I’ve gotten TONS of requests recently to do a ‘what I eat in a day’ post since being pregnant. [PS I actually shared this in a blog post a few months ago, pre-pregnancy if you want to check that post out!]. Instead of sharing a laid out, step by step guide on what I eat all day everyday…today I want to talk more about how pregnancy has (and in some ways hasn’t!) changed my eating, and affected how I think about food overall! It’s been a really interesting journey for me, with a lot of learning that I’m excited to share with y’all.
[Before I talk about my ‘pregnancy diet’ or how I eat…please know, I am not a doctor nor a nutritionist. So, if you have questions about anything regarding your nutrition and eating during pregnancy, please check with your doctor].
So…a lot of people think when you get pregnant, you can all of the sudden start “eating for two”, which is actually not true (or recommended!) at all haha. Typically, you need to eat an extra 300ish calories a day, once you’re in your second and third trimesters. During your first trimester, it’s not necessarily crucial that you’re getting that extra 300 calories a day in, as long as you’re eating whole, nutritious foods, helpful for your baby’s development.
I ate pretty healthy before pregnancy – a lot of fruits and veggies, protein, salads, eggs, etc. I’ve always had a major sweet tooth, so ice cream or some dessert at night is typically a part of my daily diet as well haha. For the most part, my diet has not drastically changed since getting pregnant! I get in my extra 300 calories a day by adding a g2g bar [get 20% off with code KAY] to my day, having an extra fajita at chuy’s haha, adding an avocado to my smoothie, etc. There are simple, healthy ways to get that extra 300 calories in.
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TBH before I was pregnant, I tended to view food as either “healthy” or “not healthy”…and a lot of that was based on calories. Now that I have a human life growing inside of me, I think of food more as fuel to help grow and develop my baby girl, and continue to give me energy and help me feel great throughout the day! Calories are no longer a factor. I want to put food in my body that I know will help her brain develop, help her gain the necessary body fat she needs, etc. For example, I read that avocado’s are full of fiber, vitamin C and folic acid – all 3 of which are so helpful for my digestive system, immune system, and baby’s brain and heart! So, even if I ate ‘healthy’ before…I’m much more intentional about what I put into my body. I know things like salmon, avocado, almonds, fresh fruit and veggies, etc are so helpful for a healthy baby and healthy mom, so I do my best to put those things into my body, regardless of how many calories they might have!
I listed a few healthy foods above that I’ve tried to up my intake on during pregnancy for my own health as well as the baby’s…a few others that I’ve enjoyed lately that are great for both of us as well:
- Daily Harvest smoothies: this is such an easy way to get a ton of fruits and veggies and superfoods in ALL at once, and they taste amazing too! You can get your first 3 cups free with the code LAURENKAYSIMS. I usually add a scoop of protein powder to mine as well!
- Massive salads. Another easy way to get tons of protein and veggies in at once. I will make mine either with canned tuna or chicken breast and add in tons of fresh veggies, craisins, slivered almonds, avocado, and sometimes fruit – whatever I’m feeling that day!
- Scrambled eggs on avocado toast. This is such a simple and easy meal but packed with nutrients that are great for me and baby! Eggs are a good source of protein that provide amino acids you and your baby need. They contain more than a dozen vitamins and minerals, including choline, which is good for baby’s brain development. I put them on top of whole wheat toast with mashed up avocado! For breakfast or lunch. So yummy.
- FRUIT! Our refrigerator is constantly stocked with fruit – bananas, watermelon, oranges, mangos…really whatever is fresh and in season. This is a great snack throughout the day, or I add it as a side to pretty much all of my meals
Outfit Details: Strappy Camisole | Cutoff Denim Shorts (Similar Here) | Bandeau | Cardigan | Sam Edelman Booties | Tortoise Hoop Earrings | Quay Sunnies | Gucci Crossbody
Again, while I try to do my best to get the proper nutrients for me and baby…I definitely still have queso and pizza and ice cream haha. What’s important is that you aren’t only indulging in those things, and that you’re getting in the proper nutrition to have a healthy, growing baby and healthy mom!
If you have any nutrition tips or fave healthy snacks you enjoyed during pregnancy, feel free to share in the comments below! Or, let me know if you have any questions at all. Thanks for reading!
xo Lauren
