The truth behind "eating for two"

I used to think of pregnancy as a time where calories, sugar and other bad foods just didn’t count. I looked forward to eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s every day just because I could (who’s going to tell a pregnant lady otherwise?) and truly indulging in all my cravings. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts in trying to find evidence to the contrary, pregnancy is not the time to binge on junk. I had to repeat this to myself last night as I stared longingly at the bowl of left over Halloween candy! Instead, it’s a time to take extra care of what you are putting in your body because you’re growing a little human that depends on you for essential nutrients and its overall wellbeing. The same rules apply if you are trying to conceive. A little known fact is that a healthy pregnancy begins while the baby is still a glimmer in mom and dad’s eye. Making sure you’re on a healthy track by the time you conceive gets the baby off to a good start in life.

So what does the expression “eating for two” really mean? Generally speaking it means eating half as much, twice as often and thinking twice as long about what you consume. Everyone is different, especially in the first trimester when it can be hard to think beyond saltines and ginger ale, but eating smaller, more frequent meals can help keep your blood sugar stable and keep you feeling satisfied longer, which ultimately can alleviate unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, constipation and swelling.

“Eating for two” can also help keep your pregnancy weight gain at bay. The average woman only needs an extra 300 calories per day during pregnancy and should gain roughly 25-35 pounds over the course of 9 months. Trying to stay within this weight gain range has enormous benefits. Not only will you simply feel better (see aforementioned symptoms), but it will lower your risk for issues such as high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Plus, it makes it much easier to get back to your pre-baby weight.

Every time you go to eat something, ask yourself if it’s something you would feed your baby. I know, what a buzzkill. But you might surprise yourself in what you’re willing to give up. This is not to say you can’t give into your cravings once and awhile - it is all about balance or you will drive yourself crazy. The point is just not to overdo it, and make sure the majority of your diet includes lean protein, healthy fats, whole grains and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Snacks on Snacks

Having grown up in New England, fall is by far my favorite season. Summer is a very close second - especially with winters as cold as they are - but there is just something about sunny, cool, fall day that is hard to beat. I feel super fortunate that my final months of my pregnancy have taken place in September and October because I felt great all summer long, and now I can just do some nesting in my leggings, with my crock pot, and sweat half as much as I did just 3 months ago.

With just a few days to go until Baby Tallents’ arrival, I’ve been trying to make a few things that I can either freeze for the first week we’re home or - let’s be honest - that I can eat now. Baby T has dropped and is sitting low, so I have a little more room in my stomach and I’m back to wanting to eat 17 times a day. I’ve done my best to keep healthy snacks in the house so I can stick to eating unprocessed foods that are high in the nutrients I need. I’ve always been a huge sucker for fall recipes and will try anything pumpkin, so I have a few go-to snack recipes that are filled with protein, healthy fats and fiber, as well as essential nutrients for fertility, pregnancy and beyond, such as folate (for healthy brain and spinal cord development), calcium, manganese and beta-carotene (for healthy bone growth) and iron (for increased blood supply and baby’s blood development). Not to mention, they have under 5 main ingredients, are super easy and adjustable and are made using real, whole foods.

Pumpkin Hummus - A Fall take on the classic What you need:¼ cup pumpkin2 cups of chickpeas (equivalent to 1 can)¼ cup Tahini⅛ cup Olive Oil1-2 cloves of garlicWater, lemon, salt and pepper to taste (add water at the end only if its a little too thic…

Pumpkin Hummus - A Fall take on the classic

 

What you need:

¼ cup pumpkin

2 cups of chickpeas (equivalent to 1 can)

¼ cup Tahini

⅛ cup Olive Oil

1-2 cloves of garlic

Water, lemon, salt and pepper to taste (add water at the end only if its a little too thick for you)

Optional: Sprinkle a little paprika on top of the finished product to be fancy

 

Throw all ingredients into a magic mix/food processor or blender until smooth. Serve with whole grain crackers, carrots or sliced red pepper.

Pumpkin Energy Bites - Great for fertility, pregnancy and post-baby snackingWhat you need:2 bananas (the riper the better)2 ½  cups of rolled oats ½ cup pumpkin 2 tablespoons coconut flakes2 tablespoons ground flaxCinnamon, cloves and allspice …

Pumpkin Energy Bites - Great for fertility, pregnancy and post-baby snacking

What you need:

2 bananas (the riper the better)

2 ½  cups of rolled oats

½ cup pumpkin

2 tablespoons coconut flakes

2 tablespoons ground flax

Cinnamon, cloves and allspice to taste

Optional: any natural sweetener such as honey or maple syrup to taste

Optional: pumpkin seeds, raisins, chocolate chips, goji berries, or any other additive

Mash up all ingredients in a mixing bowl and the batter should be almost like a paste. Adjust the amount of banana and oats to get the right consistency. Bake on 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Consume warm (my personal favorite way to eat them), put in a container for later or freeze.

Embrace the Journey

Hello everyone!

I’m so so happy you’re here. Welcome to the CLT Wellness blog where I’ll discuss anything and everything related to health and wellness, especially when it comes to fertility, pregnancy and motherhood. If there is anything top of mind you’d like to hear about please feel free to reach out to me at Carolyn@CLTWellness.com. Suggestions always welcome!

You may have read a bit of my story on the “About CLT” section of the site so quick summary: I am a former corporate marketing director who took a leap and decided to turn her passion for living a healthy lifestyle into a career. It’s still amazing to me to see that summed up perfectly in one sentence, a lot of ups and downs contributed to making it a reality. Leaving the corporate environment, learning entirely new skill sets and starting up a biz - a pure roller-coaster of emotions let me tell you. Especially when you do it all while pregnant. Yes, my husband is a very patient man. But here I am now, a certified health coach and personal trainer with a week left to go ‘til my due date! Let’s hope Baby Tallents inherits his parents’ obsession with punctuality.

My pregnancy journey has taught me more than I ever could have imagined both personally and professionally. I first started my new career with the intention of helping people achieve their health goals through diet and lifestyle changes. But after struggling for over a year with fertility issues, including a devastating miscarriage, and now having spent the past 9 months growing a human, I’ve learned so much about the body during this phase of life that it has became the specialty of my business. I want to help women in all stages of their own pregnancy journey feel empowered when it comes to their health and wellness. There is SO much information out there - often times conflicting - about what you should/shouldn’t do/eat while trying to conceive, or while pregnant or after having had a baby, that it’s hard to feel confident in your choices. Let’s change that!

So enough about me. I’m here to help YOU. Stay tuned for topics such as fertility boosting foods, what “eating for two” really means and workouts safe for any stage of pregnancy. Talk soon!

xoxo