A Menu for Mamas in the Making
Morning Wake-up Drink
Start the day by alkalinizing the body for maximum strength and energy. Drink one glassful in the morning, and drink more glasses throughout the day, if desired. You can make “lemonade” by adding a few drops or more of stevia.
Juice of ½ lemon squeezed into a glass of room-temperature purified water
Breakfast
Think protein, veggies, and whole grains to give you long-lasting energy. I would load up on eggs and quinoa, and that recharged my batteries.
¾ cup quinoa flakes or gluten-free oatmeal served with stevia, cinnamon, and almond milk
or
2-egg omelet, with 2 cups of vegetables of your choice
or
2 soft-scrambled eggs, 2 cups of spinach, zucchini, and garlic
1 slice turkey bacon
and
1 tablespoon cultured vegetables* (gradually increase to ½ cup)
*Cultured vegetables are soft, delicious, and somewhat pickled through a fermentation process that increases the friendly bacteria naturally present. They are chock-full of probiotics and digestive enzymes (so a pregnant woman’s system will be armed to support the immune system and digestion) and can be found at your local health food store.
Lunch
Protein plus salad will keep you full and will calm cravings. Although my cravings were tough to tame, I knew that eating these lunch dishes gave me great nutrients and fiber and satisfied my hunger. I was working fourteen-hour days, so I needed to stay full.
Grilled chicken and veggies on a bed of greens
or
Lamb chops and mixed greens sauté
or
Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Herb Vinaigrette (see recipe, p. 95)
and
1 tablespoon cultured veggies (gradually increase to ½ cup)
Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Herb Vinaigrette
Makes 2–3 servings
Large romaine leaves
1 pound cooked turkey breast, shredded or cubed
½ cucumber, chopped
½ cup grated carrot
½ cup fresh basil (whole leaves, or chopped to a fine shred)
HERB VINAIGRETTE
½ cup grapeseed oil vegannaise (vegan mayonnaise)
Juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon oregano or thyme
Mix well, and add water to create desired consistency. Fill each romaine leaf with turkey, veggies, and basil. Top with vinaigrette, and roll ends of each lettuce leaf together.
Dinner
One thing I have learned from this diet is that you can have a delicious, satisfying meal with no meat. (Or go for a tasty seasoned fish that’s rich in omega-3.)
Stuffed Red and Yellow Bell Peppers (see recipe, p. 97)
or
Cod Infused with Ginger, Cilantro, and Chives (see recipe, p. 98)
or
Salmon Dijon (see recipe, p. 98)
Stuffed Red and Yellow Bell Peppers
Makes 2 servings
2 bell peppers, 1 red and 1 yellow (cut tops off, remove seeds, and set aside)
½ cup diced yellow and red bell peppers (use tops you removed)
½ small yellow onion, chopped
¼ cup diced zucchini
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
teaspoon grated ginger
1 ¼ cups cooked quinoa
¾ cup cooked millet
1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil, plus more to oil the baking dish
1 ¼ teaspoons spicy herb seasoning (I prefer Trocomare)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed or olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté all vegetables (except peppers to be stuffed) on medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add quinoa and millet and mix. Pack filling into peppers. Oil a Pyrex dish with the grapeseed or olive oil and place the peppers in it. Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
Cod Infused with Ginger, Cilantro, and Chives
Makes 2 servings
2 skinless 6-ounce pieces of cod
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro and chives
1 tablespoon wheat-free tamari
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Wash cod well and place in a Pyrex dish filled with ½ inch water. Spread ginger over the cod. Cover and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. After cooking, add cilantro and chives, and top with tamari.
Salmon Dijon
Makes 2 servings
2 skinless 6-ounce pieces of wild salmon
2 tablespoons crushed garlic
2 tablespoons grated ginger
DIJON SAUCE
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons wheat-free tamari
2 teaspoons water
2 drops stevia
Preheat the over to 375°F. Wash salmon well and place in a Pyrex dish filled with ½ inch water. Spread garlic and ginger on salmon. Combine ingredients for Dijon Sauce, mixing well, pour over salmon, and cover. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
What Mama Wants, Mama Eats
Even with a filling, healthy diet, those cravings tend to kick in and they must be tamed. I used to get hungry in the middle of the night. Melissa told me to keep some almonds by my bed, but she also whipped me up some special treats. The great thing about these snacks is that they don’t just taste good, they’re also good for you and your baby. Don’t forget to share!
Green Smoothie
Makes 4 servings
1 avocado
1 Granny Smith apple
4 ribs celery
1 medium cucumber
2 kale leaves, stems removed
1 cup chopped romaine leaves
1 tablespoon herb of choice—cilantro, basil, parsley—or ½ teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 cups purified water
Chop veggies and fruit small. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth.
These were great mid-morning, when I could hardly wait until lunch!
Tia’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes 12 cookies
2 cups almond meal
½ cup whole-grain flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cultured butter or ghee, melted
1 tablespoon nonalcoholic vanilla extract
½ cup applesauce
1 cup grain-sweetened chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in wet ingredients and fold in chips. Form the cookie dough into 1 ½-inch balls and press onto a pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool and serve.
These are so delicious, I used to dream about them!
Bliss Balls
Makes 12 balls
1 cup raw almond butter
½ cup carob powder
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon nonalcoholic vanilla extract
½ teaspoon stevia
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Handful of almonds, finely chopped
Combine all ingredients except almonds, and mix well. Form into bite-size balls. Coat with chopped almonds. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Great to pack for a midday work snack.
Is it safe to exercise when you’re pregnant?
