Fit for Two

TIPS FOR PREGNANCY

Healthy Eating & Physical 

Activity Across Your Lifespan

WIN Weight-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

Tips for Getting Physically Active . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

What physical activities should I avoid 

during pregnancy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

After Your Baby Is Born

What eating and physical activity habits should 

I keep up after delivery? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Why should I try to return to a healthy 

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

Be Good to Yourself . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

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

Fit for Two iii
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. Every 5 years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S.

Department of Agriculture jointly release a publication 

on dietary guidelines. These guidelines outline recommendations to 

promote health and reduce the 

risk of chronic disease through 

nutritious eating and physical 

activity. For more information 

about food groups and nutrition 

values, visit http://health.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 became 

pregnant, or if you are pregnant with more than one 

2 Fit for Two
Healthy Eating

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.

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

Fit for Two 3
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.

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

4 Fit for Two
Healthy Eating

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.

Fit for Two 5
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 600 

micrograms (0.6 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. 

6 Fit for Two
Healthy Eating

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. Your health 

care provider may also 

recommend that you take 

supplements.

Fit for Two 7
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.

•	 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.

•	 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. Be sure to choose canned fruits 

packed in their own juices. Also, rinse canned 

beans and vegetables with water before preparing, which helps remove excess salt.

•	 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 soon after eating.

3

3

3

3

8 Fit for Two
Healthy Eating

•	 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

Fit for Two 9
Healthy Eating

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.

10 Fit for Two
Physical Activity

?

Raw or undercooked fish, meat, and 

poultry. Avoid raw fish dishes, such as 

sashimi and some types of sushi and cevi

che. When raw or undercooked, these foods 

may contain harmful bacteria. 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 fatfree milk, or sparkling mineral water.

Anything that is not food. Some pregnant 

women may crave something that is not 

food, 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.

Fit for Two 11

Healthy Eating
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 be physically 

active at a moderate-intensity level (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.

•	 Improve your sleep.

12 Fit for Two
Physical Activity

•	 Help you have an easier, shorter labor.

•	 Help you to recover from delivery and return to a 

healthy weight faster.

Tips for Getting Physically Active

Start being physically active or continue being 

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. When watching TV, get up 

and move around during commercials.

Fit for Two 13
Physical Activity

If you were physically active before you became 

pregnant, you may not need to make changes to your 

exercise habits. You may be able to maintain the 

same level of intensity during pregnancy and after 

giving birth. Talk with your health care provider about 

the level of physical activity that is right for you.

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 fluids before, during, and after 

being physically active.

•	 Wear comfortable clothing that fits well and 

supports and protects your breasts.

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

or sick to your stomach. You should also stop if 

you notice pain in your back, swelling, numbness, 

or that your heart is beating too fast or at an 

uneven rate.

14 Fit for Two
Physical Activity

What physical activities should I avoid 

during pregnancy? 

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

baby, you should not do certain physical activities 

while you are pregnant. Some of these are listed 

below. Talk to your health care provider about other 

physical activities that you should avoid during your 

pregnancy.

Fit for Two 15

•	 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 and activities that may cause 

injury, 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 inline skating or downhill skiing.
After Your Baby Is Born

What eating and physical activity 

habits should I keep up after delivery?

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 at 

least 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. Regular, moderate-intensity physical 

activity will not affect your milk supply if you are 

breastfeeding.

16 Fit for Two
After Your Baby Is Born

•	 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.

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 

Fit for Two 17
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.

After Your Baby Is Born

18 Fit for Two
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.

•	 Eat breakfast every day.

•	 Eat high-fiber foods and drink plenty

of water to avoid constipation.

•	 Avoid alcohol, raw or undercooked fish, fish high

in mercury, undercooked meat and poultry, soft

cheeses, and anything that is not food.

•	 Aim to be physically active 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.

Fit for Two 19
Resources

The following organizations offer information about

pregnancy and health:

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Phone: 1–800–877–1600

Internet: http://www.eatright.org

American College of Obstetricians and 

Gynecologists

Phone: 1–800–762–2264

Internet: http://www.acog.org

Health Resources and Services 

Administration Information Center

Phone: 1–888–ASK–HRSA (888–275–4772)

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

Institute of Medicine of The National Academies

Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the 

Guidelines

Phone: (202) 334–2352

Internet: http://www.iom.edu

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.yourdiabetesinfo.org

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse 

Phone: 1–800–860–8747

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

20 Fit for Two
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.womenshealth.gov

For information about food safety during pregnancy,

contact the following:

ChooseMyPlate

Health & Nutrition Information for Pregnant & Breastfeeding Women

Tips on nutrition, healthy weight, and food plans for

pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Phone: 1–888–779–7264

Internet: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

pregnancy-breastfeeding.html

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

Fit for Two 21
Weight-control Information Network

1 WIN Way

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, 

22 Fit for Two
and 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.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

NIH Publication No. 02–5130

November 2009

Fit for Two 23
TIPS FOR PREGNANCY

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 or undercooked fish, fish high in mercury, 

undercooked meat and poultry, soft cheeses, and anything 

that is not food.

❑ Aim be physically active 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.

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

Health and Human Services

NIH Publication No. 06-5130

Updated November 2009