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You often hear that when you are pregnant that you need to 'eat for two'. This is not considered to be true for most people, and a rule of thumb is to increase your caloric intake by approximately 300 calories per day during pregnancy. This will vary with your activity levels, age, and size, so talk to your doctor about what an appropriate intake will be for you.
1. Eat a good breakfast: a healthy and nutritious breakfast is the perfect start to the day and will establish a good nutrition pattern for the rest of the day. Skipping this meal means you’ll be more likely to snack and overeat later in the day.
2. Plan your meals: being organised makes a huge difference to how well you eat each day. Having healthy snacks on hand, good food in the pantry, and a plan for the meals ahead means you’ll keep on track and be less open to temptations.
3. Go shopping on a full stomach: it's easy to grab some not so healthy options when you are hungry! Plan your day and make sure you eat before heading out shopping. It will also keep your energy levels up for those long shops. Remember: if you dont buy it, you wont eat it!
4. Drink plenty of water each day: this should be a given for pregnancy full stop, but drinking plenty of water also helps us feel full. Research has shown we often get hunger pangs when we are thirsty, so reach for a glass of H2O before you reach for a snack.
5. Be aware of sabotouers! Some people can be trouble when it comes to eating healthy foods. If you do have friends or family members that inevitably indulge you need to be aware of this and look at ways to control it.
6. Eat slowly and savour every mouthful: chew each mouthful slowly and enjoy the food you are eating. Being more aware of the taste and savouring each mouthful will slow your meal down and allow you to stop when you are full.
7. Watch your portion sizes: it's easy to get carried away with portion sizes these days - everything we are served at cafes or restaurants is often a lot of food! Particularly try to reduce the size of processed foods, snacks, or high sugar or fat products.
7. Seek advice: if you have major doubts about your diet during pregnancy then seek professional advice from a GP, dietician, or other health professional.
To find out more about weight gain during pregnancy, pre natal, post natal, or exercising before or after pregnancy please contact us!
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