does what you eat significantly affect how you feel?

[Bonners]

I'm just wondering if anyone is having trouble with their diet in terms of knowing what to eat to feel well? I'm very into healthy eating usually but have so little energy I can't get it together to eat what I think I should. I'm wondering if because of this I end up feeling fuzzy headed, low energy and lethargic? I've been suffering from constant nausea which seems to be easing now that I'm 15 weeks but I am still so lifeless. I know that a certain amount of tiredness and fatigue are part of pregnancy but this is ridiculous! I can't even manage to pick up folders on my desk to look in them or concentrate on my email for more than a minute without having to rest.
Does anyone have any healthy eating tips for snacks throughout the day?
Am I just being overly anxious about this?

I'm not much help to you, but YES, I have had SUCH trouble with my diet in terms of knowing what to eat to feel well! I'm vegetarian and I was quite into healthy eating before I got pregnant and ate a lot of fresh vegetables, beans and pulses. Since the MS kicked in at about 6 weeks I've developed a severe aversion to vegetables, the texture, smell, even the thought of them makes me gag! All I can stomach are bland carbs - the more refined the better - and milk and cheese. I've been trying to keep eating as much fruit as possible since I still tolerate that well, but like you, I find nothing takes the edge of the lethargy and exhaustion. I tried to discuss this with my midwife and she didn't seem that bothered, she just said oh well you'll get back on track when the MS goes (13 weeks and still waiting...). There's so much contradictory advice about pregnancy - there's all this stuff saying you HAVE to eat the healthiest diet in the world, but then on the other hand you're told it helps the MS to give in to cravings and aversions and just eat whatever breaks through the nausea and don't worry. And to top it off, who feels like whipping up fabulous meals when you're this exhausted? I would try not to worry. In terms of snacks, supposedly protein rich foods and wholegrains are good for slow release energy, but I think it really depends what you can actually stomach right now... I'm not sure if diet can help pregnancy-related fatigue, but am interested to hear others' experiences / tips...

I totally know what you mean. I am normally a fastidiously heathy eater, but am almost 8 weeks pg and really can't face anything remotely fresh and vegetable-like. However, I did have a moment over the weekend when a brief spurt of energy allowed me to prepare some steamed salmon on a bed of spinach and brown rice, and I felt so so good afterwards. Didn't suffer from nausea that night and had much more energy than normal. I think I managed to stay up until about 10pm!!

So, although sometimes it feels like torture, I am really trying to eat some form of fruit and veg at every meal, and to choose wholegrains instead of refined white bread/pasta/rice in the hope that it makes a difference. For me, the preparation is the worst bit and once I've actually tasted something I can usually eat it.

Snack-wise, I try to stick to low(er) GI foods like cottage cheese on crackers, bananas, peanut butter on toast, etc. HTH?

Some good ideas, thanks! I will push myself to make an effort in the kitchen tonight and see if I don't feel a bit better. I've been living off of pasta and sauces with lots of cakes and biscuits in between. It's like I've been taken over by an alien!!!

When I was totally knackered and craving sugar All. The. Damned. Time I spoke to my MW (who's also v. nutrition-focussed) and she asked me to tell her about everything I'm eating that has protein in it, each day. I was getting about 40g of protein, when I should have been aiming for nearer 90g. Once I started to put protein with EVERYTHING (egg for breakfast on whole wheat slice of toast with glass of milk. Hummous and whole wheat pita bread mid-morning. Chicken and something for lunch. Cottage cheese and veggies mid-afternoon. Meat/fish and veggies for tea) I felt much better, with much more energy. I was basically exhausted cos the body can't manufacture protein and the baby needed it, it seems!

Also, I eat a lot of pulses/beans instead of masses of meat, and was told they aren't a 'complete protein' unless I eat them with something whole grain (so, bean chili with brown rice) - the body can't access all the protein in legumes without some help from a whole-grain something.
... or something. I'm not good at the science but it DID work for me!