5 Simple Steps to the Right Diet Plan Pregnancy
Creating the right diet plan for pregnancy doesn't have to create a lot of stress in your life. In fact, choosing a good diet for pregnancy should be looked at not in terms of a quick fix or a sudden 100% healthy shift to perfect eating, but a slow metamorphosis, taking baby steps toward a healthy lifestyle. Pregnancy is stressful enough as it is without stressing out over what you're eating.
So how can you start taking those baby steps toward a healthy lifestyle? The bottom line is simple: use your common sense. Educate yourself about healthy eating and keep learning as you go. To break this process down even further, we've included five steps you can follow to help make the right choices not just for the next nine months--but for the rest of your life!
1. Read the Labels
When it comes to purchasing foods in the grocery store, take the time to read the labels. If most of the ingredients are five syllable chemical compounds that you can't pronounce, then toss it and move on. In fact, most whole, unprocessed foods don't even come with labels--and that's what you should be aiming for. For example, rather than selecting apple juice on your next trip to the store, buy half a dozen organic apples and eat them as part of your daily snacks.
2. How Can This Food Benefit You?
Before you eat or drink anything, think carefully about how it will benefit both you and your baby. Will it provide you with the nutrients and minerals you both need? Is it high in fiber? Is it whole and organic, or full of chemicals? By stopping a moment and actually thinking about what you are about to consume, you will find yourself making healthier choices that will give your baby everything she needs for proper development and everything you need for a healthy sustainable lifestyle.
3. Drink Your Water
Water should be your go-to beverage of choice during pregnancy. Water will not only help flush out toxins and combat aches and pains, it will also help keep excessive weight gain at bay. If you have trouble drinking enough water, promise yourself that you won't indulge in tea or coffee until you have had your daily quota of water for the day. You can also add a squirt of lemon juice, sprig of mint, or a spoonful of raw honey if you find the taste of water too bland.
4. The Benefits of Exercise
Make no mistake, it can be difficult to stay motivated to exercise during pregnancy. But gentle, no impact or low impact movement can help reduce your stress levels, keep you limber, and help you shape up for the rigors of childbirth. Try working out with a friend who will help you stay accountable to your exercise plan. Find exercise that you enjoy, like swimming, water aerobics, walking, or yoga and you'll be even more likely to stick with your plan.
5. Understanding the Importance of Stress Relief
Pregnancy can be very stressful, and learning proper stress management techniques now can benefit you throughout your life. As mentioned above, exercise can be great for stress relief. You might also try meditation, prayer, or journaling your emotions during a little respite every day. Many women rely on girls' night out (GNO) to help keep stress at bay and to get out of the house and socialize on a regular basis. You can also try prenatal yoga, which has shown great results with stress relief. Just find a few minutes every day and devote some time to stress reduction techniques--you'll feel better for longer!
So how can you start taking those baby steps toward a healthy lifestyle? The bottom line is simple: use your common sense. Educate yourself about healthy eating and keep learning as you go. To break this process down even further, we've included five steps you can follow to help make the right choices not just for the next nine months--but for the rest of your life!
1. Read the Labels
When it comes to purchasing foods in the grocery store, take the time to read the labels. If most of the ingredients are five syllable chemical compounds that you can't pronounce, then toss it and move on. In fact, most whole, unprocessed foods don't even come with labels--and that's what you should be aiming for. For example, rather than selecting apple juice on your next trip to the store, buy half a dozen organic apples and eat them as part of your daily snacks.
2. How Can This Food Benefit You?
Before you eat or drink anything, think carefully about how it will benefit both you and your baby. Will it provide you with the nutrients and minerals you both need? Is it high in fiber? Is it whole and organic, or full of chemicals? By stopping a moment and actually thinking about what you are about to consume, you will find yourself making healthier choices that will give your baby everything she needs for proper development and everything you need for a healthy sustainable lifestyle.
3. Drink Your Water
Water should be your go-to beverage of choice during pregnancy. Water will not only help flush out toxins and combat aches and pains, it will also help keep excessive weight gain at bay. If you have trouble drinking enough water, promise yourself that you won't indulge in tea or coffee until you have had your daily quota of water for the day. You can also add a squirt of lemon juice, sprig of mint, or a spoonful of raw honey if you find the taste of water too bland.
4. The Benefits of Exercise
Make no mistake, it can be difficult to stay motivated to exercise during pregnancy. But gentle, no impact or low impact movement can help reduce your stress levels, keep you limber, and help you shape up for the rigors of childbirth. Try working out with a friend who will help you stay accountable to your exercise plan. Find exercise that you enjoy, like swimming, water aerobics, walking, or yoga and you'll be even more likely to stick with your plan.
5. Understanding the Importance of Stress Relief
Pregnancy can be very stressful, and learning proper stress management techniques now can benefit you throughout your life. As mentioned above, exercise can be great for stress relief. You might also try meditation, prayer, or journaling your emotions during a little respite every day. Many women rely on girls' night out (GNO) to help keep stress at bay and to get out of the house and socialize on a regular basis. You can also try prenatal yoga, which has shown great results with stress relief. Just find a few minutes every day and devote some time to stress reduction techniques--you'll feel better for longer!
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