Fruits for my labour
Even when I’m pregnant I’m preaching protein. Beseeching clients and strangers alike give good fats and carbs a chance 'for the love of Arnold'. Being pregnant, I get away with being a lot bossier than I did pre-pregnancy. Kind of loving it, actually.
#FitsPos such as myself keep going on about it because it is, quiet literally, vitally important. A good balance of fats, carbs and proteins packed with vitamins and minerals are he building blocks of the human body. I've always known this, but never has it felt so important as it does now that I'm pregnant.
A diet that lacks these key building blocks will potentially affect the baby’s development. Not only can your diet affect the foetus’s birth weight and therefore his or her health, it can also impact predispositions to various illnesses, ranging from bone formation to cardiovascular issues and even bone formation (2010 study published in The Journal of Nutrition).
At the top of my list, like a conquering hero upon a mountain peak surrounded by luscious curly Kale and little broccoli trees, is PROTEIN (no change there) - because you are protein. Flesh is protein. Your baby is…?
Hot on the heels of protein are foods with CALCIUM, because bone is calcium. Your baby’s skeleton is…?
For your convenience, take a look here at your ideal pregnancy food shop: https://authoritynutrition.com/13-foods-to-eat-when-pregnant/
When you’re in your second and third trimester, it’s advised you eat around 250 - 300 calories extra per day to support your little bundle of joy’s bulking efforts. So, “What does a good 250 – 300 extra calories look like?” (These cals are approximate)
Small apple with 20g peanut butter 175 cals
Greek yogurt, 6 raspberries, 6 almonds and pinch of stevia 200 cals
Rye bread and 2 x turkey slice 150 cal
Wholemeal pitta with humus and spinach 250 cals
Tuna mayonnaise (1 tbl sp) with 2 x celery sticks 250 cals
150g sweet potato chips 230 cals
2 X Boiled egg 2 x oat cakes 220 Cals
Chicken breast, small jacket potato with teaspoon of butter 280 cals
Now that I’m over the first trimesters bread binge, here are snapshots of what I’ve been snaffling at meal times. Unfortunately and uncannily, the storage on my phone was always full when I tried to take photos of the Haribo Tangfastics… Co-op mini chocolate cornflake cake and Coffee no.1’s wheat-free chocolate brownie and Haagen Dazs cookies and cream. Odd, that.
(Hover on the pics and it'll show a description of the meal)
