How are you sneaking in more protein?

carleym93

Hi ladies!

I've mentioned before that I'm having a really hard time gaining weight. I've increased my caloric intake by about 600-700 calories a day and I'm actually losing weight now, whereas for a while it was just a steady number not moving up or down. I've lost 3 pounds in the last 3 days and I'm just starting to feel worried. My doctor keeps mentioning that people that don't gain enough weight have a high risk of preterm labor and that stresses me out beyond belief! I really don't know what else to do. My doctor was pretty vague with suggestions, just the usual Ensure. Its no longer working. I have an appointment on Friday where I plan to go into more depth with her about it but at this point, I'm feeling nervous and discouraged. She wants me to gain 20 pounds in the next 10 weeks and I don't know how to do it. How are you all sneaking in the extra calories needed in the third trimester? At this point, I'll try anything! Within reason, of course For anyone who responds, thank you in advance.

lifesabeach85

It's hard to give advice about where you should get more calories (assuming you want nutrient dense foods and not just cupcakes) without knowing what you're eating.

Why not make a food diary that could show you where your gaps go. Bring it to you doctor or as a nutritionist the best areas to bulk up and with what foods.

carleym93

I think I'll have to start writing things down. For the most part, I eat a well balanced diet of fruit, veggies, meats, dairy, and grains. Very very very seldom eat any sweets. My doctor has said nothing but "eat more" which is like the least helpful advice ever I'm in desperate need of more snacks or meals that are nutrient and calorie dense but I haven't found much. The nurse I talked to said they don't refer patients to a nutritionist unless they have GD which I don't have. So I've been on my own!

ariannashuler

I don't get nearly enough protein as I should and I haven't been gaining enough weight either. So I will be following this! So far I've went from drinking skim milk to 2%.. Not much but it's a start!

breezymeema7

Maybe throw in a protein shake with morning or afternoon snack. I use a great vegan protein that mixes well and doesn't leave me with a chalky aftertaste. I also use protein powder in most of my baking too. If you are healthy and baby is healthy I really don't get why your Dr is stressing about weight gain. It may just be they way your body responds to pregnancy.

carleym93

@breezymeema7 I may have to try that also. What brand are you using? I'm not sure why she is either. I think what is concerning is that I haven't put one pound of weight on since my first prenatal appointment. Last week, I finally got up about a pound and a half only to then lose 3. From what I know, the baby is fine (and actually big) but she freaked out at my 28 week appointment about how I still have a long ways to go. I know if you're using a Canadian brand it may be hard to find down here in the US but I'd be willing to pay the shipping and order it if it would give me some peace of mind!

WSatisfiedP

I have probably increased my intake/day of calories by 1500/day. I was a super fit person and ate very low carb

What about avocados (high calorie, good fats), protein shakes in addition to your meals (I use tera's whey organic grass fed protein in dark choc-add full fat milk to mix), etc.

Saratiff

So I have been eating cheese sticks, Luna bars, Greek yogurt, and uncrustables to get my protein up. I usually have a bowel of cereal for breakfast, then a yogurt when I get to work. I have a cheese stick around 10, an uncrustable around 12 lunch at 2:00 cheese stick or uncrustable at 4 then cheese stick or uncrustable before I head home then I have dinner which is chicken pork or beef with a veggies and rice or something. I then swap out Luna bars or eat them in addition to eveything else if I can.

I still have not gained much weight but she is growing stronger. She even kicked the doctor at my last appointment like " see dr. Lady I am doing just fine"

myrandaagee

Peanut butter!! You can add it to celery or apples or a sandwich. I had such a hard time gaining weight and I had someone recommend that to me and it's definitely helped

acgonzalez22

I have GD and am having the same issue. I am not the GD case where my LO is measuring big. I am 29wk3d and gained 3 lbs. LO is fine, but my OB wants me to put on weight. I see a nutritionist for controlled diet and healthy proteins. I usually make a protein shake with whole milk, eat cheese, get in my fish oil helpings, eat steak/chicken, fruits, veggies,etc. It's strange because I eat more than someone with GD is supposed to. But it is helping me to feel full and get good nutrients to LO. Hang in there, PTL is scary but women who don't have weight issues deal with PTL too. Just because it can happen doesn't mean it will.

emmacake08

If your diet is healthy and balanced and you aren't nutritionally deprived then I say take it all with a grain of salt. Conditioning yourself to eat refined carbohydrates in the name of gaining weight would be the last thing you should (glad to see you are way smarter than that :x ). Try nuts and nut butters and peanut butter. I'm vegan when not pregnant (because I get a ton of weird food aversions) and you'll get protein and fat and a higher calorie density. When pregnant you only need about 55-75 grams of protein a day and over doing protein (like over 100 grams) is really hard on your body. If you make your own smoothies, drop in a hand full of almonds to blend in.

breezymeema7

@carleyec93 I actually order the protein from the states so you shouldn't have a problem with getting it. I find that making a quick protein shake gives me enough energy to get the day started, fills me up, and holds me over until I can (if?) find time to sit down and eat something. Here's the link. I've only tried vanilla bean and thought it was yummy. I'd also throw in a spoon of peanut butter or spoon of pumpkin pie spice mix...delicious!

