Struggling to eat healthily!

[CornishGirl]

I'm vegetarian, and before I got pregnant, I'd eat the equivalent of about 1500 calories a day. This maintained my weight nicely at just over 9 and a half stone and size 8/10 in clothes. Once I became pregnant, I didn't get any sickness, but I did get a weird kind of nausea which meant if I didn't eat every two hours I would feel physically sick. I tried my best to have healthy snacks like oranges, bananas and ryvita, but by the time it came to my booking appointment at 8 weeks I had already shot up to 10 stone 2.

I've not weighed myself since then, but I had a few more weeks of that nausea that trailed off around 12 weeks, but since then I just can't seem to stop wanting food in general. I'm now eating about 2000 calories a day, and all I can think is that if 1500 maintained a healthy weight before, I must really be piling it on now.

We're only supposed to need extra calories in the third trimester.

Is there any tips anyone has for filling snacks I can eat that are vegetarian? I'm imagining I need some kind of high protein snack. I don't eat any kinds of nuts so that's out.

I'm quite happy to gain weight for pregnancy, but I want it to be healthy and sensible. If I'm going to gain half a stone every two weeks like before my booking appointment then I'm going to be ridiculous by the end of this. To top off this worry, there is a history of diabetes in my family and putting on a lot of weight in pregnancy can trigger gestational diabetes!

 

[mrs_z]

I feel your pain. I'm a vegetarian, too, and I put on something like 8lbs in the first trimester, which really made me panic about what was to come. Ironically, my weight gain has slowed down quite a bit, and I'm less hungry now, so I imagine baby must be living on what I put on in the beginning?

Anyway, to answer your question...greek yogurt with a bit of fruit works really well for me (Lidl sells it in enormous buckets ), and I'm trying to eat more potatoes because they seem to keep me full a lot longer than pasta or rice. For snacking, I mostly have nuts, but I remember having roasted soy beans every once in a while when I still lived overseas...not sure if you could get them anywhere in the UK? Alternatively, you could also try a glass of unsweetened soy milk here and there?

Anyway, hope you'll feel less hungry. I hate those days where no meal ever seems to be big enough... :s

 

[Phoenix85]

Chickpeas and lentils and quinoa are good for protein.

What about hummus with veg sticks or pitta bread?

I'm also vegetarian btw. I was vegan (have been on and off since 2010) but my hens are laying about 3 eggs a day again so I've been having eggs occasionally (omlettes are winning at the moment lol) and I've been craving chocolate - which I feel guilty about! lol

I'm exactly the same though, I was 9st 8 before getting pregnant, by 13 weeks I was about 9st 12, by 20 weeks I was 10lb 13!!

But I weighed myself yesterday and was 10st 10lb so had lost a little bit.
I think that's because I have had a few days of awful heartburn/acid indigestion, and loads of wind (TMI), trapped and otherwise. So for the last two/three days I've eaten a bit less, tried to practice 'little and often' where as before getting pregnant I usually ate very little during the day and then a big evening meal, but now if I do that I end up with acid indigestion & tummy ache

It's also the snacking to blame for my weight gain I think lol. Actual meals are about the same as pre pregnancy but I just want to eat all the time, especially in an evening I crave sweet things like scones and chocolate lol

 

[kittykitchn]

Chickpeas, lentils, legumes, soy protein. You could make a big batch of chili, or a tagine. I'm awful with snacking too - bread is my enemy. Luckily I haven't put on any weight, but I am more hungry now and am tempted by treats... but do feel like utter crap, so am making an effort to change snacks (or at least add) a lot more fruit into my day.

 

[Rhelen91]

Ooh I'm vegetarian too, have been for around 15 years. Just keep a good supply of fresh fruit and things like carrot and celery sticks etc to snack on through the day. I must confess my appitite has been crap for weeks, and because I'm finally hungry I'm currently sat eating a plate of veg and yorkshire puddings at half 11 haha.

 

[CornishGirl]

Thank you for the advice everyone, and it's nice to see that it's not just me who's suddenly eating a lot more!
I quite like the snack idea of hummus and veg sticks. I absolutely love hummus and now it's been said I really want some!

I really really hope I can get this appetite under control soon... although this looks like it might be a side effect of pregnancy. It just wasn't one I expected!

 

[Lulie]

I second the hummus! I made some two days ago and having it in a container in the fridge has helped me to swerve towards that instead of my usual bread/sweets etc!

 

[SiameseCatLady]

At a push, Quorn snacks? Low fat (in general) and tasty?! Xx