New mom Akshara Gowda reveals pregnancy diet, hack to avoid stretch marks and ‘biggest myth’ that needs to be debunked | Health

Akshara followed a well-planned pregnancy diet

Pregnancy weight gain is a natural and necessary part of a healthy pregnancy. Akshara, who gained around 12 kg during her pregnancy, says she was ‘very careful’ about how much weight she put on.

Speaking about her diet, she says, “It is a very tricky time because you have a lot of cravings and a lot of people suggesting ‘eat for two’. As much as possible, I ate home-cooked food. Throughout my pregnancy, I measured and ate. I was born with a sweet tooth; during pregnancy, I did have sweets, but within limit. If I had a piece of cake, I would make sure I compensate with other meals, like have more protein and less carbs.”

She adds, “I stuck to my pregnancy supplements that the doctor recommended even after my delivery. Thanks to this, I don’t have any hair loss, luckily.”

Akshara worked out throughout her pregnancy

Pregnant women already know the laundry list of items they need to be cautious about. They’ve heard it many times, like avoiding risky activities while expecting. However, Akshara believes exercise during and after pregnancy is not only safe but also highly beneficial for both mom and baby.

Highlighting how exercise during pregnancy has been linked to healthier pregnancies, Akshara says, “I was very particular that as much as possible, I want to make sure it is a normal delivery and that I stay active throughout my pregnancy. I wanted to bounce back after delivery for my baby and not for anybody else. I wanted to hold my baby, do everything on my own and not get any help.”

As for her workout routine, Akshara says she relied on strength-training exercises to stay active during pregnancy. She’s also a fan of Pilates, which helped her maintain flexibility and core strength.

She says, “They say you can’t bend in pregnancy or take stairs. But I kept on asking my gynaecologist (Dr Sindhuri Kapu from Hyderabad) if I could work out. I remember squatting, the amount of squats I have done during my pregnancy I have not done it in my entire life. That’s how I had a normal delivery. When I started doing my pre-natal yoga and pre-natal Pilates, I did everything, including bending exercises and touching my feet. So my walk did not change, and I did not have any fatigue or tiredness throughout my pregnancy.”

‘Exercise genuinely prepares your body for birth’

Akshara says, “Exercise is the biggest thing that helped me have a normal delivery. Every pregnancy and body is different, but exercise genuinely prepares your body for birth. I did a lot of Pilates. I even did HIIT, strength training, and yoga. Post-35th week of pregnancy, I was told to cut down on the HIIT, Pilates and intense cardio. I could still do yoga and go for walks.”

Remember, every pregnancy is unique, and it’s essential to prioritise your health and safety. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting or continuing any exercise routine during pregnancy.

Post her normal delivery, prioritising rest, nutrition, bonding with her baby, and nursing have helped Akshara gradually shed almost all the baby weight. A few weeks after the delivery, the actor says she started a postpartum-friendly workout with gentle exercises like Pilates and walking.

Akshara says, “I will tell all new moms to prioritise their health so they can take care of the baby. Strengthening your core and back is important so you can lose all that belly fat immediately. Please take care of yourself. If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of the baby. I started walking within an hour of delivery; I took the stairs. Throughout my entire pregnancy, I was so conscious of what I ate and how I felt, as mental health is so important.”

She adds, “I rested at home for the first 15 days, walked around, and took care of the baby. After that, I was already in my pre-pregnancy clothes and lost about 7 kg. I started working out slowly after 15 days of delivery with walks and Pilates. Now, I eat everything and have returned to my 1800 calories a day, which I followed pre-pregnancy. Breastfeeding also helped me lose the pregnancy weight.”

How to prevent stretch marks

Many women worry about stretch marks during pregnancy. With all the growing that comes with having a baby, this question has likely crossed many bump-sporting minds. The actor stresses that they are totally normal, gorgeous, and even empowering parts of the human body, and new moms with stretch marks should not be self-conscious but embrace them ‘like tiger stripes’.

Akshara reveals she has no stretch marks; in fact, she also shares a ‘cheap’ hack to prevent stretch marks from developing in the first place. Speaking about her own experience, Akshara says, “My skin during pregnancy was beautiful. I did not have any acne. For stretch marks, I did apply lots of creams, and I don’t have any stretch marks. But for people who cannot afford them, I will tell you a basic hack that one of my friends suggested.”

The actor adds, “She has a 10 or 11-year-old son, and she has no stretch marks. When I told her I was pregnant, she said, ‘Just mix rose water and glycerin and start applying it on your belly and continue to apply till you get into that pre-pregnancy weight because your skin is still shrinking’. For at least three months post-delivery, you have to apply the same process.”

The biggest pregnancy myth

As soon as the doctor says you’re pregnant, women are instantly inundated with information. Between the books, online communities, friends, and family, Akshara, too, says it can be overwhelming to navigate the vast amount of information available. While much of this is need-to-know information, some of it may be based on myths. So, how did Akshara avoid falling for pregnancy myths? She says, “Whether it was my diet or my lifestyle, I always asked my gynaecologist. Please reach out to professionals.”

Akshara feels women need to stop believing the age-old myth that pregnant women need to ‘eat for two’. While it’s true that pregnant women have higher calorie needs, the idea of eating twice as much is a common misconception. Akshara recalls her doctor advised her to gradually increase her caloric intake during the pregnancy, but not eat twice as much, as that would lead to unnecessary weight gain. She says, in actuality, you only need to consume an ‘extra 200-700 calories a day’ to keep yourself and your baby healthy.

“Each trimester, you can increase 300 calories. I maintained that. You cannot eat 3000-4000 calories and lots of carbs, and expect yourself to stay fit. ‘Eating for two’ is the biggest myth. When I first got to know I was pregnant, I was like, ‘I can’t put on weight’ as I have a lot of work commitments, and my doctor said, ‘Okay then, don’t put on; don’t eat for two’. She explained that if you are going to eat for two, it is all actually going to go into your body and not the baby’s. The baby will not be 5 kg or 10 kg at birth just because you ate for two,” Akshara says.

She further recalls, “My gynaecologist said ‘I don’t care how much weight you are putting on or how much you are physically changing, whether are you losing weight or putting on, as long as the baby is healthy in the scan, you don’t have to worry’. So there is no eating for two. Please don’t eat for two, just eat for yourself and eat healthy.”