Why don't I like healthy food??

[gretelmom]

It's driving me crazy. I have no self-control. All I want is junk junk junk. It's not like me at all, and I'm TRYING SO HARD to eat more veggies and fruit but it doesn't taste good to me! I usually love my usual veggies and fruit. now all I want is grilled cheese, Pirate's Booty, Snicker's bars, cookies... Ugh. What do I do??

I did great in the first trimester, only wanted fruit anyway b/c of m/s. Now it's almost 30 weeks and seriously, my diet is everything I always vowed not to stuff myself with. HELP!

[mommycakes]

It's so weird. You'd think that our pregnant bodies would crave good, wholesome food. I do--to a point (I love salad when I'm pregnant!), but what really gets me is that I feel like I just need soda. It happened with my first pregnancy too. I crave coke or 7up. I never, ever drink soda when I'm not pregnant. Chocolate is another vice, but I always feel like I've had too much sugar afterwards. It tastes good, but then I don't feel good.

I find that if I get adequate protein then my cravings aren't very strong. If I'm hungry though--watch out!

[crbyard]

Yeah. I know what you mean. My midwife just scolded me today for my diet. I really think that I have a pretty good diet with lots of whole grains and unprocessed foods. My midwife says, however, that I am not getting enough calcium or iron through my diet. How do you all get those dark, leafy greens down during this strange time when it just doesn't sound good? I have never been a milk drinker, so I guess that I'll just have to supplement there. If I followed my MW's advice, I think that I would be eating greens as the main course of every meal. It just seems like so much!

[mommycakes]

Crbyard: As far as the milk is concerned--you might be o.k. I don't drink milk myself and was recently reading a natural pregnancy book that said milk (specifically) grows big babies, but maybe not in a desired way. The book advised against milk during pregnancy. She did, however, recommend lots of cultured dairy like yogurt and keifer (love 'em both). I take a cal/mag supp. bef. bed too--it really helps me sleep.

Good luck, it is hard to get the "right" foods down in the early part of pregnancy.

[gretelmom]

Yeah. I know what you mean. My midwife just scolded me today for my diet. I really think that I have a pretty good diet with lots of whole grains and unprocessed foods. My midwife says, however, that I am not getting enough calcium or iron through my diet. How do you all get those dark, leafy greens down during this strange time when it just doesn't sound good? I have never been a milk drinker, so I guess that I'll just have to supplement there. If I followed my MW's advice, I think that I would be eating greens as the main course of every meal. It just seems like so much!


YOu know what's great for Calcium if you don't like/can't tolerate milk? Whole Soy or Silk soy yogurts! They are really good tasting (I only like strawberry and lemon for some reason, though) and have a TON of calcium.

Just a trick.

[leafwood]

I am totally craving junk food, but only 23 wks so I'm still trying to hang on to some self-control. With dd I ate my way to a 55lb gain and loved every minute of it! From week 20 until I delivered dh would make me a large home-made buttermilk pancake with choc. chips and fresh whipped cream. Yummy! I mean every single night! This was in addition to whatever else I could get into my mouth in 3 meals and 3 snacks before dessert :lol

With this baby I crave chips and salty stuff. I don't usually like them, but original Lay's chips and Cheez-its have been a must have in our house. I also LOVE cheese now, like a deep need to eat it at every chance I get. I also have been craving a bacon, egg and cheese roll (have had one maybe in my entire life!), but I have not actually eaten it because I'm scared the bacon will make me sick.

Now I want a pancake. :loveeyes:

[47chromosomes]

Lets see: grilled cheese = protein and fat, pirates booty = salt?, cookies and snickers = fat. Seems to me your body is just craving what was essential for our ancestors to eat to grow a baby and lactate. Don't beat yourself up too much. I'm in my second trimester with my second baby, and also struggle to eat healthy. When I'm wanting a hamburger I try to think of a healthier alternative to provide me with the stuff my body is REALLY after--protein, iron, some fat. Or, I just eat the burger!:blush
--K

[Ironica]

I'd second what 47chromosomes said. It sounds like, now that your stomach is losing real estate to your rapidly-growing uterus, you're craving calorie-dense foods. What about making a spinach pesto with some good nuts or seeds? Have a salad... but that doesn't have to mean lettuce; chop up an avocado, mix it with whatever else might work (tomatoes and cucumbers are a good combo in my book), and make a dressing out of some really top-notch olive oil and something acidic (vinegar or lemon juice, for example). Oh, and if starches hit the spot, here's how I got my son to eat spinach for the first time: sauteed it in garlic and olive oil, pureed in the blender with some chicken broth and more oil, and then mashed potatoes with it. ;-) Also add some salt somewhere in there. Green mashed potatoes... rich, creamy, and stocked with vitamins.

We're gluten, dairy, soy, and canola-free, so the above may look a little different than what you usually eat... adjust as necessary!

[cicely_m]

When I'm wanting a hamburger I try to think of a healthier alternative to provide me with the stuff my body is REALLY after--protein, iron, some fat. Or, I just eat the burger!:blush
--K

No :blush necessary!! What could be better than a burger at providing those nutrients? Burgers are *great* for babies! (Although I do have somewhat non-mainstream ideas on nutrition.)


As for vegetables-- I find that I can no longer eat my husband's delicious fresh salads. Just won't go down. But I can eat soup with vegetables. Basically, if I make the food hot and mushy, it works a lot better.