Changes

Given that my body is rebelling against spending my pregnancy on a vegetarian diet for gestational diabetes, and given that I have been steadily gaining a lot of weight since I started trying, I have decided to make a change. I have to eat for my diabetes, but I am going to try to eat by the South Beach diet. I am going to cook this way for the whole family. Prince Charming is on board, as he wouldn't mind losing a few pounds himself. I am not going to do phase 1, as I am pregnant and I don't want to be restrictive. I simply want to concentrate on a healthy diet with good carbs and lower bad fats.

So here is my plan:

A diet including all foods from phase 1 and phase 2:

BEEF Lean*
* Lean meat has 10 gram or less total fat and 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat per 100 gram portion (30 grams is about 1 oz)
All hot dogs (beef, pork, poultry, soy) can be enjoyed occasionally (once/week) if they are at least 97% fat free (contain 3-6 grams of fat/serving).

POULTRY (SKINLESS)

SEAFOOD

PORK

SOY BASED MEAT SUBSTITUTES

CHEESE (Fat Free or Reduced Fat )

EGGS

MILK/DAIRY
DAIRY
(2-3 cups allowed daily, including yogurt)
Yogurt - artificially sweetened non-fat flavored yogurt (limit to 4 ounces daily and avoid varieties that contain high fructose corn syrup)
Greek Yogurt nonfat
Low-fat milk (fat-free and 1%)
Low-fat plain, vanilla, or artificially sweetened soy milk (4 grams of fat or less per 8 ounce serving). Be sure the product does not contain high fructose corn syrup


BEANS/LEGUMES
fresh, frozen or canned (without added sugar)
(Start with 1/3 - 1/2 cup serving)

FRUIT (3 total servings daily)
Apples - 1 small or 5 dried rings
Apricots - 4 fresh or 7 dried
Banana, medium-sized (4 oz.)
Blueberries 3/4 cup
Cantaloupe - 1/4, or 1 cup diced
Clementine 1
Grapefruit - 1/2
Grapes - 15
Honeydew 1/8 melon or 1 cup diced
Kiwi - 1
mandarin oranges 2
Oranges - 1 medium
Raspberries 3/4 cup
Strawberries 3/4 cup

VEGETABLES
may use fresh, frozen or canned without added sugar, eat a minimum of two cups with lunch and dinner

Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage (green, red, Napa, Savoy)
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Eggplant
Garlic
Green Beans
Kale
Lettuce (All varieties)
Mushrooms (All varieties)
Onions
Parsley
Peppers (All varieties)
Radishes (All varieties)
Sauerkraut
Spinach
Squash, Spaghetti
Squash, Summer
# Yellow
# Zucchini
Tomato

NUTS AND SEEDS
(Limit to one serving per day as specified. Dry roasted recommended.)

FATS/OILS
Up to 2 Tbsp. of the following fats or oils are allowed daily.
Monounsaturated oils are particularly recommended.

Monounsaturated Oils
canola
olive (particularly extra-virgin)

Other Fat Choices:
Avocado - 1/3 whole = 1 TBS oil
Guacamole - 1/2 cup = 1 TBS oil
Mayonnaise - Regular - 1 TBS
Mayonnaise - Low Fat - 2 TBS (avoid varieties made with high fructose corn syrup)
Olives (Green or Ripe) 15 = 1/2 TBS oil
Salad Dressing - 2 TBS. Use those that contain 3 grams of sugar or less per 2 TBS. Best choices contain canola or olive oil. Low carb salad dressings may also be used if they meet these guidelines.
TRANS FAT FREE Spreads 2 TBSP.

