Weight gain Genetic?

I have been pondering...especially since I gained 8 lbs already and only almost 8 weeks


I think my body is saving everything I eat for later and insulation, my mom and aunts, grandmother all put on lots of weight during their pg's. Could that be genetic?

Did anyone eat very healthy, in the right amount of calories and still gain weight?

Any thoughts?

Message edited 9/22/2005 6:06:14 PM.

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

I think weight gain can be genetic and vary with each pregnancy.

I know that in my case, i started off at 160 lbs, 5'5" so i was a bit overweight to begin with - that is why i don't think i haven't gained too much weight so far. I've been eating normally and all - alot of it could be due to your fluid intake also.

At yesterday's doctors appt - i found out that i've gained only 5 lbs and im going into my 19th week - but im sure those numbers will change very fast!

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

Yup, I'm pretty sure it's genetic... I'm super healthy, I eat very, very well, lots of veggies, fruit, organic, fish, no meat, no junk food (or not a whole lot of it during my pregnancy) and prepregnancy I worked out 5 days a week... during the pregnancy I walked 40 mins per day, and somehow I went from 135lbs to 180lbs!

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

My mom mostly lost weight with her pregnancies and then gained maybe 15 lbs.
My brother was a 10lb baby and I was 8lb.

With my son I went from 115-180 which I would never want to gain again. I mostly gained 1lb per week for the first 30 weeks then about 2-3 from then on and then from 35+ I just keep retaining water and getting bigger and bigger.

I went to a nurtionalist during my first trimester because of being underweight and we went over my diet and made sure I went by the Food Pyramid, my clinic was worried I'd loose weight because I had real bad morning sickness but that wasen't the case at all.

Luckily the weight went a little bit everywhere and I think it helped to make me really comfortable throughout my pregnancy because I have friends that didn't gain much at all that were so umcomfy throughout their entire pregnancy.

I also did pilates and walked throughout my pregnancy which I think helped me to the majority of the weight after my son was born. Everything has thinned out except my hips and thighs they have remained larger and I am struggling to slim and tone them since genetically I am taking after my Father since that is where he hold on to all his weight.

From my pregnancy I believe you can honestly gain whatever and that some people will pack it on no matter what and other's won't but that you should do what feels right but that if you exercise during the pregnancy the weight is alot easier to get rid of after.

The most annoying thing of my weight gain was the numerous women in Dh's family who felt the need to share with me how they didn't gain alot of weight and how huge I was getting (note: they also smoked throughout their pregnancies and all had low birthweight, preterm babies so they never had week 36-37-38-39-40.

Except that my brother saw my mom pregnant with me and me in the nursery as a baby I would sware I'm adopted because my pregnancy was absolutely nothing like my mother's.

She showed early, I showed late
She had some stretch marks, I had them after pregnancy and not bad
She never had any morning sickness, I was sick as a dog... etc.. etc..

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

I gained almost 70lbs with my daughter and i was sick as a dog the first 3 months and went to the gym until i was 6 months PG. I also met with a nutritionist every other week to make sure i was eating healthy. I never eat anything that was junk food or fattening and I still gained the weight. My first 3 months I gained 15lbs and I was so sick at the beginning that I had to stop working. I so believe it is genetic. Best of luck.

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

Yes. I watch everything I eat and always have. I have to fight to stay a size 8(not pregnant). I am almost 16 weeks and gained 10 lbs already. Comparing myself to other girls online...some of them have only put on 2-3lbs so far. I think genetics has something to do with it!

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

I don't know about the genetic thing because I have only gained 1 lb in my pregnancy and am 37w6d, and my sister is 17 weeks and has already gained about 15 lbs. I know they say stretch marks are genetic, but I don't know about weight gain. I think it has a lot more to do with your weight/lifestyle/eating habits before the pregnancy and also during then anything else.

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

My mom had gotten stretch marks...but only a few..and she only gained the avg. 20-25 lbs with all 3 pregnancies...(she was very thin to begin with)

With my pregnancy I have gotten DEMON stretch marks...however alot had to do with my PUPPS, for the rash devloped inside of them..and the constant clawing at my skin made them so much worse!!!

I have also gained like almost 50 lbs...

In the beg. I gained NOTHING..at one point they were a little concerned..then one month I was up 6lbs. then the next 20 and gradually the other 15-20 came on as well...I havent gained anything at the least 2 apts. though...

I was thin when I got pregnant...and a diet and excercise freak..as soon as I got pg. I through my healthy habits out the window...

Im so bad..now that Im home from work..Im determined to eat every yummy snack in my house...that way the day I come home I will just eat healthy again!

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

I don't recall how much my mother gained with us...I think it was in the normal 25-35 lb range....

at 25 weeks I've only gained 10 lbs (and I eat a ton of junk). MIL gained at the most 15 lbs with her kids....

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

What gets me, is that I haven't really been eating much junk food. morning sickness aka all day sickness, has been bad the last 2-3 weeks the only things i can really get down are carbs and cheese. I still cannot believe I gained 8lbs already. I was a size 4-6 before getting pg and active. i could eat anything as long as it was in moderation, and not gain weight. All of sudden i am ballooning!

I can slow my weight gain in the 2nd trimester right when I have more energy and dont' feel so icky?

What scares me, in high school i was anorexic, not badly anorexic needing hospitalization but I barely weighed 100 lbs and seriously there are days all i ate was some pretzels and a 1/2 bagel with jelly. I am so scared after I have the baby my mindset is going to become obbessive with my weight again. It took me years to recover and have a normal body image again.

Re: Weight gain Genetic?

I really dont think your weight gain during preganancy is something you control...Everyone does different things, and gets different results...

I just keep telling myself that...initially after having the baby you lose the babys weight, the placenta, water, and some blood.. Not saying thats alot but its a good start!

After that I just gotta work to get back in my old jeans!!!

Try not to obsess...I did in the beg. and then I realized I really couldnt control it!