What do you eat and how much weight gain is normal? Diet included!

[Newmummytobe79]

Hiya

I?m 13 + 1 today and have a bump already. My boss has just pointed it out (although I?m wearing a baggy top it is sticking out a bit!) and said I?ll be huge soon! I also have boobs ? which is novel for me!

I have always watched my weight but since getting pregnant I have been putting my bump first ? but now I?m worried I?ve put on too much weight and I?m eating too much! I really really want to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight of around 7st 10lbs after I?ve had my baby ? but I?m scared I?m piling it on too quickly!

I?m only 5ft 3 inches and have already gained over a stone in weight!

Average day is as follows:

Breakfast = 1 pack of 2 x yoghurt go-ahead bars
Mid morning snack = Small packet of cheese and onion flavour biscuit/crackers
Lunch = Tin of soup or a cheese salad sandwich + 1 x packet of snackajacks or crisps
Afternoon snack = 3 Cadbury biscuits
On 1 hour drive home = 1 pack of 2 x yoghurt go-ahead bars
Get in from work = Few slices of cheese (ok ? quite a lot of cheese!)
Dinner = either pasta, vegi ready meal, jacket potatoe & cheese etc ?
After dinner snack = Fruit or a bowl of muesli

I?ve given up smoking so I know that I?m replacing cigarettes with food (to and from work) but seriously ? is this gain excessive? (I?m also vegetarian if that makes any difference?)

Sorry for the long post!

Thanks

Wow - you are being a little scary-organised in my opinion (sorry!). I just think you should listen to what your body wants. Obsessing like that is just going to stress you out!

I am 24+4 and have put on 2 pounds....(but then I already had quite a lot!) You sound like you are doing just fine.

Enjoy it :)

hahaha - I don't organise my food every day! That's just an average!

Just keep reading that I should have only gained 2lbs (like you!) whereas I've gained nearly all the 'normal' pregnancy weight in 13 weeks!

x

I think if you are truly hungry then give your body food and enjoy this time - without going totally bananas, - its not as if your eating unhealthy things- that all sounds pretty balanced to me,

I stopped smoking b4 i fell pregnant with my first child, he is 2, i put on about a stone after that- but during my pregnancy with him i only put on 2 stones- and he weighed 9lb 11oz.

This time round i am 21 weeks and havent gained a pound yet - although like jimper I also already have quite a lot anyway !! lol.

Enjoy, take it easy and dont be worried about it :) :) :)

I'm trying my best to eat a healthy balanced diet and I do think giving up smoking does have a lot to do with my weight gain - but I'm glad to hear you think I'm doing ok!

Thanks ladies and I will try not to worry!

And now treat myself to a biscuit!

x x x

I really wouldn't listen to the weight statistics. I started off heavy, so at 34+4 weeks I've put on a stone and a bit. Myleene Klass is at about the same stage as me but started off small and was quoted saying she'd gained nearly three stone.

Listen to what your body needs within reason and if you feel the need to graze keep healthy stuff around to snack on.

And don't worry about post-pregnancy weight at this point. I was stressing a bit at first but what's the point? We can only control that after the baby comes and, frankly, all my friends lost the weight. Some of them took longer than others but they got there. I will admit, at the risk of attracting the feeding arguers, that those who breastfed did seem to lose it quicker but that might just be the women I know.

Newmummy there really is no 'normal' or 'average'... we all gain differently.

Looking at what you eat, though, there's seems a lot of biscuits and not so much carbohydrate. You'd probably feel a lot more satisfied and get more nutrients from some cereal or toast for breakfast and snacks...

I am 9 weeks and put weight on before I even got pregnant as it was xmas . Feeling so sick atm that I just eat stodge on a regular basis. I'm not gorging on fast food or anything but I know I'm putting weight on and am aware I'll have to lose it after but I'm just so sick, I can't stomach some foods. Gone right off fruit and salads. Had to switch to wholemeal bread as I'm craving toast!

Your diet sounds fine, just vary it a bit and watch the cereal bars as they can contain a lot of sugars. (Weight Watchers drilled that into us!)

