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Junk Food

1K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  apeydef 
#1 ·
I can't stop eating crap. I am normally a very healthy eater that indulges from time to time in junk. I am ok with this pattern.
Howevver this baby is getting nothing but junk. At the beginning, I was too sick to eat anything but bread. Now I just want donuts, and brownies all the time. And pasta. I try to make myself eat other food and it just sits there. Staring at me , mocking me:crying:
I worry she will be massive, I worry she isn't getting the nourishment she needs, I am trying to force myslef to eat veggies and fruit. Help!
 
#2 ·
i was like this in my first pregnancy! healthy food made me gag, even though i was primarily a pretty healthy eater before. do you think there's any sort of vitamin or mineral you may be lacking, that the junk food has? i'm just thinking in terms of like, if one were to crave mcdonalds or something, maybe they needed more protein? i'm going out on a limb to help you think of anything, b/c i really couldn't cure my cravings the first time. lol. once baby was out, i was way more into healthy eating again. meanwhile, she was also very small. 6lb10oz, so in my case, all the crap i consumed didn't make her fat or anything. (i am fat, but she is still very skinny). maybe you could bribe yourself? i have to eat an entire carrot before i eat a doughnut! things like that? i'm really no help at all, but did wanna say that i've been there, so i'm feeling your pain. i think baby leeches everything they need from your body, a lot of the healthy eating is so that you have what you need. (people are gonna be really mad that i said that lol). but babies are pretty resilient. now, i do suggest just forcing yourself to eat better once baby comes, if only that your breastmilk might be better quality with better foods, and you can avoid any tummy distress with feedings, hopefully. i'm thinking of ya', hope someone has some awesome advice that i'm totally lacking in! lol.
 
#3 ·
I have felt guilty because We have not been able to afford as healthy of food ever since I've been about 2-3 months pregnant. And I've also craved things like burgers and onion rings and chocolate iced cake donuts (I give in occasionally). We try to eat as healthy as possible, but when we've been broke we had a few days of hamburger helper and I felt soooo bad about the nasty powdered cheese and all the pasta. Before we conceived I was reading Nina Planck's "Real Food for Mother and Baby" and we were eating only traditional whole foods.. That continued into my first and second months of pregnancy.. But then we got low on money and had to make some sacrifices in our grocery shopping. I was feeling especially guilty about it recently and then I found this article: http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/eating-during-pregnancy-indulge-yourself/
It made me feel a lot better, and it reminded me of the power of our bodies and minds. Your body can act as a wonderful filter, our bodies were designed to survive and reproduce fueled by whatever we can find to eat, as long as we are eating. I'm trying to believe in my body's ability to sort through the food I give it and offer the right nutrients to my baby :)
We can only do our best, yknow? It's better not to add stress to your life by worrying too much over it, I think. :hug
 
#4 ·
Have you thought about applying for WIC or SNAP? The income guidelines for WIC are considerably higher but even with me working full-time (at Social Services, no less!) and my husband getting unemployment we qualified for WIC and I am SO thankful! It pays for stuff like milk, whole grain pasta/rice/bread, cereal, eggs, beans, peanut butter, juice, and fresh produce!
 
#5 ·
WIC here in California is awful! The foods that we are allowed to get are totally junk and filled with stuff no one should be eating. The milk, eggs and cheese allowed is not organic. Only big giant supermarkets take them here, and they never seem to have the correct size that allowed on a product either. It's a great idea, just wish the foods were healthy. I've asked them about this before, and they say that's it's changing this month, so I will see. Basically I just use the fruit and veggie money and get organic produce, right now with it. Hopefully it changes for the better.
SNAP is better as it lets you buy what you want, but you basically have to have such little income and less that $1000 in savings that it's hard to apply for. You can never get ahead with the program, because as soon as you bump over the allowed income you loose the money and then are struggling again. I seem to eat better when my husband is out of work than when he's working...
 
#6 ·
perhaps you could add some pregnancy tea daily - I have been drinking it for the last week and love it. I use Blessed Herbs Pregnancy Tonic Tea http://www.blessedherbs.com/general-wellness-pregnancy-tonic-herbal-tea-blend.aspx
I also fall into eating too much junk food at times - more so too much take-out, but I think not having a kitchen has been a big factor for us (renovation in progress) - Its expensive, but I regularly splurge on a prepared food item or salad bar from the health food store and then let my kids eat pizza. :serious:
 
#7 ·
I've been struggling with this too. I'm at the stage of pregnancy where nothing sounds good. I have no cravings, no real interest in food, so in order to actually eat I take the path of least resistance and eat sugar or carbs. Like others have said, you just have to do your best. I try to drink kale smoothies to offset the other stuff, make sure I'm taking my prenatals and fish oil, get some exercise, and give the rest a pass. If I can't eat bagels with egg and cheese, life is not worth living at this point. :wink:
 
#9 ·
YESSS kale and pineapple smoothies are my favorite these days!! I make them with vanilla Greek yogurt and organic milk from grass fed cows so they are very creamy, yet tangy.. Omg sooooo good. Even JB loves them! Every time I make myself one he goes "Oooh can I have a smoothie?!" It's adorable.

