RELENTLESS PREGNANCY HUNGER

Most women experience new forms of hunger and cravings during pregnancy, and for a good reason. Apart from nourishing a growing baby, your body is also experiencing some changes such as increased fat stores, and a higher blood volume, which is why it needs more energy to function optimally. But although this hunger is justified, it can often be difficult to manage while still maintaining a balanced weight and good overall health. If you are struggling with these new cravings as well, here are some tips that will help you handle the relentless pregnancy hunger:

Develop Good Eating Habits:

While most of us are used to eating three large meals a day, this might not be an ideal eating schedule during pregnancy. Instead, having five or six smaller meals throughout the day might be more beneficial for keeping the constant pregnancy hunger at bay, while also helping to relieve some common symptoms such as heartburn. It might also be wise to pay attention to your calorie intake. It’s recommended to consume the same amount of calories in the first trimester, approximately 300 more in the second, and up to 500 in the third trimester, for the healthiest pregnancy diet. Avoid long spells of being empty stomach and do not over eat. Keep the balance by taking small portion of food every 2-3 hours.

Focus On Water And Healthy Foods:

Although it can be easy to eat truly anything during pregnancy, keeping your diet balanced and nutritious is quite important both for your and the baby’s health. To that end, try to incorporate more protein, fiber, whole grains, healthy fats, and plenty of vitamins and minerals into your daily diet, in an effort to curb hunger and maintain optimal blood sugar levels. Similarly, staying hydrated could help with digestion and dispersing nutrients, while also providing you with a feeling of “fullness”, which is why you might want to drink eight to twelve cups of water during your pregnancy.

Attempt To Eat More Slowly:

Even though pregnancy hormones might often cause you to binge, eating too quickly could make your brain less likely to register signals from your body that you actually feel full. That is why you should eat each meal more slowly, making longer pauses between bites, in order to allow your body to register the proper signals. As watching TV or scrolling through your phone while you eat might also disrupt these important signals, it would also be wise to avoid any distractions during your meals and focus solely on eating, to combat the relentless pregnancy hunger.

Know How To Manage Cravings:

Pregnancy hormones often cause food cravings. And while we tend to dismiss them as a mere pregnancy side effect, it’s important to listen to these cues, as they could tell you what your body is currently lacking. For instance, if you’re craving salty foods, your sodium levels might be low, and if you’re craving sweets, you might be lacking some vitamins found in fruit. Although following every craving isn’t ideal, you should be more aware of your body’s cues, and you should attempt to satisfy them through healthy options, instead of choosing fast food, unhealthy snacks, and processed foods. While your relentless hunger can often be difficult to manage, following the helpful advice mentioned above will allow you to eat a balanced diet, and maintain optimal health during pregnancy. Give due attention to intake of folic acid, iron and calcium supplements prescribed to you.