“Eating for two” is a total myth during pregnancy.

While it’s true you DO need about 300 extra calories a day (specifically in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters; usually only 100 in the 1st trimester) weight gain recommendations are really individual and dependent more on your pre-pregnancy weight than anything else.

So given the fact that I was about 15 lbs. over my comfortable weight pre-pregnancy, I’ve had 15-20 lbs. as a target gain from the get-go from my OB — which sounded quite doable, especially when you read about what that weight REALLY is.

And truthfully, I’ve been comfortable with that gain. In fact, given where I’m at now (26 weeks/about to start the third trimester next week) I am on track to gain about that much — which makes me (and my doctor and husband and family) happy.

All I know is, to get to that gain, I need to eat more than I had been pre-pregnancy … and so I have — without much difficulty 😉

I’ve felt like I was doing fine with my eating until the past week or so. You see, I didn’t mean to … but I sure felt like I ate for two this week, or at least one and a third.

I’ve just been pretty hungry in the mornings (no matter how much I consume the previous night), and I’ve been giving in to too many junky temptations during the day, that when it came time for dinner (usually out with the in-laws who were still here til yesterday) … I ended up over-doing each day with basically the equivalent of an “extra” meal. And so a vicious cycle began.

Now truth be told, it’s probably fine. I am, after all, pregnant. And it’s  not like I’m binge eating — I’m just over-eating lately.  I also know I could probably get away with eating even a little more each day (especially when you factor in the fact that I am still exercising daily–less than before, but still “something” nearly every day).  And rationally I know one week or even two or three — won’t hurt me in the long run.

That’s not the problem.

What scares me is the mind-@!#!@ it gives me — i.e., how quickly an over-eating cycle can begin …which I’d like to nip before it becomes an actual cycle.

I’m sharing this today because in spite of feeling great, I do fear falling into old habits — not of the disordered kind, but of the over-eating/emotional eating kind that got me heavy in the first place and spurred my joining of Weight Watchers back in 2004. I don’t want to set a trend now that will be difficult to break after my baby is born.

I also feel like I could make better choices, if not for me — for my baby. I know the past few weeks were an exception because my in-laws were here (i.e., many meals out) … but that excuse doesn’t cut it.  So since obviously I can’t go back, all I can do is what anyone would do: forge ahead.

Simply put, I want to have a healthier, more balanced week this week. I definitely feel better when I’m eating cleaner; that’s for sure!  And I know how to do it. For me, meal planning is key. It doesn’t mean I’ll be married to my menu, but it does help so I can make sure I get good nutrients in before junk 😉

How about you? What are your tips for jumping back on the cleaner-eating bandwagon after a series of over-indulgences?