Eating habits...help!

abgia · December 2015

Hi all! First time poster here

I am an FTM and am struggling with wanting junk food all the time

I have always been a very healthy eater, enjoying ice cream or candy or chips once in a while but really overall I've always just liked healthy food better. I'm 8w4days pregnant now and I've been craving and eating a lot of unhealthy stuff --mostly Mac and cheese (the totally processed boxed kind), sour patch kids, sugary cereals, bagels...etc. I know that indulging once in a while is fine, but I want my baby to be the healthiest it can be so I need some help with kicking these bad eating habits to the curb. Any suggestions are welcome!

EasterEggs · December 2015

I want all of those things, too (especially mac and cheese!). I find the best way to avoid them is simply not to buy them, and to keep healthy snacks that are easily accessible on hand (like fruit, babybel cheese, yogurt, etc.). Also, we plan dinners in advance and go grocery shopping when I'm not hungry. That way nothing appeals and we buy only the things we planned. When I'm starving later in the day we've already got all the ingredients for a healthy dinner.

ninji15 · December 2015

I have totally been blending veggies/protein stuffs into fruit smoothies because I am not a fan of the health food thing.

I get what tastes sweet to me and baby gets something healthy.

ladythrice · December 2015

The first trimester is about survival. Eat what your body wants now, with moderation. Once the second trimester rolls around it'll be easier to get back on track.

PinkLady2015 · December 2015

For every junk food item you, make sure you counter balance with a healthy dose of veggies or lean protein. Also, allow yourself to have the junk food but keep portions in control. (As in, don't eat the whole box of mac n cheese, but have it as a side dish to steamed veggies and grilled chicken). Decide on what special junk food youre going to have for the day and only eat that. (i.e. eat healthy all day knowing that youre going to have a bowl of ice cream for dessert).
Also, don't stress about it. If there's ever a time to just enjoy your body and ditch the diet mode we always seem to be in, it'd be now. Just make sure you're also getting plenty of exercise.... even walking is good.

joleri23 · December 2015

What @ninji15 said is perfect - sneak veggies into your smoothies! I also struggled with eating lots of junk food during the past couple of months, but now that I'm at 12 weeks, I'm starting to crave healthier foods once more. It will get better, just give it time.

And like @ladythrice says, it's all about survival right now.

lillebowski23 · December 2015

OP, I wasbin the same boat for most of November. I usualy eat well: veggies, lean protein, whole grains and I am a personal trainer. I found out I was pregnant at 4 weeks and by 5 weeks I had food aversions to almost everything I would normally eat, particulalry salads, turkey, chicken and fish. I was a bit concerned and called my doc who said just eat what you can keep down and make sure you are the very least getting enough fluids and keeping the prenatal vitamins down.
So for about a month all I could really eat was pasta, cereal, cheese, burritos, peanut butter and chocolate. I would blend veggies into a sauce and eat that with pasta and I ate a lot of clementines, berries, bananas, pears, and apples. It was tough feeling like crap and having carb crashes a lot... plus I put on 12 lbs right away but my weight has been stable the last 2 weeks, my energy is up and my diet has improved. Try not to be too hard on yourself! Hopefully by week 11 or 12 you will feel like eating other stuff!

MrsRo731 · December 2015

OP - I'm in the same position. I'm normally a very healthy eater, but since week 6 when MS hit I just can't even stomach most things. I'm in the 'eat what you can' camp during the 1st trimester. If I push myself to eat things that aren't appealing, I end up throwing it all up. I'm mostly eating bagels with cream cheese, mac 'n cheese, and basically carbs. Do what you can right now and when you start to feel better pull yourself back on track.

stillcozy · December 2015

I'm currently in the "eat all of the food you can keep down " camp. Hot dogs and Mac and cheese are in my house because it's better to me to have some food in me then have a bunch of Healthy crap I don't want to eat, hurts coming back up or is hard on my body to digest right now. You do you boo though. You know your body eat what you want and can keep in you right now because starving sucks I've struggled with dehydration and not keeping any food in me for 2 days so you gotta do what you need to

megstervt · December 2015

I was so sick for a few weeks that I was eating whatever I could keep down. The last week or 2 I'm finding that I'm starting to crave more "unhealthy" things. I think for me it's that I want foods that I know EXACTLY how they are going to taste. An apple will always taste slightly different, but sour patch kids taste the same every time.

abgia · December 2015

Thanks everyone

your suggestions are great and also I've learned that maybe I'm just being hard on myself...we've gotta eat what we can keep down!

dolewhipper · December 2015

ladythrice said:

The first trimester is about survival. Eat what your body wants now, with moderation. Once the second trimester rolls around it'll be easier to get back on track.