https://www.bodybuilding.com/store/san/rawfusion.html

 

carleym93

Thanks ladies! I'm going to give these things a try. I think I worry so much because nothing is happening and with the weight of the baby, extra blood, fluid, placenta, etc I feel like there should be SOMETHING gained, which means I'm losing. And when I noticed I had lost more weight again, I just felt discouraged. I'm anemic, so I've been trying to increase my meat and veggie intake this week especially. I'm going to use ALL of these suggestions and see what happens during the next couple of weeks!

puccagirl77

I have been really into nuts an trail mix lately. High in protein and calorie dense. Another good option is avocados.

lilhoek

I am supposed to get over 100 grams of protein in each day, plus a lot of calories for these twins. I usually wake up hungry in the middle of the night, so I have half of a Premier Protein bar (30g of protein, 1g of sugar) and leave the other half on the counter. When I get up in the morning, I have the other half with my coffee. I have to take Nifedapine for the boys' hearts and if I take it with protein, the side effects are less, so I take it with a Muscle Milk (32g protein, 1g sugar) at 9am. That way, I have had 62g of protein before lunch, and the other 38g are easy with a grilled chicken breast, or sandwich or something at lunch and dinner. I am having a harder time fitting food in my belly at this point, so the liquid protein seems to be the easiest to deal with.

atthemoment

While i have had no trouble gaining weight- thanks to my daily chocolate fix- i dont eat meat so to be sure i get protein i have 2 eggs on whole wheat toast for breakfast plus they are a good source of omegas- the good fat

melissa12685

Lets see....I'm not a real big fan of milk or yogurt, both of which provide calcium and protein for the lil miss
So I have started making smoothing and adding a plain Greek yogurt and a cup of low fat milk. I also love trail mix and peanut butter. Eggs are always good, and when I eat a salad I like to add beans and avocados....also cheese!

blovemama

I lost a lot of weight due to morning sickness. I started drinking Ensure Plus twice a day (first thing in AM and right before I brushed my teeth before bed). They've got more calories and protein than regular Ensure. That's an extra 700 calories right there. I also switched to whole milk. It was hard for me to find ways of adding more calories that weren't just simple sugars.

JESSICAFALLAH

Vegan sources of protein like gluten and veggie proteins can actually be more protein dense than meat. For instance this company Beyond Meat just released their new burger which has 23 grams of protein and no soy! https://beyondmeat.com/products/view/the-beast-burger

I also add Vega One nutrition shake powder to my morning smoothies along with peanut butter and chia seeds for maximum protein boost. 

benmel31

Almonds. I try to eat a handful a day.

amylianne

I sneak hemp and chia seeds into all sorts of DS's food for added protein and good fat. They can seriously go in ANYTHING! Smoothies, yogurt, Mac n' cheese, sprinkle hemp on salads... I put it in his "cookies". Its an easy way to add some good stuff to what you're already eating and not feel like you have to force feed more. I'm not a big eater (but also never have trouble gaining weight) so I make a coconut milk, hemp, chia, kale and vanilla drink in the mornings.
We also make pancakes with 1/2 pancake mix and 1/2 quinoa. You can throw a little protein powder, or hemp in there and have a great protein pancake.
Obviously as pp's have said, nuts, avocados, seeds, cheese...
It might be worth paying attention to your fat intake too. If you plan on nursing, that takes a ton of extra calories and it's super important to get enough fat.

rasmussanna

I've been having a hard time with proteins too, mostly bc it seems like a lot of different ones are on the avoid list. Even though I crave fish, I try to limit myself to 2-3 servings/week of low mercury fish. Otherwise, a lot of eggs/egg whites, grass-fed ground beef and good quality chicken. I have started making my own chicken salad (since too much tuna is out) and egg salad--can't do the deli stuff. And cottage cheese has been a lifesaver. If you are avoiding a lot of sodium the rest of your day, cottage cheese can be a great way to add great protein and calories (if you buy low fat vs fat free version). Cooking/roasting veggies in good quality EVOO also a good way to add some nutrient dense calories.

katehenton623

So I was ridiculously ill for the first 20 weeks because I wasn't getting the protein I needed. We are having twins and didn't know until 18 weeks and then I had to work up to my 100-150g of protein. I drink a protein shake in the morning and eat an omelette with two eggs and meat and cheese in it. For snacks I eat kind bars with extra protein. Carrots and hummus, apples with almond butter, peanut butter sandwiches all make good lunch options. I took to making grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches with avocado also. And for dinner we do a lot of whole foods, meat and veggies. I didn't gain weight until 24 weeks. I had a couple extra pounds when I got pregnant so I didn't need to gain but as long as what I'm eating is nutritious my midwife doesn't worry about weight so much. I also made fruit and kale smoothies with protein powder as a snack. It's a lot to ingest in a day. Eating becomes a full time job if you are concerned about protein intake. Hope this helps!