Carly Zuffinetti On A Healthy/Hot/Happy Pregnancy

Ok so obviously I’m pretty much clueless when it comes to pregnancy.

Because I’ve never been pregnant. So what a clueless girl to do?

Naturally, turn to her friends.

& in this case, my friend happens to be a hot piece of ass ( << can I say that about a soon to be mama? Hope so. ).

You guys have met Carly Zuffinetti here//here//here//here, so you know she’s super knowledgeable about health, fitness, & everything in between.

So when Carly told me she was starting an Instagram account ( @thepreggerspantry ) on how to have a healthy pregnancy, I freaked. I wanted to get her on the blog ASAP so she could share all her secret tips & tricks with TSC readers who are moms, pregnant, or potentially wanting to get preg.

Anyway, enjoy lovas:

Who says you can’t be pretts and pregs?!

Unfortunately, I’m not one of those girls who looks totally gorgeous and glowing as a pregger. Everything is getting a little bigger and my skin is far from lovely. However, I feel REALLY healthy & super grateful that I have been lucky enough to not experience morning sickness or other ailments that often go along with being pregnant. Other than being exhausted, my first trimester was a breeze!! I’m twenty-two weeks along & feeling great!

❤ FOOD/DIET:

I know a lot of women get horribly sick during pregnancy. Headaches, vomiting, & nausea usually top the list. I can’t relate to that and I’m sure constantly feeling sick would make it really hard to eat healthy. Let’s get real- who wants a salad when your tummy is upset? I have a few food aversions & there are many days where I would be perfectly happy eating pizza & cereal for every meal, but I know that’s not best for the baby. So I force myself to eat super duper healthy throughout the day and then have whatever I’m craving ( within reason ) for dinner. And ladies, you aren’t literally eating for two when you are pregnant, so don’t use pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever you want. Fast food, sugar, & processed foodsare not the best choices for that little cutie growing inside you.

Here are a few examples of my food choices. My diet hasn’t changed too much from before I was pregnant.

♡ Breakfast:

I always drink a blended green drink first thing in the morning. This morning I had spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, lemon, ginger, banana, coconut water, & chia seeds. Throw it all into your Vitamix or blender and it’s that easy. About thirty minutes after that I ate a hard boiled egg and piece of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel toast with Nutzo, coconut oil, cinnamon, and honey on top. Other days I have a green drink then oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts or a hard boiled egg with grapefruit.

♡ Snack:

I’m definitely hungrier now that I’m pregnant, so I always have fresh fruit & nuts on hand. Today I had a blood orange and an apple and some Kombucha. I almost always try to eat fruit at this time of the day. Mango, blueberries, oranges, & apples are my faves.

♡ Lunch:

I always have a huge salad or a veggie sandwich with avocado. My salads vary I have tons of greens, veggies, raisins or cranberries, quinoa, avocado &/or a hard boiled egg. I like saurkraut on my salad too, which is a great way to get your probiotics. About an hour after lunch I drank the other half of my Kombucha.

♡ Snack:

Before I workout I have some almonds or walnuts. Sometimes I grab a KIND bar or a Suja Juice. 

♡ Dinner:

Anything! I usually have wild salmon at least once a week. I also love grilled mahi mahi tacos. I eat a lot of lentils and sweet potatoes. I make my own version of the Chipotle bowl with black beans and veggies. Some nightsjust cheese and veggie sandwiches with my panini maker or breakfast for dinner. These are just examples of some of my staples. I have pizza every once in awhile too.

If ( & when ) I get a sweet tooth I go for a some dark chocolate almonds, coconut milk ( vegan ) ice cream, or a healthy cereal with almond milk ( I only buy Nature’s Path Organic cereals these days ).

Don’t forget to take your prenatal vitamins! I started taking these as soon as I stopped taking my birth control pills. I like the brand Mega Food ‘Baby and Me’ which you can purchase at Whole Foods. I also take prenatal Spectrum’s DHA & calcium.
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If you want more examples of healthy food/lifestyle choices, follow me on Instagram @thepreggerspantry!

❤ EXERCISE:

I cannot stress this one enough! Even when you don’t want to or you are so exhausted, do it anyway! Trust. It’s been my saving grace. Do something everyday, even if it’s just a walk. I ALWAYS feel better and more energized after I do. If you were active before pregnancy, keep doing what you are doing ( with the exception of extreme sports, of course ). I love walking, hiking, yoga, and tennis. My friend even let me borrow some great pregnancy workout videos. My doctor described pregnancy as having twenty times more hormones than when you’re menstruating. Exercise is crucial just to keep yourself sane!! One of the pregnancy books I’ve read says that exercise is “a cure all”, & I agree!

❤ SKIN CARE:

Personally, I don’t really use anything unnatural on my skin, so I continue to lather my body, especially my belly, with coconut oil and Vitamin E oil after I shower. I treat my blemishes with tea tree oil and aloe from my aloe plant. I also got some good skin mask recipes from Kimberly Snyder’s website that use nothing but aloe, honey, cinnamon, & turmeric. Don’t use anything harsh on your skin. For my monthly facials, my esthetician Brandie Aviles at Queen Bee Skin Boutique uses The Body Deli products ( love their mud mask ), a wonderful, organic skin care line. She even adds in a little head massage during the facial that feels amazing! I also continue to take a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar daily which is said to promote clear skin, soothe heartburnand help with digestion issues, which many women suffer from during pregnancy.

❤ BE POSITIVE:

Being pregnant is such a miracle! Even though you may not feel or look your best- just embrace it! Be happy! Don’t be the girl who talks about how fat & ugly you feel or how much weight you’ve gained. In fact,don’t EVER be that girl!! Your baby needs positive vibesand a stress free environment. Don’t feel sorry for yourself- there are times where you feel sick, down in the dumps, or crabby. When you start to feel that way, think about all the women in this world who would give anything to have a baby and experience what you are so lucky to be going through. Find a little time everyday to talk to and think about your baby. Go to prenatal yoga classes- they help both physically and emotionally. Find a pregnant friend who knows what you’re dealing with so you don’t have to vent to your husband constantly. Make time for yourself- go hiking or to brunch with girlfriends, get a prenatal massage, or facial. Your baby is a blessing, enjoy every minute of having a life inside you, it truly is amazing!

♡♡ To follow Carly on Instagram, click here & here.