My question of the week (besides that whole celebrity voyeurism thing): How does a pregnant woman eat healthy? Like, really healthy. And ENJOY it?
For more than 6 months before we conceived, Chris and I had been on a major health food/exercise kick. I went from begrudgingly eating vegetables, to enjoying them, to practically savoring them. I craved roasted broccoli. I was practically vegan before I got pregnant with this little one. Ten weeks (and almost fifteen pounds lost) of barely being barely being able to eat anything and definitely not enjoying practically any food has damaged my oh-so-carefully built new habits. I've been eating whatever I feel like eating because I ate so little and just needed to keep something in my stomach.
Challenges:
Challenge 1: During the first trimester, I had a major aversion to vegetables. I could not even swallow them. It was one of the saddest times of my life.
Challenge 2: My taste had become very primitive for awhile. While weight gain wise I have been able to eat whatever I want, I know that the additives and salt content (not to mention sugar, fat, etc.) in the more processed food I have been eating are being passed to my baby, and this I definitely don't like.
I'm not so worried about the weight gain (knock on wood) because I've lost so much already, but I would like to keep my weight gain low and, more importantly, my health (and the baby's) high. I'm already overweight and at a higher risk for gestational diabetes and preclampsia.
This week has been my first full week where I've had more freedom with food. I've finally reincorporated some veggies (although not nearly enough). I eat a lot of fruit and cheese. Anyone have suggestions on portable snacks and easy meals to make that will be great superfoods for the baby and me? Now that I don't feel like death, I feel like I can focus on health in this pregnancy as opposed to mere survival. Also, I would love to have a diet that gives me the energy to continue yoga and swimming again, asap.
trail mix is always good, nuts, raisins and throw a few m & ms in there for taste and that is a great snack. BTW, have you heard of jasmere.com? They have lots of natural products on sale half off every day. IF you are intersted in joining i can send you my link so i can earn $10!
ReplyDeleteA good day nutrition wise will always include fruits/veggies/low fat dairy/and whole grains!!
ReplyDeletegood snack options:
-Whole grain bread with peanut butter and banana
-Low fat yogurt with fruit and nuts/granola on top (the omega 3 in the nuts is great for the baby!)
-strawberries with honey
-strawberries dipped in a little bit of low fat sour cream and then brown sugar (sounds weird but its delish!)
-carrots and hummus
-cucumbers and salt/hummus
-1/2 english muffin with low fat cream cheese and sliced strawberries
-banana/pineapple/orange/vanilla yogurt smoothie
-Banana & milk
Easy meals:
-grilled cheese with spinach and or green bell peppers inside and balsamic vinegar on bread (spray the pan with pam)
-personal "pizza" use a whole grain tortilla, cover with tomato sauce or sauce of choice, then cheese, vegetables and whatever toppings you want and pop in oven at 425 deg. for about 15 mins
-Pan grilled seasoned chicken tenders, frozen veggies, and baked sweet potato fries
-couscous with roasted vegetables (zucchini/squash/cucumber/onions etc)
-turkey burgers (made at home from ground turkey)
If I think of anymore I'll post! =)
Jeanna, go ahead and send that link. I'm a natural products sucker.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestions! Ali, right after I posted this I told Chris that I should have just asked you for a good pregnancy food plan. I'm sure you wouldn't mind a dietetics guinea pig. All of your suggestions sound yummy and for the most part, pregnancy palatable (I'm having a hard time with bananas and a few other things you mentioned because of reflux problems.) Keep 'em coming!