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Before
Baby Arrives, Give Birth to a Good Eating/Exercise Plan
Dear
Kathleen,
I'm 9 months pregnant and was overweight to begin with.
I know that it isn't about losing weight during pregnancy,
but I feel really bad about my weight. My doctor warned
me against gaining too much weight, but that's easier said
than done.
I care for my sister's child during the day while she works.
With my little one on the way, I'm worried about having
enough energy to cook healthy food. I have got to get this
weight off, but I am tired most of the time. Help!
April
Dear April,
You are right not to worry about losing weight at this time.
However, it's key that before the baby arrives, you set
things into place that will help you work towards your ideal
health and weight even when you're at your most tired.
Getting a handle on this now will help you set an example
for your child later. According to a Stanford University
study that followed 150 children for a nine-year period,
children with at least one overweight parent have a 48 percent
chance of being overweight themselves. The research showed
that the highly emotional children in the group were "more
likely to be given food by their parents to calm them and
control their behavior, and as a result, they may be being
overfed."
Go over your goals with your doctor and find out what your
specific calorie and nutritional requirements are during
this time.
If, after speaking with your doctor, you want more information,
schedule an appointment with a nutritionist.
If you're on a tight budget, call a nutritionist, explain
your situation and ask what books would be helpful for you
to read.
Before the baby arrives, spend every moment you can setting
yourself up to be able to cook in your sleep, which you
won't be getting much of at first. Because the days and
weeks after the baby comes home are among the most challenging,
proper nutrition is an edge your body needs.
Here are seven things you can do now that will pay off later:
- Fat
proof your kitchen. Simply put: If it helps you gain
weight, it goes; if it will encourage good health, it
stays. Evaluate your pantry, fridge and freezer for items
that do you in—then give them the boot. Challenge
yourself to replace junk with better options if you're
not ready to give something up completely.
- Clean
up your breakfast menu.
It's the most important meal of the day. It needs to be
nutritionally sound and substantial enough to get you
through hectic mornings. Sugary cereals and breakfast
bars aren't any more convenient than a hearty bowl of
oatmeal, cream of wheat or whole-grain cereal topped with
luscious seasonal fruit.
- Stockpile
recipes. If you've got a recipe, you've got a game
plan. Find five recipes and you've got a week's worth
of meals and the grocery list, if you don't mind leftovers.
Look for recipes that you can make and freeze so you don't
have to cook every night—soups, casseroles, stews,
veggie sides, etc. Look for 20-minute meals, one-dish
dinners and anything that says quick and easy. Look for
recipes with short ingredient lists and short instruction
lists. Make a list of nutritious foods you're not eating
enough of and look up recipes that include those key ingredients.
- Stay
in planning and production mode. Review
tomorrow's dinner menu before bed each night. This programs
you to follow through and provides you with enough time
to deal with last-minute setbacks.
- Prep
dinner before lunch. Get a jump start on dinner any
way you can, any time you can. Blanch the beans after
supper the night before, set out your tools, gather the
spices, chop the onions, make the sauce, microwave the
veggies, crack the eggs. Anything you do ahead will buy
you time down the road.
- Stock
up on freezer meals. Every time you cook, make a double
batch of something. Freezer meals are my saving grace
and have kept me out of fast food restaurants for years.
- Make
an exercise game plan. Look for home solutions. There
are plenty of exercise DVDs to choose from covering a
wide range of exercise categories: Pilates, yoga, stretching,
strength training, dance, spot training and aerobics.
Look for home exercise tools and toys that appeal to you:
jump ropes, hula hoops, balance balls, exercise bands,
hand weights, etc.
The
more thought, effort and planning you put into this now,
the greater your chances of achieving your goals in a safe,
healthy and timely way.
Best wishes for a healthy delivery, April!
kd@chefkathleen.com
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