An Eat-Clean Pregnancy

I am excited to have another guest blogger today. Her name is Sara Zanotto. She's one of our fabulous Eat-Clean Diet Success Stories & she's also a regular on our great little community, The Kitchen Table. She is a new mommy and wants to share with you how she managed her pre- & post-natal care by maintaining a clean & healthy lifestyle.

Here's Sara Z & her cutey, Bella!

As I see it, there are three categories of pregnant women: 1) ones who see pregnancy as an excuse to eat anything and everything, 2) ones who used to eat anything and everything, but now that they are responsible for the nutrition of a little baby they Eat Clean, and 3) ones who eat clean before, during and after their pregnancy. I’m proud to say that I fall into the third category. What about you?

I have maintained an Eat-Clean lifestyle for long enough now that it’s just natural, so when I found out that I was pregnant, it was a no-brainer for me--I was going to Eat Clean for my baby too.  However, I have to be honest...the terrible morning (who am I kidding?  It was all day!) sickness made it very difficult.  I was ashamed that my body was craving carbohydrates, and not the good kind.  I wanted comfort foods, especially bagels for some reason, and couldn’t even look at a fruit or vegetable.  Not to mention, I was so tired it was so hard to get any exercise besides just walking.  I was not a happy camper, but I knew that I needed to listen to my body.  Through the 16 or so weeks of sickness I tried to make the cleanest choices possible while still comforting myself (with Ezekiel bagels) to help ease the nausea.


Once the sickness was a distant memory, I was right back to what I am familiar with--Eating Clean.  It felt great to know that not only was I taking care of myself, but I was providing my baby girl with the best nutrition possible.  I enjoyed reading about her stages of development and discovering what foods were best.  For example, brain development is in full force during the third trimester, so I made sure to have foods that were high in Omega 3s.

Here's Sara's clean & healthy progression through pregnancy.
Look at that almost non-existent post-baby bump!

Towards the end of my pregnancy, I was so sick of hearing everyone telling me that I was “eating for two.” Especially since my doctors advised me that an extra 300 calories per day was all my little girl needed from me.  Of course, I was tempted a lot during my pregnancy and gave in on occasion; however, it almost seemed even easier to resist because I wasn’t just taking care of myself anymore.  It was always a good feeling to know that my baby was getting a healthy start.


It has been an easy transition since Bella’s birth (January 16, 2012).  I am breast feeding, so she is still eating what I’m eating.  It sucks that I need to be careful not to eat too many “gassy” foods, like one of my favourites--broccoli, but it’s so worth it!  I’d do anything for that little girl!


It’s the best feeling in the world to know that for the rest of my life I will be a mother to my beautiful daughter and I will continue to Eat Clean, exercise and stay committed to the health of my family!