Weight Watchers (WW) when you're TTC or pregnant: is it safe?
Juliet Blank
Associate EditorBeing overweight can affect your fertility according to experts. But if you have weight to lose, is it safe to follow a diet plan like Weight Watchers – now known as WW – when you’re trying to conceive (TTC)? And what about if you're already pregnant? Here's what you need to know.
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Is it safe to diet when you're TTC?
Firstly, find out if you’re a healthy weight using the NHS BMI (Body Mass Index) calculator.
If you're overweight or obese and want to lose weight, it's safe to do so while you’re trying to get pregnant as long as you eat a healthy, balanced diet.
How much should you weigh if you're trying to get pregnant?
There's no specific weight to aim for – it depends on your height, which is why BMI is a better measure.
According to the NHS guidelines, being overweight or obese (with a BMI over 30), or being underweight (with a BMI below 18.5) can both affect fertility in women. The healthiest range is a BMI of between about 20 and 25.
But, regardless of your BMI, you should try to lose weight if your waist is 80cm (31.5ins) or more.
According to the NHS, if you're currently overweight or obese, then losing weight could increase your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy. It says:
'If you are overweight, the best way to protect your health and your baby's wellbeing is to lose weight before you become pregnant. By reaching a healthy weight, you increase your chances of conceiving naturally and reduce the chance of problems associated with being overweight in pregnancy.'
Can you follow Weight Watchers (WW) when you’re trying to get pregnant?
Yes, it's perfectly safe to follow the Weight Watchers (WW) plan when you're TTC.
'We know that lots of women join WW to lose weight in order to conceive. In fact, the NHS also refers women to WW if they are trying to get pregnant and need to lose weight,' says Zoe Griffiths, the public health manager at WW.
'Our programme doesn’t change for women who are trying to get pregnant either.
'That’s because the advice is to follow a healthy eating plan, which is what WW is,' she says.
Find out more about WW and how it works.
How does WW work when you’re TTC?
If you're trying to get pregnant, you'll have ...
The same SmartPoints
When you join, you are given a personalised daily SmartPoints budget based on your age, weight and how much weight you want to lose.
And if you are trying to get pregnant, you'll still have exactly the same number of SmartPoints as if you were following the plan normally.
There are over 200 ZeroPoint foods including fruit, vegetables, lean meats and fish. The idea is you fill up on these first and then use your SmartPoints budget to eat or drink anything else you fancy.
The same healthy eating advice
WW is all about changing your eating habits for life and focuses on healthy eating.
This means swapping processed foods for lots of fruit and vegetables, protein, beans and pulses – all of which are good to eat if you're trying to get pregnant.
Find out more about what foods to eat in pregnancy.
The same expert support
When you join WW, you can speak to a diet expert any time of day – or night – online.
If you go to WW workshops (meetings), you can also speak to your coach (the person who leads the meetings) about what to eat if you're trying to get pregnant.
However, just be aware that WW doesn't give any specific advice to do with getting pregnant.
'We don’t provide personalised medical advice so don’t offer any advice about supplements and so on,' says Zoe.
'However, if a member wants to tell her coach at a meeting, they will point her towards the resources on the NHS website about what you should eat in pregnancy.'
What should you eat when you’re TTC?
If you’re trying to get pregnant, you’re advised to eat a healthy diet which should include:
- Fruit and vegetables (five a day).
- Starchy foods including fibre-rich wholegrain pasta and brown rice.
- Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, lean meat and other proteins.
- Foods rich in folic acid.
- Calcium-rich foods, including milk and cheese.
Is it safe to do WW when I'm pregnant?
It’s not advisable to try and lose weight when you’re pregnant, which is why pregnant women aren’t allowed to follow the WW programme.
Zoe Griffiths, public health manager at WW, explains why this is:
‘We take the health of our members and their unborn children super seriously.
‘The current medical advice is that it’s not recommended to lose weight while you’re pregnant.
‘Everything we do is about supporting people to lose weight – that’s what our programme does and that’s what our coaches are trained to do.
‘When members get pregnant, we suspend their membership until after they’ve had their baby.’
I used WW to conceive. What should I do now?
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), going on a specific weight loss programme during pregnancy isn’t recommended as it could harm your unborn baby.
But while you can’t follow WW online or go to meetings when you’re pregnant, you can still eat in a healthy way, ie eating plenty of fresh and nutritious food, that's healthy and filling.
You can also keep doing the WW ‘feel good’ exercises including mindfulness and tips for happiness.
How to eat healthily in pregnancy
When you’re pregnant it’s important to have a healthy and balanced diet. And that means it’s not the time to restrict what you’re eating by dieting.
The NHS advises pregnant women to eat a variety of different foods every day to get the right balance of nutrients that you and your baby need.
These include:
Dairy – a great source of calcium and other nutrients for your and your baby.
Protein-rich foods – including lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, beans and nuts. These foods are also great sources of iron.
Fruit and vegetables – they provide vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre, which helps your digestion, so it’s recommended you eat five a day. Fruit and veg shoud ideally make up over a third of what you eat each day.
Fish – try and eat two portions of fish a week, one of which should be an oily fish like mackerel or sardines. Don't have more than two portions of oily fish a week while you're pregnant though, and steer clear of shark, swordfish and marlin altogether. Learn more about eating fish in pregnancy.
Starchy foods – wholegrain bread, potatoes, pasta and other carbohydrates should make up just over a third of what you eat.
Folic acid – it’s recommended you take a daily 400mcg folic acid supplement when you’re trying to conceive or pregnant. Learn more about folic acid in pregnancy.
How much weight should I put on in pregnancy?
There are no official guidelines in the UK about weight gain in pregnancy and everyone's will be different.
Your midwife will weigh you at your antenatal appointments and may refer you to a dietitian if you happen to have a high BMI (body mass index) at the start of your pregnancy.
Your BMI measures your weight in relation to your height and is an accurate way to gauge whether you're a healthy weight or not.
Putting on too much weight can lead to:
- gestational diabetes
- high blood pressure
- a caesarean or assisted delivery
How can I avoid gaining too much pregnancy weight?
During most of your pregnancy you don’t need to eat extra calories. Instead, you’re advised to eat 2,000 calories a day in the first and second trimester – the same as you’d eat normally.
In the third trimester you should eat an extra 200 calories a day, which is the equivalent of half an avocado or 50g of cheese.
The NHS also advises to continue exercising in pregnancy for as long as you feel comfortable.
If you’re concerned about weight gain or how much to eat in pregnancy, talk to your GP or midwife. They should be able to offer you support and advice, or can refer you to a dietitian or nutritionist if needed.
Check out our tips on how to avoid gaining too much weight during pregnancy here.
How soon can I start WW after having a baby?
Find out how WW works once you've had your baby, here.
Investing in a diet planner (with a calorie tracker) can help you plan and keep focused on your new regime. See more details here at Amazon.
We also love this plate that shows you what proportion of carbs, protein and vegetables you need to serve up on your plate. See more details here at Etsy.
How to join Weight Watchers
You can find your nearest Weight Watchers meeting in our local listings or visit the WW website for more details.
Did you try WW when trying to conceive? Let us know your experiences on our forum below:
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