Pregnant and hungry ALL THE TIME....Help?!

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jennk5309
jennk5309 Posts: 206 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 14 weeks and have now gained almost 20 pounds. I had set my calories to lose 1/2 a pound a week since I know I have a slower metabolism from having dieted for years (lost 100+ pounds). I could NOT stick to it, and I think the hunger made me overeat once I gave in.

So now I set my calories to gain 1/2 a pound a week, but decided that if I'm hungry, I'm going to eat but will make sure that what I eat has high nutritional value.

It's 9:30 am, I've been awake since 5:30, and I've already had a smoothie made with unsweetened almond milk, kale, strawberries, cherries, ginger, and a little bit of green juice (green goodness) for breakfast. I also have snacked on a cheese stick, a banana, and a yogurt. I'm freaking hungry still! I feel almost crazy with hunger. I know I should have had something with more protein, like eggs, but I ended up running late and couldn't make them. Oh, and I went for a 30 minute walk.

My point is, I feel starved. I actually cried with joy when I ate a hamburger yesterday because I was SO hungry. Then again, I've been crying almost daily, over anything or nothing at all since becoming pregnant.

Am I just going to be a cow? I feel awful, I feel huge, and I feel gross. My belly is already big, but I do have big babies and I stick out early. It's big and hard, more like I'm 18-20 weeks instead of 14. People won't shut up about how huge I am either, and it's upsetting me.

Help?
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Replies

  • DblChinz
    DblChinz Posts: 31 Member
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    First off congrats to you!!!!!!!!

    Secondly, no help here, but hang in there! I hope someone will be able to give you some great ideas!
  • RobsGirl_lds
    RobsGirl_lds Posts: 211
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    When pregnant make sure you are well hydrated. We often mistake thirst for hunger. Your body needs water.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    You are pregnant. EAT. Don't let yourself get to the point where you are starving.

    You can worry about losing the weight once your baby is born.

    Edit: I gained like 70 lbs with my first. I was massive. I only gained about 45 lbs with my second and my old neighbor asked me if I was carrying twins when I was in my second trimester. Thanks. Anyway, both my babies were healthy which is the most important thing and I lost the weight I gained.

    Tell those people to bugger off.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    1. Congratulatons!
    2. Eat!
    3. Deal with weight issues after the baby is born!
    4. Tell people to mind their business!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    eat more protien...have bacon and eggs for breakfast...not a smootie and if you only have time for a smoothie add protien milk and powder into it.
  • Pascal56
    Pascal56 Posts: 53 Member
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    Up your protein. Best advice I got from my OB about eating well during pregnancy was to combine protein with carbs to keep blood sugar from crashing (carbs spike blood sugar fast, protein keeps it up longer). I ate over maintenance almost every day in the 2nd & 3rd trimesters. I didn't count during the 1st trimester because I was just trying to survive morning sickness.
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Congrats!

    If you are having uncontrollable cravings while pregnant, you may want to have you OB run a complete blood panel on you. Iron issues, calcium and many others can become deficient while pregnant especially if you dieted in the past. Most cravings are related to something your body feels it is missing. Also make sure you have a good prenatal vitamin.
    An example is when I was pregnant with my second, I started getting extreme leg cramps. The doctor came back with the results that my calcium was low, I was drinking over a half a gallon of milk a day, he informed me that there is a chemical in milk that can inhibit calcium absorption...who knew :huh:

    I gained 28 lb from conception to delivery but I also never had a weight issue back then. For now try to keep a power snack on you at all times like almonds, they have a healthy fat and high protein.
  • karicassidy
    karicassidy Posts: 7
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    Your pregnant EAT!!! Your body is using all your food to create the miracle in your belly. As long as you are making healthy choices and staying active then eat! Pregnancy is definitely not a time to worry about losing weight. Congratulations on your baby and tell everyone else to shut up!
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    Stop trying to lose weight while you are pregnant right flipping now.

    Call your doctor.

    Immediately.

    ETA: Seriously. Chat with your doctor about the appropriate number of calories you and your child need to be healthy.
  • _wildflower_
    _wildflower_ Posts: 27 Member
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    Bump...I'm a newlywed and my husband and I are thinking about having another in the future, and I'm really worried about gaining all the weight back that I lost while on MFP. I've kept it off (all except for 5-7 lbs but a lot of people said I was too thin at my lowest weight) for 2.5 years now. Good luck! I know it'll be a challenge but if you're logging and keeping up with what foods you're putting into your body, and continuing to exercise, you'll be successful!
  • dms1974
    dms1974 Posts: 37 Member
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    Congratulations!!! Please don't worry about dieting right now. Now more than ever is when you need to eat. If you are concerned then I suggest that when you feel hungry drink a glass of water with a slice of lemon and if you are still hungry after that then feel free to eat something. If you are healthy then I would also suggest getting out there now while it is still early and do some walking and exercising, but don't try to diet right now. Take care of yourself and the little one growing inside and worry about the other stuff later. Enjoy!!
  • mxmkenney
    mxmkenney Posts: 486 Member
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    It's going to take you 9 months to gain all the weight, and it will take probably just as long to lose it afterwards. My advice is don't stress over weight gain right now. Enjoy your pregnancy, be healthy for you and your baby, and worry about counting calories after he/she is born. Just try to eat food that a nutritionally valuable and keep active (walking, swimming, etc.). You WILL gain weight - 30-40 pounds on average is considered normal. Never try to diet while pregnant. The reduced calories will only harm the baby and/or you.
  • geniamoody
    geniamoody Posts: 8
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    I have the same problem, and I'm not pregnant. You need more protein and less sugar. It helped me. Congrats on the baby! Be careful and don't gain too much weight. It's hard to get off!
  • AsaThorsWoman
    AsaThorsWoman Posts: 2,303 Member
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    You are pregnant. EAT. Don't let yourself get to the point where you are starving.