And lol @ the cheese thing! I keep telling my DH... pregnant women NEED to eat more dairy!

I wouldn't worry about what people say.

I have today been told that I am huge and that I am tiny

Seeing as you are asking for comments.. you are eating a lot of processed carbs. Might be worth trying to get some more fruit or veg in there. I find little fruit pots really hands for that.

Hello! Im vegetarian as well and have been finding the whole eating/weight thing difficult too.

To be honest I would try and cut down the processed food a bit.

Try and replace the cereal bar snacking with bananas, apples, nuts, natural yogurt etc

Also I have been trying to have 'complete protein' every meal if possible and this has really helped with filling me up. For example as a quick snack I might have peanut butter on wholegrain bread. For lunch I have soup and I add brown rice and lentils/beans---this really fills me up!

I have replaced all white rice/breads with wholegrain and have noticed a big difference as well as it fills me up so I snack less.

Also interestingly I am the most hungry in the morning and at lunch so I try and eat my most substancial meals then. I usually only want fruit or something light in the evenings.

I am 31+5 and put on about a stone and three quarters. Was a size ten before I got pg.

I've just listened to what my body is after throughout. As i've got in 3rd trimester I have gladly upped my calorie intake , but below is an OK summary of me throughout:

A coffee
Some new low-GI musili that keeps me very full
Mid morning - activia yoghurt
Lunch - BLT & crisps from pret
Snacks - a load of blueberries and fruit salad
Afternoon - cadbury's boost bar & tea
Got home and eaten a load of crackabread (erm, maybe 10 which isn't normal) with butter
Will have soup for supper soon
Then a fruit pastal lolly for pud
Oh and a pint of milk before bed

Cannot really take large meals...so it's all about the graaaaaaaaaaze for me!

I wouldn't worry about how much you've put on, it will balance out over your pregnancy.

The only thing I would say is that you are eating a lot of fairly empty calories - the go-ahead bars, crisps, snackajacks etc.
I would swap those for 'real' food - toast, nuts, yoghurt etc so that you are getting better nutrition for your calories - and you will likely feel fuller for longer.

I meant to say. To Alibaba's point. I am a crisp fiend, always have been. So I just try and counter that specific craving with something like raw carrot? Sounds odd, but for when you're driving it's a good thing to munch (and crunch) on which is also v.good for you. Ditto peppers.

So whilst I am not saintly enough to totally lay off the refined carbs. I try and make up for it by muching on some good things too!!

Oh dorodot I'm loving peanut butter ATM too. It is great for breakfast and really keeps me full.

you don't seem to be eating much, however, there are definitely some "empty" calories in your diet which you could easily replace with more nutritious foods. these would make you feel fuller and give you energy. for example, can you try to replace snack bars, biscuits & crisps with 1) unsweetened cereals (puffed spelt or oats), 2) plain bio yogurts, 3) tofu, 4) raw veggies & berries, 5) seeds & nuts, 6) beans/lentils, etc? you might be retaining a lot of water and this can be corrected with herbal teas and veggie juices (celery/cucumber), and eating plenty of herbs + cutting down on sugary and salty foods. i gained a stone by 25 weeks, however, i did follow the above dietary tips (i didn't restrict the food intake-- just watched what i ate). it is not easy, but definitely works... good luck!

Hi Newmummytobe - I know very little about nutrition as such but I just wanted to send you a because I can imagine what you must be feeling about all the very virtuous people telling you (quite correctly) to eat stuff like tofu, raw veg and seeds (not having a go, lilly13 and others!) That's all very well, but sometimes nothing but the biscuit tin will do, because it's about comfort and pleasure as well as maximum nutritional value.

Because I'm finding this really interesting (I pick up people's discarded shopping lists at the supermarket and read them avidly so am a bit of a freak / very nosy), here's what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast:
Mug of tea, glass of orange juice, weetabix with semi-skimmed milk and half a banana.

Lunch:
2 eggs, scrambled, on buttered (homemade and wholemeal so can I get some virtue points please) toast; green salad; half a mango and plain full fat yoghurt

Afternoon snack:
shortbread biscuit and cup of tea

Later:
grapefruit juice

Dinner:
lamb, chickpea and veg (swede, aubergine, pepper, tomato) tagine with couscous and green beans with yoghurt and garlic sauce
1/2 glass red wine
After dinner:
small but sinful Belgian chocolate.