SEASONINGS AND CONDIMENTS
All spices that contain no added sugar
Broth
Coconut Milk -Light
Lemon Juice
Salsa (check labels for added sugar)

Use the following toppings and sauces sparingly (check labels for added sugar and MSG)
Cream Cheese, fat-free or light - 2 TBS
Hot Sauce
Low carb condiments, may only be used if they are transfat free and contain no added sugar.
Sour Cream, light and reduced-fat - 2 TBS
Soy Sauce - 1/2 TBS
Steak Sauce - 1/2 TBS
taco sauce 1 Tbsp
Worcestershire Sauce - 1 TBS
Whipped Topping, Light or Fat-Free - 2 TBS

SWEET TREATS (Limit to 75-100 calories per day)
Candies, hard, sugar-free
Chocolate powder, no-added-sugar
Chocolate syrup sugar free
Cocoa powder, baking type
Fudgsicles, no sugar added
Gelatin, sugar-free
Gum, sugar-free
Jams and jellies, sugar-free
Popsicles, sugar-free
Syrups, sugar-free

BEVERAGES
Decaf Coffee and Tea
Diet, decaffeinated, sugar-free sodas and drinks
Herbal teas (peppermint, chamomile, etc.)
Note: caffeinated coffee or diet sodas with caffeine added are allowed, but limited to 1 - 2 servings per day

WHOLE GRAINS AND STARCHY VEGETABLES
(Start with one daily serving, gradually increase to up to 3 or four total servings daily.) Unless otherwise stated, choose whole grain products that have 3 grams of fiber or more per ounce.

Bagels, small, whole grain - 1/2, or 1 oz.
Barley - 1/2 cup cooked
Bread 1 oz.
Buckwheat 1/2 cooked
Cereal Cold: choose ones with 6g or more fiber and 8g or less sugar
Cereal Hot: serving sizes vary check the label for recommended amount. Choose whole grain and slow-cooking varieties (no instant types) with at least 3g fiber and no more than 2g sugar.
Couscous, whole-wheat or Israeli - 1/2 cup cooked
Crackers, whole grain with 3 grams of fiber or more per ounce and no trans fats
English muffins, whole grain - 1/2, or 1 oz. (most contain 2.5 grams of fiber per half a muffin—varieties varieties with 3 grams of fiber are the best choice.)
Pasta Whole wheat is best choice - 1/2 cup cooked (3 grams of fiber or more per 1/2 cup)
Pasta Soy is second best choice - 1/2 cup cooked (3 grams of fiber or more per 1/2 cup)
Pita, stone-ground or whole wheat - 1/2, or 1 oz. (most contain 2.5 grams of fiber—varieties with 3 grams of fiber are the best choice.)
Popcorn, 3 cups popped, Air popped, Microwave, plain, no trans fats
Potato, sweet, small (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Pumpkin (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Quinoa, 1/2 cup cooked
Rice - 1/2 cup cooked (basmati, brown regular converted or parboiled, wild)
Tortillas, 100% whole grain, 3 grams of fiber or more per ounce, no trans fats
Winter squash (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)
Yams, small (considered a starchy vegetable; count as a starch/grain serving)

OCCASIONAL TREATS
Chocolate (sparingly)
- bittersweet
- semisweet
pudding, fat free, sugar free (one serving per day permitted)


************************************************** ********
Foods to AVOID
BEEF
Brisket
Jerky, unless homemade without sugar
Liver
Prime Rib
Rib steaks
Skirt Steak

POULTRY
Chicken, wings and legs
Duck
Goose
Turkey, dark meat (including wings and thighs)

PORK
Bacon
Honey-baked ham
Pork rinds

DAIRY
Ice Cream
Milk 2% or whole
Soymilk whole
yogurt cup style and frozen

CHEESE
Full Fat

VEGETABLES
Beets
Carrots
Corn
Green peas
Potatoes, white
Potatoes, sweet
Pumpkin
Turnips (root)
Winter squash
Yams

Condiments
ketchup
cocktail sauce

BEVERAGES
Alcohol of any kind, including beer and wine
fruit juice all types
milk, full fat and 2%
powdered drink mixes containing sugar
soda and other drinks containing sugar
soymilk with more than 4g fat per 8 oz serving


************************************************** ********

Balancing

I am having issues trying to adjust my diet, balancing my carbs and proteins while finding ways to fill my nutritional needs while battling the morning sickness that eating the right balances seems to bring. UGH, sickness sicks.

