My Pregnancy Diet

Remember that time  I gained 40-something pounds?  That sucked.  I don't want to do that this time.  Personally, I'd be "happy" with any gain that is below my last; but I would be absolutely thrilled with a gain in the 20-something range or lower.  I am determined to reach this goal, and in order to do so I've been following the Gestational Diabetes diet, and I'm actually exercising!  The diet guidelines were given to me by my darling Jaye Fay.  (You can read more about her experience with GD here.)  Jaye's pregnancy was very inspiring to me.  She ate healthy food and exercised daily, and as a result she got to rock her pre-pregnancy jeans in THIRD TRIMESTER.

The diet isn't complicated or hard to follow.  The concept is actually pretty simple:  low carb and high protein.  I am allowed approximately 160 carbs each day, which sounds like a lot, but the average American eats an average of 250.  I eat at six scheduled times, every meal/snack must include protein, and the carbs I eat have to be good carbs.  Here's what my schedule looks like:

8:00  Breakfast, 30 carbs
9:45  Snack, 15 carbs
11:30 Lunch, 30 carbs
3:00  Snack, 15 carbs
7:00  Dinner, 60 carbs
8:30  Snack, 15 carbs  

Naturally, there are times when I get hungry in between meals and snacks, because, um, hello...this is me we're talking about.  And I eat A LOT.  So when that happens I supplement with freebies.   

I've been scouring the internet (blogs, pinterest, allrecipes), polling friends, and even flipped through my Mom's GD packet back from her second and third pregnancies for recipe ideas.  Here's a list of my favorites...

Breakfast
Bagel Thin with Two Eggs and Cheese
Half cup of Oatmeal, with 1T. Sugar and 1/4 C. Sliced Almonds
Greek Yogurt with Fruit
Scrambled Eggs with Salsa
Breakfast Burrito on Low Carb Tortilla
Egg Muffins

Lunch
Various sandwich combinations on Sandwich Thins (Turkey, Ham, BLT, California Sandwich)
Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps with Fruit
Grilled Chicken with Veggies and Fruit
Greek Yogurt with Fruit
Hummus Melt on Low Carb English Muffin or Pita
Cheese Crisp on Low Carb Tortilla

Dinner
Baked Salmon with Couscous and Salad
Chicken Caesar Salad
Grilled Chicken Wrap on Low Carb Tortilla
Grilled Turkey Burger Wrap on Low Carb Tortilla
Thin Crust Whole Wheat Pizza
Zucchini Lasanga
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Broccoli, Chicken, Quinoa Casserole
Open-Face Tuna Melt 
Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Scampi

Snacks/Dessert
Half Banana with Peanut Butter
Apple Slices with Peanut Butter
Raw Veggies and Ranch
1 ounce Raw Almonds
10 Crackers with Cheese
Buffalo Chicken Dip with Celery Sticks
Strawberry Protein Shake (LOVE)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Protein Shake
1 C. of Frozen Yogurt with Sliced Almonds

Dinner is undoubtedly the easiest meal of the day.  I eat a lot of the same meals that were on my original meal plan, but with different serving sizes.  There are occasionally times when I'm lacking carbs, so I'll just eat spoonfuls of peanut butter.  But since I don't actually have GD, I can bend the rules a little; if my carbs are slightly over or under for the day, my blood sugar won't be affected - just my ass!!!  The idea is to keep the metabolism moving, hence the non-stop frequent eating.  I also allow myself one "splurge" every few days, and I'm still using real sugar (not a fan of artificial sweetners!).  For the most part, though, I follow this diet very closely.  I don't feel deprived, just the opposite actually...it feels like I'm constantly eating!  I know that this diet is healthy and safe, not just for me, but for Babe; and I know that it is a huuuge improvement to the eating habits of my first pregnancy.  Will be sure to keep everyone posted with the diet progress.

Also, would love to hear some recipe recommendations, if anyone has any!