You should always ask your doctor first before starting any exercise program. I would recommend, in the absence of any pregnancy complications, 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day on most, if not all, days of the week. Pregnancy hormones cause the joints of the body to relax. Exercise will help the supporting muscles protect your back, abdomen, and pelvic floor, and good body alignment will help prevent or lessen many of the discomforts of pregnancy. Exercising during pregnancy will also help you stay in shape for labor and delivery, and it will help prevent too much weight gain. Make sure you have a warm-up and cool-down period, and avoid exercises that cause you to strain and hold your breath. Also, stay away from exercises that put too much pressure on your lower back or have you lying flat on your back. Be sure to avoid high-contact sports, scuba diving, and anything that comes with a high risk of falling or abdominal injury, such as gymnastics or certain yoga poses. Stop exercising immediately if you experience any chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, vaginal bleeding or leakage of fluid, or regular contractions.
Keeping Fit
Long before I got pregnant, my trainer, Jeanette, taught me that fitness involves both body and mind. Using that philosophy, she got me into the best shape of my life for The Game. When I was pregnant, there were so many times I did not want to work out! It was great to have Jeanette there to push me to get my butt off the couch, do one more crunch, one more hip raise.
Once I hit my second trimester, found the sourdough, and started to pack on a few pounds, it was easy to feel that there was no point to my efforts to feel and look like a hot mama. “Sexiness is not defined by body size,” Jeanette assured me. Here are some of her best tips, which kept me motivated and will keep you moving. A healthy mama means a healthy baby, and there’s no better gift you can give yourself than starting an exercise routine. You’ll love the way you look and feel, and that will translate tenfold to the rest of your life. Trust me.
Top 10 Tips to Stay Active During Pregnancy
- Pump up the volume. Create a motivating playlist on your MP3 player. Research proves that music motivates you to move. Some of my favorite tunes that get me pumped up lately are Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s “Crazy in Love,” Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack,” and Natasha Bedingfield’s “I Wanna Have Your Babies.” Don’t tell Cory about that last one.
- Join a support group. Join a prenatal exercise class that meets once a week. Check your local health clubs and yoga studios for listings. Sharing the workout experience with other pregnant moms is motivating and creates an instant support group.
- Prioritize. Schedule your workouts into your weekly schedule just like any important meeting. If your workout is scheduled, then there is a much higher likelihood that you will do it.
- Start your day with a morning workout. Dedicate your first waking moments to you, your baby, and your health. As the day goes on, your schedule gets busier and you also get tired. Working out first thing in the morning will help you clear your mind, and circulate oxygen and endorphins through your body so you start your day feeling great.
- Seek professional help. You go to a mechanic to maintain your car and a dentist to care for your teeth, so why not consider going to a certified personal trainer to help take care of your body? By hiring a trainer to meet with you once a week, you’ll have someone to keep you on your toes and show you how to do the exercises correctly. Again, keep your doctor in the loop, and look for a trainer who specializes in pregnant clients.
- Energy creates more energy. It’s normal to not feel like working out sometimes, but that’s probably when you need it the most. When you’re feeling tired or stressed, even a fifteen-minute walk will send endorphins through your body and make you feel better. Think about how amazing you will feel when you are done with your workout, and get moving.
- Make it fun. Just because you’re expecting doesn’t mean that you can’t have a fun workout. You can still dance, cardio box, swim, hike—whatever you enjoy. Just make sure that you stay within your safety zones. This is not the time to try new exercises, but if you were already doing these types of workouts before you got pregnant, then you can keep doing them.
- Mix it up. To make sure you don’t get bored with your workouts and to help you stay motivated, make sure your weekly workout plan has a variety of different methods of training: cardio (walking, hiking, stationary bike, spinning, aqua fitness, dance, aerobics, cardio boxing); muscular strength and endurance (sculpting, ballet, traditional weight training); and flexibility (Pilates, yoga, stretching).
- Get inspired. Post a picture up on your fridge or bulletin board that motivates you to stay active. Think of what inspires you: your favorite athlete or celebrity, or quotation or scripture; an active, healthy pregnant mom; a favorite dress or bathing suit you would like to wear after your pregnancy; or a vacation spot that inspires you to work out.
- Be positive. This is an often overlooked part of your health, but it’s even more important when you’re pregnant. Make the choice to look for the positive in every new challenge and experience that comes your way. If you react to life with negativity and stress, then you will be sending those stress hormones to your baby. A happy mommy makes a happy baby. If all else fails, laugh it off—tomorrow’s a new day.
Ask the OB
When will I fit back into my clothes, and what will my body look like post-pregnancy?
Between the baby, the placenta, and the amniotic fluid, you typically leave the hospital about 10 to 15 pounds lighter than when you came in—which constitutes your initial weight loss. However, your belly bump won’t be completely gone. Most new mommies still look about 5 months pregnant on the day they are discharged from the hospital. By 6 weeks postpartum, many women have lost about two-thirds of their pregnancy weight, assuming they gained the typical 25 to 35 pounds. Your goal for weight loss should be about 1 to 2 pounds per week.
If you developed stretch marks during your pregnancy, and most women do, the good news is they fade over time. The bad news is they don’t go away completely. There are some creams that you can try, but don’t expect miracles. Most don’t offer very dramatic results. The good news about the linea nigra—the brown line many pregnant women get on their belly—is that it will disappear completely, usually within 6 months, though if you are nursing it may take a little longer.
One of the most significant post-pregnancy changes your body goes through is actually above your belly bump … your breasts. Most expecting mommies get bigger breasts while pregnant—and they get even bigger while nursing. But afterward, they will not remain bigger—just longer and a little flatter. While your breasts may regain some of their original shape, they rarely look exactly the same as they did before pregnancy. Your arms, on the other hand, will soon start to look leaner and stronger. You will be carrying your baby—a lot—and that usually leads to nicely toned biceps.