Weight and Eating Plan

This is a pregnancy specific post.

I'm going to do my full 12 week update tomorrow but may I just say:

WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

I just got off the scale and am down 5 pounds from my weigh-in last week. AWESOME! I took your advice, as well as that of my medically trained aunt, and upped my planned daily caloric intake from 1200 to 1500-1600. I've completely cut eating out (except for Sunday after church), caffeinated beverages, diet soda, and heavy sweets. We also have been consistently walking in the evenings and I've added some light weight lifting back into my routine.

I am THRILLED at this weight loss. I know that the goal of pregnancy is not to lose weight - that would be crazy. In fact, my midwife specifically told me not to try to lose. However, I slipped deep into self-loathing after that talk with my midwife last week, having already gained half of my total allowed for this pregnancy. I really, truly haven't been trying to lose any weight: my goal has been to maintain the 10 pound total gain for the next 4-8 weeks. But I will admit that I am ECSTATIC about having gone from gaining 10 pounds total to just 5 pounds total. That leaves a GREAT buffer for the rest of pregnancy - 15 pounds available to gain.

Awesome!!!

I think that a big part of my self-loathing was comparing this pregnancy to my pregnancy with Little K. With her, I gained 25 pounds total. Completely normal, right? The thing is that, by the time I hit 18 weeks I had only gained 7 pounds. In fact, my OB got on me about actually GAINING weight! Which just turned into putting butter on my role at lunch and adding cheese to my salads... I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by 6 weeks post pardum and back into my clothes by 3 months. It was so easy!

Of course, that was 8 years ago. I'm in my thirties now and the weight has been slowly increasing the past 5 years. The weird thing is, starting this pregnancy, I was just 5 pounds over my starting weight with Little K. But it's up 23 pounds from when R and I got married (which was a very unhealthy weight for me at the time, extreme weight loss caused by divorce stress).

My weight has been creeping up since I hit 29 and has escalated over the past three years. Nothing I have done, until now, has been able to slow the gain. Is daily walking really making that big a difference? Maybe. I've been mindful (yet not strict) of my eating for several years now but I'm more focused than ever at making good choices and getting daily activity. I want to be healthy for this baby and for myself.

(So, below is my eating chart for the past week. I have no idea how to insert a PDF or anything here, so it's tough to read. Any suggestions on how to post this next week?)