23 Quick, No Fuss Meals

Now a lot of people know that if you are looking to eat a healthy plant-based diet, there are wonderful blogs out there with a vast assortment of recipes and info. One of my faves is "The Happy Herbivore". I find her recipes are in a very similar style to the way I cook, they are accessible and I enjoy that. I just found a post on her blog that I had to share!

23 Quick, No Fuss Meals

23 Quick, No-Fuss Meals: Still crave the ease and simplicity of a ham and cheese sandwich? No problem! Make any of these fast and almost instant meals!

Simple Stir-Fry: Combine equal parts soy sauce with sugar and set aside. Cook frozen mixed stir-fry vegetables according to packaging instructions (microwave!). Toss with soy sauce mixture and serve over a plate of cooked rice or quinoa. Edamame (soybeans) and/or tofu chunks make a nice addition.

Blissful Burrito: Spread a thin layer of vegetarian refried beans (or regular cooked beans) into a tortilla or wrap. Add salsa and any leftovers you have such as rice, quinoa, vegetables or greens. Roll up and voila!

Penny-Pinching Pad Thai: Toss cooked (and still hot!) rice noodles or pasta with 2 tbsp smooth or crunchy peanut butter and a dash of hot sauce. Cook frozen mixed stir-fry vegetables according to packaging instructions (microwave!) and toss with noodles. Garnish with crushed peanuts if desired.

Fast Fajitas: Mix fajita seasoning packet with water as directed. Cook fresh or frozen bell peppers until cooked, but still crisp. Toss with fajita mixture and cook as directed. Slap into tortillas and voila!

In a Hurry Curry: Mix 1 tsp curry paste with 1 cup coconut milk or non-dairy milk over medium heat to form a sauce, whisking in more paste if desired. Cook frozen mixed vegetables according to packaging instructions (microwave!) and smother with curry sauce. Tofu chunks and/or a side of rice make a nice addition.

Tasty Tofu Scramble: Break a block of firm tofu into chunks. Mix with 3 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 big squirt Dijon mustard, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp turmeric and ½ tsp cumin and cook until warm, stirring frequently. Add a splash of non-dairy milk if it starts to stick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add salsa, leftover veggies or beans to expand this dish. (video on happyherbivore.com/courses)

Pita Pizza: Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce or pizza sauce on a pita. Add any toppings you like: vegetables, faux cheese, faux meat — even leftovers. Bake 5–10 minutes at 350 F. Don’t be afraid to try crazy combinations!

Smashing Smoothies: Blend 2 cups frozen fruit with 1 cup non-dairy milk or juice, or a combination of liquids. Add oats, ground flax seeds or a fresh banana for a fuller meal. Great combos: pineapple chunks with non-dairy milk and OJ; strawberries and vanilla non-dairy milk; banana, strawberries and chocolate non-dairy milk. Mixed berries, plain non-dairy milk and flax seeds.

Quickie Quesadilla: Smash a cooked sweet potato into a tortilla or wrap. Add beans, cooked greens and/or corn and fold over. Heat each side in a skillet if desired. Serve with vegan sour cream and/or fruit-flavored salsa over top.

Crazy Corn Soup: Cook 1 lb. frozen corn according to directions (microwave!). Blend into a creamy soup with 1/4 cup non-dairy milk and voila! Chipotle powder or hot sauce takes this soup to a fiery new level! (Recipe from happyherbivore.com)

Sassy Salsa Soup: Place 1 cup black beans, 1 cup salsa and 1½ cups vegetable broth in a blender, pureeing until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan, add 1 cup frozen corn, more black beans as desired, 1/2 tsp cumin and hot sauce to taste. Cook until thoroughly warm. Crumble tortilla chips over top and serve. Fresh avocado and/or cilantro also make a nice addition.

Mama’s Mexi- Dip: Combine vegan sour cream (or silken tofu blended with a few drops of lemon or lime juice) with ⅓ cup salsa or 1 packet taco seasoning. Serve with refried beans and tortilla chips. Guacamole also makes a nice addition. If you have extra time, make a layered dip.

