[Katigre]

Originally Posted by jujubnme

Sounds like you're just looking for more variety in what you're already doing then? Might not be what you were looking for, but the article made me think of liverwurst as a snack or lunch option, if you like it and have a good source. Or hard boiled eggs... Devilled eggs made with avocado... I would think a lot of paleo/primal dinner options would fit your needs. Is there a particular kind of recipe you're looking for? Maybe a spin-off would get more eyes and more ideas.

I think i'm trying to figure out if I have to intentionally *try to gain weight* while eating primal/paleo which involves stuffing myself until my stomach feels really full, vs. just cooking foods that are whole-foods and healthy with good fat and trusting my body to gain what it needs for this pregnancy and nursing post-partum. i feel like I have a good variety of foods and am eating when hungry - 3 meals a day and probably 2-3 snacks. One meal is lighter than the others (i.e., more for bfast and dinner and less for lunch). I don't intentionally restrict any foods except refined sugars. (Note: Here is my weight gain so far this pg.
Starting 120lbs (5'4)
14 weeks - 11 lbs (due to eating a LOT of panera bagels and white flour store bagels each day to cope with morning sickness/nausea - this is not typical weight gain for me)
18 weeks - 2 lbs
22 weeks - 2 lbs
26 weeks - .5 lbs
So at this point I'm 135-136 lbs or so

I've been gaining less than typical (1-2lbs/week) the whole time but it really dropped once I cut out refined sugar/processed foods. Note: I did not reduce grains until a week or so ago, so that is really not the main issue here ). I have been eating regularly and have no eating disorders/food aversions - I like food! But I don't feel comfortable with this pattern of decreasing weight gain. I go back in 3.5 weeks and hope to have gained 3 lbs in that time.

I do'nt have a good source for liver and I do lots of eggs and avocado already . It feels like I would have to eat more quantities of food in order to gain weight which is physically uncomfortable (ex. I made myself sweet potato hashbrowns for lunch today which was two shredded sweet potatoes, 4 tbsp of butter, 2 tbsp of coconut oil and cumin. I had to make myself finish it all b/c it was quite filling and would have been quite satisfied with just 1/3 of the portion).

---------- Post added at 06:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:25 PM ----------

And I don't want to make this thread all about me and my weight issues . I'm just trying to figure out the healthiest way to eat without sugar in my life and am finding it harder than I expected from a results-standpoint (wondering if the 25-35lb recommended weight gain for pregnancy is actually a realistic/healthy standard or should I not worry about it, not wanting eating changes to affect the baby negatively, only positively - like I believe removing refined sugars 90% of the time will do, etc...)

---------- Post added at 06:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:28 PM ----------

Originally Posted by crunchymum

I'm discouraged today. I'm thinking eating this way is easily going to double our grocery bill, and I just don't have that kind of wiggle room... Normally I'll grocery shop, spend close to $200, but can stretch most of that over 2ish weeks, with a few additions (like getting more milk or eggs or produce the second week). Already this last shopping trip was closer to $230 - 240, and we're almost out of stuff, I don't think I can stretch it past a couple more days (I went shopping Sunday night).

Wow...I am in awe that your grocery budget was so low to start with. We were running $650 and are now more like $800/$850 (if you count all food shopping like amazon.com stuff as well as regular grocery store).

Anyway...I would say this - don't fall into the 'all or nothing' trap . Do what you can do . Plan to cook 2-3 paleo meals per week with lower cost ingredients (ex. chicken thighs), reduce starches as a meal accompaniment, and lower sugar intake in general - especially in breakfast and snack foods. That should be doable without a huge grocery budget increase IMO.

Plus I kind of feel like crappola today, even though I've stayed with the plan - haven't had grains or sugar, even though the fam had grains last night.

Not sure about this - have you had enough to eat today, enough carbohydrates-non-grain and enough fat/protein? Could it be detox stuff (I don't know anything about that type of thing).