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Eating the right food will help you to regulate your food intake to ensure you include all your pregnancy vitamins and avoid eating foods that will only satisfy your hunger for a short period of time. This will help to you to manage your weight gain through pregnancy and provide a consistent energy level through the day! Power Porridge We've elevated the humble bowl of porridge to a FittaBreakfast packed with goodness that will set you up for the day (or at least until lunchtime!). Oats are a great source of dietary fibre, low in saturated fat and cholesterol and slowly release their energy making you feel fuller longer. We like to add a few extras to make it even more nutritious and delicious as part of your healthy pregnancy diet! Follow your usual porridge recipe (we use one ½ cup of porridge per person mixed with ½ cup of water and ½ cup of milk but for added calcium use 1 cup of milk and leave out the water) and simply add one or more of the following ingredients: Grated apple Handful of sultanas A heaped tsp of maca A heaped tsp of flaxseed Handful of cranberries A generous shake of mixed seeds Mashed banana Blueberries Raspberries Top with yogurt and serve with honey Eat an energy-rich snack It's really tempting to grab a chocolate bar or other sugary snack when you're feeling low on energy, but although it will give you an instant lift, the effect will always be temporary and followed soon afterwards by a new low. This is because these foods release their energy in a rush. What you want is food that releases its energy slowly and evenly and helps keep you on track for a normal pregnancy weight gain. Choose a snack from the following ideas: A piece of wholemeal or granary toast with a topping of your choice - peanut butter, cottage cheese or hummus would be good A handful of dried apricots or other dried fruit. A banana packs a real punch with lots of minerals and digestion aiding fibre. A single banana givers you approximately 27g of carbs A wholemeal pitta stuffed with hummus and sliced tomato. A couple of rough oatcakes and a low-fat dip. A chopped pear with a little natural fromage frais topped with a handful of seeds. Yogurt - especially with some fresh fruit. The 'good' bacteria in yogurt enhance the body's ability to absorb nutrients so it's a real winner. Yogurt with granola is good too! A glass of milk - high energy and extra calcium too. If you're monitoring your pregnancy weight gain opt for low fat or non-fat milk - all the benefits with fewer calories Whip up a fruit smoothie, especially one with bananas Nuts and seeds are packed full of healthy fats and oils and naturally high in zinc and other minerals too. One ounce of Brazil nuts (around 6 nuts) contains 185 calories, an astonishing 774% of your recommended daily intake of selenium (essential to immune and thyroid function) - don't eat too many of them! A big bowl of raspberries - full of antioxidants, Vitamin C and Iron and lower in sugar than other fruits Alexandra McCabe is a founder of FittaMamma, the healthy pregnancy experts. FittaMamma is a free resource to help women enjoy an active pregnancy with workout videos, recipes and step by step yoga guides. Read here for tips on what to eat when you're pregnant and how to enjoy a healthy prenatal diet with all your important pregnancy vitamins
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