Better BLT: Combine vegan bacon with lettuce, tomato and vegan mayo, avocado slices or hummus between two slices of bread or toast. You can also use a wrap.

Ancient Aztec Salad: Combine 1 cup corn with ½ cup black beans, ¼ cup cooked quinoa and fresh tomatoes. Squeeze lime juice over top. Serve warm or chilled. This can also be served over lettuce with tempeh slices or in a wrap. (Recipe from happyherbivore.com).

Terrific Teriyaki: Combine 1 can chickpeas with ¼ cup teriyaki sauce, 1 tbsp hot sauce and 1 tbsp sugar (optional) cook over medium heat until the chickpeas turn brown and the liquid absorb. Serve over greens or rice with fresh pineapple or mango salsa. (Recipe from happyherbivore.com).

Sensational Salsa Chickpeas: Combine 1 can chickpeas with 8 ounces of salsa. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until liquid has absorbed. Eat with lettuce wraps and sliced veggies. (Recipe from happyherbivore.com).

Cha-Cha Chili Macaroni: Combine 1 can of vegetarian chili with cooked pasta and a little tomato sauce if desired. Corn and/or fresh avocado slices make a nice addition. You can also add hot sauce to spice it up.

Outstanding Oatmeal: Cook 1 serving plain oatmeal according to directions. Mix with 4 to 8 ounces of plain soy yogurt. Add fresh fruit such as berries or banana slices and nuts, such as sliced raw almonds, on top. Drizzle with agave nectar or pure maple syrup. You can also add seeds, dried fruits or ground flax seeds.

BBQ’ed Baked Potato: Slice baked potato in half and smother with vegetarian baked beans. Serve with a side of frozen greens cooked according to package (microwave!).

Two-Minute Tacos: Combine 2 cups TVP with 2 cups hot water and 1 packet taco seasoning, stirring to incorporate. Once TVP has reconstituted (all water has been absorbed), make tacos or a taco salad.

Nice Rice Nori Rolls: Place chopped raw vegetables, such as bell peppers, cucumbers and carrots, with sliced apples or avocado, plus cooked rice or quinoa in the center of a nori sheet and roll up. Dip in soy sauce if desired.

Tangy Tempeh: Cut tempeh in half. Boil in water for 10 minutes. Drain, pat dry and smother in a tangy barbecue sauce. Serve on a bun with pickle slices and a side of cooked mixed vegetables.

Happy Hummus Wrap: Line a tortilla or wrap with red pepper hummus. Pile in fresh veggies such as sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, bell peppers, celery and white mushrooms, all sliced thin. Roll up and enjoy.

Woohoo!

I am totally doing a happy dance right now. I felt the baby kick! At first it was gentle and I wasn't sure, then it was a little more firm poke in the same spot and then it was a third time and there was no mistaking it. I was sitting with my knees up against my belly and I guess the baby was crowded!! I LOVE it!

I was talking to some moms at a mommy group I am in about nutrition today. I found out that I am doing really really well now with this new devotion to healthy eating that I have had again. I am so motivated to feed my baby well and to do good things for this baby. (I do occasionally have a craving slip, but overall, I am doing well.)

I am anxious to meet with the nutritionist about Gestational Diabetes though, because I honestly don't remember anything beyond, sugar is bad, count your carbs and protein is good.

healthy days.

I have been doing so well with my eating. I haven't been giving in to the horrible cravings. I have been eating overnight oatmeal with fruit and flax seed for breakfast. Tofu Scramble with veggies is what is for lunch. Typically, supper is rice and some sort of veggies. last night it was long grain rice, salsa, kidney beans, and corn. OMG was that YUMMY! And usually an extra thick smoothie made of frozen fruit and Lite Silk Milk. I feel so much better. I am still on bedrest and have been taking it easy, but the reward that the bleeding has stopped is wonderful.

So glad to be back.

I will be filling in updates here later this evening. I just wanted to post that I am back in all my healthy eating, vegetarian glory! I bought just bought tofu and I CAN'T WAIT to get at it and make me a nice big tofu scramble for lunch. I had coffee with vanilla silk coffee creamer and a nice big bowl of oatmeal this morning and it was a wonderful way to start my day. I am so glad to be back to being a healthy me. I have to confess that after the morning sickness passed, the craving started and I gave in to each and EVERY one! It was NOT GOOD! So I am here to be better and be healthy.

