South Beach Diet and Pregnancy

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The South Beach Diet and Pregnancy:

Everything You Need to Know

Have you wondered how the South Beach Diet and pregnancy fit together?

Understanding their relationship is important, since good nutrition during pregnancy is vital for your health and your baby’s growth.

Starting the South Beach Diet during pregnancy is not healthy, and here is why:

Unhealthy weight loss. The diet claims that you will lose 8-13 pounds in the first two weeks (the first phase of the diet), and trying to lose weight during pregnancy is not healthy for you and baby. Even for those not pregnant, healthy weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. As an expectant mother, you should be gaining the recommended weight.
Not enough fruits and veggies. All fruits and some vegetables are restricted during the first phase, which could cause intake of many vitamins and minerals to be too low. Also, you especially need adequate fruit and vegetables during pregnancy, since constipation is so common.
Too few calories. Though it may not claim to be, the diet is calorie-restrictive (causing weight loss). You need extra calories during pregnancy for proper weight gain.
Not enough carbohydrates. The first two phases are carbohydrate restrictive, which is not necessary for weight loss and not healthy during pregnancy.

The theory behind South Beach Diet’s weight loss is faulty, because it claims that weight loss occurs when the high-glycemic index foods (sugars and starches digested fast) are replaced with lower-glycemic foods. It is not which types of carbohydrates eaten that causes the weight loss, but rather, it is calorie restriction.

Already on the South Beach Diet?

If you have already been on the South Beach Diet and are currently in the third phase (weight maintenance phase), then the South Beach Diet and pregnancy may not be dangerous as long as you add 300 extra calories per day.

The third phase is a plan that is a more balanced plan for eating, and is more about moderation.

Weight loss is not recommended during pregnancy, because your growing baby needs adequate nutrients, and it is also important that you are not deficient in nutrients for your own health as well.

Rather than following a popular fad diet plan during pregnancy, follow a healthy pregnancy diet that includes all of the healthy foods that you need for a you and your growing baby. There is no need to have a “low carb diet” pregnancy!

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