8/16/2013				Calories	Fat	Net Carbs	Fiber	Protein
Friday	Breakfast	9:00 AM	Fage Greek Yogurt, Blueberry	120	0	17	0	13
	Lunch	12:00 PM	1 Slice: Flax and Fiber Bread	80	1	8	4	5
			1T: Jiff Natural PB	85	8	2	1	3.5
			1T: Smuckers Natural Strawberry	40	0	11	0	0
			Sargento Light String Cheese	50	2.5	0	0	6
			Apple	95	0.3	18	4.4	0.5
			Sugar Cookie	80	4	11	0	0
	Snack	2:30 PM	3/4C Special K Fruit and Yogurt	120	1	21	3	2
			1/2C Skim Milk	40	0	6	0	4
			Banana	110	0	24	3	1
	Snack	4:30 PM	1 Slice: Flax and Fiber Bread	80	1	8	4	5
			1T Biscoff Spread	90	6	8.5	0	0.5
			Orange Yogurt Homemade Popsicle	53	1	10	0	2
	Dinner	7:00 PM	7oz Flank Steak	364	14	0	0	56
			Asian Salad	200	3	7	10	0
			Amaretto Cheesecake	400	22	22	0	4
				2007	63.8	173.5	29.4	102.5
	Exercise	9:30 AM	3Sx10R: 30lb Press & Curl, 5lb Head/Arm
	Exercise	9:00 PM	2.5 Mile Walk, 45 Minutes	-200
8/17/2013				Calories	Fat	Net Carbs	Fiber	Protein
Saturday	Breakfast	10:00 AM	Fage Greek Yogurt, Blueberry	120	0	17	0	13
	Snack	11:00 AM	Banana	110	0	24	3	1
	Lunch	12:30 PM	1 Slice: Flax and Fiber Bread	80	1	8	4	5
			1T: Jiff Natural PB	85	8	2	1	3.5
			1T: Smuckers Natural Strawberry	40	0	11	0	0
			Sargento Light String Cheese	50	2.5	0	0	6
			Apple	95	0.3	18	4.4	0.5
		2:30 PM	3/4C Special K Fruit and Yogurt	120	1	21	3	2
			1/2C Skim Milk	40	0	6	0	4
	Snack	4:00 PM	1 Slice: Flax and Fiber Bread	80	1	8	4	5
			1T Biscoff Spread	90	6	8.5	0	0.5
		5:30 PM	Orange Yogurt Homemade Popsicle	53	1	10	0	2
	Dinner	8:00 PM	7oz Shoyu Chicken Breast	320	6	7	0	57
			1/2C Cooked Brown Rice	100	1	20	2	2.5
			Cabbage and Onion Stir Fry	35	1	4	2	1
	Dessert	9:00 PM	2 Pieces Chocolate Orange	92	5	11	0	0.5
				1510	33.8	175.5	23.4	103.5
	Exercise	11:00 AM	2 Hours Cleaning House
8/18/2013				Calories	Fat	Net Carbs	Fiber	Protein
Sunday	Breakfast	8:30 AM	Fage Greek Yogurt, Blueberry	120	0	17	0	13
	Lunch	11:30 AM	2 JBC Plain	660	32	46	2	38
			Apple	95	0.3	18	4.4	0.5
	Snack	4:00 PM	1 Slice: Flax and Fiber Bread	80	1	8	4	5
			1T Biscoff Spread	90	6	8.5	0	0.5
			Orange Yogurt Homemade Popsicle	53	1	10	0	2
		6:00 PM	3 oz Shoyu Chicken Breast	150	2	3	0	22
			1 Piece Thick Cut Bacon	60	5	0	0	4
			1/2C Cooked Brown Rice	100	1	20	2	2.5
			Broccoli Slaw	25	0	0	2	0
	Dessert	8:45 PM	Orange Yogurt Homemade Popsicle	53	1	10	0	2
	Snack	9:30 PM	3/4 Nature's Valley Pecan Crunch Bar	140	5	22	1.5	3
				1626	54.3	162.5	15.9	92.5
	Exercise	8:00 PM	2.5 Mile Walk, 35 Minutes	-225
8/19/2013				Calories	Fat	Net Carbs	Fiber	Protein
Monday	Breakfast	8:30 AM	Banana	110	0	24	3	1
			1/2 Nature's Valley Pecan Crunch Bar	85	3.5	14	1	2
	Lunch	11:30 AM	1 Slice: Flax and Fiber Bread	80	1	8	4	5
			1T: Jiff Natural PB	85	8	2	1	3.5
			1T: Smuckers Natural Strawberry	40	0	11	0	0
			Sargento Light String Cheese	50	2.5	0	0	6
			Apple	95	0.3	18	4.4	0.5
			1/2 Nature's Valley Pecan Crunch Bar	85	3.5	14	1	2
	Snack	2:30 PM	1 Slice: Flax and Fiber Bread	80	1	8	4	5
			1T Biscoff Spread	90	6	8.5	0	0.5
	Snack	4:00 PM	.5oz Turkey, 1 Cube Cheese, 2 Cantelope	75	2	6	1	1
			Reduced Fat Sugar Cookie	60	1	13	0	0
	Dinner	6:00 PM	5oz Chicken Breast	250	6	0	0	40
			1/2C Cooked WG Mac and Cheese	160	2	25	4	5
			Grilled Baby Asparagus	40	1	4	4	4
