Protein shakes and other pregnancy diet questions

[shnikes17]

I am wondering if it is still okay for me to drink Designer Protein shakes while pregnant. I'm also having big trouble wanting to eat anything. This is a common first trimester complaint, right? I'm loading up on Shredded Wheat and those plain rye crackers because that's the only thing I want. The thought of cooking just makes me really sick. Then I want something from a restaurant - not homecooked and certainly not vegetables. They make my stomach churn. Please reassure me that this will soon pass. Thanks for listening

 

[Heather Y]

I'd like to know too...

I'm not pregnant yet but I've often wondered about designer protein shakes and pregnancy. I hope someone knows the answer to this.

As for first trimester foods - you sound just like me during my first pregnancy. What is it with shredded wheat? I only eat it when pregnant and then I can't get enough of it. During my first pregnancy I wanted so badly to eat good but I just couldn't. I would make my husband take me out to eat most nights and just follow the craving. Usually it was subway sandwiches (gotta have the salty deli meats) and french fries with fry sauce. I was always such a good eater before my pregnancy. But, during that first trimester I couldn't hardly even look at a carrot and don't even get me started on trying to cook hamburger meat. I was wondering if I could even stomach a protein shake when pregnant anyway.

Once I hit between 12 and 14 weeks it got better. I still couldn't stomach raw carrots but I was able to sneak some veggies in and could cook again. But, if someone at work warmed up a garlic bagel (which they did everyday) I had to leave the room for a while.

It will get better!

 

[Andrea]

Another Shredded Wheat fan

I am 3 1/2 mo. and still eating shredded wheat every morning. And sub sandwiches. Yum! I know I couldn't handle a protein shake though. I don't know why you wouldn't be able to. I just stay away from drugs, alcohol, and cigs and figure at least I won't be purposely causing harm to my baby.

Andrea

 

[shnikes17]

You sound just like me

Heather,

I am also making my husband take me out to eat every night. Just the thought of the food cooking in the house makes me sick. I don't have a problem eating it, but I don't want to be near it during the cooking process. I am also craving anything that's salty - no sweets, just salt, and I'm usually such a boring, healthy eater, too. Please reassure me that my workouts will get easier, too. It's all I can do to go for a 30 minute walk, and I used to have no problem working out intensely for two hours at a time.

 

[Heather Y]

workouts can be tough

You really need to just listen to your body and do what you can do. A lot of my workout motivation during my two pregnancies was 1)to help prevent myself from getting too fat - especially with my crappy eating and 2)to prove to myself and others I wouldn't let my pregnancy slow me down. Well, around the beginning of your second trimester your energy does improve and maybe you will feel like getting back into some of your workouts. But, around that time your belly starts to enlarge. By the third trimester you get more tired again and your belly really starts getting in the way. Its hard to do a knee lift when your belly prevents your knee from going up very high at all. I don't think I ever really felt like working out during those last couple of months - but I just forced myself to do something.

I would say good for you for at least doing the 30 minute walk. I kept my exercising to moderate step workouts during my first pregnancy. I would do these at work during my lunch hour (we had a small gym in the basement with a tv/vcr and full sized steps). So, I really wanted to prove to myself and everyone watching me that I was tough. But, they were only about 30 minutes long and were not that intense at all. During my second pregnancy I felt so much better than my first that I continued my running program until I was 5 months along. One day it just hurt too much in my pelvic area (I was running up and down a canyon) so I decided to go back to walking and easy step again (some weights). I'm pretty competitive and a friend of mine told me their sister continued to run until she was about 5 months along so I made that my goal - dumb but true. I didn't discover Cathe until after I had #2 so I never tried that kind of intensity while pregnant - though I know many do.

But really, you can only do what your body wants to do. And, everyone is different. Don't worry that you aren't working out for 2 hours - now is not the time to do that. It takes a lot for your body to recover from those workouts and your body is busy doing other chores right now. And, even these small workouts will really help your body to bounce back quickly after you have your baby.

Keep your chin up!!! Do what it takes to survive these 9 months.