Pre-Pregnancy
What an amazing thing that you are here seeking to be a healthier you and planning / preparing for pregnancy. Whether you are between pregnancies or have never been pregnant... there is no better time to optimize your health and well being!
It can be daunting at the start, so let's do what we can to take some actionable steps in the right direction. Always remember... this is a journey... and we all start somewhere... and progress...
Use all the excitement you have now to get things going & don't be too hard on yourself about not being at the finish line yet! :)
24 Hour Food Diary:
Reflect on your eating habits by recording what you consume each day.
Also note how you felt when eating:
Tired? Stressed? Hungry?
Attached is a link to a PDF provided by the CDC that you can print out to record your food diary.
Click Here.
Food
Frequency
It is important to consider how much you consume of certain foods (each providing important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals). Use the diagram below to analyze which foods you consume frequently and where you could make progress.
What's on your plate?
Vegetables
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Calorie and nutrient requirements vary for every person, and as such there is not a single diet that will work for all women. Changing the way you eat can be hard, and is not like flipping a switch. It can take time to develop new habits. However, the taste preferences you develop overtime will benefit you now, and you and your family in the future.
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Mindful eating means listening to the hunger cues your body gives you and eating when you are hungry, but stopping when you are full.
Try to recognize whether you are eating due to hunger, or because you are stressed/ bored, and avoid eating if for those reasons.