			Pears	40	0	5	0	0
	Dessert	8:45 PM	Orange Yogurt Homemade Popsicle	53	1	10	0	2
	Snack	10:00 PM	1/2 Nature's Valley Pecan Crunch Bar	85	3.5	14	1	2
				1563	42.3	184.5	28.4	79.5
	Exercise	7:15 PM	2.5 Mile Walk, 35 Minutes	-225
8/20/2013				Calories	Fat	Net Carbs	Fiber	Protein
Tuesday	Breakfast	9:30 AM	1.5C Special K Fruit and Yogurt	240	2	48	6	4
			1C Skim Milk	80	0	12	0	8
	Lunch	12:00 PM	2 pieces Nature's Own Enriched Wheat Bread	80	0.5	13	6	5
			1 Kraft Single	70	5	2	0	4
			1/2 Spicy Guac 100 Calorie Pack	50	4.5	0	1.5	0.5
			1/4C Mandarin Oranges	40	0	9	0	0
			Pears	40	0	5	0	0
			Red Grapes	50	0	14	0.5	0
			Mini Cucumber	10	0	2	1	1
			1T Bolthouse Ranch	23	1.5	1.5	0	0.5
			1/4C Butter Toffee Almonds	160	12	6	3	5
	Snack	2:00 PM	7 Chocolate Crackers	300	14	25	0	0
	Dinner	6:00 PM	4oz Taco Meat: 93/7 GB/Ground Turkey Breast	150	5	0	0	24
			1/2 Heart Romaine Lettuce	55	1	4	6	4
			Bell Peppers	25	0	2	2	0
			2T Bolthouse Salsa Ranch Dressing	40	3	3	0	1
			1/2 Tortilla	70	2	12	0.5	2
			2T Shredded Cheese	60	3.5	0	0	5
			1/4 Spicy Guac 100 Calorie Pack	25	2.25	0	0.75	0.25
	Dessert	8:00 PM	Orange Yogurt Homemade Popsicle	53	1	10	0	2
				1621	57.25	168.5	27.25	66.25
	Exercise	10:30 AM	3Sx10R: 30lb Press & Curl, 5lb Head/Arm
	Exercise	7:00 PM	2.5 Mile Walk, 35 Minutes	-225
8/21/2013				Calories	Fat	Net Carbs	Fiber	Protein
Wednesday	Breakfast	8:30 AM	Fage Greek Yogurt, Blueberry	120	0	17	0	13
	Lunch	11:15 AM	1.5C Special K Fruit and Yogurt	240	2	48	6	4
			1C Skim Milk	80	0	12	0	8
	Snack	1:45 PM	0.5C Special K Fruit and Yogurt	80	0.7	13	2	1.5
			.3C Skim Milk	30	0	4	0	2
			2 Chocolate Crackers	100	3	4	0	0
	Snack	4:00 PM	Banana	110	0	24	3	1
			1/4C Butter Toffee Almonds	160	12	6	3	5
	Dinner	6:00 PM	1/2 Heart Romaine Lettuce	55	1	4	6	4
			1/2C Steamed Kale	17	0	2	2	0
			Broccoli	25	0	2	2	0
			4oz Chicken Breast, Grilled	180	4	0	0	32
			1T S&P Almonds	45	3.5	0	1	2
			2T Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Dressing	45	2.5	3	0	2
			1/4 Cheese Quesadilla with Taco Meat	150	4	10	1	5
	Dessert	8:30 PM	3 Chocolate Crackers	150	5	5	0	0
				1587	37.7	154	26	79.5
	Exercise	8:00 PM	3Sx12R: 30lb Press & Curl, 5lb Head/Arm
		7:00 PM	2.5 Mile Walk, 40 Minutes	-210
8/22/2013				Calories	Fat	Net Carbs	Fiber	Protein
Thursday	Breakfast	9:45 AM	Fage Greek Yogurt, Blueberry	120	0	17	0	13
	Lunch	12:00 PM	1 Slice: Flax and Fiber Bread	80	1	12	4	5
			1T: Jiff Natural PB	85	8	3	1	3.5
			1T: Smuckers Natural Strawberry	40	0	11	0	0
			Sargento Light String Cheese	50	2.5	0	0	6
			Mini Cucumber	10	0	2	1	1
			1T Bolthouse Ranch	23	1.5	1.5	0	0.5
			Pears	40	0	5	0	0
	Snack	2:00 PM	Banana	110	0	24	3	1
			1/4C Butter Toffee Almonds	160	12	6	3	5
	Snack	3:30 PM	1 Slice: Flax and Fiber Bread	80	1	8	4	5
			1T Biscoff Spread	90	6	8.5	0	0.5
			Half Apple	48	0	10.5	2.2	0.25
	Dinner	5:30 PM	5oz Chicken Breast	250	6	0	0	40
			1/2C Cooked WG Mac and Cheese	160	2	25	4	5
			Baked Kale Chips	25	2	2	2	0
			Red Grapes	50	0	14	0.5	0
	Dessert	8:00 PM	Orange Yogurt Homemade Popsicle	53	1	10	0	2
				1474	43	159.5	24.7	87.75
	Exercise	8:00 PM	3Sx12R: 30lb Press & Curl, 5lb Head/Arm
		7:00 PM	2.5 Mile Walk, 35 Minutes	-225