Cravings made healthy

I had NO idea what power pregancy cravings had over the prenatal woman until of course I got pregnant. These cravings can come when you least expect it...after a morning sickness episode...durning a morning sickenss episode, in the middle of the night, at the slightest hint of some food mentioned by a friend. And then what happens? You HAVE to have it or you might die...or at least that's what it feels like. But living off of Taco Bell and shells and cheese might not cut it for the whole nine months, so the last week or so, I have craved and then karate chopped my cravings with similar foods with more nutritional substance and not as many calories*


Here are some of my major, die-without cravings and how I've made them "healthy" for me and my baby.

Velveeta Shells and Cheese:

A box of this packs a ton of calories. Yes...I said a box, cuz really, is a ravenous, craving pregnant woman really going to stop at 1/3 of the recipe? I think not.

STATS: 990 calories, 36 grams of fat.

VS

Smart Ones Creamy Mac and Cheese:

Still the whole thing, but it's portion controlled so I have been less likely to make 3 boxes and can be satisfied with just one :)

STATS: 270 calories, 2 grams of fat.

Taco Bell 5-layer Beefy Burrito:

Hey! Don’t judge…I know it’s gross…but man…I crave this like crazy! Where did it come from? I suspect the baby knows all about Taco Bell and other fast food from his daddy!

STATS: 550 calories, 22 grams of fat.

VS

Homemade bean and cheese burrito:

Still delish and really hits the spot with protein and cheese, but it's just ¼ cup fat free spicy refried beans, ¼ cup reduced fat cheddar cheese all hot and rolled up in a Mission Carb Control Whole Wheat fajita sized tortilla.

STATS: 220 calories, 8 grams of fat.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Any restaurant carrot cake will do, but these stats are from Outback Steakhouse…it’s delish, but not so much nutritionally sound.

STATS: 1,200 calories, 28 grams of fat.

VS

Weight Watchers Carrot Crème Cake:

Seriously still satisfying without eating a quarter of an actual cake.

STATS: 90 calories, 3.5 grams of fat

Grilled Cheese

Ooey-Gooey and oh so cravable, right? But if you’re like me, you crave 5 slices of cheese on thick, white Texas toast with a crisp buttery outside.

STATS: 510 calories, 30 grams of fat.

VS

Cheese Quesadilla:

These have become an absolute staple for me and it totally hits the grilled cheese spot! One Mission Carb Control Whole Wheat fajita sized tortilla with 1/3 cup reduced fat cheddar grilled to crispy, gooey perfection!

STATS: 183 calories, 10 grams of fat

So those are just a few examples and I am definitely not saying to not go for your “real” craving every once in a while, but it’s also important to keep a majority of you caloric intake reserved for fruits and veggies and lean protein and whole grains and such.

Also, just because my healthier versions of my personal cravings have much lower calorie and fat values, does not mean that I’m promoting weight loss or calorie restriction during pregnancy. I believe that gaining the recommended 25-35 pounds (for a person at a healthy pre-pregnancy weight) is necessary. But to go over that, can sometimes cause complications with pregnancy such high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, babies with a high fat percentage. Not to mention that it will take longer to get back to your pre-baby weight!

Just some things to think about.

Over-doin' it...

Exercise, as noted before, is important for a mama-to-be and can be extremely beneficial for your pregnancy as well as after. But beware, you can over do it. Remember that your heart rate has increased now that you are pregnant and you are starting to carry around a few extra pounds. The extra pounds and elevated heart rate can make exercise feel more difficult than ever before. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that a pregnant woman get 150 minutes per week (think 5 days of 30 minute workouts).

So what's a pregnant girl to do: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!

I totally blew this concept today as I decided that I was going to make a conscious effort to walk where ever I went for the day (except to spinning class...too dark at 5:30 a.m.). I have eaten like total crap...I wont go into the gory details...just trust me. So I taught spinning for 50 minutes, walked to my parents' house (3.3 miles...50 minutes) and walked to a client's appointment (1.3 miles...25 minutes). Maybe any other day it would have been fine, but man, I am pooped. My nausea came back with a vengeance as well as an overwhelming sense that my body is going to fall apart or at the very least collapse at any minute.

Moral of the story here, is to be smart about exercise. Just because you were able to do something before you were pregnant, doesn't mean that it's going to be a piece of cake to do it when you are expecting. Give yourself a break. Forgive your body for giving out on you...you ARE making a baby in there!

I'll say it again (mostly for my benefit)...listen to your body and don't push too far...there will be a lot of pushing later :)

Check your heart rate!

At my last OBGYN appointment, my Dr. told me that I needed to keep my heart rate under 140 beats per minute (bpm). At first I balked at this new requirement because I thought it was old and basically an old wives tale. But then I remembered that when you exercise, especially exercise intensely, the blood is pulled away from your core to your legs or other engaged extremities. Therefore, I suppose it does make sense that if you exercise regularly and intensely, you might want to watch your heart rate so that your baby and inner workings of your pregnancy are not left bloodless/oxegyn-less.


If you are used to checking your heart rate, whether when exercising or just for fun, you might have noticed that since you've been pregnant your heart rate is significantly faster than it was pre-pregnancy. In fact, my own resting heart rate used to be a cool 46 bpm and now it's up to 70! Needless to say, getting up to 140 bpm now doesn't required a sprint, in fact, it might just happen when quickly walking up a hill. Therefore, a heart rate monitor is a great investment for the active pregnant woman.


I just got mine in the mail. I ordered the black Polar F4 from amazon.com (pictured above). It is a Polar F4 and is totally easy. I bought it for $69 but it retails for $99...and I got free shipping...hurray for Amazon!

It's super easy to set up if you follow the instructions. You wear a strap around your chest (right below your bra) and the strap sends the signal to the watch unit. This particular model reads your heart rate continuously plus measures your calorie burn based on your height, weight, gender and energy expenditure (heart rate). It's a nifty little tool that I have been wearing when I go on walks, teach fitness classes and lift weights.


Please note that doctors have different opinions on how exercise should be handled while your pregnant. My Dr. has insisted that I keep my heart rate below 140 bpm because of how often I'm active. Others will say that heart rate doesn't matter. So do what your Dr. tells you to do; they know best! :)

Yoga and your pregnant body

Yoga has been a major player in reducing stress before I got pregnant and now that I am pregnant. I highly recommend finding something (if not yoga) that relaxes you so that you can be a fantastically mellow baby carrier!

There are some great yoga studios in the KC area. My favorite right now is Yoga Patch at Gregory and Wornall in KCMO. They, and other studios, frequently offer prenatal yoga classes and workshops specifically designed for those of use who are expecting. Typically these classes are relaxing and focused on flexibility while focusing on the needs of the pregnant body.

If you are going to take normal (non prenatal) yoga class (which I continue to do 3-4 days a week), there are some precautions to take.

• Avoid deep twists
• Do not engage in any upside down poses such as headstands, handstands, etc. Downward Facing Dog and forward bends are fine.
• After your first trimester, avoid laying on your back for very long as it can decrease blood flow to the uterus
• Save the hot yoga (or Bikram) for after the baby comes...you don't want to increase your core body temp
• As you gain your baby weight and your body becomes more cumbersome, make sure that your balancing poses are supported by standing near a wall or using a chair
• As with any exercise, don't do anything that is uncomfortable...listen to your body

If you have any questions, please contact your doctor.

Namaste!