This is fairly typical though breakfast is often something like English muffin with butter and jam, or occasionally sensible porridge; and there might sometimes be two biscuits or a cake involved too...

Anyway, prob not connected to diet so much as luck, I've put on about 1/2 lb since I found out I was pregnant, all in the last week (am 17 +3)

Now sitting back awaiting others' menus...

FeralGirlCambs: I know what you are saying about how comfort and pleasure is important, but I do think vegetarian pregnant people need to be even more attentive to their diets than non-vegetraian ones. So when you do need a biscuit/snack have ones with more protein eg nuts, coconut, oats, rather than the refined white flour/sugar types.

Non vegetarian people have it a lot easier as they can top up their protein intake very easily with 'less foods' and therefore they can indulge more in the refined white flour/sugar snacks IYSWIM!

Anyway this is what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast:
Muesli + banana + milk
2 pieces of peanut butter and wholegrain toast
Glass of milk

Midmorning snack: Wholemeal pitta bread + egg + avocardo + tomato

Lunch: Minestrone soup with added brown rice/corn/lentils

Snack: Apple

Snack: muesli + natural yogurt + banana

Dinner: (Am never very hungry at night at the moment, most hungry in the morning and at lunchtime)
Fried egg on wholegrain toast
Big bowl of fruit salad (1/3 pineapple, 1 apple, 1 pear, 2 kiwis)

Late night snack: Banana + natural yogurt
Glass of milk

(However the day before I was less virtuous as I was out and about during the day and went out in the evening as well so I ate a nut/choc brownie + cream with a cappucino, nutty/yogurt cereal bar and had some vegetarian sushi as well.)

i eat and eat and eat, i really dont stop.
however in the 1st 3 months of pregnancy i lost a stone going from 9 stone to 8. i now weigh around 8stone 11, and i am 33 weeks pregnant.
my favourite food is chocolate cake haha.
everywoman is different and i wouldnt worry about weight gain, my last pregnancy i gained over 3 stone, it came off. just enjoy it :)

This is interesting! I've always eaten a lot but usually it's healthy so I don't mind. In pregnancy, however, I have let a few 'empty' carbs slip in. I'm nearly 31 weeks and at 28 weeks had put on a stone (was size 8/10).

Brekkie: Bowl of museli with a banana, bread and jam.

Morning snacks: A nectarine and a tub of blueberries. Sometimes I snack on pumpkin and sesame seeds or nuts and raisins.

Lunch: Two scrambled eggs on two slices of toast with grilled mushrooms or something like hummus sandwich and salad or veggie chilli.

Afternoon snacks: an orange, couple of squares of dark chocolate.

Tea: Something substantial with lots of veg, protein and carbs, like veggie bolognese.

Although yesterday for lunch I had half a tub of hummus with a whole bag of carrots followed by a banoffee cupcake.

I was always hungry before I was pregnant so it's not much different. I walk to work and try and go to the gym twice a week. I don't want to worry about what I eat but I also don't want to put on loads of unnecessary weight because it's hard enough carrying this bump around! I agree with trying to make sure you eat filling stuff to prevent snacking. Cake is, obviously, fab, but the fullness doesn't last long. I find nuts and seeds great for keeping me full.

Though right this second I am considering having the last Magnum I know is in the freezer.

I am 21 weeks and have so far put on 11lb. Howver, my weight gain seems to have evened out and I put the overall gain down to intial morning sickness and surviving off junk food and lucozade. I was quite big to begin with (size 16, 5ft 6, almost 89KG at booking so am conscious of not gaining too much weight as I can't afford to and it will be more to get off again afterwards.

I have decided to just stick to trying to make healthier choices rather than losing weight, as I am absolutely starving all the time and I am hoping that will work out. An example of what I eat daily is something like:

Breakfast: 2 boiled eggs and toast or 2 slices of toast and peanut butter, plus a low fat yoghurt.

