When I was pregnant with Hailey I was vigilant about making sure I was getting enough. Enough calories, enough protein, enough fat. I was more concerned with nutrients and numbers then and would occasionally track my meals for peace of mind.
Half a whole wheat bagel, chive and onion cream cheese, 1 egg scrambled with onions, red pepper and spinach. Juice Plus gummies on the side.
Now, it’s been so long since I’ve looked at a calorie count or tracked grams of anything that I have no doubt it would drive me insane. I’ve learned to completely rely on intuitive eating and focusing on eating mostly whole foods.
Love Grown cranberry pecan granola, chia seeds and almond milk after my wog (2.2 miles).
I still take prenatal nutrition seriously. I can’t help but think about the food I take in is what is nourishing my growing baby. I still (crazy or not) think that the foods I eat during pregnancy help shape the taste preferences of my child. For that, and other general healthy growth reasons, I do my best to stay mindful of eating plenty of vegetables, protein and healthy fat. (Yes, I totally realize that this baby is bound to be the world’s pickiest eater just so I must publicly eat my words. I’m prepared for that.)
However, I am also more relaxed about food and have had fun with the cravings that popped up over the first trimester. Since I don’t usually have cravings, it’s been fun to enjoy the ‘best thing everrrrrr’ feeling when I take a bite out of what I’ve been longing for, whether it’s a Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit, a salty handful of Kettle-Cooked chips or hot and sour soup.
Hot and sour soup. Don’t be fooled. The container is twice as deep as it is wide. Mmm.
Soon I’ll recap the first trimester and what I devoured and couldn’t touch, but one thing I enjoyed throughout it was salads.
Romaine, red pepper, onion, feta, kalamata olives (SO delicious!) and a deviled egg.
I find it funny because I remember a strong opposition to anything green during the beginning of pregnancy with Hailey. This time, though, as long as it’s cold and crunchy, I’ve loved it!
I’m grateful for that healthy craving and glad it’s still sticking around.
Romaine, avocado, chickpeas, tomato, feta, shrimp, jalapenos and cilantro with buffalo ranch.
At the end of the day, I have no idea how many calories I’ve consumed and it feels good to be ok with that. Since switching my focus to overall health and away from body composition percentages over the past few years, I’ve eaten better than I ever have.
Some days I feel like I’m eating my usual amount and other days I’ve famished and don’t stop eating all day long. I trust my body to steer me in the right direction. And despite battles with nausea, I have yet to have a day that I just don’t want to eat a thing. Typical.
What’s the craziest craving you’ve ever had, pregnant or not?
Right now I’m seriously loving kalamata olives. Chips and onion dip is pretty amazing, too, but I’ve thankfully run out!
Despite all the salt, I still have to stay on top of my water consumption. I’m just not feeling it!
And thanks Jenn for hosting WIAW!
Karen says
While pregnant I craved popsicles of all things. Strange but true. I would eat them by the box full at one sitting.
Lee says
My pregnant body keeps intuitively telling me I need to eat Wendy’s Frosties. Who am I to argue?
Parita @ myinnershakti says
Never been pregnant but sometimes…very rarely…I have an intense craving for Taco Bell. I know, gross, but as someone who ate there quite often the majority of her life, it’s a hard craving to shake!
Brittany Dixon says
One time during my first trimester with Hailey I started craving Taco Bell so badly that I googled one and drove to it just for a crunchy taco. I want to say I felt gross afterwards, but it hit the spot! Ew, haha!
Brittany @ The Fit Phoenician says
When I was preggo, I could not get enough mexican! I went through Costco size bottles of hot sauce- thank god I did not have heart burn <3…
That salad looks good now, but the one thing I could not eat while I was pregnant was shrimp!!
Brittany Dixon says
I’m enjoying Mexican this time, thank goodness! We eat it so often and when I was pregnant with H, I just wasn’t feeling it. It almost ended our marriage. 😉
Christina says
I never had any pregnancy cravings (or nausea, thank goodness!) during my first pregnancy….I was so disappointed, I was really looking forward to devouring fried pickles and sending my husband out in the middle of the night for Chinese food! We’re starting to think about Baby #2 now, and I’ll be so curious to see how that pregnancy is different than the first. Love reading your blog, Brittany!