Agreed. I eat pretty healthy before my BFP and now H is sooo happy to be having pizza, chipotle and ice cream all the time. I used to love kale and eggs and chicken....if I even think of eating meat I want to puke. I'll get the occasional craving for meat but it's few and far between. What I'm trying to do is if I'm craving sweets get some italian ice or fruit and portion control what I'm craving. For a couple weeks all I wanted was rice and beans.

ButterMyBiscuit · December 2015

I am living off of mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. All the carbs - all the time. It's saving me for now. Once I can stomach other things, I will definitely try to do better.

LilLambie · December 2015

Every time I eat vegetables I vomit. I can keep down all the oily, bad stuff but something about vegetables amd sometimes fruit I throw up. I'm really struggling to get the vitamins I need. Multi-vitamin for the win.

taboullio84 · December 2015

I may have just ate a huge bowl of mashed potatoes with butter... I don't even like butter.. Lol

trucksntutus · December 2015

My obsession is mac and cheese. But yesterday when I ate it I also put in broccoli. Today (since I'm at work) I have a bag of those veggie steamers from Green Giant. I love them, and they're so delicious. Today, it's roasted potatoes, peppers and snap peas. I also have a lean cuisine and some edamame. Trying to be good today.

am0987 · December 2015

LilLambie said:
Every time I eat vegetables I vomit. I can keep down all the oily, bad stuff but something about vegetables amd sometimes fruit I throw up. I'm really struggling to get the vitamins I need. Multi-vitamin for the win.

I'm in the same boat! All the oily fried foods that are supposed to make you "sick"...that's all I want! That and sugar...

DobbysSock · December 2015

For first trimester - it's about survival. Eat what you can keep down/what sounds good. That said, I'm with you and I really want to eat healthy during this pregnancy.

Some strategies that work for me:
-have healthy snacks that are easy to prep/grab quickly - for example, veggies/fruit cut up and ready to eat, veggie and fruit smoothies prepared in advance in little bags, just have to quickly blend, add some greek yogurt for protein
-frozen berries and fruit in my water - keeps it cold and gives it some flavour, and then I eat the fruit when the water is done
-lots of small snacks instead of big meals
-if you're having an unhealthy meal, add a small, healthy side (for example, your bowl of mac n cheese with a little handful of snap peas, and eat the peas first or throughout the meal so you don't fill up on the unhealthy food first)
-take a good multivitamin to make up for missed nutrients

But most of all don't beat yourself up if for the next few weeks you give in to cravings. You can turn it around in the 2nd and 3rd trimester when you're feeling better!

carrieandr · December 2015

Same here. I used to have salad for lunch almost every day and now I'm limited to mostly carbs and junk food. But like a PP said, I'm in survival mode right now. I haven't been to the gym in a couple weeks, but I don't even feel bad about it. I'm doing whatever I need to to get through each day until this constant nausea stops. I will make a valiant effort to eat for the baby and exercise when I feel better. Last night, DH said, "You're eating again? Is this how it's gonna be from now on?" I hope not. But for now, pass the white cheddar popcorn.

Serpica · December 2015

I haven't eaten beef in like 10 years, and it turns out that being pregnant makes me want hamburgers from McDonald's, because sometimes that's the only thing that I think my stomach will agree with! So I've just been going with it... It's really weird but almost fun (yes, almost - feeling queasy sucks) to have to eat different things and not feel guilty about it.. My doc was totally reassuring about food choices - she also said, whatever works right now is great, and then later on maybe you'll feel like you have more choices. If I can add something healthier I do, but I can't I can't.

carrieandr · December 2015

@Serpica me too! I hadn't had beef in over 5 years and I've had 3 McDonalds cheeseburgers in the last week. Whatever works.

amandajmonceaux · December 2015

I lived on double cheeseburger from McDonald's over the past couple months. I will be glad to eat something else though. I miss real food.

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