    You can worry about losing the weight once your baby is born.

    Edit: I gained like 70 lbs with my first. I was massive. I only gained about 45 lbs with my second and my old neighbor asked me if I was carrying twins when I was in my second trimester. Thanks. Anyway, both my babies were healthy which is the most important thing and I lost the weight I gained.

    Tell those people to bugger off.

    I thought I was the only person alive to gain that much weight prego.

    140 to 212. Oh my god.

    I lived in a house that didn't have a working fridge, oven or stove top.

    Needless to say, I was constantly hungry and eating out.
  • UnoDrea3732
    UnoDrea3732 Posts: 342 Member
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    Enjoy your pregnancy! Stop worrying about what to eat and what not to eat. Unless the doctor is telling you that you need to slow down then I say go for it. I gained 60lbs with my baby girl and was down 45lbs when she was 5mths. Have fun!
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,366 Member
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    had this same discussion with my wife - you are preggers (CONGRATS!!) - EAT!! you gotta get enough to nourish both of you - if that means you gain weight, then gain the weight and worry about it after the baby comes!

    add protein to the smoothies - it will help with keeping you feeling full longer. as someone else said, drink more water as well - that will also help.

    and for the people who are making comments - tell them to STFU!! it's none of their d*** business... :laugh: :wink: :smile:
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,065 Member
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    You are pregnant. EAT. Don't let yourself get to the point where you are starving.

    You can worry about losing the weight once your baby is born.

    Edit: I gained like 70 lbs with my first. I was massive. I only gained about 45 lbs with my second and my old neighbor asked me if I was carrying twins when I was in my second trimester. Thanks. Anyway, both my babies were healthy which is the most important thing and I lost the weight I gained.

    Tell those people to bugger off.

    I thought I was the only person alive to gain that much weight prego.

    140 to 212. Oh my god.

    I lived in a house that didn't have a working fridge, oven or stove top.

    Needless to say, I was constantly hungry and eating out.

    Oh yeah, it was bad. I used to eat a sleeve of cookies in one sitting. Every Sunday was Dairy Queen Blizzard night. No wonder I was so big :blushing:
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Not trying to play devils advocate, but all of the people saying just eat....her doctor will tell her otherwise. Gaining too much in pregnancy can cause many issues and complications with the pregnancy, gestational diabetes is just one issue that can put mom and baby at risk and is common. I am with everyone that the OP should not worry about the work after the baby is born, that is irrelevant and there is also no better diet than breast feeding. The OP does need to figure out why she has gained so much this early on and why she is constantly hungry and craving things. The best thing she can do is talk to her OB as soon as possible and get their advise.
  • jennk5309
    jennk5309 Posts: 206 Member
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    Stop trying to lose weight while you are pregnant right flipping now.

    Call your doctor.

    Immediately.

    ETA: Seriously. Chat with your doctor about the appropriate number of calories you and your child need to be healthy.

    Just wanted to say that I wasn't trying to lose weight, just was trying to not gain a ton.
  • jennk5309
    jennk5309 Posts: 206 Member
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    Not trying to play devils advocate, but all of the people saying just eat....her doctor will tell her otherwise. Gaining too much in pregnancy can cause many issues and complications with the pregnancy, gestational diabetes is just one issue that can put mom and baby at risk and is common. I am with everyone that the OP should not worry about the work after the baby is born, that is irrelevant and there is also no better diet than breast feeding. The OP does need to figure out why she has gained so much this early on and why she is constantly hungry and craving things. The best thing she can do is talk to her OB as soon as possible and get their advise.

    I do breastfeed my babies for at least a year each. With my 1st, I gained 60 and lost 70 within 6 months from just breastfeeding. With my 2nd, breastfeeding didn't make me lose squat, but my circumstances were MUCH different than now (was super stressed in a bad marriage and eating to soothe myself). Now I've been exercising for years and have a different, wonderful husband, so I'm hoping the weight will fly off like it did before. Of course, I'm much older now (38 compared to 28), but I still think it will be better.

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