Newly Pregnant and So Excited But Worried About Diet. HELP!

I am about 6 1/2 weeks pregnant with my first child!  The hubby and I are so, so happy. 

I have one worry. 

Lately, the only food that has sounded appetizing to me is J-U-N-K!  I just want to eat chinese food, brownies, hamburgers, etc.  It's ridiculous!  Like I'm PMS-ing 24-7. 

I know that eating junk all the time is NOT going to do my waistline any good and it's certainly not the best thing for the baby.  I try to force myself to eat veggies but they just taste gross to me and fresh fruit seems to have lost its appeal.  I've gone to canned (I buy it in the light syrup and give it a rinse in the sink before I eat it) but even that is a struggle. 

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I can control myself?  I really don't want to descend into a nine month long eating binge!

Hi :)

I have had two children, so I know how you feel. Cravings will plague you! You may feel like eating all those things now, and next month, even the word 'burger' may make you want to vomit. 

Controlling yourself is really up to you of course, but here's what I did: If you want a burger, try Morning Star veggie burgers. Lots of different flavors, and a much healthier alternative. They're pretty tasty. I actually got hooked on them with my first pregnancy, and there are some in my freezer right now :)

You can also try yogurt, with or without bran flakes. Soy chips or baked chips instead of regular chips or fries..fat free ice cream..the possibilities are endless. :) 

But don't feel too bad about eating that junk food every now and again. In moderation, it won't hurt anyone. 

Congratulations!

Hey congratulations! Hubby and I too just found out we are 6.5 weeks along with our first - and we are both SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited!!!!When are you due? My date is April 21st.....

I too worry about descending into a nine month long binge but I cant seem to help feeling RAVENOUS all the time....my head keeps filling up with visions of dreamy food....cheese, bread, desserts....

I try to deal with it by devising healthier substitutes.....like putting lots of veggies and a little grilled chicken in my mac and cheese while using an extra sharp cheddar and lite sour cream in the sauce, or eating a half cup of ice cream instead of a divine baked tart.....

Good luck!

Leela

I also agree with jkserig, though- give in every now and again!

Hey! Congratulations! I just found out I'm pregnant too, but I'm only about 5 weeks into it. I THINK I am due May 3 or 4, but my period was really irregular so I am having a hard time figuring that out.

I know I shouldn't be getting too excited quite yet, but I am!

I'm having a hard time shifting out of weight loss mode and into maintainance mode.  I just don't feel like eating, even though I am hungry, so I've been making myself drink a few extra glasses of milk to make up for it.

Have you guys tried making creamy vegetable soups like brocoli and cheese or cauliflower? It is a good way to get veggies and it is kind of rich tasting at the same time.  Not exactly soup weather quite yet, but close. 

Again, congratulations!

Oh those soups do sound really good! Must try!

I havent had any trouble shifting to maintenance (un) fortunately !!! My appetite is huge! Since I am a healthy eater anyway by and large, it isnt hard to fill up those extra calories with nutritious stuff. I do have kiddie scoops of ice cream every so often, and alittle dark chocolate, but otherwise its been all great nutritionally.

I am already feeling a little chubby so I am trying to slow down with the calories without starving myself and the baby.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I think you already have some great advice here.

However, I wanted to second something that was said: it is OKAY to eat an occasional "junk" meal when you're craving it. I gained a bit much with my most recent pregnancy (40 pounds) but I ate mostly healthy things. I occasionally splurged on that greasy cheeseburger and I did eat light ice cream EVERY NIGHT. One craving that I gave into three times a week was Greek food. I ate a huge salad with gyro meat on it. Yum! I managed to lose all the pregnancy weight without trying too hard by 4-5 months postpartum.

I recently read that a small amount of chocolate every day is good for pregnant women. ;)

Just be aware of what goes into your mouth. Occasionally indulge in cravings and be sure to enjoy certain foods in moderation. You don't have to be SUPER strict while pregnant, just mindful.

Good luck!

ooohh!  hi new mommas to be!!!  bier-  doesn't this take you back when we first found out we were gonne have us some babies???  awwww

junk is, OK, just not every day-  it's ok to succumb to the cravings occasionally.  You're pregnant!  Some days they will be stronger than others.  I craved coleslaw and watermelon for lunch a month straight.  OK?

wholewheats, yogurt, frozen yogurt, cheddar rice cakes are surprisingly yummy-  fiberone caramel cereal is really yummy for sweer cravings-  fiberone pop-tarts- chocolate- in the toaster with a tall glass of skim milk-  yum!!  seriously yum.  i started to eat lean bison instead of fatty beef-  possibilities are endless. 

good luck mommas!  so exciting!  i can remember the thrill and joy and sheer ecstatic-ness when I found out I was pregnant.  Just the knowledge of knowing there's a little being in there was too much.  HUGS all around!

Original Post by vanessa1031:

ooohh!  hi new mommas to be!!!  bier-  doesn't this take you back when we first found out we were gonne have us some babies???  awwww

Yes, yes it does! Awww, indeed! Remember how many people were pregnant? We had the "Baby Race" thread, lol!

So, have you ladies had any nausea or morning sickness yet?  So far I haven't, except for a mild wave of queasiness sometimes after I eat.  I do have very sore boobs though.

By the way, amykins, I am a teacher too.  It does help keep daytime snacking down since I don't want to be chowing down in front of the kids. 

I am a university lecturer- so looks like lots of teachers around here . Have been working at home lately so snacking issues havent been great unfortunately.....

I have had a little quesiness- but its usually in the afternoons, not the mornings...boobs are sore and moods tend to swing quite wildly....

I have recently had a baby. Eat what you need and some of what you want.  What helped  me to maintain my figure during and after pregnancy was my maternity panty and my post- partum girdle. I went to ardysslife.com/tovareeder and went to the "reshaping" link (highly recommended by my doctor) and got excellent, quality garments.

Hi, Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Have you tried those veggie juices like V8? It tastes good and it gives you a lot of vitamins that veggies have so your baby gets a lot of nutrients.

I also was addicted to hamburgers for the first 4 months of my pregnancy, but what I did was I had it on a whole wheat bun and added no mayo or butter to the bread, and if you can have  mash potato instead of fries that helps too. I also blend some veggies in my pasta sauces and you can't even feel they are there, you can add your tomatoes, onions, salt, pepper and then blend carrots (1 or 2) and maybe even some cooked broccoli and after it's all cooked you won't feel the taste on the salsa and you'll get the nutrients.

They also sell those natural veggie supplements pills, but for that you should ask your doctor first. I found some really good ones in the GNC store.

Good luck :)

Grats to everyone who is preggers! I am going into my second trimester, so I just went through all the stuff you all are going through. I had to actually stop counting calories when I found out I was pregnant, because I had been in diet mode for so long I would get to my diet limit and think I had to stop eating. Now I just count calories maybe once a week to spot check I am within a good range.

I had crazy cravings, and still do. I gave into them. If I want something I am going to eat it. I just didn't go overboard. One thing that I have been craving like a mad woman is pizza. So i have been eating pizza. Vegi and thin crust helps a lot with the added cals in pizza and in general its healthier. I figure while I am pregnant if my body wants something then I should eat it. If its sugary fats, I just don't eat a lot of it.

One thing I love are gingersnaps. This was the perfect time for me to eat them, as I puked just about everything I ate up. Morning sickness was not my friend!! So the gingersnaps helped a lot. Plus they are super yummy!!

Grats again and GL with your cravings.