3 Lifestyle Lessons I learned for a Healthy Pregnancy
First of all, I am not a perfect person. I am a strong believer in personal growth though! Through all my shortcomings here are 3 things I learned from being pregnant and living a Metabolic Balance® lifestyle for a healthy pregnancy.
As a client and coach, Metabolic Balance® does not advise those who are pregnant and nursing. In fact, a new client cannot have a new plan created while either pregnant or nursing. Although as an established client who has worked with Metabolic Balance® as a lifestyle since 2020, I worked with my coach while pregnant. I want to share my experience and how this lifestyle works at all points in life.
# Whole Foods & Healthy Pregnancy
A Metabolic Balance® plan includes a list of whole foods that are best for your body. This is based on your health history and your Metabolic Balance® Lab Panel. In phase 3 you learn about extending this food list. With additional whole foods, you expand your food list by working with your coach.
One of the most difficult things for me is once again changing the way I thought about food. When I was sick to my stomach I really struggled with this. All I wanted to eat was crackers and honest-to-goodness grilled cheese! Being gluten and dairy-free due to allergies, this was almost impossible. I also wanted to fall back into the easy packaged foods and didn’t want to lift a finger to prepare or cook food.
One of my goals in this pregnancy was to keep my inflammation low. When eating a lot of processed foods, I was opening myself up to more inflammation within the body. I was also not getting the same nutritional content to help keep my inflammation in check. While it wasn’t easy at the time, staying focused on eating whole foods is important. Also, using my food on my plan as a foundation to rely on took away some decision fatigue. In addition, extending my plan’s food list to include even more whole foods found in the produce section of the grocery store, allowed me to explore options to help with cravings. This approach helped me feel fulfilled with the pregnancy’s wants and satisfy some of those cravings.
While I didn’t get my grilled cheese per se, I found recipes to make crackers. So, when I did have the energy, I was able to have something crunchy that satisfied an “old food thought” for when I wasn’t feeling good. I was also able to stay as close to my whole foods lifestyle during my pregnancy.
# Eating for Two & Healthy Pregnancy
One of the toughest things for me to adjust was my portion size and knowing how much to eat. In our culture today, there are a lot of messages that allow us to eat anything and everything we want while pregnant. This includes as much as we want because we are growing another human being. Though we know that overeating, in general, is taxing on the body and can lead to health issues.
Using my plan as a guide, I used my portion size to be sure I ate enough when I didn’t want to eat. When I needed more, I ate more of the healthy food I had on my plate full of vegetables, protein, and fruit. Every trimester and every pregnancy is different. So, while you are eating for two, listening to those inner signals you develop initially as you first experience your Metabolic Balance® plan, is your best guide.
# Fruit & Healthy Pregnancy
You know that old wives tale if you are craving something sweet you are having a girl and if you are craving something salty, you are having a boy. Well, I have 3 boys and craved sweet things with each one of them!
Falling back into “old food thoughts” around my pregnancy, I CRAVED sugar! I know that too much sugar in processed foods, candy, drinks, etc. can lead to inflammation. This can cause some of the nasty EDS symptoms I’ve kept at bay to have a better pregnancy. I did struggle to eat just one fruit at a time as coached originally with my plan. I craved so many different kinds of sweet tastes, one just wasn’t enough! So I would have candy or a sweet drink to satisfy the craving. But I knew that wasn’t my best choice.
As you first work through your Metabolic Balance® plan, you learn you should only have one type of fruit per meal. While pregnant, listening to my body’s needs and taking what I learned from Metabolic Balance®, I decided it was better to have a bowl full of mixed fruit. This was a better food choice rather than processed food that contains a lot of sugar. It’s all about the best choices when making decisions for your health, especially when growing another little human being.
Knowing Yourself
When it comes to a healthy lifestyle while pregnant, I continued to learn it is all about listening to your body’s inner signals. You must sift through your choices to make your best choice. Does it happen 100% of the time? No. Though being aware of the choices you make and understanding how are feeding your body helps your better judgments. This awareness also supports your body and your health as you develop your practice of a healthy lifestyle.
Your Takeaway
If you are a woman who is either struggling with being able to have kids or have had your kids and don’t recognize your body anymore, we are happy to work with you. The best time to adopt a healthy lifestyle with Metabolic Balance® is before you become pregnant and you are no longer nursing. With the changes in your health and potentially weight, we will support you through the different stages of life we go through as women! Read more on our health concerns page about how we can support your health journey with a specific nutrition program full of whole foods and portion sizes just for you. Sign up for our newsletter below and book a Discovery Call for a 30-minute chat with us about your questions for your next steps with FCM Coaching.
Sprouts
At Metabolic Balance we distinguish between protein and vegetable based on the biological value of the food. Sprouts are a great example of this!
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