I know what you mean...
Hi Mari,
Congratulations on your very new pregnancy! I know exactly what you mean about the slippery slope. It is particularly tricky during pregnancy because you don't want to be losing weight or in ketosis, but you want to keep a lid on the insulin response, not to mention cravings. I remember when I became pregnant I had been maintaining at my ideal weight for quite a while. I had big plans to not eat sugar and to eat only high-fiber, whole-grain when I did consume complex carbohydrates. Then, I hit the queasies (usually they last from around 7-12 weeks if memory serves). Nothing appealed to me. Some things made me feel ill. I was hungry and repulsed at the same time. I started to feel like I needed to eat something, anything I could keep down, in order to maintain my strength. A pickle, a sandwich, pudding, popcorn, if I suddenly had an interest in something after a long day of hungry nausea, then I felt it was only reasonable to eat it. That alone, I think, is fine. But, just as you described, this translated to carb cravings as the nausea dissipated and I entered the always-hungry second trimester. I think I would have done much better and not gained so much if I wasn't facing the insatiable hunger of the second trimester along with the full-blown carb-craving cycle. Then, when I got to the third trimester, when my stomach just didn't have much room due to the growing baby, I was still victim to the cravings. I remember often eating even though I felt stuffed, saying "I'm not really hungry, but I just *want* this particular food." Unfortunately, when you are pregnant, you can't kick yourself into deep ketosis in order to get back on the right track. It will take much harder work to maintain control, but I do reccommend that you try or else you will find yourself in my shoes. Good luck with your long pregnancy ahead!
As for my little cheesecake indulgence, I'm glad to say that it did not trigger cravings or set me off on a binge as it might for others. I actually feel much better in that regard. I've read that if you are going to splurge, it is best to do it in the morning when you will be more likely to properly metabolize it. However, if I do that (remembering from the last time I was LC'ing) then I just feel that the whole day is shot. However, if I succumb to a little goody before bed, I go to sleep with a little guilt, wake up to my scale, and start a new day with new resolve. I do need to be sure that such goodies only happen on occasion, to be certain.
I was surprised by having lost 2 lbs because I really have only been at it for 10 days. I know that people often find that "shaking things up" helps after having been eating strictly low carb for a length of time, but it doesn't seem like this would apply to me. What I'm wondering, what I'm trying to learn from this experience, is whether this indicates a particular way in which my body responds which I should take into consideration. Perhaps I'm eating too low-carb? Or not enough calories (though I certainly haven't been restricting them)? But I don't keep count from day to day, so I'm not sure. Or maybe it is just a fluke which I should appreciate for what it is and then get back on the wagon... I don't know...
Thanks for listening!
-K
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