YOU'RE OFFICIALLY GROWING A TINY HUMAN!
HOW MUCH DO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO EAT?
Congratulations! You are officially growing a tiny human! Okay, now what does your body need for this incredible task?
Research tells us that the impact of nutrition deficits (or excess) during pregnancy is important to consider. That’s why you are here right? Yay!
Well, take a deep breath and know that we have you covered!
With so much information on the internet about what to do and not do these days, it can get overwhelming. So we are going to break it down with
What your body needs;
Why it needs something extra;
How to actually follow through when you are exhausted all day every day!
Let’s start with how much energy your body needs each day.
We usually think about pregnancy in 3 parts. These are called trimesters. In the 1st trimester, your energy (aka calorie) needs remain the same as they did pre-pregnancy. The important piece here is that you are not restricting calories or "dieting" in any way. Pregnancy is not a time to pursue weight loss. This may sound easy, but add in nausea, vomiting, and extreme exhaustion and it is not so simple anymore.
NAUSEOUS?
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR HELP WITH NAUSEA SYMPTOMS, WE HAVE YOU COVERED.
WE HAVE A FREE RESOURCE!
‘BETTER OPTIONS FOR PREGNANCY NAUSEA’
Our 4 Top Tips For Managing Pregnancy Nausea
Also, we love keeping things simple, so start with something you love and think you can tolerate and just add one more thing. Here are a few examples that worked for us:
Toast with Mashed Avocado or Hemp hearts
Oatmeal with Yogurt
Green Apples (sour foods can help with nausea) with Peanut Butter
Crackers and Cheese
Pasta Tossed with Olive oil and Lemon Juice and Pumpkin Seeds on Top
Smoothie with Blended Frozen Cherries and Kale
As time goes on your body needs more carbohydrates, protein, and fat. The recommendation is 370 additional calories in the second trimester and about 450 more in the 3rd trimester. Okay, so let’s say that you needed about 1800 calories during your first trimester. That means your goal is 2170 in the second trimester and 2250 in the third trimester.
BUT WHO COUNTS CALORIES THESE DAYS?
Not us! So let’s talk about real food because it’s best if your needs are met with small meals and snacks of whole, nutrient dense foods throughout the day. Here are some ideas:
Of course aversions, nausea and low energy can interfere with this so we will be the first to say that all you can do is your best. Nothing more is ever required.
More questions? Let us know in the comments below. We would love to hear from you!