Lunch: sandwich with tuna/light mayo, ham salad etc filling or a baked potato with no butter and something like beans or cottage cheese on top. If I have a sandwich I have some carrot/celery stick with it.

Dinner: Pasta with something like a tomato/chilli/seafood sauce or tonight we're having it with courgette, tomato and dill in a creamy/cheesy sauce. Often do home made potato wedges with things too, but just limit how much olive oil I use, or use fry light instead.

For snacks I try to stick to veg sticks, maybe with low fat humous, fruit or some toast. I do have the odd chocolate bar/biscuit/slice of cake or did the other night eat half a tub of Ben and Jerry's .

it doesn't sound like the quantities of food are way out, but your 'average' diet does seem to contain a lot of processed foods and not much fresh fruit and vegetables. im not veggie but i do have a preference for veggie food much of the time. so im thinking an 'average veggie' day for me:

50g giant oaks cooked with water with sprinkle of walnuts and honey and blueberries.

during morning: apple, 50g dried apricots, something naughty maybe either in morning of afternoon

lunch: egg mayo on granary with lots of lettuce and cucumber. home made smoothie made with banana, pineapple juice, strawberries

afternoon: something at some point! maybe a jordans coconut bar

evening meal : pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes, brocolli, garlic,spinach, parmesan (really comforty yet very fresh tasting)

evening: greek yogurt with apricots or toast.

im eating a TONNE but for me its more important that i eat fresh, wholesome and nutritious things that havent been processed. and i feel really good for it.

I've put on 9lbs so far, am 20wks on Monday.

Typical day for me.....

Breakfast: Porridge with maple syrup or a bowl of shreddies/bran flakes with milk and a banana
Glass of fresh orange juice

Mid morning snack: Either a satsuma or apple or something naughty (twix/biscuit/cupcake....)
Cup of weak tea or a hot chocolate

Lunch: Pasta with Sacla pasta sauce or tuna/egg mayo sandwich on wholegrain bread with lettuce or a salad with houmous and couscous.
Fruit salad
Maybe a packet of crisps

Mid afternoon snack: Biscuit or more fruit
Maybe another cup of weak tea

Dinner: Spag bol or homemade thin crust pizza with salad or jacket potato with beans and cheese or chicken, potatoes and veg
Pud: A few squares of choc or a scoop of icecream

Actually when i see it written down I don't think it looks too bad! Sounds to me like we're all kostly eating similar things. I'm not denying myself what I fancy, just trying not to eat for the sake of eating and having fruit or a drink of water if I'm not really hungry.

Hi,
Just seen this thread and sorry to hijack it a bit but can't work out where i'm going wrong. 33wks and taken about 9kg, doctor says this is still nowhere near enough as was only 49kg to start, been told I must just eat and eat to take weight:
Here's an average day:
Breakfast - wheatabix (upto 5 of them at the moment) with semi-milk and tea
Mid morning - 500ml bottle sprite or similar plus some fruit
Lunch - bread, cheese, salad
2-3 glasses fruit juice
Slice of cake
Mid-afternoon: protein shake (as recommended by dr) and a yoghurt
Dinner: Pasta and veg sauce, baked potato and beans etc
Lots of water
More cake/biscuits/ice-cream
Before bed: Apple and vitamins

Eating so much i'm feeling ill and still not really taking the weight I should be - don't know what else to do...

Full fat milk, sugar on your weetabix. Add a few mini chocolate bars as snacks. Your lunch could be more substantial too.

It's like a reverse diet. Instead of looking for low fat, low calorie options look for the good stuff

I'm 33 weeks, put on 10kg but was 5kg heavier than you to start and got told by MW to be careful because I put on 3kg in a month!

Thanks SnapFrakkleAndPop - yes, already adding sugar to everything and buying the highest fat/calorie option (except milk as full fat makes me feel a bit ikky!)- just piled up a piece of bread with a load of butter just for the sake of adding a few more calories! Trying to see the positive side and take comfort in that i can eat anything I want for a few weeks but rather stressful when the scales read the same everyday and I'm creeping closer to another telling-off from my doctor!
Thanks for your suggestions