Super early pregnancy but already so tired and STARVING??

[paulebear]

Hi all,

I’m newly pregnant (about 5.5 weeks) after a 7-8 month weight loss/exercise journey that started after my second miscarriage last year at 10 weeks gestation. I felt like the time was NOW to get my health in a better spot before trying again to conceive. I’ve not yet had a successful pregnancy (two first trimester losses in a row).

I’ve been working out 6 days per week since September, mostly weight lifting and now starting running. I’m currently running 2-2.5 miles 3-4 days per week, and doing weights 6 days per week, so on some days I do both running and weights. Total gym time usually 45-90 minutes per day. I try to go on 1-2 long walks a day in addition to that.

I’ve lost >30% of my body weight with exercise and strict calorie counting, and that had been going really well until I got pregnant and now im absolutely RAVENOUS, even more so after I exercise (especially running).

I’m also super tired today and starting to get nauseous. I’m worried this is the beginning of the end for my healthy habits and I’m just going to gain all the weight back and lose all the fitness I’ve worked so hard to develop. I want to listen to my body and rest/eat when it tells me to, but I also don’t want to use that as an excuse to slip into old bad habits.

Any empathy/insights into how to eat healthy and stay active in pregnancy when all you want to do is sleep and eat bread?

TIA!

 

[jeremiahtee]

@paulebear I am wrapping up the first trimester. Take alllllll the naps and enjoy any food that you can keep down. Give yourself some grace. It’s OK. Make an effort to eat well for your baby, but as my doc said, eat what I can keep down the first trimester.

Things are kind of unpredictable when it comes to food. I went from eating so much protein to just crackers and random fruit. The idea of protein grosses me out, although just this week I started tolerating chicken again!

Point is, do your best, make an effort but don’t be so hard on yourself.

 

[paulebear]

@jeremiahtee Thank you, I appreciate that! It’s just such a rapid departure from the habits I’ve carefully cultivated over the past few months that it felt really jarring. But you’re right, now is the time to eat and sleep and grow baby! Congrats on being almost done with first tri!

 

[joyoflife]

@jeremiahtee I agree with this. I’m 8 weeks and low-key nauseous all the time. I eat small snacks all day long and just try to not go over my calories to maintain. Dr said he gives his moms a pass during the first trimester and that second trimester it gets easier to eat whole foods and dial in your diet again.

 

[jhunnix]

@paulebear I lost weight between weeks 11-18 even though I was eating what felt like nonstop. My husband said he couldn't keep up with me, and he is BIG and eats plenty! My daily food was 2 eggs with a slice of cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and toasted sourdough for breakfast, yogurt with fruit as mid morning snack, the same breakfast again at lunch but with a slice or 2 of toasted deli turkey from BJs, lots of fruit for afternoon snack such as an apple or 2 with peanut butter or biscoff, or a dozen strawberries and a load of cheese cubes, dinner was always a big portion of protein and veg... Now I am 31 weeks and feel so full after a bowl of yogurt or half of a sandwich!

Girl, eat!!! But be healthy about it.

 

[paulebear]

@jhunnix Yes that sounds like a great plan!! I made a list of healthy snacks with protein and fiber and fats so I have lots of good options to choose from. I haven’t had any desire to eat junk food, I just want more food I was eating before pregnancy which is valid and makes sense.

 

[devolved]

@paulebear If you’re hungry, eat! I was by far the hungriest in my first trimester and gained very little weight despite eating what felt like double the amount of food. I tried to keep it “nourishing” vs junky, but I ate when I was hungry. I dont understand or believe the no extra calories in your first trimester at ALL bc my body clearly used all my extra calories for something.

Appetite for me has been on a downward slope since then (and my weight has steadily gone up a healthy amount). Just trying to listen to my body and it’s done a pretty good job so far!

 

[paulebear]

@devolved My weight has stayed stable despite honestly almost doubling what I was eating before, so I agree, those calories must be getting used up somewhere!!

 

[mountain_girl]

@paulebear Omg same, I’m 5+5 too!! One of my first symptoms was that I was also RAVENOUS all the time and did a little light googling and it turns out being pregnant just does weird things to your blood sugar. The two best things I’ve been able to implement are fiber and protein! Eating things like oatmeal for breakfast or whole wheat bread really helps smooth out your blood sugar so you don’t have crazy drops.

Also be aware that exercise can lower your blood sugar, so just make sure you have some snacks with you. I made the mistake of snowshoeing during my last pregnancy (before a MC at 9 weeks) with no snacks and my blood sugar plummeted straight down to hell. So just be cognizant

Edit: OH I forgot - I had hooooorrible morning sickness and my biggest recommendation is smoothies!! You can get some Greek yogurt (and peanut butter) plus fruit and it’s really easy on the stomach in addition to being filling because of the protein from yogurt or PB. Heck, you could even just do a protein shake.

 

[paulebear]

@mountain_girl YES, if I don’t eat every 2-3 hours I get shaky and dizzy and nauseous like my blood sugar is crashing. It’s crazy!! I’ve only had mild nausea thus far thankfully (had hyperemesis my first pregnancy and mild to moderate nausea my second), but I’m expecting it to get worse any day now. Love Greek yogurt, I eat it 1-2x/day!

 

[mushysnugs]

@paulebear I was able to keep up my workouts in my first trimester (I was marathon training) but I was a bottomless pit of hunger. I did gain weight rather quickly during the first half of my pregnancy despite how many calories I was burning with my training, but it leveled off in the second half for an overall normal amount of gain for pregnancy.

I'm now 8mo ppm and back at my normal training volume while BFing and continue to be a bottomless pit of hunger, lol. I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight though and my training is going well, so I can't complain!

 

[paulebear]

@mushysnugs Congratulations!!! That’s really motivating!!

 

[adita]

@paulebear I was so starving weeks 5 through about 10. I’m at 16 now and it’s balanced out somewhat. I gained 10 pounds by week 8 but then only another 2.5 by week 13.

 

[paulebear]

@adita That’s good to know!! Thank you!!

 

[perez1001]

@paulebear First of all, first trimester is so much harder than people think. The pregnancy hunger started for me right away. And this is not a time to diet. Your body needs the nourishment to grow the baby.
Also a lot of people feel better second and third trimester in terms of energy.
I was able to keep working out first trimester but I did have to slow my running paces or switch things up. I also had to drink a lot more electrolytes. I found that working out soon after I woke up and had a snack helped stave off morning sickness.

 

[paulebear]

@perez1001 Good tips, thank you!!!

 

[biblicalscholar]

@paulebear You might enjoy reading up on work by Lily Nichols RD, who specializes in evidence-based nutrition in pregnancy. She’s got great strategies and recipes, and even then emphasizes that first trimester is about survival. Listen to your body, it’s completely normal that you need extra rest and nourishment right now.