Salad!

I am doing pretty well. I went out today with the sole purpose of getting me some much needed veggies and I am so happy with the yummy salad fixings I got. I just really love my veggies and I feel it when I am not getting enough of them. Even Princess Belle was excited to see the salad fixings and chomping at the bit to dig into them too.

I have been having heel pain after my walks the last couple of days. I was reading up on it and they say that the cause is weight gain causing my feet to flatten. Which is lovely but I have gained hardly any weight. My weight it shifting to the front though, so maybe the cause is a change in the way I walk or a change the balance of weight on my feet.

On a positive note, my increase in sleep and water has really helped my headaches and my nausea! I am so glad.

Since I tend to have some difficulties with iron when I am pregnant, I was looking up some info on that. Here is what I found out:

Good sources of iron are whole grains, dried beans, dark green leafy vegetables, blackstrap molasses, tofu, spinach, beet greens, bulgur, prune juice, and dried fruits.

There are a few little tricks you can use to get the most iron out of these iron-rich foods.

Be sure to include foods rich in vitamin C (such as orange juice) in your diet every day. This vitamin will help your body absorb iron.
Cooking in a cast-iron skillet can help you get more of this mineral.
Cut back on caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, and colas; they interfere with the body's ability to absorb iron.

Iron

I am concerned about iron, because I have had low iron in the past. So, in my research, I have been looking at vegetarian sources of iron. Here is what I have found:

• enriched grain products like rice,
  
• eggs,
• leafy green vegetables,
  
• broccoli,
  
• Brussels sprouts,
  
• sweet potatoes,
  
• dried beans and peas,
  
• raisins,
  
• prunes,
  
• peanuts.

So, I am going to play with my menu to see if I can come up with one that has enough iron in it.

goals

Here are my goals for this pregnancy

1. Number one of course is just to have a happy, healthy, baby. Everything else is and will always be secondary.
2. Use Babyfit to plan my meals to try to get everything I need for the baby in a healthy way. This includes: eating high fibre foods, avoiding sugars as much as possible, eating calcium rich foods, look into ways to increase my iron intake, eat a variety of veggies,
   
3. Try to relax as much as a busy mom of three (soon to be four) kids can. Don't stress over things as I truly believe that a stressed mom has a stressed baby.
4. Try to get some extra activity in, even if is just going for walks with Princess Belle.
5. Limit myself to one instant coffee a day. (No perked as it is too tempting to make a full pot and drink it myself)
6. Cook more in my cast iron pan because it can increase the iron content of my foods.
   

Sample day

Here is an idea for one day. I am not getting enough iron in there, but I am meeting every other requirement. I just have troubles getting in my iron on a vegetarian diet. I am really open to suggestions.

Breakfast
Silk, Unsweetened Soymilk
Spinach,
Tofu, firm

Lunch
Beans, red kidney
Bread, mixed-grain
Cucumber (with peel),
Red Ripe Tomatoes
Hummus
Romaine Lettuce
Carrots,

Dinner
Basmati Rice
Mushrooms, fresh,
Spinach
Mixed Vegetables
Cabbage
Sesame Seeds
Sunflower Seeds

Snack
Almonds

Starting out.

I am working on trying to have a healthy pregnancy. I know I always get pregnancy inducded high blood pressure but I really don't want to have Gestational Diabetes this time. I know I may get it anyway. I know my family has a history of Diabetes and I know that I have had it with my last two pregnancies. But I intend to give it a run for it's money this time.

I also have been working on being healthy and I don't want to let that go just because I am pregnant. So, I am working on BabyFit to come up with healthy menus that can work for me. I am having troubles getting in enough iron and so I am working on that.

This will be a journey. I am 39 years old. I am pregnant with my fourth baby and I am overweight. I just really want to end up in as good a place as possible when I get to hold this beautiful baby in my arms.