of physical activity . Doing 

physical activity that is too hard, too soon after 

delivery, can slow your healing process . Regular, 

moderate-intensity physical activity will not affect 

your milk supply if you are breastfeeding .

•	 Return to a healthy weight gradually . Lose no 

more than 1 pound per week through a sound 

eating plan and regular physical activity after you 

deliver your baby .

Why should I try to return to a healthy 

weight after delivery?

After you deliver your 

baby, your health will be 

better if you try to return 

to a healthy weight . Not 

losing weight after your 

baby is born may lead 

to overweight or obesity 

later in life, which may 

lead to health problems . 

Talk to your health care 

provider about reaching 

a weight that is healthy 

for you .
Physical Activity

18 Fit for Two

Be Good to Yourself

Pregnancy and the time after you deliver your baby 

can be wonderful, exciting, emotional, stressful, and 

tiring—all at once . Experiencing this whirlwind of 

feelings may cause you to overeat, not eat enough, 

or lose your drive and energy . Being good to yourself 

can help you cope with your feelings and follow eating 

and physical activity habits for a healthy pregnancy, a 

healthy baby, and a healthy family after delivery . Here 

are some ideas for being good to yourself:

•	 Try to get enough sleep .

•	 Rent a funny movie and laugh .

•	 Take pleasure in the miracles of pregnancy and 

birth .

•	 Invite people whose 

 company you enjoy to visit 

 your new family member .

•	 Explore groups that you 

 and your newborn can join, 

 such as “new moms” 

 groups .
Physical Activity

Fit for Two 19

Remember...

•	 Talk to your health care provider 

about how much weight you should 

gain during your pregnancy .

•	 Eat foods rich in folate, iron, calcium, 

and protein, or get these nutrients 

through a prenatal supplement .

•	 Talk to your health care provider 

before taking any supplements .

•	 Eat breakfast every day .

•	 Eat high-fiber foods and drink plenty of water to 

avoid constipation .

•	 Avoid alcohol, raw fish, fish high in mercury, soft 

cheeses, and anything that is not food .

•	 Aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, if not all, days of the 

week during your pregnancy . Talk to your health 

care provider before you begin if you have not 

previously been physically active .

•	 After pregnancy, slowly get back to your routine of 

regular, moderate-intensity physical activity . Make 

sure you feel able and your health care provider 

says it is safe to be physically active .

•	 Take pleasure in the miracles of pregnancy and 

birth .
20 Fit for Two

Resources

The following organizations offer information about 

pregnancy and health:

American College of Obstetricians and 

Gynecologists

Phone: 1–800–762–2264

Internet: http://www.acog.org

American Dietetic Association 

Phone: 1–800–877–1600 

Internet: http://www.eatright.org 

Health Resources and Services 

Administration Information Center 

Phone: 1–888–ASK–HRSA (888–275–4772) 

Internet: http://www.ask.hrsa.gov 

March of Dimes 

Phone: 1–888–MODIMES (888–663–4637) 

Internet: http://www.modimes.org 

National Diabetes Education Program 

Phone: 1–800–438–5383 

Internet: http://www.ndep.nih.gov (Click on the “It’s 

Never Too Early to Prevent Diabetes” web banner.) 

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse 

Phone: 1–800–860–8747 

Internet: http://www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov 
Fit for Two 21

National Institute of Child Health and Human 

Development

Phone: 1–800–370–2943

Internet: http://www.nichd.nih.gov 

National Women’s Health Information 

Center 

Phone: 1–800–994–9662 

Internet: http://www.4women.gov

For information about food safety during pregnancy, 

contact the following:

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

Meat and Poultry Hotline 

1-888-MPHotline (888–674–6854) 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration 

Food Information Line 

1-888-SAFE FOOD (888–723–3366) 

U.S. Government’s Food Safety Web Site 

http://www.foodsafety.gov 
22 Fit for Two

Weight-control Information Network

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Bethesda, MD 20892–3665

Phone: (202) 828–1025

Toll-free number: 1–877–946–4627

Fax: (202) 828–1028

Email: win@info .niddk .nih .gov 

Internet: http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov

The Weight-control Information Network (WIN) is a 

service of the National Institute of Diabetes and 

Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health, which is the Federal Government’s lead agency responsible for biomedical 

research on nutrition and obesity . Authorized by 

Congress (Public Law 103-43), WIN provides the 

general public, health professionals, the media, and 
Fit for Two 23

Congress with up-to-date, science-based health 

information on weight control, obesity, physical 

activity, and related nutritional issues .

Publications produced by WIN are reviewed by both 

NIDDK scientists and outside experts . This publication was also reviewed by Denise Sofka, M .P .H ., 

R .D ., Health Resources and Services Administration, 

Maternal and Child Health Bureau; and Katrina Holt, 

M .P .H ., M .S ., R .D ., Georgetown University, National 

Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health .

This publication is not copyrighted . WIN encourages 

users of this brochure to duplicate and distribute as 

many copies as desired .

This publication is also available at 

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov.


Healthy Eating & 

Physical Activity 

Across Your Lifespan

Fit for Two

❑ Talk to your health care provider about 

how much weight you should gain 

during your pregnancy.

❑ Eat foods rich in folate, iron, calcium, and protein, or get 

these nutrients through a prenatal supplement. 

❑ Talk to your health care provider before taking any 

supplements.

❑ Eat breakfast every day. 

❑ Eat high-fiber foods and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation.

❑ Avoid alcohol, raw fish, fish high in mercury, soft cheeses, 

and anything that is not food.

❑ Aim to do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity 

on most, if not all, days of the week during your pregnancy. 

Talk to your health care provider before you begin.

❑ After pregnancy, slowly get back to your routine of 

regular, moderate-intensity physical activity. Make sure you 

feel able and your health care provider says it is safe to be 

physically active.

❑ Take pleasure in the miracles of pregnancy and birth.

TIPS FOR PREGNANCY

WIN Weight-control Information Network
U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services

National Institutes of Health

NIH Publication No. 06-5130 

September 2006