Or perhaps more fitting....what not? We're told from the very beginning the lists of foods to avoid or cut back on (alcohol, caffeine, unpasteurized cheeses, raw seafood). I found throughout my pregnancy that I have ups and downs of hunger pains. Most mornings from about 7am-12pm, I can't seem to satiate my hunger while I can't even think about food in the afternoon and evenings. Really, this isn't actually all that different from my eating habits pre-pregnancy but when I am hungry, it's best to stay out of my way or risk being bitten. In terms of the best foods for fuel, this is a common and much debated question: what to eat around your workout? I've found, along with the eating habits, that I've had more indigestion which has been reduced by keeping an active lifestyle but trying to eat around my workouts has been tough.
For many people, especially morning gym-goers, they don't eat and often this is because they're worried about cramping during an intense cardio session, which can happen. But what we might forget is that food is fuel and that it will actually help push us harder and longer. For pregnant women, the question of whether or not to eat should not even be discussed: you need the extra calories because your baby needs the glucose as much as your muscles do. I wrote before about hypoglycemia, particularly in the 3rd trimester, as your baby and body begin to fight for the glucose which, before, your body would send to your muscles for fuel. Because your body is burning calories at an incredible rate, you need to refuel it (another reason for the additional 300 calories/day). This means that is is even more important to eat before AND after your workout. My mother (a dietician) always forced us to eat breakfast and we were much better for it. While you may have to force it in, breakfast is the most important meal of the day: you kick start your metabolism to burn calories more efficiently and you'll be more alert and therefore more productive. Many people assume the trick to dieting is skipping this meal, in fact, it's the opposite! If you're going to eat anything, eat breakfast! Interestingly, on "The Biggest Loser" most of the contestants comment on how they don't eat breakfast and this is common in many people who have difficulty controlling their weight.
My workout meals:
Pre workout: (1 hour before a class-that means I get up at 5am for a 6 o'oclock class): small bowl of organic cereal with a glass of OJ or cranberry juice and my prenatal vitamin. My other options might be 1 slice of bread with peanut butter and a banana or a homemade protein bar (see recipe below). I try not to eat within 1/2 hour of a workout so that the food I eat has already turned into fuel and won't give me a cramp. If I don't have as much time, I stick to a protein bar and water. My body can burn this without cramping. In the morning though, I always get up early to eat a small meal with juice.
Post workout: yogurt and a banana or a peanut butter and banana sandwich depending how the rest of my morning is going to be food wise. I might otherwise put together a shake of yogurt, frozen berries, handful of spinach and water. While you may grimace at the spinach, you won't even notice it! But watch out for what's in your teeth after. Another option would be a bowl of porridge with frozen berries or brown sugar and cinnamon or honey or maple syrup depending my sugar craving.
Many fitness researchers have spent a great deal of time trying to find the ideal foods to consume before a workout but it depends on your body. It is proven, though, that a light meal before will give you stamina and eating protein within 30 min post workout will help repair your muscles.
Good nutrition is important whether you're pregnant or not but when what you eat can directly affect the outcomes of someone else, you tend to stop and actually think a little more before putting it in your mouth. We're told from the very beginning that Folate is extremely important for the baby and many women take a prenatal multivitamin designed specifically to target this. Many natural foods carry Folic Acid as well:
Vegetables: dark green vegetables (broccoli, spinach, romaine, lettuce...), asparagus, corn and cauliflower
Fruit: Oranges (and 100% OJ), honeydew melon, avocados
Grains: Bran cereals, whole grain products,wheat germ and cereals enriched with folic acid
Meats & Alternatives: dried beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds
The Canadian Government also put out food suggestions specifically targeted to pregnant women to follow along Canada's Food Guide. They suggest for number of servings per day:
Grains: 8-10
Vegetables/Fruit: 6-10
Milk Products: 3-4
Meat & Alternatives: 2-3
It's important to remember though that the Food Guide is just that, a guide. Your specific needs may be completely different and what is equally as important to consider are your Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs):
Energy: You need about 1800-2700 calories (kcal) per day (which is about an additional 300 kcal) while you need 2250-2850 if you're breastfeeding (an additional 400 kcal). The additional energy is required to meet the needs of the mother and growing fetus and then the requirement of milk production.
Sources: Everything you eat! But, be sure to make the most out of every bite! Sure a fast food hamburger has lots of calories, but the nutritional benefits are nowhere near that of homemade pasta with meat sauce. My husband and I try to eat as natural as possible and I prefer to make it over buy it. This doesn't mean we don't eat out. We just choose to go to a restaurant and order an actual meal over buying processed and frozen. I could honestly eat pizza every meal of the day so if I'm really craving it, I order from my favourite pizza place rather than buying a frozen one. I know the toppings are fresh and it probably contains many less chemicals and preservatives. At the bottom of this blog I've put a few of my favourite recipes. I also suggest everyone own a bread maker. You can throw together a loaf in less than 10 minutes and you'll have fresh bread for almost the week (although you'll find yourself eating more of it because it tastes WAY better than store-bought!). You'll also find that it goes bad faster and that's because it's not loaded with preservative. Food is supposed to spoil.
Protein: About 0.4g/lb of body weight. This would be about 60 grams of protein for 150lb women. This will increase in each trimester: an extra 5 grams a day in your first, 15g in the 2nd and 24g in the 3rd. For breastfeeding, you can cut back to 22 grams. If you're exercising regularly, you may need more. This extra protein is required for tissue synthesis as the fetus grows.
