Eating mindfully through motherhood:
A nutritionist’s tips for nutritious and mindful eating throughout pregnancy and motherhood
There’s an outdated idea that you can eat whatever you want during pregnancy, or that you’re “eating for two.” But that’s not quite right: Eating more than we need or just feeding our cravings with foods that are not nutrient dense can increase the risk for high blood pressure (preeclampsia), gestational diabetes, and back pain. On the other hand, not getting enough of what we need can also pose health risks.
That’s where mindful eating comes in, or a nonjudgmental awareness of connecting your mind and your stomach when eating. Learning to take the time to listen to your body during pregnancy can guide you to a life of healthy, happy eating.
As a nutritionist, I refer to this process as listening to your hunger cues. “Physical hunger” is when your body actually needs more fuel and you feel a sense of pain or weakness until you eat. We are all born with this innate sense of hunger. Babies cry when they are hungry and push food away when this hunger subsides. Over time, we forget what this real sense of hunger feels like and we tap into “behavioral hunger” instead.
A balanced plate of food.
Behavioral, or head, hunger occurs when you eat when you want to or when you are feeling a certain emotion, such as stress. Many people have a difficult time differentiating between hunger and feelings of anxiety or boredom or other emotional or situational stimuli.
Behavioral hunger leads us to eat when we do not actually need to, and to sometimes overstuff ourselves. It can be helpful to take time before meals, in between meals, and after a meal to evaluate how you feel and whether you’re experiencing physical or head hunger. Personally, I’ve experienced the dilemma of the two types of hunger during my own pregnancy and motherhood journeys. If I’m not getting the right types of nutrients or nutrients that sustain me, I am hitting the 3 p.m. hangry button and just cannot keep up with my motherly duties. I start to grab anything for a quick fix, which is not beneficial in the long term.
There’s a better solution. For my family, it means taking the time each day to not only plan meals but to be conscious about how a meal or snack makes me feel.
This goes beyond just consciously getting our vegetables, fruits, protein, and healthy fats in every day. Rather, it’s taking the time before meals and snacks to truly evaluate your needs.
Making your own pizza is a good way to up the health factor.
Before picking up that quick snack, it’s asking yourself, “What does my body really need? Am I hungry? How can I best fuel myself?” This empowered pause is a technique you can use to listen to the signals your body is sending you:
Take two to three minutes to assess what you’re feeling
Take some deep breaths
Ask yourself how you feel. Is your stomach growling? How long has it been since your last meal? Do you need just a balanced snack or a full meal? Are you feeling frustrated or mad or sad or bored and you felt like you needed to reach for something?
If it’s not real stomach hunger, do you need to rest or breathe or take a few minutes to yourself?
If you notice that it is stomach hunger and not just head or heart hunger, make a snack or meal.
After you start eating, pause about halfway through and reevaluate: How do I feel? Am I still hungry? Do I feel like I got what I needed, or do I need more? After the meal, repeat the above questions.
Do you notice any patterns in the way you eat? Are you eating too fast or do you feel like you always have to finish your plate even when you are full? It takes time to get in the habit of paying attention to what your body needs, but once you will empower yourself to do this regularly, your body and mind will thank you.