Shel@PeachyPalate says
I didn’t now you were pregnant…slow on the uptake!! Congrats missus!!!
Jill says
Haha! I love that you eat hoping what you eat makes your baby love what you’re eating but at the same time think the baby will be the pickiest eater on earth. 🙂 Btw..that salad looks delicious!
Monica says
I craved baked potatoes with sour cream, butter, and A1 sauce like nobody’s business! I also could not get enough Mexican food and ice cream!
Brittany Dixon says
I thought I was the only one that put A1 on baked potatoes!! I haven’t done it in years but I need to bring it back because it’s freaking amazing!!!
Marjorie says
I craved salads when I was pregnant with Canon. I don’t know if y’all have Zoe’s in your city, but I was OBSESSED with the greek salad with grilled chicken. That was the biggest craving I had. And fruit.
My aversions were more strange. I could not look at meat first trimester. It totally took me off guard the first time it happened too! I was at the meat counter at Whole Foods, about to pick up some steaks for dinner. When I looked at the meat, I got so nauseated that I abandoned an entire cart of groceries and ran out of the store. LOL! I also could not stand coffee, which worked out since you are not supposed to have too much of that anyway. But I normally LOVE coffee.
Brittany Dixon says
I’ve been thinking about driving to Zoe’s lately- too funny!! There is a make-your-own salad place nearby that I’ve been frequenting because I can’t get enough of their dang Greek dressing. I could drink it! 🙂
Jessica says
This time around I have craved things that are cold and creamy, meat, and house special fried rice from our Chinese restaurant. Haha, one day I could only keep down that rice and rainbow sherbet.
Brittany Dixon says
I was at the grocery store one a month or two ago and started craving fried rice like WOAH. I grabbed these little microwave cups of fried rice and brought them home. I went to grab one and my stomach turned.I ended up having to throw them away because I gagged every time I walked into the pantry.
Pregnancy is weird!!
Ashley @ My Food N Fitness Diaries says
That’s so great you’re craving greens! I could hardly stand anything except white and bland foods those first couple months. You should share some of your salad creations! I find myself getting stuck in the worst salad ruts. 😉
Brittany Dixon says
Here are 5 of my favs! – http://www.ahealthysliceoflife.com/2012/08/03/5-simple-salads/
Giselle@myhealthyhappyhome says
When I was pregnant I started craving more sweet foods than I ate before. Pancakes or waffles with peanut butter and syrup were a weekend must and I wanted the cinnamon hot tamales all the time. Which I couldn’t stand before or now!
Nicole H. says
I’m not feeling the water thing either. First thing after finding out, I couldn’t get enough. But it’s tapered off for some reason. AND, I can’t stand the thought of meat right now. Raw, cooked, any type. Yuck. I also haven’t had cravings for sweets and that’s unusual.
Brittany Dixon says
Yes, it’s so frustrating to me that water is so hard to drink. I’ve started filling up my super big water jug and forcing myself to drink 3 a day. It’s crazy how it’s so challenging!
christina says
your salads look silly good. that means really good. haha. gummies…totally thought they were candy and i was jealous.
Brittany Dixon says
David calls them the world’s most expensive candy 😉 I call them delicious!
andie says
I craved lots of cheese when I was pregnant. And ice. and fried chicken. random. LOL
Emily S says
With both of my pregnancies, I didn’t really have intense cravings! I kept waiting for the insanity to hit, but it never did. I think the only two that stand out in my mind are spaghetti and meatballs with pregnancy #1 and chicken fried rice (or quinoa) with #2.
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says
I was lucky to have minimal cravings with L until I hit the last month, then I was crazy for sugar and really had to work hard to eat healthfully. I don’t think I got to say yet CONGRATS!! I’m excited to follow your journey with #2!!
Ali says
I craved kids foods like no other when I was pregnant – mac and cheese, hamburgers and fries, pudding and sour patch kids. I really tried to not give into every craving, but I did indulge more than I’d like to admit. I couldn’t stand sauteed veggies throughout my entire pregnancy, but salads were sometimes okay.
