Since going Paleo my family has fallen even more in love with our grill. Paleo and grilling just work well together. The past couple of years I've even been stepping outside my grilling comfort zone more and more. Grilling things I'd never thought to have grilled before and trying new flavor combinations. I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results of most of my flavor experiments. In the past I'd never have thought to grill fruit, but it's amazing. Grilling fruit and adding it to traditionally savory dishes? Brilliant. Oh yes, and? New rule: every burger recipe for the rest of forever must contain grilled pineapple. OK, maybe more of a guideline. It's a seriously delicious combination though. This Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burger is always a crowd-pleaser at my house. It's not only Paleo, but Whole30, glutenfree, lower carb, and clean eating friendly. I promise you won't miss the bun! paleo, grilled pineapple burger, smoky...
In my third trimester I find myself looking back at this pregnancy and marveling at the difference I see between this and my previous pregnancies. I had assumed Paleo would make a difference, but I'm a little shocked at how much of a difference I've seen.
Benefits I've seen with my Paleo pregnancy:
Excellent nutrition. I've tracked my nutrients throughout most of my pregnancy and I've been amazed at just how great my nutrition is without really even trying (other than just sticking to Paleo). My daily values are at or above recommended daily values consistently (before any supplements).
People have asked if I feel deprived. With eats like this?
Nope, haven't felt deprived!
Less moody. Now, I still get sappy at the silliest things, but I'm not near as moody/emotional as I was in my previous three pregnancies. I was downright... grouchy. My husband has even remarked at how much more like myself I seem this pregnancy (pretty sure that was his nice way of saying I wasn't acting like a whacked out pregnant lady a la my previous 3 pregnancies).
Less weight gain. Weight gain was a huge issue for me in previous pregnancies. I gained about 80 pounds with my youngest son. Now, my body is prone to this. Heck, it likes to pack on the pounds when I'm not pregnant; I like to say I'm a very efficient calorie converter. When I am pregnant it seems to go into high gear wanting to store every calorie. That's just how my body is and I've made peace with it this pregnancy. BUT I've gained about 40 pounds so far and am guessing I will wind up with a 45-48 pound total weight gain. I'm pleased with that in comparison to past gains.
Just so there's no delusions of a crossfit babe with just a bump here:
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| Sorry for the weird-no-head-selfie, but we're under construction and took down the only full length mirror in the house to paint. |
Better skin. My skin is terrible when I'm pregnant. From acne to discolorations it's just a mess. It's not perfect peaches and cream this time either, but it's SO much better.
Less bloating/water retention. I had so much water weight in past pregnancies it was miserable. I had to buy bigger shoes, my rings wouldn't fit, cankles were an understatement, and my face... I was just a puffy mess. This pregnancy I've only had minimal bloating in my feet and ankles if I wasn't active enough that day. It's bliss.
Amazing blood sugar. I struggled with blood sugar issues and even gestational diabetes in past pregnancies. This pregnancy I tested my blood sugar for a week because I was curious where it was. It's amazingly stable. Woo!
Of course most importantly I think choosing Paleo will result in the best outcome for the health and well being of my little one!
Disclaimer: these are my personal opinions. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or any type of health professional.