Hello friends! I am officially in the home stretch of my first pregnancy; tomorrow I will be 36 weeks! This feels like a BIG milestone… literally I feel big, and figuratively for obvious reasons!
If you are a close friend, family member, or follow me on Instagram, you know that I was recently diagnosed with gestational diabetes, affecting 10% of pregnant women. However, this came as no surprise to me; my sister had it with both of her pregnancies and I seem to be mirroring her prenatal experience to a T! Genetics are wild like that! For now I am monitoring it through diet. I prick my finger four times a day and keep track of my fasted and after meal blood sugar levels. I am hoping I can continue on this track without needing insulin!
I thought it might be fun to show you what I eat in a day and how it impacts my blood sugar, for anyone else that is in the same boat or just curious. *I was home due to a snow day so I was able to document my meals and data for you!
A typical week-day looks like…
5:45 Wake up and check my fasting blood sugar
6:00 Workout with my husband (home gym)
6:45 Wake kids up and start getting ready for work
7:20 Out the door; I eat breakfast on the way to work (35 minute commute)
8:30 First class begins (teacher here!)
11:00 Lunch
12:00 Check blood sugar
3:30 Snack
5:30-6:30 Dinner
*Kid activities vary day to day
7:30 Check blood sugar
9:00 Everyone is in bed. I shower, wind down for the night, watch a show with my husband, etc.
I try to eat three meals and one snack a day, spaced out by 3-4 hours.
I consider myself a nutritionally well-informed eater but even still I’ve had to make minor adjustments to my diet. Each time I consume a carb it must be paired with a fat or protein (snack) or both (meal).
Snack Ideas:
- Apple with peanut butter
- String cheese and mixed nuts
- Greek yogurt with berries and a little granola
- Cottage cheese and cutie
- Protein shake (I like the Fairlife ones)
- Veggies, pita and hummus
- Hard boiled eggs with fruit
For full transparency, here are some other guidelines I try to stick to:
- Real, whole foods
- 100 grams protein minimum (most days I get more like 115 grams)
- Strength training 3x per week
- Minimum 5,000 steps daily (I often add a walk after my workout)
- *It helps that I’m up and moving most days as a teacher and step mom!
Now let’s get into a day of eating…
Please note this is just ONE day… my meals vary and sometimes I make mistakes, although I do eat a lot of the same things (creature of habit). My fasted blood sugar was 78 which is good. It should be below 90 in a fasted state.
I tend to keep breakfast simple since I eat it on the way to work. It is usually something I have meal prepped. I love these breakfast burritos. They are filling and easy to grab-and-go. I paired with half an apple, some coffee with creamer and collagen, and water. After an hour my blood sugar was 84. My doctor wants it below 140 after meals. I call that a win! If I drink my coffee faster I’ve noticed my blood sugar will be a bit higher. I typically range from 110-125 in the morning.
For lunch, I had an open faced tuna sandwich on sourdough bread. I paired it with a side sweet kale salad and string cheese for additional protein. After an hour, my blood sugar was 123.
I don’t check my blood sugar after my snack, but I still try to keep it balanced. These protein shakes are convenient and easy for me to grab and take to school.
Dinner I kept super simple. Salmon filet with roasted potatoes and steamed green beans. Not the most interesting of meals, but I also know that gestational diabetes is temporary and I won’t have to eat this simply forever. After an hour my blood sugar was 131. *Not pictured, but I do enjoy a piece of dark chocolate after dinner each night!
Today I was able to get 123 grams of protein and stayed within my calorie range. I also did a 20 minute strength session (body weight only). All in all, I’d call this a successful day! I hope you found this helpful and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions! I love connecting with you!
Love,
Ericka
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