Lauren S says
I’d love to know what vitamins you’re taking. I’ve been trying to conceive so I’m taking a prenatal and am looking to change brands. Thanks.
Brittany Dixon says
I’ve taken my Juice Plus religiously, but honestly, I have’t been great about taking the prenatal. I have NatureMade prenatals and take a 1/2 of one before bed.
Paulina says
Both pregnancies I’ve craved citrus flavors. Grapefruit, oranges, lemons…starburst candy! I’ve had strong food aversions too. I couldn’t stomach any meats at all until well into my second trimester. Now I’m in my third and still can’t stand most chicken. I also used love eating fattoush salads, but now I don’t like them at all, or most other veggies for that matter. The worst aversion of all though was water. It made me nauseous all throughout the first trimester, and I usually drink a TON of water everyday. Ugh, it was only tolerable if it was ice cold and had lots of lemon. Pregnancy can be so wonderful and strange 🙂
Danica @ It's Progression says
I’m not currently pregnant, but I always get food cravings. It’s usually just for typical food I eat, I’ll just really get a strong craving to have it asap, but sometimes it’s for totally random things. For example, my last bizarre craving was for peanut m’n’ms on top of applesauce (I had neither things in my house at the time either). Yep. I’m scared for what cravings I’ll have when I’m actually pregnant someday.
Kiki says
Before getting pregnant, my entire life I could not stand the smell of tuna fish let alone even think of eating it. When I got pregnant I started craving tuna fish!! It was so strange. I had to limit it b/c of the mercury but even after the baby now I still like tuna fish… Who knew??!!
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
For the first 1/3 of my pregnancy, I was wanting all salt, all the time. I ate lots of pickles, salt + vinegar chips, hamburgers, and french fries (in addition to my normal, healthier eats!). Then for the rest of my pregnancy, I went back to craving sweets (my normal self but enhanced!). And I ate a lot of milkshakes from Chick Fil A! 😉
Brittany Dixon says
I had forgotten, but I had a few amazing Chick-fil-A milkshakes when I was pregnant with H! Their cookies and cream won me over every time!
Matt @ Runner Savvy says
The body naturally knows what it needs!
Erin @ The Grass Skirt says
I couldn’t eat veggies for a long while when I was pregnant with Michael, but this time around, I am a fruit and salad fanatic!
Tara | Treble in the Kitchen says
Not exactly a “crazy” food and I haven’t been pregnant but I love pickles and olives always! 🙂
Brittany Dixon says
I always love olives too! Salty deliciousness!
Reghan says
I craved a lot of burgers and fries, bagels and cream cheese, orange juice, salty stuff (a pickle every day, sour candy) and MEAT. Beef, chicken, pork…I wanted ALL the meat. I had a boy 🙂
Heather says
I’m so excited to read your pregnancy posts again! When I was pregnant I really craved fruit and sour things. I also craved doughnuts, I never really ate doughnuts before only one every few months, but when I was pregnant I wanted one pretty much everyday. I didn’t indulge every time I wanted a doughnut, but I did every once in awhile.
meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles says
When I was pregnant, I craved the complete opposite of my normal cravings – all savory nothing sweet. I ate tons of sandwiches and pizza and when I wanted dessert, that meant another sandwich or something along those lines lol. I also craved cream cheese throughout and didn’t want peanut butter—-so not like me! Cravings are funny. I enjoyed every second of that pregnancy.
Jayna says
Thank you so much for this article. With my first pregnancy, I didn’t want green vegetables of any kind. I wanted meat. Red meat. Steak was my favorite, and I ate the fat with the meat.
I just found out I was pregnant with my second child. I tried again–like in my first pregnancy–to eat “healthy.” Just this morning, I forced myself to eat two eggs, because eggs are good for me, right? No go. Twenty minutes later, they came back up, bringing my vitamins with them.
Not interested in eating anymore, I went on with my business, only to eat potato chips when I did become hungry again. I beat myself up for it, just like I beat myself up for eating those two hot dogs yesterday. But, it’s the only thing that sounded good at the time…it’s the only thing that would stay down. So, I gave myself credit for trying and drank extra water to offset the salt.