Sources: Great sources of protein are meats, cheeses, meat alternatives, and milk. Although grains like quinoa have vegetable proteins, you're body doesn't process those in the same way for tissue repair. When you eat protein, you'll find you actually feel more full for a longer period of time. You're body needs quick calories from carbs but processes protein very slowly. I get extra protein in easily by cutting up chicken and throwing it in my daily salad at lunch. Pregnant women are cautioned to avoid deli meats so instead, buy a large package of chicken breasts, grill them 3 on Sunday (put the rest in the freezer) and add one to your lunch each day. Cooked chicken will stay good in your fridge for about 3 days. You can repeat this on Wednesday. I also try to get in at least 1 serving of fish each week. Canned tuna is on the careful list because of mercury content and raw fish should be avoided because of bacteria but grilled Salmon is delicious and cheap!
Iron: You need an additional 13 mg a day, add 5mg in your 2nd trimester and an additional 10mg in your 3rd. Iron is very important for the expanded maternal blood volume plus fetal growth. Many women are low in iron and some health practitioners will suggest a supplement if you're deficient.
Sources: Meat, fish and poultry have always been the obvious choices because our body can absorb this iron very easily but there are many non-meat products that are great sources as well. The downside is that we won't absorb the iron sources as easily so we're encouraged to consume them with vitamin C. A few on the list are : cooked spinach, dried apricots, canned beets, cream of wheat, and oatmeal.
Checking the food labels and ingredients is highly suggested so you know what is going into your body. Many foods in Canada are now fortified with additional nutrients so we want to ensure we get enough but not too much. Because real food is always better than processed, take some time at the grocery store to look through the ingredient list and go for foods with the least amount of ingredients and the readable words. While sometimes this can be more expensive, you'll often find yourself less hungry after consuming a correct portion of real food compared to a portion of processed which means you don't need to buy and consume as much!
I'm not much of a cook, I also have very little time to do it, but I love to bake!
Recipes: (if you have allergies, substitute where necessary)
Homemade Protein bars (these are VERY high in protein): Everything is available as bulk food stores.
2C rolled oats (large flake)
1/2C wheat germ (or oat bran if you want gluten free)
1/2C Non Instant Skim Milk Powder
1/2C Unsweetened Cocount (I don't always throw this in...only when I remember)1/2C flax seed (or ground flax)
1/2C slivered almonds
1/2C raisins (or craisins)
1/2C slivered almonds
1/2C raisins (or craisins)
1/2C chocolate chips
1/2C crushed pecans
(you can keep adding any kinds of nuts if you want)1/2C crushed pecans
-Mix all the dry ingredients before adding the wet-
1c Honey (easier to stir the honey in, then add the Peanut Butter)-make sure it's pasteurized if you're pregnant
Mix all up and press into a 9"x13" cookie pan. Bake at 250 until brown and crunchy on the edges (about 25 minutes). Let cool slightly then slice into bars. I usually get about 24 bars.2c Natural Peanut Butter (get the real stuff)
Buttermilk Pancakes: I love pancakes as much as I love pizza! This recipe is super easy to double, triple, etc.
1C all purpose flour OR 2/3 white + 1/3C whole wheat (or any ratio of 2:1 depending on how you modify the recipe)
1tsp baking powder
1/4tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt
1 egg
1C buttermilk (I add some extra skim milk too because I like thinner pancakes)
3T melted butter
Mix it all together and use a ladle to spread out on a hot frying pan. I use a non-stick pan to avoid needing any extra oil, but otherwise use butter (not the fake stuff!) to grease the pan.
Heart Healthy Oatmeal Cookies: (I got this recipe from the Heart & Stroke Association and it's been a favourite at the gym!)--Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1C softened butter
3/4C brown sugar
2 eggs whites
1.5C white flour
1tsp baking soda
1.5tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp nutmeg
3C oatmeal
Mix all together and drop in your choice of size of cookie. Bake 10-12 min. They don't spread, so pretty much whatever shape you make them, they'll stay that way.
Breakfast sandwich:
2 eggs with about 1Tbsp of milk and salt and pepper-beat and microwave in a safe bowl on high for 2 minutes or you can throw it in a pan to cook2 slices of bread
1 small avocado (or half a large)
Cheese (a bit of whatever is in the fridge--chedder, marble, goat, etc.)
Tomato slices
Guilty pleasure: I like putting a bit of ketchup and mayo too sometimes
Toast your bread while the eggs are cooking.
Mush up the avocado and spread on one slice of toast (put the ketchup and mayo on the other slice)
Slide egg mix on top
Sprinkle with some cheese
Put on some tomato
Finish with the other slice of toast
My favourite Bread machine recipes. I put the machine on a delay timer and have it ready for when I get up in the morning, seriously the best way to get you out of bed! The recipes are for a basic bread machine 1.5-2lb loaf.
Country Seed bread:
1/4C flax seed
2Tbsp Sesame seeds
1Tbsp Poppy Seeds
Put those on a small cookie sheet and bake at 350 until browned (you can do this in a toaster oven), I put them in while the oven's heating up and take them out when it gets to 350 and let them cool
While that's cooking:
Put all the ingredients in order:
1 + 1/4C water
2Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2Tbsp Liquid Honey
1.5tsp salt
-Throw in the seeds you roasted-
2C all purpose flour
1C Whole Wheat
2tsp Quick Rising yeast or Bread Machine yeast (I find the latter better)
Choose Whole Wheat setting *not express*. If your machine asks powdered or fresh milk-choose powdered. If your machine asks small or large loaf-choose large.
Whole wheat:
1+1/3C milk1/4C water
2Tbsp Liquid honey
4Tbsp melted butter
2C Whole Wheat Flour
1tsp salt
2C All purpose flour
1+1/4t Quick Rising yeast or Bread Machine yeast (I find the latter better)
Set to Machine to Basic White.
Trying new recipes is a great way to spice up your eating plan and get out of the rut, maybe even break a plateau. Eating natural is always preferred and gives your body the necessary nutrients to succeed!
See you at the gym!
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