When I got pregnant, I was ELATED! It took me a while to get pregnant, so I was very, very excited.
However, I was not prepped with the morning sickness that would come with it, as well as the insane amount of lethargy, crazy cravings and weird food aversions. Most people say that morning sickness is genetic, but my sister and mother weren’t blessed with it, and a lot of my friends didn’t have it, either. So, I was pretty much in the dark about what to expect and how to take care of my body in this whole new way.
Soon enough I learned, though… so I wanted to share what worked for me because I tried A LOT of different foods, and tactics!
After my first trimester, I felt great.
Here is a sneak peek at what helped me be well during all three trimesters:
During my first trimester, I started to crave foods (and drinks) that I normally never ate or drank (think: bagels with cream cheese). I couldn’t bare to look at green juices or smoothies, or any vegetable for that matter. The only veggies I would eat were romaine lettuce and cucumbers with absolutely no dressing. And plain water? Ugh! I could only have sparkling water or ginger ale.
I would also wake up in the middle of the night STARVING! So… I always kept a bag of raw almonds or cheese crackers on my bedside stand.
And when it came to the morning, if I didn’t eat before I got out of bed, I would throw up! Just the act of getting out of bed jolted my body so much (and my blood sugar was probably so out of wack, too) that I would need to pop a few almonds or cheese crackers in my mouth while I was still in bed, or else it would mean a trip to the bathroom!
So what did I do about this new eating plan that my baby put me on? I surrendered and let my body (and baby) lead the way. I let myself sleep when I needed to (I was tired ALL OF THE TIME), I ate and drank what I craved, and I always tried to find healthier versions of everything that I wanted.
So, no matter what I put in my body, I always felt like I was still nourishing my body and baby the best that I could.
Some of my favorite first trimester foods:
– gluten-free everything bagels from Sadelle’s with grass-fed butter or organic cream cheese for breakfast
– two pasture-raised eggs with sea salt over two brown rice cakes, with chia seeds sprinkled on top for breakfast
– a bowl of organic cottage cheese with peaches and chia seeds for breakfast or lunch
– gluten free bread with almond butter and jam for breakfast, lunch or snack
– organic cheddar (almond) crackers for snack
– organic mozzarella sticks for snack
– raw almonds for snack
– gluten free bread with tuna salad or chicken salad for lunch
– miso soup with egg and ramen for lunch or dinner
– sparkling water with lemon and apple cider vinegar
– gingerale sweetened with honey
During my second trimester, everything changed. I no longer needed to eat in the middle of the night, I was able to eat veggies (hallelujah!)…and I started to crave sweets again, in particular, chocolate! I became OBSESSED with chocolate. OMG!
Some of my favorite second trimester foods:
– Hu Kitchen Mint Chocolate Bars
– grass-fed yogurt (I like the maple flavor) with this store-bought granola or this home-made chocolate chip granola
– gluten-free bagel with organic cream cheese and tomato
– healthified home-made gluten-free pizza
During my third trimester, I was able to continue to eat everything. I especially LOVED banana smoothies!
Some of my favorite third trimester foods:
– bone broth with egg for breakfast
– apples with tahini and chia seeds for snack
– healthified hot chocolate for snack
– banana chocolate chip smoothies for snack (I used cacao nibs for the chocolate crunch!)
Craving more pregnancy tips?
Well, get excited! Next Thursday night, March 23rd, I’ll be sharing my tips by trimester at the Well Rounded NY event! Come hear what foods helped me get pregnant, as well as what I ate to help during morning sickness and how to feel great during the rest of pregnancy.
Get tickets here (use code: Arielle25 for 25% off)
WHAT: An evening talking about birth, pregnancy and wellness. Enjoy light bites, refreshing mocktails, plus grab an awesome giftbag!!
WHEN: Thursday, March 23rd, 6:30PM – 8:30PM ET
WHERE: Eventi Hotel, 849 Sixth Avenue (between 29th and 30th Street), 2nd FL
PRICE: $35 (Use Code: ARIELLE25 for 25% off each ticket)
Get your ticket here. (Use Code: ARIELLE25 for 25% off each ticket)
P.S. If you’re not able to make it to the Well Rounded “Tips by Trimester” event, no worries! I’m going to be hosting a FREE webinar on Monday, March 27th and will be sharing my tips for a healthy and fit pregnancy. Sign up here for more details.
be healthy. be nourished. be you.
xo
be well,
arielle
