Pregnancy Problems: Fighting the {Unhealthy} WEIGHT GAIN

YES! YES! YES!

So from the very end of my first pregnancy I vowed that my next pregnancy would guarantee an exemplary nutrition plan combined with a more than adequate fitness regime. Hindsight is always 20/20 right?

The moment I read the “yes” sign on my pregnancy pee stick I was so excited I wanted to run around the block. See? I sound motivated right? Yeahhh…that’s about as far as it went at that point. Like clockwork, as soon as I was confirmed prego, the symptoms came rushing in like mad-fiyah! Cue the headaches, cue the nausea, cue the boob pains, cue exhaustion…Although I felt blessed to be pregnant again, I had forgotten about all the little extras that come with being pregnant in the first trimester. No problem. I’m just thankful for having this little babe doing its thing.

Diet: Carbs, carbs, carbs…and chocolate milk. Check.

Fitness: Running to the toilet to barf. Check.

Sounds about right? So basically the only thing I could eat was toast and crackers and occasionally a handful of Veggie Sticks…but those are healthy right? HUGE aversion to meat…the thought of meat still kind of grosses me out. I haven’t totally recovered and I’m in my final trimester! But needless to say, I indulged in those carbs because I felt I needed to get something in my body…Insert booty, add on chin bulk, with a side of inner tube mummy tummy. The best part? I was one month prego and someone says, “Oh! You’ve popped!” Burn.

Now I love my OB/GYN, but I fear her at the same time. At every weigh in she puts the fear of God in my eyes and let’s it seep deep down into my soul. Stepping on the scale is like being stoned…and I don’t mean herbally (ya, I used herb as a verb). She has a strict rule of gaining only 2-3 pounds per visit. I have not yielded to this expectation once….Each time tipping the scale above her ‘suggestion’. “You’re up the creek again!” she states with just enough gentility and threat.

In previous posts of fitness and nutrition I have been able to create a plan for myself and get some of my hockey gf’s to help me out with some fitness regimes, but at this point I was at a loss. I needed someone to tell me exactly what to do. I had/have a severe case of mommy-brain. Let’s be clear here, I do not feel poorly about my body, or feel “fat”, I just need a nutritional jump-start that gives me structure.

Da-Dah-Da-Dahhhh! Hello Tanya Jarrett! A fellow hockey wife (currently living the dream in Europe), nutrition and fitness guru, former Miss Pennsylvania, mommy, and heart of gold blogger to the rescue! I put a shout out in the twitter-verse to anyone who was willing to help this momma out in terms of getting my shiz together on the nutrition front and she came swooping in.

Over the past three weeks she has created custom nutrition plans that will satisfy both my nutritional needs and my diva-like food preferences to get me and Baby back on track without tipping the scale. She has even filmed some workout segments for me to do at home to keep me moving! (Post to come soon!)

Everything has been absolutely amazing! Take a peek at some of her sample meal plans (below) she has custom made for me. Her personalized plan included having me send a list of food that I do NOT like and combined what was left with foods that a prego woman needs to sufficiently support a healthy pregnancy. Take a look at some of her plans that not only taste amazing, are nutrient dense, organically grown, but my whole family has enjoyed with minimal food waste!

You can visit her “Live Fresh” site to contact her and see what she is all about! I suggest you do!

 Check out this sample meal plan Tanya sent me to jump start my pregnancy meal plan. It’s never too late at any stage of pregnancy to get yourself back in line of giving your body and BABY what you need. Check it:

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie (Getting breaky down was/is a challenge, so smoothies are the perfect accommodation.

The Veggie Chili with Butternut Squash (tah-die-for)

Indian Lentil and Veggie Curry