Pregnant? Eat up -- or your child could be obese

Pregnant? Counting calories? Quit it, says a study out of the UK. Pregnant women who count calories and watch what they eat are upping the chances that their child will be obese, according to this article from the Daily Mail. Scientists working on the study have concluded that women who are expecting should avoid any food fads and refrain from going on any sort of diet.

Says Dr. Helen Budge: "Whether we become obese is often established before, and soon after, we are born and is influenced by both the eating habits of our mothers and by the nutrition we receive as babies in the months after birth. [When the mother practices poor nutrition,] We know the chemistry of these cells is upset. There is more inflammation and stress on the cells and the hormone balance is upset." She adds, "The message is about getting the balance right."

Losing baby weight is tough, but don't take your chances. When you're eating for two, eat healthy and eat lots. And give yourself permission to indulge once in a while, OK?