Well we are moving back to Texas now, and I think the food stamp system there is much better than here. It's awful here. It's very simple to get benefits in Texas and you can go to farmers markets and they DOUBLE your benefits if you trade them in there, which is awesome!! I'll look into it, but also our financial situation will be much better off there. The cost of living is cheaper.
 
#12 ·
Thanks guys, I do feel better.
Apparently I forgot that I ate an awful lot of doritos with my 2nd and he turned out just fine and small:)
Yesterday was an extra bad eating day (and by bad I mean delicious!)
Today I am determined to do a little better. LIke add apples to my grilled cheese sandwich:)
 
#13 ·
I too was really craving junk and carbs for much of my first trimester. This was my version of morning sickness: I'd feel vaguely nauseous with a very anxious hunger that seemed to only be satisfied by carbs and junk, the thought of anything else made me feel more nauseous. My diet before had been great, and I'd finally found a local source of kale in Nicaragua when suddenly kale became enemy number one. All this has passed now, EXCEPT the kale aversion. I did like others and tried to hide good stuff like leafy greens in my shakes, which I could still stomach most of the time.

In the midst of this junk-crazed morning sickness I started taking vitamin B6, which I'd read is helpful for morning sickness nausea (B12 helps with the vomits) - and it was like a MIRACLE. On the days I'd forget to take it, I would go right back to the grocery store runs for chips ahoy (which are expensive and not easy to find in Nicaragua!!) and thing I never even ate as a kid, like Aunt Jemima pancakes. It was nuts. But the B6 did the trick, I would HIGHLY recommend trying it. If it's in your prenatals it probably is too low a dose to be therapeutic. I took 50mg daily and it was perfect. You can take more, but I'd check with your midwife or doc if you think you need more than 50mg as there is an upper limit to what is safe (50 is well within safe). I'm no longer taking it as my body has finally adapted to the hormonal changes in 2nd trimester, but it really saved me for a few weeks there, I wish I'd started it sooner.

But, I agree that the baby will take what it needs - your diet will mostly just be affecting yourself. They take our iron right from our blood, that's why WE get anemic. They take our calcium right from our bones, that's why WE eventually develop osteoporosis (among other reasons). These guys know what they need and take it even when their moms don't or can't get it! I'm feeling the affects of that now, as after that first trimester junk-a-thon I have not yet gained even a pound at 19.5 weeks, while my belly is certainly growing. The little guy is eating my muscles to get the protein he needs! My butt and thighs are noticeably smaller - my husband is concerned about me losing my ass! So, now that I'm able, I'm eating lots of protein (greek yogurt in shakes, protein powders, eggs, meat, nuts, lentils, beans).

If you can sneak some protein in you, it might cut some of the carb cravings, as others suggested. Or try to trick yourself into healthier carbs, like whole wheats, sprouted breads, brown rice, rice crackers, and put some cheese or other protein heavy condiments (hummus!) on them. Easier said than done though, I know (I still want to eat boxed mac and cheese way more than before.... mmm thinking about that for lunch)!!
 
#15 ·
Most of my cravings involve red meat, pickles, corn, and sour patch kids gummies. I was told why I was craving the pickles, lacking something in my system (which I have now forgotten). And the red meat is obvious, but that happens when you can't stomach the horse pill size of your iron supplements.

As far as junk food goes, I'll see commercials and BAM! Want want want. And the more fruit and veggies I try eating, the more I want everything else.

As far as weight gain, it's only been in my stomach. But my hips "widened" preparing for birth. Or at least that's what the "medical professionals" have tried convincing me of. Oh well. I'd like a smaller butt and thighs like tonika! Haha.
 
#16 ·
I know, it sounds great in theory, but in reality I've lost MUSCLE, not fat. Still have the same flab hanging from my upper arms, and the same pudgy belly on top of that growing bump. My legs got really tired just taking a walk around the neighborhood with my 70 year old mother-in-law who has arthritis, and she was not the one complaining! My ass was one of the few parts of my body I liked, and now it's all flat! I know it sounds like a silly thing to complain about, but really my worry is just not losing strength, cause soon enough I'll need those legs to hold up this growing belly and sooner-than-I-want-to-think-about-it baby and toddler. So, I'm trying to be more consistent with yoga and what jogging I can still do.
 
#18 ·
As soon as I get medical clearance, I shall be trying those out! Looks simple enough to do in my small living room. My legs are losing all their muscle strength from not being able to go jogging anymore.
 
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